Flos Conch Shack Solar

The struggle for Solar Power.

I’m Cameron Kirkconnell and I’m writing this on behalf of my friend Chester Darville the sole and last remaining resident of a small island in the Bahamas who needs your help. A group of us have been working to get Solar Power to the island but need your help to take us to the finish line to preserve a way of life, and an iconic establishment (Flos Conch Shack) on the island his family has resided since his great great grandmother first snuck it away from the pirates in the early 1800’s.

Short version - Chester lives alone on an island in the Bahamas 15 miles from the closest civilization and his only source of power is a dilapidated generator we cut out of the bush on another island that had been abandoned for the past 20 years and drug to the island in 2020 when his other one died. How the hell that POS generator is running and how Chester survives boggles my mind. It’s running, just barely and I had a solar company visit the island to quote setting up and eco friendly Solar power array to preserve the pristine island and save him the arduous journey each week to get diesel fuel.

For reference, diesel is $8.25 per gallon. Weather dependent, it is a 30 mile run by boat to get it, then haul it up the hill and every few days manually fill the generator to keep it going.

To make money to pay for his humble (existence) lifestyle, Chester had a dream. He started cooking for passing boats with his mother Flo many years ago out of a small shack he built overlooking the gorgeous blues of the Bahamas.

You can just show up, but you might only be able to get a taste of the sneakiest and rewarding rum punch in the islands and maybe convince him to whip up some conch fritters, real conch fritters where you can taste and feel the conch in each bite. Call ahead, a day or two preferably, plan for lunch or dinner with your fish or his and prepare for the best fried fish, cracked conch, rice and peas (with the perfect hint of coconut), and as anyone who has ever visited will tell you there is no more memorable meal than one spent watching the sunset there.

How the heck he survives escapes me.

As you approach his dock, there are literally millions of conch shells lining the shore.

Peacocks and chickens in the yard amongst old fish traps, long since retired outboard motors and bits of ships and hurricane salvaged materials from other wrecks and donations from passing vessels.

There is no more authentic place in the Bahamas than Flos. We are afraid of losing it and losing the dream that Chester and his family have been trying to preserve so the rest of us can take a moment out of our busy lives and enjoy one of the last truly special and remote places in the world.

If you watch MEATEATER the TV show, recently we made the long run to visit Chester and he was kind enough to let Kimi Werner and I and Steve Rinella use his kitchen for the cooking segment of the show. Check it out on Netflix and YouTube and huge thanks to them for helping bring awareness to this small slice of paradise.

If and when you get a chance to visit, call ahead on WhatsApp +1-242-473-3527 and see if Chester needs you to bring anything and set up a time to have him cook for you.

You Welcome!!!

The first supporters of this campaign and whom I have donated for - Thank you for your patience

Greg Edwards $500 via check

Phillip H $1000 Venmo

Lou basenese $250 Venmo

Kyle tefe Venmo $50

Mac Mackay $100 Venmo

Robert brown $250 Venmo

Wendi naughtin $250 Venmo

Christian Mingano $250 Venmo

Chelsea O’Connor $100 Venmo

Mike Wirs $100 Venmo