This week's reader photo spotlights a beach that rarely makes the postcard circuit: Ten Bay Beach, on the Atlantean-blue edge of North Palmetto Point in Eleuthera, The Bahamas. Submitted by reader Ahimsa to Caribbean Journal's long-running photo feature, the shot captures exactly what makes this stretch of sand special — calm, glassy turquoise shallows that stay knee-deep for what feels like forever.

Eleuthera itself is one of the more laid-back members of the Bahamian family. It's a long, skinny island — about 110 miles end to end but barely a mile wide in places — with the deep navy Atlantic on one side and the sheltered, reef-protected Caribbean side on the other. Ten Bay sits on that calm western shore, which is precisely why the water there is so inviting: no big surf, no wading through breakers, just warm, bath-like shallows over pale sand.

That geography is the beach's whole selling point. It's the kind of place families with small children gravitate to, since kids can splash for hours without anyone worrying about depth. It's equally popular with couples looking for a beach you can practically have to yourselves — Eleuthera doesn't do crowds the way Nassau or Paradise Island do, and Ten Bay has no resorts spilling onto the sand, no beach bars, no vendors. Bring your own umbrella, water and snacks, because facilities are basically non-existent.

North Palmetto Point is a quiet settlement area on the island's Caribbean side, a short drive south of the capital, Governor's Harbour. That town makes a good base: it has a handful of small inns, a Friday-night fish fry at the old railway station, and grocery stores where you can stock a cooler before heading to the beach. Pineapple fields near Gregory Town to the north are an easy day-trip add-on — Eleuthera is famous for its sweet Pineapples, and the annual pineapple festival in June leans into it.

Practicalities are straightforward. North Eleuthera Airport receives short flights from Nassau, and Governor's Harbour Airport is even closer to Ten Bay; flying into Nassau and connecting is the standard routing. You'll want a rental car — the island is long, taxis are pricey, and the best beaches are spread out along Queen's Highway, the single main road. Driving is on the left. The beach is free to access and rarely more than sparsely populated, even in high season.

Why should this matter to a traveller? Because the Caribbean is full of famous beaches that come with crowds to match, and Ten Bay is the antidote. It's proof that the Bahamas' best swimming isn't all at big resorts — sometimes it's an unmarked turnoff down a sandy track, with water the colour of a swimming pool and no one else in it.

If you fancy being featured yourself, Caribbean Journal runs its Photo of the Week from reader submissions — email your shot to news@caribjournal.com with CPOTW in the subject line, your full name and the location. Judging by this week's effort, a decent phone camera and good light at Ten Bay might do the trick.

Photo feature via Caribbean Journal.