Since it first ran in 1870, the mail boat was for a long time the only way to get around the Bahamas. Even when scheduled air services started up 25 years ago between the 25 inhabited islands of the 700 which make up the archipelago, the mail boat remained the cheapest, most popular form of transport. Nowadays, 20 mail boats shuttle twice-weekly between the islands, transporting absolutely everything: passengers, drinks, foodstuffs, supplies for shops, building materials, spare parts for cars and, of course, the mail.