Destination

Bahamas

The Exumas — 365 Islands of Pink Sand and Turquoise Water

Why Bahamas?

The Exuma Cays stretch for 100 miles — a chain of 365 islands and cays that are mostly uninhabited, mostly pristine, and mostly accessible only by sea. The water is the most vivid turquoise on the planet (it genuinely looks unreal). Add swimming pigs, nurse sharks, iguanas, and the best snorkeling in the Atlantic, and you have a charter ground unlike anywhere else on earth.

Best Season

November through May. Winter brings steady 15-20 knot northeasterly trades and cooler, clearer air. Hurricane season officially runs June–November — avoid August and September entirely. Water temps 75–80°F in winter, 84°F+ in summer.

Perfect For

Families, first-timers, and anyone who wants Caribbean clarity without Caribbean crowds. The Exumas are uniquely accessible from Florida (3-hour flight to Nassau) while remaining genuinely remote. The Exuma Park requires advance permits — we handle that for you.

Must-Visit Spots

Where to Drop Anchor

Thunderball Grotto, Staniel Cay

A sea cave made famous by the James Bond film. Snorkel through the entrance at low tide into a cathedral of light and coral — colourful fish swarm around you expecting to be fed. Best visited at sunrise before the day-trippers arrive.

Swimming Pigs, Big Major Cay

Arguably the most famous attraction in the Bahamas — semi-wild pigs that swim out to greet your dinghy. Bring carrots or apples, approach calmly, and keep fingers away from mouths. The pigs are surprisingly good swimmers.

Warderick Wells, Exuma Park

The heart of the Exuma Cays Land and Sea Park — 176 square miles of protected reef and forest. No fishing, no collecting, no anchoring outside designated spots. The result is the most pristine reef ecosystem in the northern Caribbean.

Shroud Cay

A network of mangrove creeks and ocean-cut channels creates a natural waterpark. Time the tidal surge right and you'll be swept through the channels into a natural jacuzzi. Camp Beach on the north side faces the open Atlantic — often empty.

Compass Cay — Nurse Shark Dock

Pull up to the dock and a dozen nurse sharks circle below. They're harmless — docile bottom-feeders who've grown accustomed to boats. Wade in if you're brave. The marina is small and friendly, with a legendary honour-system bar.

Sample Itinerary

7 days in Bahamas

Day 1: Nassau → Allan's Cay

Depart Nassau Harbour Club. Sail southeast to Allan's Cay — home of the endangered Bahamian rock iguana. Drop anchor and watch the iguanas swim out to the boat. Sunset drinks in the cockpit.

Day 2: Allan's Cay → Shroud Cay

Morning sail south into the Exuma Cays Land and Sea Park. Explore Shroud Cay's tidal creeks by dinghy. Camp Beach for sunset — often completely empty.

Day 3: Shroud Cay → Warderick Wells

Anchor at Warderick Wells. Check in with the park warden, hike to the whale bone arch on Boo Boo Hill, and snorkel the elkhorn coral garden in the afternoon.

Day 4: Warderick Wells → Staniel Cay

The best day of the trip. Morning at Thunderball Grotto (enter at low slack tide). Afternoon at the Swimming Pigs of Big Major Cay. Dinner at the Staniel Cay Yacht Club — the best conch fritters in the Exumas.

Day 5: Staniel Cay → Compass Cay

Short sail to Compass Cay. Feed the nurse sharks at the dock. Snorkel the reef off the north point. Evening stargazing — zero light pollution this far from Nassau.

Day 6: Compass Cay → Black Point

Sail to Black Point Settlement on Great Guana Cay — a real Bahamian settlement with a bakery, a one-room bar, and the friendliest people in the island chain. Buy fresh bread for the passage home.

Day 7: Black Point → Nassau

Final morning swim off the boat, then the long sail back north to Nassau. Or anchor at Norman's Cay for a last night — the ghost of Carlos Lehder's abandoned airstrip adds a strange, fascinating atmosphere.

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