LOG BOOK
Enjoy! That’s certainly the word that the Bahamians mention the most often. And we can understand why. Imagine a swimming pool. It’s the same color, but here, instead of measuring 12 meters or 40 feet in length, the turquoise stretches out before you for miles and miles. You leave one paradise island just to head to another one across the way. That’s what sailing is about in the Bahamas. The water is so transparent that you think that the boat could drop at any moment. Lying on the trampoline, you can watch the starfish, sea urchins and manta rays as you sail by. The only stressful situation is when you have to plant both hulls in the sand! There’s no escaping the fact that there isn’t much depth here… Also, the charts and onboard instruments are often indicated in feet. Those who are used to the metric system should get used to dividing or multiplying by 3 before going full speed ahead into the shallow waters! The Bahamas are squeezed between the south of Florida and Cuba. For Europeans it is not the easiest place to get to. You need to take a flight to Miami before taking another hour-long flight back in the direction that you came. They cover a huge area: 260,000km² (over 100,000 sq miles), which is 17,000km² (6,500 sq miles) larger than the United Kingdom. The country has more water than land, and has been independent since 1973. Only 20 or so islands are inhabited year round. To the south there is a succession of small sand and coral islands with no possibility of stocking up on supplies. To the west are the Bimini Islands which are the closest to the Florida coast (only 40 miles). You will need to head further to the east and the islands of Great Abaco and Nassau to find the main charter bases.
Dream Yacht Charter has just opened a base in the Exuma Islands, where Sunsail was already operating. The Exumas are only 26 miles from the south east coast of Nassau. It is home to one of the largest marine parks in the world, the famous "Exuma Cays Park and Sea Park" situated at Warderick Wells.
Take a walk on Boo Boo Hill, where you can discover the famous "Blow Hole", an incredible geological feature which throws out huge bursts of air as the waves go in and out. You can also go and see some of the oldest stromatolite reefs. If you like animals, you can swim with the sharks at Compass Cay, feed the iguanas at Allen Cay and even swim with the pigs at Big Major Cay! It's the perfect tropical destination for chartering a boat!
A typical itinerary
The Bahamas archipelago is made up of immense lagoons separated by dozens of miles. It’s when sailing between them that you will feel the ocean swell and sea breeze. Other than that you will find yourself sailing on a giant swimming pool.
Great Abaco:
Setting out from Marsh Harbour, where most of the charter companies are based, you have an incredible choice of idyllic islands and anchorages to discover. Depending upon the length of your vacation or the amount of time you have to spend sailing, it’s possible to move to another playground or a different lagoon, such as Grand Bahama further west. Here’s our plan for a week’s charter:
Jour 1
Water Cay, on the main island of Great Abaco. A deserted and simple anchorage, with two beaches and a mysterious area of mangrove. On the other side of the lagoon are four islets, the Fish Cays, which are an ideal lunch stopover spot. That evening, head for Great Guana Cay, a little further north-east. The port has a few pontoons and moorings, but your cat will be fine a little further west in Fisher’s bay.
Jour 2
For a short while, leave the safety of the coral barrier. The external channel, to the north, is very narrow. You will arrive at a lovely stretch of sand: Noname Cay. To the north east is a tiny island with a villa (Pelican Cay), which will certainly capture your attention. As of going to press, it was for sale… that night, Green Turtle Cay offers two perfectly sheltered anchorages: Black Sound to the east and White Sound to the west.
Jour 3
Head a bit further to the north-west to Manjack Cay. This is a particularly attractive island. There are maintained tracks through the forest. They lead to the large ocean beach and to Coconut Tree bay.
Jour 4
Head back south towards Elbow Cay, to the east of Marsh Harbour. The red and white stripes of Hope Town lighthouse can be seen on the horizon. There is very little water at the entrance to the anchorage. Inside there are lots of boats at anchor. Turtles mix with the dinghies, and there is a marina. The island was occupied by the English from 1785 and was the administrative center of the Abaco Islands until 1960.
Jour 5
A little further south, Tahiti Beach is worth a stopover. Its name is well-deserved: There is the white sandy beach and the water is perfectly clear, right up to the turquoise of the channel which leads out into the ocean. However, there are often quite a few people around, so head north to Man-O-War to spend the night. Among other things, there are two anchorages and several mooring buoys.
Jour 6
Explore the geological faultline between Scotland Cay and Great Guana Cay: a coral barrier limits the water’s depth to just one meter (3 feet). Just behind is a magnificent lagoon with water that is almost like a bath tub! Scotland is a private island with its own little airport. Before returning to Marsh Harbour, take one last dip just off the beach to the south west of Matt Lowe’s Cay: lined with pretty coconut palms, and where the sand is regularly raked over. That one’s private too!
Exuma Islands
The charter company Dream Yacht Charter has just opened a base in Nassau, and Moorings were already doing business there. The best known of the Bahamian islands doesn’t have much to offer the sailor, but is situated only 26 miles to the north of the Exuma Islands. DYC’s advice: "this is an archipelago which is home to one of the largest marine parks in the world, the famous Exuma Cays Land and Sea Park at Warderick Wells. Take a walk on Boo Boo Hill, where you can discover the famous "Blow Hole", an incredible geological feature which throws out huge bursts of air as the waves go in and out. You can also go and see some of the oldest stromatolite reefs. If you like animals, you can swim with the sharks at Compass City, feed the iguanas at Allen Cays and even swim with the pigs at Big Major Cay! It's the perfect tropical destination for chartering a boat!
THE BAHAMAS: PRACTICAL INFO
Getting There
The most practical way to get there is obviously by airplane. Most of the islands in the archipelago have an airport, often with connections to Miami or other towns on the east coast of Florida, such as Fort Lauderdale and West Palm Beach, and all usually just an hour’s flight away. Nassau has the advantage over other islands with its regular flights to many US and even Canadian destinations.
When:
The Bahamas, straddling the Tropic of Cancer, are a little fresh from December to March, with air temperatures of around 21-22°C (70-72°F) and the sea at 24°C (75°F). At night the temperature can drop below 20°C (68°F), so you will sometimes need a sweater. However, winter is also the driest period of the year. There are less than 40mm (1½”) of rain per month… compared to 175mm (7”) in August! Summer is obviously warmer with temperatures of around 28°C (82°F). The water can rise up to 29°C (84°F)… The hurricane season runs from the end of August through October, which means that September is the quiet month here. It’s the end of the holidays but also when the hurricane risk is at its highest. The season really gets going again in November, when many sailors (mostly American), who have been further north off the Florida coast for the summer, come back to their favorite playground.
Sailing Conditions:
The Wind? Generally blows from the east, at around 9/10 knots on average. Usually strongest in March and April. This is the best time if you want to have fun on your multihull! Most of the time you will sail within lagoons, on waters which are totally calm. The charter companies advise clients not to sail at night due to unreliable marking (due to violent summer storms), the many coral rocks and banks, the narrow channels and of course the very shallow waters in places. So, plenty of local peculiarities which during the day would not pose a serious problem.
Formalities:
The formalities are fairly simple: a current, valid passport (for citizens of certain countries, the passport must be valid for 6 months after the return date), and a return ticket. Sometimes, creditworthiness needs to be proved. Attention! Non-US travelers who are transiting through the States should check on visa requirements. The official currency is the Bahamian dollar (B$ or BSD), which is at parity with the US dollar, which is also accepted everywhere. There are no obligatory vaccinations necessary.
Local Charter Companies:
Cruise Abaco - Dream Yacht Charter - Late Sail - Nicholson Yachts - Oceans evasion - Sail Away Catamarans – Sunsail - The Moorings - Windward Islands.
