The Exumas by yacht
A long chain of cays between the calm, shallow Exuma Bank and the deep Exuma Sound, with sandbars, reefs and a marine park. December to May is the season. It suits families most.
The Exumas are a long chain of cays running south-east from near Nassau, and the classic charter ground of the Bahamas. On the west side lies the Exuma Bank, shallow, sandy and calm. On the east side lies Exuma Sound, deep and dark blue. The yacht moves a few miles a day between the two, and most of the week is spent in the water.
Why go, and whom it suits
Families: the easiest kind of charter. Short moves, calm anchorages, sandbars at low tide, iguanas, nurse sharks and pigs that children talk about for years.
Couples: the middle and southern cays are some of the quietest places a yacht can anchor in the region.
Friends: a week of the water: snorkelling, diving, paddleboards and beach lunches. The bar at the Staniel Cay Yacht Club is the social centre. Nightlife is not the point.
The honest limit: there are very few towns and restaurants, and almost nothing to visit indoors. If someone in the party needs a town every evening, this is not their week; Eleuthera and Harbour Island have more towns.
What's there
Allan's Cay and Highbourne Cay
(north): the first stop from Nassau, with iguanas on the beach at Allan's Cay and a marina and reef at Highbourne.
Norman's Cay and Shroud Cay
snorkelling and a sandbar at Norman's, and mangrove creeks at Shroud to explore by tender.
The Exuma Cays Land and Sea Park
112,640 acres of land and sea in the middle of the chain, set up in 1958 as the first marine reserve in the Bahamas and the wider Caribbean. No fishing, shelling or taking of any kind is allowed, and the park charges for its moorings and anchorages. It has moorings, walking trails and a headquarters with wardens.
Staniel Cay and Big Major's Spot
Thunderball Grotto, a cave you swim into at slack tide; the swimming pigs; a small settlement with an airstrip.
Compass Cay
a marina where nurse sharks gather, and sandbars nearby.
Little Farmer's Cay, Rudder Cut and the southern cays
quieter still.
Great Exuma and George Town
the largest town, with the international airport, and Stocking Island across the harbour.
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When to go
From about December to May. Christmas, New Year and Easter are the busiest weeks. The water is warmer still in summer, but the Atlantic hurricane season runs officially from 1 June to 30 November with most of its activity between mid-August and mid-October, and the choice of yachts is smaller, because many go north to New England for the summer. Some winter days are windier than others; the captain then tucks the yacht in behind a cay.
What it costs
The weekly fee is each yacht's own, shown "from" on her page; the festive weeks cost more. Each yacht's rate is in its own currency, often US dollars here. Bahamian VAT applies to charters in Bahamian waters, at the rate in force, and each yacht's quote shows it. The park charges for its moorings and anchorages, with VAT on top, and takes no reservations. APA, the advance for fuel, food, drinks and dockage, is paid with the balance and accounted for at the end, with anything unspent returned; budget up to 40% of the charter fee for it, more for long or remote passages. A one-way week that ends at Great Exuma can carry a delivery fee (fuel, crew, berths), stated before you sign. Our guide sets out what a crewed charter costs, line by line.
The weekly rate on each yacht’s page. "From" is her lowest season.
An advance for fuel, food, drinks and berths, spent on your instructions and settled at the end.
Set by the country the charter starts in, added to the fee.
A sample week
A one-way week down the chain, Nassau to Great Exuma, for a slower pace than the out-and-back. The yacht, the weather and the tides decide the real route.
Board at midday and cross the bank, a few hours. An evening swim off the beach.
Snorkel off the cay, then spend a long afternoon on the sandbar at low tide.
A mooring in the park. Walk the trails to Boo Boo Hill and snorkel the reefs.
Thunderball Grotto in the morning, at slack tide. Big Major's Spot in the afternoon.
The sandbars, then a snorkel further south.
The quietest stretch of the week: an empty beach, and a quiet dinner on board at anchor.
A morning on Stocking Island, then disembark and fly out from Great Exuma.
The yachts
Most of the yachts we show in the Bahamas are motor yachts of 24 metres and more, with a few catamarans.
In the Exumas, draft decides a lot: a shallow yacht or a catamaran anchors closer in; a large yacht relies on her tender. The yachts on this site are a selection, not the limit of what we arrange: ask about any yacht, of any size.
Practical questions
Rene GaspersicYour broker
Can we start in the Exumas instead of Nassau?
Often yes: at Staniel Cay or at Great Exuma, near George Town. We can tell you the current flights to each. The yacht's base decides whether that adds a fee.
What can we do in the park?
Swim, snorkel, walk the trails and use the moorings. You may not fish, take shells or take anything else.
Are the pigs and the sharks safe for children?
Ask the crew first and follow their lead: they know each place and how the animals behave. The nurse sharks at Compass Cay are used to visitors.
How far is it from Nassau?
The top of the chain is a few hours away. Staniel Cay is most of a day.
Is there anywhere to eat ashore?
A few: the Staniel Cay Yacht Club has a restaurant and bar, and George Town, the largest town, has more. Most meals are on board or on the beach.
Is there mobile signal?
Do not count on it between the settlements. Many yachts carry satellite internet; ask.
Do we need a big yacht?
No. A mid-size motor yacht or a catamaran with a shallow draft often reaches more places than a large one.
When are the tides important?
Every day. Thunderball Grotto is swum at slack tide, and the sandbars appear at low tide. The captain plans around them.
Talk to a broker
Tell us roughly when, how many of you there are, and what the week is for: a family winter break, a honeymoon, a birthday with friends. Dates and budget can stay loose. We come back with a short list of yachts that fit, say plainly what each one is like, and stay your contact from the first email to the last day on board.
Rene Gaspersic
charter broker
Email info@soretoyachting.com · Phone +44 7342 933198 · WhatsApp +44 7342 933198
Plan
The Exumas.
Two short steps. Dates and budget can stay loose. We reply personally, by email, phone or WhatsApp.