A Chain of Islands Like Nowhere Else on Earth
The Exuma Islands stretch across 130 miles of crystal-clear Bahamian waters like a string of emeralds dropped into the most beautiful blue you've ever seen. This chain of over 365 islands and cays—most uninhabited—creates a sailing paradise that feels like it was designed specifically for catamaran cruising.
What makes the Exumas special isn't just their beauty, though that's certainly remarkable. It's the geography itself that creates perfect sailing conditions. The islands form a natural barrier between the deep Atlantic Ocean to the east and the shallow Bahama Bank to the west. This means we're sailing in protected waters that rarely see the large swells that can make other cruising grounds uncomfortable, while still enjoying consistent trade winds that make for excellent sailing.
The water depth in our cruising area is usually less than 10 feet. While it can be deeper in places, we usually only have a few feet under the keel. The clarity is extraordinary—you'll routinely see the bottom clearly, and the color ranges from pale turquoise in the shallows to deep sapphire blue in the cuts between islands.
Getting There: Your Gateway to Adventure
We can possibly pick people up in Staniel Cay, George Town, or Nassau, but it's important to consult the availability calendar and communicate with us before booking flights to confirm where the boat will be on your travel dates, which may be influenced by other guests' reservations and travel needs.
Staniel Cay (Our Preferred Location)
Staniel Cay is our favorite meeting point and where we recommend starting and ending your charter when possible. This small island sits right in the heart of the Exumas and puts you immediately into the best cruising grounds. The airstrip can accommodate private aircraft up to medium-sized jets, and there's regular air taxi service from Nassau. More importantly, you're already in paradise the moment you step off the plane—no long boat rides needed to reach the good stuff.
Note: The downside to flying to Staniel Cay is that flight availability sometimes makes a travel layover night required.
George Town, Great Exuma
George Town is the capital of the Exumas and offers the most flight options, including regular commercial service from Nassau and some direct flights from Florida. It's a real Bahamian town with grocery stores, restaurants, and a more authentic local feel. The downside is it's at the southern end of our cruising area, so it takes some sailing time to reach the central Exumas where most of the attractions are located.
Nassau
While Nassau offers the most international flight connections and is easiest to reach from most places, it requires a longer boat ride to reach the Exumas proper. We can pick you up here, but it means spending part of your precious charter time traveling rather than exploring. We usually recommend Nassau only when flight logistics make the other options difficult.
The Exumas Land and Sea Park: A Living Laboratory
Right in the heart of our cruising grounds lies the Exuma Cays Land and Sea Park, established in 1958 as the world's first land and sea park. This 176-square-mile protected area is where you'll see the Bahamas as it was meant to be—untouched, unspoiled, and teeming with life.
Within the park boundaries, fishing and taking of any marine life is strictly prohibited, which means the underwater world here is extraordinary. Fish that are shy and scattered elsewhere are abundant and curious here. The coral reefs are healthier, the fish are bigger, and the entire ecosystem feels more vibrant and complete.
The park includes some of our favorite anchorages: Warderick Wells (the park headquarters with hiking trails and a fascinating museum), Compass Cay (home to friendly nurse sharks), and Pipe Creek (a maze of shallow creeks perfect for dinghy exploration). What's remarkable about the park is how it preserves healthy marine ecosystems and provides protection for the incredible variety of life that calls these waters home.
Famous Attractions: A Different Perspective
Pig Beach (Big Major Cay)
Yes, the famous swimming pigs are real, and we'll do a float-by so you can see them. They're fun to see, but it's always busy and the experience is often not as good as people think it would be. These feral pigs have learned to swim out to visiting boats looking for treats, but the crowds and commercial feeding operations have changed the natural dynamic considerably.
Iguana Beach (Bitter Guana Cay)
The giant iguanas of Bitter Guana Cay are equally fascinating and usually less crowded than the pigs. These prehistoric-looking creatures can grow over four feet long and are remarkably tolerant of visitors. The beach itself is stunning, and watching these ancient reptiles sun themselves on the rocks feels like stepping back in time.
Thunderball Grotto
Made famous in the James Bond film "Thunderball," this underwater cave system is accessible through holes in the ceiling when the tide is right. Swimming inside feels like entering a natural cathedral, with shafts of sunlight streaming through the openings above and schools of tropical fish swirling around you.
Staniel Cay Yacht Club
This legendary watering hole is built on stilts over the water and has been serving sailors, celebrities, and adventurers for decades. The walls are covered with business cards, yacht club burgees, and photos from decades of visitors. The conch burgers are outstanding, and the whole place has that authentic Caribbean character that can't be manufactured.
Rocky Dundas Caves
These partially submerged limestone caves can be explored by dinghy or swimming. They're less crowded than Thunderball Grotto but equally magical, with crystal-clear pools reflecting the cave ceilings and creating an otherworldly atmosphere.
Celebrity Island Watching
The Exumas have long attracted the ultra-wealthy looking for privacy and pristine beauty. While we respect everyone's privacy, it's fun to know whose neighborhoods we're sailing through.
Johnny Depp's Little Hall's Pond Cay sits right in our cruising area—a 45-acre private island that he reportedly bought after filming Pirates of the Caribbean. David Copperfield owns several islands in the chain, including Musha Cay, which he's turned into an ultra-exclusive resort.
Nicholas Cage owned Big Major Cay (Pig Beach) for a while, and Tyler Perry has a retreat on White Bay Cay. Faith Hill and Tim McGraw's island is nearby, and Eddie Murphy's Rooster Cay is a familiar landmark in the area.
What's interesting is that even with all this celebrity ownership, the area doesn't feel exclusive or pretentious. The islands are large enough and spaced far enough apart that you're aware of the famous neighbors without feeling like you're intruding. Plus, the really wealthy folks tend to value privacy above all else, so their islands often look completely natural and undeveloped from the water.
Marine Life: Finding Wildlife in Their Natural Environment
The variety and abundance of sea life in the Exumas is one of the main reasons we chose this area as our primary cruising ground. The protected waters, healthy reefs, and mix of shallow and deep areas create perfect habitat for an incredible variety of marine species.
While sea life can be found at all of the tourist attractions, they are often conditioned to be there just to get fed. We often find the sharks, turtles and other creatures in less-visited habitats and see them in more of their real environment.
Nurse Sharks
We encounter nurse sharks in various locations throughout our cruising area, not just at the well-known tourist spots. These gentle, bottom-dwelling sharks are harmless to humans and when found in their natural habitat, display more authentic behaviors. Swimming with them in quieter locations is an unforgettable experience—they're curious but not aggressive, often swimming alongside snorkelers without the feeding frenzy atmosphere of the crowded attractions.
Sea Turtles
Green sea turtles and hawksbill turtles are regularly spotted throughout the area, especially when we find them away from the feeding stations. They're often seen grazing naturally on seagrass beds in shallow water or surfacing to breathe near the boat. These ancient mariners add a sense of timelessness to every encounter, particularly when observed in their undisturbed habitat.
Dolphins and Larger Marine Life
Bottlenose dolphins are frequently spotted in the deeper waters between islands, and occasionally they'll approach the boat to ride our bow wave. There's nothing quite like having a pod of dolphins choose to play around your catamaran while you're under sail—a completely natural interaction that can't be forced or scheduled.
The larger predators add excitement to every snorkeling trip. Great barracuda, with their intimidating appearance but generally harmless nature, often hover motionless in the water column. Tarpon, those silver giants, can be seen rolling on the surface in the early morning or evening, following their natural feeding patterns.
Tropical Fish and Reef Life
The reefs are alive with colorful tropical species: parrotfish, angelfish, butterflyfish, wrasse, and countless others. In the less-visited areas, fish populations display more natural behaviors and aren't constantly looking for handouts. Snorkeling in these spots feels like swimming in a natural aquarium where the fish are going about their daily lives.
Queen conch are abundant in the grass beds, their shells creating underwater highways across the sandy bottom. Spiny lobsters hide in the coral crevices and under ledges, adding to the sense that every swim reveals new discoveries in their natural environment.
Why the Exumas Work So Well for Catamaran Cruising
Everything about the Exumas seems designed for our type of sailing adventure. The protected waters mean comfortable sailing and secure anchorages. The distances between islands are perfect for day sails—far enough to feel like you're going somewhere, close enough that you're not spending your whole day traveling.
The mix of attractions means there's something for everyone: beaches for sun lovers, reefs for snorkelers, wildlife encounters for nature enthusiasts, caves for explorers, and enough natural beauty to satisfy anyone looking to escape the ordinary.
Most importantly, the Exumas still feel wild and authentic. Despite the celebrity islands and the famous tourist attractions, most of the chain remains uninhabited and undeveloped. You can still anchor in a pristine cove where the only footprints on the beach are yours, still swim in water so clear it seems like you're flying, still experience the kind of natural beauty that makes you understand why people dream of sailing away from it all.
"This is why we call the Exumas home, and why every charter here feels like a discovery, even for us after all these years of exploring these waters."
Ready to explore the Exumas with us? Check our charter packages and start planning your adventure in paradise.
Remember to coordinate your travel plans with us before booking flights to ensure we can meet you at your preferred location.