Exumas sailing report

Phil,

The Exumas were amazing. Sailing was tough due to all the shallows, you had to go way out and back in several spots to get to the cays you wanted to stop at. Glad I was on a chartered Captain, would not want to navigate those waters on my own. We were also on a 52 foot cat.
That said I will go back in a heart beat and never thought I would like them as much as I did.
Highlights- Waderwick Wells cay which is the land sea national park center. DO a walk around this island, it was somewhat otherwordly. The sailing was more rugged than in BVI as there is quite a distance between Islands. We covered about 180 nautical miles altogether in 6 days.
Staniel Cay with the Thunderball grotto was everyone's favorite stop ( THIS was where we got our mid week covid test as well) They had the most services of any CAY we stopped at from Nassau to this spot. Many places no cell or WIFI if this is important to you. Many places nothing but a deserted island which we loved! ( Except when we ran out of ice and had to drink warm Vodka.....) Norman Cay with the aircraft wreck was also a cool stop. The pigs of course ( that may or may not be your thing)
Dream Yacht was a great value although our Boat had some serious issues ( mainsail fail and anchor winch fail) We had 5 strangers come together and have a MOST EPIC vacation, left as friends.
While I have often said my ashes will spread in the BVI, the Exumas was to die for as well and the water.... well the photos speak for themselves I think.

Hi. Thanks for the report and the pictures. I have made this it's own thread, to alert people to it's actual content.

Thank you Carol

Thank for taking the time to write your report and your pics. We are looking forward to the Bahamas. Its just my wife and I so it should be a lot of fun. We plan on doing or mid trip Covid test in Staniel Cay also. Thanks again for all the info.

Thank you for report and photos! A Bahamas charter has been on my wishlist for a while.

You should do it!!

I am so happy to see your post. After 8 trips to the bvis, I am now considering exumas due to the COVID restrictions & the ease of flying into Nassau.

For the COVID test on day 5, did you have take actually on day 5 vs 4. The moorings rep I spoke to today said he heard the test doesn’t have to be taken exactly on day 5. Also can you tell me the process & how easily the test went? Seems like we have to schedule our whole itinerary around getting the test.

We are going to be 3 families with our 5 older teenage boys sailing a 51 cat. My husband will be the captain & the other two families has done the bvi with us before. No one but my husband has structured sailing experience. So I am nervous about nav the shallow waters. We did anegada last trip & that was a little stressful.

Also can you lmk if any fav bars/ restaurants that you encountered. I know there is less establishments than the bvis. Any thing similar to the Soggy Dollar? The kids would like some to experience some where similar.

Any other tips would be appreciated!

I arrived Saturday and got tested on Wednesday at Staniel cay. Our charter co made the arrangements but I think it would be fairly easy to do yourself as well. This also worked for our re entry to US on Saturday. This is definetely not the BVI, we never had a meal on shore, although at Staniel Cay we could have and did have drinks at the Yacht Club there. Norman Cay had one small bar, did not go and nothing else . We did not go further south than this and I am not sure here was anywhere else between Nassau and Staniel that had amenities on it. Waderick Wells was the national park, No amenities but a whale skeleton on the beach and lots of cool hiking. Really not much bar and restaurant life, this is all about sailing and snorkeling and nature. I am sure if you google you may find some more islands with minor amenities.
I know there were some other places that were doing testing but I could not tell you. One of our shipmates got tested at the marina when we got back as he was staying a few extra days and needed the test to get back in the states again.

Honestly the sailing was crazy, so many sandbars and shallows, I often had no idea why we would head miles out and come right back in again, but it was to nav around the shallows. We had a lot of head winds too, our captain told us to come during April thru November due to strong winds Dec to march, if we were to come back. So keep that in mind.

All that being said I will go back in a heartbeat, was very easy to get to and the covid requirements were not too bad, a little stressful to get the one so you could fly done in just the right amount of time, and uploaded and approved though... It is different from BVI heavy on sailing and light on beach bars. Bring your own alcohol and ice and you will be fine!!

Thanks for the reply. Will bring up the items you mentioned to my group.

Happy trails!

We are going to do the Abacos first week of May. Testing there is at Green Turtle.

Looking forward to going and something new. We will report our findings.

Ellen

I love the Exumas, so much prettier than BVI. but the sailing is either upwind or downwind. Tide and current are different, no just casually swimming off the boat without a rope. Provisions are hard. i think the pigs are over rated and nasty. Little Farmers Cay is under rated.