Beginning to make plans for our first trip to Exumas this summer and looking for suggestions of must see ports of call. Due to work obligations, we are limited to 2 weeks off grid but can remain longer in Bahamas with reliable cell and internet service.
Staniel Cay is a must see for us. Beside that I'm left scratching my head. Cruising guides pretty much recommend everything and cruising web forums seem to focus on 30-50' sailboats with unlimited time.
We are a 63' MY with a 5' draft.
Possible trip plan include:
FLL>Bimini
Bimini>Chub Cay
Chub Cay>Nassau
Nassau>???
???>Staniel
Staniel to someplace with good cell & internet or return to Fort Lauderdale.
I'd like to do a mix of marinas and moorings. Could anchor but only where there is good holding. (We dragged in a blow at Honeymoon Harbour last year and don't want a repeat)
Appreciate suggestions.
PS: I cruise at about 11 knots will only run in daylight.
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01-30-2019 11:36 AM #1Senior Member
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Recommendations for 2 weeks in Exumas
Last edited by Passages; 01-30-2019 at 11:42 AM.
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Re: Recommendations for 2 weeks in Exumas
Search Pascals threads on this. He is over there all the time and has written quite a bit about them.
John
1981 58 Yachtfish Hull 477
Wickford RI
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01-30-2019 06:03 PM #3Senior Member
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Re: Recommendations for 2 weeks in Exumas
I agree Jim. Pascal probably knows every nook and cranny of the Bahamas. I'm certain he will give
you some good suggestions.
Walt
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01-30-2019 06:55 PM #4Senior Member
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Re: Recommendations for 2 weeks in Exumas
As others have said Pascal will have plenty of good input but here is mine. We cruise with a dog that requires walking so anchoring out is not something we do a lot so factor that into my recommendations. We love to mess around in a dinghy so that affects our choices. I like Highbourne, very pretty and nice store and restaurant and you can dinghy to Normans if dinghy is fast. Spend at least 3 nights in Staniel if you can and run to all the little islands with cool beaches that are very close by. I also would go to Compass. But bring your own food, sometimes they cook hamburgers. Compass has a pretty creek that is neat to walk in on your way to the au natural bubble bath. If I didn’t have the dog I would get a mooring or anchor at the Land and sea Park. If you can avoid Chubb I would. But you might need fuel and a break. But it is expensive and relative to the rest of the Bahamas I don’t think is that pretty. Unless you have kids or a reason I would skip Nassau. I have not been to Georgetown and some of little islands south of Staniel so I can’t speak to those. Some people like Georgetown some don’t. If weather cooperates you will have a great time.
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Re: Recommendations for 2 weeks in Exum...
We were in Elizabeth Harbor on Monday morning and in Staniel yesterday at noon... back in Miami earlier this afternoon. Did most of the trip at 10kts...
First, if you re going to go to the Exumas, forget stopping in Bimini, Chubb and Nassau... not even worth a day, combined.
We always clear in Cat Cay because we can be in and out in under 30 minutes... much faster than Bimini.
Our favorite stops in the Exumas :
Marinas: Compass and Staniel. Highborne too but only time permitting.
Must visit Anchorages/moorings: Norman’s, Shroud, Hawksbill, Warderick, Cambridge, Pipe Cay, Farmers, Rudder, Lee Stocking and Georgetown.
Time permitting anchorages: Allen’s Cay, Children’s Bay Cay or Rat Cay.
If connectivity is important to you, order www.myislandwifi.com hot spot. $100 unlimited. No fine print. Ornget a BTC sim and refill it every 15gig ($35). Pita. Either way you will have service thru most of the Exumas except at Hawksbill and Warderick unless you get a Shakespeare cell booster or place the hot spot as high as possible. Rest of the Exumas has good coverage
We ve been going to Exumas for 11/12 years, many times a year. Most of our charter guests keep coming back and as much as I would like to think it s for my chef skills... i none it has to do with the Exumas and when your guests spend up to $50k for their week long vacation you can assume they have other options
Holding is good pretty much everywhere. In fact this trip was pretty much the windiest we ve seen. Out of 19 days we docked only one night, at Bay Street marina in NAS and only because we had to renew our foreign charter license. 176 lbs Claw works great... the 110 pounder would be fine for your boat. Honeymoon harbor is ... well.. not the best spot. Although I have never dragged there
Only reason to stop in NAS is for fuel. About $0.50 cheaper than Staniel or highborne. Not worth it really
Staniel and Gtown arenwoeth 3 days each, time permitting
Running at night is no big deal especially across the bank to make time. To us it is worth it to maximize time in the exumas As mentioned we left Staniel at noon yesterday, ran 10 kts to NW channel unlit light (got there at midnight) and then at 24 kts accross the bank to Cat Cay Anchored at 2:35 am... left at 10am and were back here by 3pm again at 10kts
Frankly we re so spoiled by the Exumas than we pass by Honeymoon and don’t even want to stop there for an hour
Here is video of our favorite Exumas Spots: https://youtu.be/_XEuaz1_3V8Pascal
Miami, FL
1970 53 MY #325 Cummins 6CTAs
2014 26' gaff rigged sloop
2007 Sandbarhopper 13
12' Westphal Cat boat
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Re: Recommendations for 2 weeks in Exumas
Personally I like the lower Exumas (south of Staniel) as much if not more as the northern Exumas. Great Guana, Farmers, Rudder and most of all Lee Stocking are great. Higher elevation gives some of these places a much needed third dimension
Gtown has a lot to offer if you look beyond the popular anchored. Places like Moriah Harbor are beautiful and ignored by the cheap Canadian ragboaters who don’t stray more then 1/2 mile from the free water at Exuma market The Ocean facing beaches of Stocking at beautiful. So are the sandbars and beaches between Aticking and Elizabeth. We were anchored there Sunday with only ONE boat nearby. I took this pic on Sunday morning : https://instagram.com/p/BtOJ7TDhwYH/Pascal
Miami, FL
1970 53 MY #325 Cummins 6CTAs
2014 26' gaff rigged sloop
2007 Sandbarhopper 13
12' Westphal Cat boat
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Re: Recommendations for 2 weeks in Exumas
Our favorite spots were Warderick Wells, Compass, Hawksbill and Shroud. All of them have great dink possibilities (except maybe Warderick). Staniel is a good stop but more and more the Exumas is being impacted by yachts loaded with jetskis and CC's that tear through mooring fields and anchorages like Big Majors. Our last stay at Staniel was ruined by a jackass that kept his stereo blasting. The dockmaster had it turned down but a minute or two later it was cranked up again. The shopping at Staniel was never that good but you can dink over to see the pigs if you must, and snorkeling Thunderball Grotto is a good time. Bitter Guana Cay has some friendly iguanas.
The point about bringing everything to Compass is well founded and I would extend the notion to ALL of the Exumas. Pack a freezer, fridge etc..
Make sure your R/O and macerator systems are working well. A cell booster will increase your likelihood of connectivity. We used a BTC sim card but there were gaps as I recall. Depending on how much bandwidth you need depending on it to maintain your job is risky.
As Pascal said, Nassau is only good for fuel, unless you have some youngsters that would enjoy the water park / aquarium at Atlantis. It's a hoot once.
We have run from Compass to Staniel in a 13 AB / 40 HP easy enough. Every now and then gas is not available and that happened to us at Staniel.Last edited by Dan Mapes; 01-31-2019 at 07:34 AM.
Regards
Dan
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Re: Recommendations for 2 weeks in Exumas
If you do go to Nassau, stay at Hurricane Hole Marina. It's owned by the Atlantis folks and you get resort privlages. The beach at Atlantis is wonderful with great bars and decent restaurants. We like to gamble and the casino is good. Although pricey at $80 bucks, the buffet is actually quite impressive. I wouldn't wander too far off the resort environs though.
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Re: Recommendations for 2 weeks in Exumas
Not anymore. HH was sold a year or two ago and staying there won’t get resort privilege at hellantis.
You do realize the beach you see on TV is photoshopped, right? Crowded, vendors left and right, jet skis etc. yuck the only nice thing are the aquariums, they re all open to the public.
HH is not in good shape and very crowded inside the basin.
Bay Street Marina has the best docks in Nassau and the best staff. If you don’t want to cook Luciano’s is a very good restaurant right on site. We ve eaten at a number of Hellantis restaurants over the years and I ve never been impressed...Pascal
Miami, FL
1970 53 MY #325 Cummins 6CTAs
2014 26' gaff rigged sloop
2007 Sandbarhopper 13
12' Westphal Cat boat
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02-02-2019 08:47 AM #10
Re: Recommendations for 2 weeks in Exumas
I have seen a few boats anchored near stella maris on Long Island that looked lovely. It was a few years ago, and was just in a friends single engine plane an the way to crooked. customs was easy at the airport.
Pascal/Dan - Is it worth the trip over? cell and internet were fine. He and his wife like staying at the resort. Marina under construction in crooked, but don't think it is ready. That is off the grid, but decent little airstrip. fishing is phenomenal.Mal
Miss Molly
'85 53ED #750