Sailing the Bahamas
(+ Exumas Highlights & Must Sees)
We spent just three weeks in the Bahamas, hopping from island to island with only a night or two at each stop. Even in that short time, we were able to have the most incredible experience and now understood why so many sailors fell in love with this place.
With our departure for the ARC Rally back to Europe just a few weeks away, we were in a rush once again, needing to get to the US in time to make it to the starting line.
So, we made the most of it and got super lucky as the weather was perfect, the people we met were awesome and the moments in the water were always filled with incredible marine life. Even in such a short visit, we managed to check off a few bucket-list experiences that have stayed with us and we’d love to share them with you!
We sailed into the Bahamas from the south, so our tips and recommendations follow our journey from south to north. If you’re coming from the US heading south, just reverse the order. Our first stop was at Inagua, where we cleared customs and immigration before starting our slow drift northward, island by island.
Inagua
Inagua is mostly known as a sailing check-in point if you’re coming from the Turks and Caicos or the Dominican Republic, but we ended up discovering some great snorkelling spots and a hidden mangrove. What was supposed to be just a quick stop turned into a couple of days exploring Inagua.
We anchored at Man O’ War Anchorage. The reef is huge and perfect for snorkelling with a sneaky cute mangrove you can explore by paddleboard or dinghy depending on the tide. Keep in mind, the entrance to the mangrove is easy to miss, so it’s worth checking Google Maps before heading in. For a first stop, we were incredibly happy. The water colour was already dreamy and the mangroves had so much marine life, turtles, octopus, puffer fish, sting rays, barracudas, that the kids were so hyped up for what was to come in the rest of the Bahamas (and so were we!)
Practical Tips
Check-in: Inagua is mainly used for clearing customs if you’re heading north arriving from Turks and Caicos or the Dominican Republic.
Mangrove access: Paddle or dinghy depending on tide
Snorkelling: The reef at Man O’ War is perfect for a quick swim or a long walk on the beach (bring fins and a mask)
Long Island
We anchored on the leeward side of Long Island, in front of Long Island Harbour Club, and rented a car from Blue Sky Car Rental. You might have watched our video on YouTube where we almost got attacked by dogs at another rental, so Blue Sky changed our day around! The car was great, AC included, and they were super friendly and convenient to rent from, dropping it off and picking it up right at our dinghy dock.
Some boats anchor in Clarence Town, much closer to the Blue Hole, but we’d heard it was “sharky” near the marina and smells strongly of fish from the local fishermen chucking the remains after a long fishing day! So, swimming isn’t ideal in the area and the weather really wasn’t in our favour so us being on the leeward side meant we were protected and saved us time when heading to Stocking Island the next day.
Easily one of the highlights of the Bahamas for us was visiting Dean’s Blue Hole. It’s so unique and majestic, it’s quite hard to explain. We drove an hour from the dinghy dock to get there and it was a super short walk from the car park. The sheer depth of 200 meters straight down into deep blue water is incredible and watching the sand flow over the edges into the abyss was quite mesmerising! The beach around it is beautiful, though unfortunately littered with rubbish, which was a real shame, but we tried our best to clean up what we could.
Since we had the car, we drove to Lochabar Beach and brought our own lunch as there aren’t many places to eat in the area, so a picnic was ideal! Lochabar has another Blue Hole although swimming is not advised given the bull and tiger sharks in the area known to frequent this area near the marina (as mentioned above).
As for Long Island itself, it felt pretty quiet although it did have a supermarket which was okay for some very basics but we ran into issues at checkout. The yoghurt sold to us was expired and the pasta infested with bugs, which the cashier casually pointed out before giving it back to us. Definitely not the place to stock up unless you have no other choice!
Practical Tips
Anchoring: Inside near Long Island Harbour Club is less exposed to the windward side of the island; Clarence Town is known to be sharky and smelly.
Car rental: Blue Sky Car Rental is reliable and convenient; they’ll meet you at the dinghy dock and take card payments.
Dean’s Blue Hole: Short walk from the parking lot, amazing for snorkeling or just enjoying the beach.
Lochabar Beach: A second blue hole but be cautious with swimming near the marina.
Supplies: Limited quality and expensive options; check expiration dates (and bugs) carefully.
Stocking Island & George Town
After leaving Long Island, we headed straight towards Stocking Island, just across from George Town (sailors often refer to this whole area/anchorage as “George Town”.) This stop was on our radar for a LONG time as the biggest draw here is the gathering of hundreds of cruisers (and tonnes of boat families - yay playdates!)
Stocking Island is most known for a legendary beach bar where cruising boats gather, Chat 'N' Chill. The beach had a fun, social vibe and there were always kids running around, families hanging out, and the famous stingrays coming to say hi, very comfortable with people and you can even gently pat them or feed them conch at lunch times.
A newer addition nearby is Coconut Club. It’s definitely on the pricier side, but it’s a really fun, modern beach spot, especially for the kids. There are beach games, floating slides, and a more modern bar setup. We found it a great place to spend a relaxed afternoon, as the wind was cranking 25 knots, we couldn’t really do much else, so this was a perfect spot!
Practical Tips
One of the best things about staying at Stocking Island is how easy it is to access George Town by dinghy:
There’s a well-stocked supermarket (expect high prices, but fresh food is available)
A rubbish drop-off point (bring cash to pay)
A fuel station, accessible by dinghy
It’s a great place to provision, refuel and reset before heading deeper into the Exumas.
Rudder Cut Cay (Mermaid Piano & Caves)
We sailed to Rudder Cut Cay as our second stop in the Exumas chain, and it was yet again, another surprisingly awesome and unique stop.
Getting There
From Stocking Island, we chose to exit via the cut to reach Rudder Cut faster (we had good wind) and avoid the longer, shallow route along the leeward side.
Cuts can be tricky though, so you’ll need to time your passage with the tide and be mindful of swell and currents. Done right, it saves time and makes for a more direct (and exciting) sail, except don’t do what we did - catch our YouTube episode on this!
The “Musician Mermaid” Piano
Rudder Cut is famous for its underwater sculpture, a submerged piano commissioned by David Copperfield, often called the “Musician Mermaid.”
It’s a really fun and unusual stop, especially as a break for a nights rest on our way north of the Exumas as its about 35 nm from Stocking Island.
That said, currents in the Bahamas can be strong, and swimming here can be challenging, especially with kids.
Rudder Cut Caves
There are some caves around Rudder Cut/Musha Cay to explore and snorkel into or even walk into if you want something else to explore after the pinao, although, low tide is ideal for exploring them.
Practical Tips
Flippers are recommended (we didn’t have any so struggled a bit more)
The best time to go is right when the tide changes (tail end) to avoid the strong currents
Caves are best experienced at low tide
Staniel Cay (Yacht Club, Pig Beach & Thunderball Grotto)
For our third stop in the Exumas, we made our way to one of the most well-known anchorages in the Bahamas: Staniel Cay. It’s a popular hub, and for good reason, but we had mixed feelings about a few of the highlights.
Pig Beach
We anchored near Pig Beach, which has some incredibly clear and beautiful water but was also a very busy anchorage (which we didn’t expect).
As for the famous swimming pigs, this was a bit underwhelming for us. We had imagined pigs actually swimming around freely, but in reality, they mostly come up to boats and people looking for food. It was worth seeing once, the kids loved the pigs and it was great to finally see the spot everyone talked about, but we found other things about this anchorage more attractive…
Staniel Cay Marina & Village
We took the dinghy over to Staniel Cay Marina, which is a small but charming stop.
There are two small supermarkets, though fresh produce is limited.
A rubbish drop-off area, which is always useful out in the Bahamas where this can be rare between islands.
A laid-back feel around the marina
Iconic Staniel Cay Yacht Club and restaurant (a great place to grab a meal, enjoy a drink, and soak in the sailing atmosphere)
Thunderball Grotto
A nice change to the stop is the Thunderball Grotto, a great snorkeling spot if you’re nearby or on the way to Staniel Cay Marina. Inside, the cave is incredible with clear water, loads of fish, and light streaming through holes in the rocks ceiling and underwater!
To get the best experience:
Go at low tide (this is key, as high tide makes it tricky and tight to visit)
Bring snorkels to see the marine life in the cave
Bring flippers for strong current going through the cave(there is a rope to grip onto if needed)
Practical Tips
Provision in advance before heading here as local shops have very very limited fresh produce
Good stop for rubbish disposal (not always available on other islands)
Visit Thunderball Grotto at low tide (essential for safe or easy access) and be ready for strong currents (consider life jackets for kids)
Bring snorkeling gear (mask, snorkel, flippers)
Compass Cay
For our fourth stop in the Exumas, we sailed to Compass Cay as it’s known for one main activity at the marina: swimming with sharks, yet this stop ended up being all about the anchorage for us.
Skipping the Marina
We decided not to hang out at Compass Cay Marina, as when we headed there we were immediately charged a $15 USD per person landing fee (yes, including kids), the marina was under construction so it was very noisy and the rest of it seemed a bit run down.
Having just come from Staniel Cay, we felt the marina didn’t add much value. While Compass Cay is famous for its nurse shark encounters at the marina, we were happy to skip it and still had a fantastic experience at anchor!
Highlights of Compass Cay Anchorage
What made Compass Cay truly memorable was the incredible anchorage we stopped at, though entering the narrow channels to get there was a bit nerve wrecking(luckily all sandy bottoms). Calm and scenic with insanely beautiful shades of blue, we loved exploring the surrounding beaches and cays around. The current was too strong to swim on anchor but close to shore, was a beautiful stop to explore shallow pools, paddleboard around and full of marine life!
Up north, there’s also Rachel’s Bubble Bath, which is supposed to be a natural pool area, but we didn’t make it there on this trip as we didn’t have much time - so if you do, might be worth checking out!
O’Brien’s Cay (Sunken Plane, Aquarium & Max’s Cave)
Another incredible stop, our fifth anchorage in the Exumas was a busy one! We reached O’Brien’s Cay, a stop that’s worth lingering for a couple of days if you can. There’s a lot to see, and timing with the tides is key for the best snorkelling and exploring.
Sunken Plane
We anchored near the famous “drug smugglers” sunken plane, which is a little tricky to find as it blends almost seamlessly with the coral, so we relied on the Google Maps pin to locate it.
The plane is believed to have been used by drug smugglers as Exuma plane wrecks mostly trace back to the drug-smuggling era, which now makes for a great snorkelling and dive site! Snorkelling around it is amazing, but currents are strong, so time your visit with the tide turning and it should give you a few minutes to swim in! It’s also actually quite deep (5m/16ft), so flippers are essential if you want to get close (helps with the current too.)
The “Aquarium”
Right near the plane is the famous “Aquarium” snorkelling area, which has incredible fish diversity, but again, be careful with the timing of the tides. Maddie and I did get swept away by the current, but luckily had friends around with flippers to save us so highly recommend parking the dinghy close, timing with the tide and don’t forget your flippers (again!)
Max’s Table Rock Cave
After snorkelling the plane and the aquarium, we took the dinghy north of Little Bell’s Cay to explore Max’s Table Rock Cave. The cave is easy to miss, so keep your phone handy for navigation or look for a rock arrow pointing toward the ocean (yes, we missed it the first time). Legend has it that Max, a pirate who hid in the cave, was unusually generous as he would distribute food left by sailors, including Vienna sausages, to locals. We didn’t have any Viennas on us to drop off as tribute but there were plenty around the cave, which means the tale is still going strong!
O’Brien’s Cay was a great spot to enjoy a range of different activities in a day and I’m sure we would have found more epic spots to explore if we’d stayed more than a night!
Shroud Cays & Warderick Wells
(not to be confused with Shroud Cay)
On day six, we headed toward Warderick Wells, part of the Exumas Land and Sea Park, and it quickly became one of our favourite and most breathtaking stops of the trip.
Moorings & Anchorage
Warderick Wells is incredible, but a few logistics are key as mooring balls can fill up fast during peak season. We didn’t get any on any of the mooring fields in the area and anchoring is usually forbidden but we asked the park and they gave us permission to anchor at Emerald Rock as all the balls were full and we had very windy fronts of 25+ knots. The most iconic mooring area is known as the North Field Channel where there are maybe 10 mooring balls, but if you manage to grab a spot, during low tide, you can step off onto sandbars, which is magical. So we recommend emailing ahead to get on the waitlist, then checking again when you arrive. If you are not moored in the field and can time it, head to Warderick Wells during low tide to experience the sandbars and shallow channels.
Even with just a handful of boats in the channel, the North Mooring Field feels serene and private, definitely one of the most unique anchorages in the Exumas.
Exploring Warderick Wells
Once ashore we took the dinghy over to Rendezvous Beach, right in front of Emerald Anchorage as there are a few short hikes around the park, each offering incredible views of the surrounding cays and insane water.
If you take the dinghy to stop by the park office deck, you can pay for your mooring fee there but the deck also has an incredible view of the channel and sand bars. If you stop by, you won’t miss Stinky, the pilot whale skeleton on display. At the beach just below the deck, there’s a more somber piece of history, a giant sperm whale skeleton on the beach. The whale washed ashore in 1995 and was found to have plastic in its stomach, a stark reminder of human impact on the oceans.
One popular stop we missed, as we were in a rush, is Boo-Boo Hill. It’s apparently the highest point on the cay with panoramic views of the surrounding waters, where visitors leave driftwood signs and offerings to King Neptune, a tradition among cruisers meant to honour the sea and ensure a safe passage.
Shroud Cay (Lazy River & “Washing Machine")
Our last stop in the Exumas before heading back to the U.S. was Shroud Cay, known for having a lazy river which leads to the “washing machine”.
Lazy River & Washing Machine
Shroud Cay is famous for its “lazy river” that winds through the mangroves and leads to the open ocean side, where the “washing machine” currents are found. We tried returning on low tide and got a bit stuck in shallow areas for a few hours so we recommend checking the tides before entering as going with an upcoming tide is best (given we only had an afternoon in Shroud, we had to go with a low tide). Going with the current not only makes it easier but also lets you experience the definition of a “lazy” river experience.
Beaches, Snorkelling & Sandbars
Shroud Cay also offers stunning beaches and sandbars perfect for anchoring, swimming, and exploring. The snorkelling is excellent, with vibrant marine life and we spotted the biggest turtle we’ve ever seen here (it was Antoine’s size!)
Shroud Cay was the perfect way to close out our Exumas adventure with every stop having been unique and special in it’s own way!
Stops we wish we had time for!
Looking back, we wish we’d spent a few extra days in the Bahamas before heading to the U.S. and had we known storms would keep us hugging the coast for a month, we definitely would have.
If we’d had the time, we’d loved to have sailed further north to:
Normans Cay "Sunken Plane " Wreck: is supposed to be another awesome plane wreck swim, but on a much larger scale to the one we experienced in O’Briens Cay. Apparently once linked to drug smuggling flights in the 1980s, it sits quite shallow and is a great snorkel spot!
Nassaus Ocean Atlas Sculpture: is a massive underwater sculpture of a young girl holding the ocean on her shoulders, created by artist Jason deCaires Taylor. Since we skipped Nassau, we didn’t get to experience this dive but we love the idea of art and marine life combo.
