Approaching an Exumas anchorage — turquoise water in the foreground, low cays on the horizon

Sail the Exumas on Your Own Boat.

365 cays, gin-clear water, and a forecast that holds for a week.

Browse Exumas Yachts See Sample Itineraries

Overview

The Exumas are the cruising ground charterers come back to. A 130-mile chain running southeast from Nassau, mostly uninhabited, mostly anchor-out, sand-bottom holding nearly everywhere worth stopping. The water is the kind of clear that makes anchor watch easy — you can see the chain lying on the bottom in 25 feet. Trade winds hold from December through May. Provisioning is real (Nassau is one stop away from the airport) and gets more involved as you head south.

What's hard: there's not much infrastructure once you're past Highbourne. Fuel runs and water tank top-ups happen at known places — you plan around them, not the other way. Cell coverage drops to spotty south of Norman's. And the cuts that connect the banks to Exuma Sound funnel current in ways that can put a boat sideways at anchor — pay attention to swing room.

Best for sailors who want quiet, don't mind a forecast that occasionally lies, and are comfortable provisioning for the long stretches between Big Major and George Town.

Quick Facts

Best months: December – May. June–November is hurricane season; we don't book there.
Sailing conditions: Trade winds 15–22 knots from the ENE through E most of winter. Calmer in May; choppier December–February in cold fronts.
Water temperature: 74–81°F seasonal range. Warmest April–June.
Typical trip length: 7-day most-booked. 10-day for the full George Town run.
Cruising character: Anchor-out, lightly developed. Mooring fields exist at a few key spots; most overnights are at anchor.
Customs: Clear in at Nassau airport on arrival. Cruising permit included in your charter briefing.
Currency: Bahamian Dollar (USD accepted 1:1).

Sample Itineraries

All depart and return from the charter base. Distances are approximate nautical miles.

Crossing the Exuma Bank under sail — flat water and a following breeze

5-Day Active — Cay Hop Sampler

Day 1 — Nassau (Palm Cay) → Allan's Cay. ~35nm, ENE. Get clear of New Providence by mid-morning. Cross the Yellow Bank watching for coral heads (visible in good light). Anchor west side of Allan's in 8–12 feet of sand. Walk ashore at sunset to see the iguanas — they live nowhere else on earth and they'll come right up to the dinghy.
Day 2 — Allan's → Norman's Cay. ~10nm, S. Short hop. Anchor off the southern beach by McDuff's bar. Snorkel the sunken DC-3 in the inner lagoon — 12 feet of water, southwest of the airstrip. McDuff's opens at 11; closes when the last boat leaves.
Day 3 — Norman's → Highbourne Cay. ~12nm, S. Stop at the marina for a hot lunch and a fuel/water top-up. Reef break out front has good snorkeling. If the wind's up, this is where to wait it out.
Day 4 — Highbourne → Shroud Cay. ~10nm, S. Pick up a mooring in the northwest cove. Take the dinghy through the mangrove creek that cuts the island east-to-west — best at mid-rising tide. Beach on the east side at the end.
Day 5 — Shroud → Nassau. ~50nm, NNW. Long sail home. Leave at first light. Yellow Bank crossing same as Day 1 — watch for coral.

Approaching a turquoise Exumas anchorage at midday

7-Day Active — The Classic

Day 1 — Nassau → Allan's Cay. ~35nm, ENE. As above. Iguanas at sunset.
Day 2 — Allan's → Highbourne Cay. ~22nm, S. Fuel/water top-up. Reef snorkel out front. Sunset back at anchor in the lee of Highbourne.
Day 3 — Highbourne → Warderick Wells. ~30nm, S. Enter the Exuma Land and Sea Park. Pick up a mooring in the north field (book ahead via VHF — they fill in season). Walk the trail up Boo Boo Hill at sunset and leave a piece of driftwood with the boat name on it.
Day 4 — Warderick Wells → Staniel Cay. ~25nm, S. Pick up a mooring in the lee of Staniel or anchor off Big Major. Snorkel Thunderball Grotto at slack tide (the swim-through cuts under the rock — Bond film location, 1965). Dinner at Staniel Cay Yacht Club; the bar opens at 4 and stays open.
Day 5 — Staniel → Compass Cay. ~6nm, S. Tucker family runs the marina; tie up or anchor off. The sandbar walk-out at low tide is famous. The nurse sharks at the dock are harmless, well-fed, and photogenic.
Day 6 — Compass → Black Point Settlement (Great Guana Cay). ~10nm, S. The most authentic Bahamian community in the Exumas. Lorraine's Café for lunch, the laundromat for actual laundry, the Friday-night rake-and-scrape band at Scorpio's. Anchor off; dinghy in.
Day 7 — Black Point → Nassau (Palm Cay). ~80nm, NNW. Long return sail. Either leave very early and motor-sail, or break into two days by stopping at Hawksbill or Warderick Wells.

At anchor in the Exumas — calm water, clear sky, the chain visible on the sand below

10-Day Active — The Full Run

Day 1 — Nassau → Allan's Cay. ~35nm, ENE. Get clear of New Providence by mid-morning. Cross the Yellow Bank watching for coral heads. Anchor west side of Allan's in 8–12 feet of sand.
Day 2 — Allan's → Highbourne Cay. ~22nm, S. Fuel/water top-up. Reef snorkel out front.
Day 3 — Highbourne → Warderick Wells. ~30nm, S. Enter the Exuma Land and Sea Park. Pick up a mooring in the north field. Walk Boo Boo Hill at sunset.
Day 4 — Warderick Wells → Staniel Cay. ~25nm, S. Mooring or anchor off Big Major. Thunderball Grotto at slack tide. Dinner at SCYC.
Day 5 — Staniel → Compass Cay. ~6nm, S. Tie up at the Tucker family marina. Sandbar walk-out at low tide. Nurse sharks at the dock.
Day 6 — Compass → Black Point Settlement. ~10nm, S. Lorraine's Café for lunch, laundromat, Friday rake-and-scrape at Scorpio's.
Day 7 — Black Point → Lee Stocking Island. ~25nm, S. Now you're in the southern Exumas. Anchor off; less traffic, more wildlife.
Day 8 — Lee Stocking → Stocking Island (George Town). ~15nm, S. Chat 'N' Chill on Volleyball Beach for lunch. George Town is the southern hub — provisioning, bars, the cruising community in season.
Day 9 — Stocking Island, hold. Day in George Town. Provision, fuel up, swap stories at Chat 'N' Chill.
Day 10 — George Town → Nassau. Long return — usually a staged 2-leg run via Black Point or Warderick Wells.

Underway at the helm, blue water and a fair wind across the Exuma Sound

5-Day Party — Bar Crawl Light

Nassau → Highbourne (Xuma at the marina) → Norman's (McDuff's, DC-3 wreck) → Allan's (iguanas + drinks aboard) → Rose Island (Sandy Toes) → Nassau.

Under full sail between Exumas cays, mainsail and genoa drawing

7-Day Party — Bahamas Sound

Nassau → Highbourne → Norman's → Staniel Cay Yacht Club → Big Major (pigs at first light) → Black Point (Scorpio's Friday rake-and-scrape) → Warderick Wells → Nassau.

Sundowner at anchor in the Exumas — golden light on calm water

10-Day Party — Down the Bar Chain

7-Day Party slowed, then south: Black Point → Little Farmer's (Ty's Sunset Grill) → Stocking Island (two nights, Chat 'N' Chill bar crawl) → return via Black Point.

Weather watch — scanning the horizon before a Bahamas cold front

5-Day Rest & Relax — The Quiet Read

Nassau → Allan's → Hawksbill (Loyalist ruins hike) → Warderick Wells (Boo Boo Hill) → hold → Nassau.

7-Day Rest & Relax — Slow South

Allan's → Hawksbill → Warderick Wells → hold → Cambridge Cay (The Aquarium) → Shroud Cay (mangrove creek) → Nassau.

10-Day Rest & Relax — The Long Quiet

Same start as 7-Day R&R, more holds: Warderick Wells two nights, Cambridge two nights, then Shroud → Norman's → Highbourne → Rose Island → Nassau. Read four books.

Anchorages Worth Planning Around

Foredeck view of a quiet Exumas anchorage with a white-sand cay beyond

Allan's Cay

Northernmost of the Exumas, 35nm SSE of Nassau across the Yellow Bank.

Why stop here: The Exuma iguanas — Cyclura cychlura figginsi — live on Allan's, Leaf, and U Cays and nowhere else on earth. They've learned that humans bring food, and they'll come right up to the dinghy.

Holding & approach: Anchor on the west side of Allan's in 8–12 feet of sand. Watch swing room: the cut between Allan's and Leaf Cay funnels current both ways with the tide, and boats can lie at odd angles. Best to anchor with bow into the prevailing wind and check after the tide turns.

What to do: Dinghy ashore at sunset for the iguanas. Snorkel the reef on the south side at slack tide. Don't feed the iguanas — it's both illegal and bad for them.

Dinghy heading ashore at a calm Exumas anchorage in clear turquoise water

Thunderball Grotto

Just west of Staniel Cay's main settlement, accessible by dinghy from the mooring field or Big Major anchorage.

Why stop here: Underwater swim-through grotto inside a limestone rock. Featured in the 1965 Bond film Thunderball. Sunlight comes through holes in the roof at midday and lights the chamber inside like a cathedral.

Holding & approach: Don't anchor near the grotto — current is strong and the bottom is rock. Pick up a mooring or anchor at Big Major (next cay south), then dinghy over. Tie the dinghy at the rocks.

What to do: Swim through at slack tide — the entry is a duck-under near surface level on the south side. Best light is 11am–1pm. Snorkel only; no SCUBA inside the grotto.

Late-afternoon light on an Exumas anchorage, low cays on the horizon

Warderick Wells

Center of the Exuma Land & Sea Park, ~30nm S of Highbourne.

Why stop here: Headquarters of the Exuma Land and Sea Park — the oldest marine protected area in the Caribbean (1958). No-take zone, which means the reef is in shape you don't see elsewhere. Whale skeleton on the beach; Boo Boo Hill at the top has driftwood signs left by every charter that's been through.

Holding & approach: No anchoring inside the park; mooring fields only. Two fields — north and south. Both fill in season; reserve ahead via VHF on the day. Park HQ is on the north mooring field.

What to do: Walk Boo Boo Hill at sunset and leave a sign with your boat name on it. Snorkel the moorings — the fish are unafraid because they've never been speared. Take the south trail to the blowhole on the windward side.

Big Major Cay

Adjacent to Staniel Cay, ~6nm S of Sampson Cay.

Why stop here: Swimming pigs. They're real, they swim, and they expect food. Best photo before 10am, before the day-trippers from Staniel arrive.

Holding & approach: Anchor in the lee of Big Major in 8–15 feet of sand. Holding is excellent. Plenty of swing room.

What to do: Pig beach in the morning. Dinghy 5 minutes to Staniel for lunch at SCYC. Snorkel Thunderball Grotto from here at slack tide.

Compass Cay

~6nm S of Staniel Cay.

Why stop here: The Tucker family runs Compass Cay Marina — a private operation that welcomes charterers, with a 1.5-mile sandbar walk-out at low tide. Nurse sharks live under the dock and don't mind being photographed.

Holding & approach: Anchor off in the channel north of the marina, or tie up at the marina dock (book ahead). The approach is buoyed; pay attention.

What to do: Walk the sandbar at low tide. Pet the nurse sharks (carefully). The marina has fresh water and a small store.

Provisioning

Palm Cay Marina, Nassau

Full restock at start of trip.

Pre-arrange provisioning through your charter base before arrival — both DYC and Navigare offer provisioning service from Palm Cay. Solomon's grocery is a 10-minute taxi away for a bigger run.

Black Point Settlement

Mid-trip top-up. Fresh produce, drinking water, fresh bread on order.

Halfway down the chain, Black Point is the largest settlement in the Exumas. Lorraine's Café handles bread orders if you call ahead on VHF. The settlement has a small grocery and a working laundromat.

Staniel Cay Yacht Club

Emergency top-up. Fuel and water always available.

Small store on the marina — prices reflect the location. Good for fuel and water; not a full restock.

Activities & Excursions

Snorkel / Dive

—Thunderball Grotto — Best snorkel in the Exumas. Slack tide, midday light.
—The Aquarium (Cambridge Cay) — Inside the Land and Sea Park, north end of Cambridge. Coral heads in 15 feet with the densest fish life in the park.
—Stocking Island reefs (George Town) — Three Sisters, Hideaway Reef, the Crab Cay drop-off. Drift snorkel on the outgoing tide.

Shore-side

—Allan's Cay iguanas — At sunset.
—Big Major swimming pigs — Before 10am.
—Black Point laundry + the Friday rake-and-scrape at Scorpio's — Most authentic shore-side cultural stop in the Exumas.

Food & Drink

—Staniel Cay Yacht Club — Bar opens at 4. Conch fritters, grouper sandwich, rum punch. Standard charter rendezvous.
—Chat 'N' Chill (Stocking Island) — Most famous beach bar in the Bahamas. Sunday pig roast in season. Sand floor, the bartender knows everyone.
—Lorraine's Café (Black Point) — Bahamian home cooking. Stewed conch, peas-and-rice, johnny cake. Lorraine takes orders by VHF.

Culture

—Black Point's Friday rake-and-scrape at Scorpio's — Bahamian folk music played on handsaw, accordion, and goombay drum. The only place in the Exumas where you'll consistently hear it live.

Getting There

Airport

Lynden Pindling International (NAS), Nassau, New Providence. International gateway with direct flights from major US cities (MIA, FLL, JFK, BOS, ATL, CLT) and from London, Toronto, Frankfurt. Multiple flights daily.

Charter Bases

Dream Yacht Charter (DYC) — Palm Cay Marina, Nassau. Catamarans and monohulls.

Navigare Yachting — Palm Cay Marina, Nassau. Shared base with DYC.

Airport Transfer

30–40 minutes by taxi (~$40–60 USD). Both DYC and Navigare can pre-arrange transfer.

Customs & Check-in

Clear in at Lynden Pindling on arrival — straightforward, ~30 minutes if no queue. Cruising permit and fishing permit arranged through your charter base at briefing. Land and Sea Park has a separate park-use fee paid via VHF at Warderick Wells.

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