Nassau to Exumas Islands sailing itinerary - 7 days

Arrive at Nassau and head to Palm Cay Marina in the afternoon to provision and acquaint yourself with the boat. The marina has five-star facilities and is a great base to start your charter.

Sail to Allen Cays to see the rare Northern Bahamian Rock Iguanas, which are only found in the Exumas. You can feed these gentle creatures with grapes but beware that the iguanas can grow to a large size and can jump! Sail onwards to Highbourne Cay to snorkel the Octopus Garden reef at Horseshoe Bay. You can see stromatolite reefs on the east coast, dating back 3.5 billion years, and if the weather is calm, you can also snorkel the Elkhorn and Staghorn reefs. Also spend the night at the Highborne Cay Marina, where you can enjoy the beach, hike the island path and trails and relax during happy hour at the marina restaurant overlooking the gorgeous bay.

Explore the Exuma Cays Land and Sea Park at Warderick Wells Cay, an area of outstanding beauty with sand dunes, mangroves and wonderful beaches. Hike the seven miles of trails ashore, wander among the remains of 18th-century loyalist settlements and enjoy bird watching. Walk up Boo Boo Hill and leave your boat’s name on a piece of driftwood at the top as an offering to Neptune, taking care to avoid the blowholes. Or you can relax on white-sand beaches, snorkel the coral reefs and spot hawksbill turtles, lemon sharks and vibrant fish. There’s even a sperm whale skeleton to examine on Powerful Beach and stromatolites to the south-west of the island, the world’s oldest living reefs. There are three mooring fields, which can be found at the natural harbor, Emerald Rock south of the visitor centre and Hog Cay in the south-west. Tune to VHF Channel 16 at 9am for updates and to request a mooring. For mooring fees, take a look at the guide. Please respect that the park forbids removal of any coral, shells or plants.

Make for Compass Cay, where you can get into the water with friendly nurse sharks and swim with them. You can also feed the sharks with fish if you have any to spare. On the north coast you’ll find the famous natural whirlpool called “Rachel’s Bubble Bath”, which is at its best at high tide. Take care of the sea urchins nearby and wear good quality sea shoes. Or, you can head to Staniel Cay and provision from the local grocery stores. Near the yacht club, you’ll find the amazing Thunderball Grotto on a nearby outcrop, where the James Bond film Thunderball was filmed. Snorkel this marine cave at low tide and marvel at the shafts of sunlight that illuminate the cavern. Opposite is Big Major Cay, where you can swim with the Exumas pigs on Pig Beach.

Sail onwards towards Shroud Cay, which is part of the Exuma Cays Land and Sea Park. Don’t forget your paddleboard or kayaks so you can explore the shallow mangroves and creeks that meander across the island. You’ll be able to spot turtles, rays and nurse sharks. Once you reach the east side of the island, you will enter a vibrant blue lagoon and set foot on one of the most beautiful beaches in the Bahamas. If you want to stroll Driftwood Beach and take the steep walk to Camp Driftwood, be aware that you can no longer leave mementos, only rocks. It was from this lookout point that the US authorities spied on Norman’s Cay and its drug trafficking activities.

Norman’s Cay is an abandoned former drug trafficking island and run by Carlos Lehder, which explains its runway. You can snorkel the smuggler’s plane wreck, which rests in just 10ft of water on the south-west coast of the island. Or how about a barefoot walk on Twinkie Beach to forage among the seashells and then dine at Norman’s Cay Beach Club to watch the sunset.

Snorkel around Wax Cay and bring your Hawaiian sling to catch lobsters or Nassau groupers. Late morning, head back to Nassau and enjoy the pool, beach and restaurants on the marina site.

Return back to the marina for the check-out procedure.