Bahamas Yacht charters

The Bahamas are incredibly accessible, only 100 miles apart  from the Florida coast, and within 2 hours flight from New York, you can  be on a Bahamas yacht charter with minimum efforts.  Apart of  accessibility and clear waters this place has a great historical  background: her Christopher Columbus made his first landfall in the New  World, pirates built their haven in 17-th century, and many British  loyalists made new homes.

Bahamas yacht charter is a perfect holiday destination as all  passages are quite short and navigation is in line-of-sight. Shallow  waters teemed with underwater life offer numerous stops for safe  snorkeling, island hopping and sight-seeing. The Bahamas can be  considered as an excellent destination for family vacations.

The Arawak Indians were the original residents of the Bahamas when  in 1492 Columbus discovered this location. The first British  settlements were dated to the 17th century. In the early 18th century  the Bahamas became extremely popular with pirates. The Bahamas remained a  British colony from 1717 till 1964 when the Islands were granted  self-government in 1964. In 1973, it became an independent nation.

Yacht charter in the Bahamas is an appealing year-round  destination with the warm Gulf Stream currents swirling and balmy trade  winds blowing. This idyllic climate with refreshing breezes and  comforting temperatures and a little change from season to season is  hard to resist. The average temperature is 70F or 80F and rarely gets  above 90F on a midsummer day or below 60F on a winter night. The Bahamas  water temperature varies between 72F to 84F. If you rent boat in June  to October you will experience the hottest and wettest period, though  rain is often limited to periodic showers, which generally clear  quickly.

The best time for yacht charter is December to May. Be aware that  tropical storms are a possibility during the Atlantic hurricane season  from June to November. Since the islands are so spread out, it is no  wonder that one island could be experiencing hurricane force winds,  while it's quiet and sunny in another.

The beauty of dining here is that you can find almost anything  to please your palate-from Continental to ethic, including  Mediterranean, Asian, Latin, European. The most enticing on the menu is  fresh seafood, of course: grouper, mahi-mahi, wahoo.

During your yacht charter try traditional Bahamian favorites, like  conch (locally farmed) fritters, blackened hog snapper with mango sauce,  lobster chunks marinaded in wine and for dessert, guava duff (boiled  guava dough and sweet sauce). And the best way to wash down these  culinary treats is with shots or cocktails crafted with signature  Bacardi rum.

Taking a yacht charter in the Bahamas you may discover is a  refreshing piece of history. During the Prohibition Era, some islands  were transformed to bustling rum-running centers, boot-legging alcohol  to some "thirsty" US areas. Now the rum-tasting or tour of Pirate  Republic Brewing Co. will take you back to those moon-shining days, when  spirits played an essential role in Bahamian history.

Marsh Harbor and the Abaco is the main charter port, often  referred to as the world capital of sailing. It serves as gateway to the  stellar sailing grounds the islands offer and majority of sailing boats  are berthed here.

The Abaco chain is a boomerang shape and stretches for 130 miles from  Walkers Cay in the north part, to Hole-in-the-Wall in the south. The  outer cays and islands create naturally protected waters commonly  referred to as the Sea of Abaco. Second largest island in the Bahamas is  Abaco with average temperature 26.5°C/80°F generally cooler than on the  other islands. During the winter temperature rarely drops below  10°C/50°F.

From Abaco charterers can easily sail to beautiful line of sandy cays  laid on the east where they will see the famous lighthouse of Hope  Town, and then head to Pelican Cays National Park with its beautiful  coral and sea life.

It is known for its boat building and was founded by British  loyalists. One of the many fine examples of British colonial  architecture is a “candy stripe” lighthouse that was built to mark the  Elbow Cay Reef in the 1860s. Now, it is one of the only two manned  beacons, and locals have undertaken vigorous efforts to keep it so,  doing all to secure spare parts for the light apparatus, most of which  are no longer made.

Freeport is the capital of Grand Bahama Island, founded in 1955.  Now it is a modern, planned city with all of the amenities a visitor  could hope for: pristine beaches, golf, water sports, diving, gambling,  duty-free shopping, boating, nightclubs. This is one of the reasons that  Grand Bahama is the second most visited island in the Bahamas. But  Grand Bahamas still offers deserted beaches and pristine nature,  including the famous underwater cave systems in Lucayan National Park.

For sure you will find your favorite island in the Bahamas if you  look hard enough. Other islands that offer beautiful beaches, and  fantastic underwater life are Eleuthera, the Exumas or Green Turtle Cay.  These islands have uneven coastline with deep bays, sounds and  delightful beaches. The community is diverse, and captures the quaint  and harmonious atmosphere found throughout the islands.

Growing number of sailors discover that Bahamas catamaran charter  offers a superb and cost effective yacht charter holiday. Most  catamarans provide easy access to the water; cabins offer excellent  privacy because they are in different hulls, separate from the main  salon while spacious deck offers a lot for those who love swimming,  snorkeling and other water sports. Plus, catamaran boats do not "rock"  making everyone more comfortable.

The Bahamas Islands are also well known for its many cultural  events, among which Junkanoo has occupied a very special place, as a  joyful celebration of freedom. Junkanoo is an annual parade that is  competitive to Rio de Janeiro's Carnaval and New Orlean's Madrid Gras.  Competition is heated among the groups, who choose a different theme  each year and keep it a secret until Junkanoo day, when the efforts are  revealed. They choreograph dance steps, select music and design  intricate colorful costumes. Junkanoo is a moveable, danceable party,  fueled by distinctly Bahamian music created by goatskin drums, cowbells,  conch-shell horns, shrieking whistles and brass bands. With thousands  of dollars to win, people go to extremes to please the crowd and put on  the best show.