Bareboat
Best for skippers with recent comparable experience, confident anchoring skills and comfort navigating shallow banks and tidal cuts.
← Back to the Exumas guideSailing
The complete charter-planning guide
Sailing
the Exumas
Shallow banks. Wild cays. A route drawn in every shade of blue.
Bareboat · Skippered · CrewedReviewed July 28, 2026
Exuma Cays · The Moorings · official charter media
Best seasonDecember–April
Classic charter7–10 nights
Typical windE–NE trades
ExperienceIntermediate
Why the Exumas work
A hundred-mile cruising ground built from light, tide and judgment.
The Exumas reward a sailor with extraordinary space: quiet park moorings, shifting sandbars, open-bank passages and inhabited cays just far enough apart to make each arrival matter. They are not the BVIs with paler water. The first crossing is longer, services are thinner, cuts can run hard and shallow-water navigation demands excellent daylight. Plan conservatively and the route feels less like island-hopping than inhabiting the sea.
01
Protect the crossing
Sleep aboard in Nassau, leave with good sun and never make the Yellow Bank a late-afternoon improvisation.
02
Read the water
Use current charts, plotter and briefing—then confirm with polarized glasses, sun angle, depth and a bow lookout.
03
Carry your margin
Build water, fuel, food and weather buffers. Between Highbourne and Staniel, a missing item may stay missing.
04
Let the park lead
The no-take park is the journey’s heart. Give it several nights to unfold.
Charter choices
Choose the support level before choosing the yacht.
Skippered
The strongest first-Exumas choice for capable sailors who want help with water reading, park procedures and weather-driven route decisions.
Crewed
Captain and chef make the remote geography feel effortless. Compare crew accommodation, meals, gratuity and cruising range in the complete quote.
Catamaran or monohull?
Catamarans dominate for shallow draft, stability, deck space and easy dinghy life. They carry windage and demand care in crowded mooring fields. Monohulls cost less and offer a more tactile sail, but deeper draft narrows options and the crew lives closer together.
Do you need a license?
Acceptance is company-specific. Operators normally review the actual skipper’s resume and may request formal certification, a checkout or a professional skipper. Submit honest experience before paying a nonrefundable balance.
Full-service charter program
The Moorings
Palm Cay Marina · Nassau
Bareboat, skippered and crewed choices with catamarans, monohulls and power yachts. Confirm current fleet, qualifications and cruising limits.
Current details ↗Broad fleet comparison
Dream Yacht / Navtours
Palm Cay Marina · Nassau
Bareboat and crewed programs from the same eastern Nassau gateway. Exact brands, inventory and inclusions vary by booking market.
Current details ↗Base logistics
Palm Cay Marina
Yamacraw Hill Road · New Providence
The marina lists its current charter partners and provides the practical launch point for the Yellow Bank crossing.
Current details ↗Conditions
Trade winds are reliable. The itinerary should not be rigid.
Prime season
December–April
Drier air and established trades. Winter cold fronts can swing wind north, roughen cuts and make previously protected anchorages uncomfortable.
Sweet shoulder
May–June
Warm water, lighter traffic and often softer wind. Heat, thunderstorms and tropical-weather planning become more important.
Highest caution
July–November
Atlantic hurricane season. Fleet operations, insurance limits and marina plans can change, particularly near the seasonal risk peak.
Wind
East and northeast trades make the bank side comparatively protected, but the low cays offer little shelter from stronger systems.
Tide & cuts
Ocean cuts can run hard. Wind opposing an ebb creates steep, dangerous seas; use current tables and wait.
Cold fronts
Winter fronts can clock wind through north and west, changing every protection assumption. Keep anchorages available on more than one side.
Night movement
Charter contracts commonly prohibit it, and coral heads, unlit craft and shallow banks make secured-before-dusk the correct standard.
Palm Cay base & provisions
Load the heavy things in Nassau.
01
Arrival
Palm Cay lies on eastern New Providence, normally 30–45 minutes from Nassau’s airport depending on traffic. Arrive a day early when possible; use a sleep-aboard night to protect the briefing and first crossing.
02
Provisioning
Buy water, beverages, frozen food and staples before departure or arrange verified delivery. Remove bulky packaging, check galley inventory and reserve space for waste until an approved disposal point.
03
Top-ups
Highbourne, Norman’s, Staniel and Black Point may offer selected groceries, ice, meals or fuel, but stock and opening hours are limited. Treat them as welcome supplements, not the meal plan.
04
Fuel, water & power
Confirm tank capacity, generator use, watermaker operation and fuel stops at briefing. Not every cay provides every service, and weather can close exposed docks.
Provisioning rule: bring enough for the route plus two unscheduled dinners aboard. A weather day is far more elegant when it already has pasta.
Clearance & permits
The paperwork depends on where the boat began.
01
Bahamas-based charter
The operator normally handles the yacht’s commercial and domestic documents. Confirm exactly which cruising permits, passenger taxes, park fees and insurance charges are included.
02
Foreign private yacht
Use the current Click2Clear process and enter at an official Port of Entry. Follow Customs and Immigration instructions; the captain normally manages vessel clearance before general crew movement ashore.
03
Exuma Park
The park is strictly no-take: no fishing, conching, shelling or lobstering. Current BNT guidance says moorings outside Warderick Wells are first-come; pay after securing a ball. Charter-vessel charges and VAT apply; verify the live fee page.
Moorings & anchoring
In clear water, good seamanship should be visible.
Park contact
VHF channel 09
Call “Exuma Park” for current instructions around Warderick Wells. Use channel 16 for distress and emergency traffic.
Designated fields
Park moorings
Current park guidance identifies fields including Shroud, Hawksbill, Warderick, Emerald Rock, Hog, O’Brien’s and Cambridge cays.
Private facilities
Marina balls & docks
Reserve where possible, confirm length and draft limits, and ask whether water, power, trash or landing fees are additional.
Anchor responsibly
Clear sand only
Never drop on coral or seagrass. Confirm swing room, set the anchor firmly and monitor wind shifts and tidal current.
Anchorage directory
Let protection and distance choose the night.
Northern gateways
The first and last layer of a Nassau charter. These stops make the Yellow Bank crossing manageable and provide the chain’s strongest marina support.
Highbourne Cay
Marina · fuel · provisionsA comfortable first or final night with fuel, water, restaurant and market. Reserve early and verify whether anchoring access is currently allowed.
Allan’s & Leaf Cays
Day stop · exposed choicesKnown for rock iguanas and clear shallows. Choose the lee side, keep wildlife space and do not feed or handle the animals.
Norman’s Cay
Anchorage · marina servicesUseful protection, restaurant access and the famous aircraft-wreck snorkel. Avoid the runway approach and confirm marina procedures.
Shroud Cay
Park moorings · mangrove creekA quiet gateway to the national park. Explore the creek by dinghy on an appropriate tide and protect the shallow banks.
Exuma Cays Land & Sea Park
The wild heart of the route: no fishing, conching, shelling or lobstering. Use designated moorings where supplied and treat the park as habitat, not inventory.
Hawksbill Cay
Park moorings · beachesNorthern and southern fields serve beautiful beaches and Loyalist-era ruins. Protection differs by wind direction.
Warderick Wells
Park headquarters · mooringsThe signature stop, with a narrow north mooring field, Emerald Rock alternatives and trails to Boo Boo Hill.
O’Brien’s Cay
Day moorings · snorkelingBase for the Sea Aquarium and nearby plane wreck. Current, depth and daylight determine whether it is a relaxed stop.
Cambridge Cay
Park moorings · central accessA compelling base for Rocky Dundas, the Aquarium and nearby reefs. Follow the current park assignment procedure.
Central cays
More restaurants, marinas and famous stops—but also more tenders, tour boats and pressure on anchorages.
Compass Cay
Private marinaDockage, nurse sharks and nearby Pipe Cay scenery. Book ahead, follow landing rules and keep animal encounters passive.
Big Major Cay
Anchorage · busy day stopThe swimming-pig anchorage is spacious but heavily visited. Anchor in clear sand, protect swing room and avoid feeding harmful food.
Staniel Cay
Marina · fuel · provisionsThe central logistics hub for Thunderball Grotto, groceries, dining, fuel and flights. Reservations and daylight planning matter.
Black Point
Anchorage · settlementA welcoming stop with laundry, small shops, food and local life. Buy provisions and meals respectfully; supplies are limited.
Little Farmer’s Cay
Anchorage · settlementA quieter community stop with local meals and a celebrated February regatta. Confirm holding and access by forecast.
Southern Exumas
Rewarding, remote and much farther from the Nassau base. These waters fit a 10–14-night plan, a one-way arrangement or a separately based private boat.
Lee Stocking Island
Remote anchorageResearch-station history, beaches and isolated water with little immediate support. Verify current access and protection.
Cave Cay & Rudder Cut
Marina / anchorage · tidal cutStrategic stops around a strong-flowing cut. The underwater piano is an excursion, never a reason to ignore current.
Elizabeth Harbour
Large cruising harborGeorge Town and Stocking Island offer groceries, water taxis, restaurants and a large seasonal cruising community.
Moriah Harbour
National park · shallow waterMangroves, dunes and sandbars south of George Town. Best explored locally with tide and draft firmly in mind.
Passage scale
Short numbers can still describe a long day.
Palm Cay → Highbourne Cay
about 30–35 nmThe signature Yellow Bank crossing; visibility matters as much as mileage.
Highbourne → Norman’s Cay
about 10–12 nmA short northern-cay leg with easy alternatives.
Norman’s → Shroud Cay
about 10–12 nmTransition into the national park.
Shroud → Warderick Wells
about 20–24 nmA satisfying sailing day with few service options en route.
Warderick → Cambridge Cay
about 16–20 nmPlan the final approach around tide, light and park instructions.
Cambridge → Staniel Cay
about 10–12 nmShort in distance; potentially busy on arrival.
Staniel → Black Point
about 8–10 nmAn easy-scale community day if the longer route allows it.
Distances are approximate planning figures, not waypoints. Your safe route may be longer because of shoals, cuts, charter limits and weather.
Two realistic routes
Seven nights for the park. Ten nights for Staniel.
A genuinely relaxed seven-night Nassau charter normally turns near Cambridge. Ten nights provides the right shape for Staniel and a weather buffer. Great Exuma belongs in a 10–14-night plan, a one-way arrangement or a separate charter.
Route 01 · Seven-night park route
Day 1
Palm Cay sleep-aboard
Provision, complete briefings and inspect the yacht. Do not turn a late handover into a night crossing.
Day 2
Palm Cay → Highbourne Cay
Cross the Yellow Bank in strong daylight and settle into the northern gateway after roughly 30–35 nautical miles.
Day 3
Highbourne → Norman’s → Shroud
Snorkel only if conditions suit, then enter the park for a quieter night near the mangrove creek.
Day 4
Shroud → Warderick Wells
Make the park headquarters the trip’s anchor: trails, beaches, snorkeling and a properly unhurried afternoon.
Day 5
Warderick → Cambridge Cay
Move through the park to a central base for the Sea Aquarium and Rocky Dundas, with tide-aware dinghy plans.
Day 6
Cambridge → Norman’s or Highbourne
Begin north while the forecast is still a choice. This buffer matters more than squeezing in another famous stop.
Day 7
Northern cay → Rose Island / Palm Cay
Cross early in good light, refuel as instructed and keep the final night near the base if the return window requires it.
Day 8
Palm Cay checkout
Return inside the contracted window with time for inspection, luggage and the airport transfer.
Route 02 · Ten-night Staniel route
Day 1
Palm Cay sleep-aboard
Provision, brief and prepare the crew.
Day 2
Palm Cay → Highbourne
A daylight Yellow Bank crossing and comfortable first night.
Day 3
Highbourne → Norman’s → Shroud
Northern-cay exploration before entering the park.
Day 4
Shroud → Hawksbill
Beaches, ruins and a forecast-chosen park mooring.
Day 5
Hawksbill → Warderick Wells
Park headquarters, Boo Boo Hill and a no-rush afternoon.
Day 6
Warderick → Cambridge Cay
Central-park snorkeling with current and dinghy range in mind.
Day 7
Cambridge → Staniel / Big Major
Thunderball Grotto only at a safe tide; secure the boat before joining the busy circuit.
Day 8
Staniel → Black Point or weather day
A short community stop—or the buffer that keeps the whole route civilized.
Day 9
Black Point → Warderick / Hawksbill
Begin the return with a meaningful northbound passage.
Day 10
Park → Highbourne or Norman’s
Stage close enough to protect the final crossing.
Day 11
Northern cay → Palm Cay
Return in good light, refuel and check out within the base window.
Route rule: the return crossing gets the best forecast window available.
Cost planning
Compare the price after every required extra.
Charter rate
Season, yacht age, size and crew level drive the headline price. Christmas, New Year and spring weeks command premiums.
Mandatory extras
Ask about insurance, security deposit, taxes, cruising permits, park charges, cleaning and base fees.
Operating spend
Add fuel, generator use, water, ice, provisions, marina nights, restaurant meals, flights and ground transfers.
Crewed gratuity
It is generally separate from the charter price. Confirm the operator’s current guidance and what expenses are covered in the advance provisioning allowance.
Quote-comparison rule: request a complete checkout total for the same dates, crew, insurance option, dinghy, outboard, Wi-Fi, park fees and sleep-aboard night.
Safety desk
Remoteness is the beauty—and the planning constraint.
Weather & radio
Review the official forecast and base briefing daily. Know the VHF distress procedure and keep the operator’s support contacts available offline.
Crew brief
Cover life jackets, engines, heads, propane, hatches, fire gear, windlass, man-overboard procedure and how a non-skipper calls for help.
Grounding
If depth vanishes, stop and assess. Powering harder can damage the yacht and habitat. Follow the operator’s grounding and assistance procedure.
Medical margin
Services are sparse beyond major cays. Carry prescriptions, a meaningful first-aid kit and travel medical and evacuation coverage.
Research desk
Official sources & live checks
Park procedures, mooring fees, weather, port rules, fuel access and charter limits change. Start here, then confirm during your booking and base briefing.
Official Exumas destination guide ↗Exuma Cays Land & Sea Park ↗Current park mooring fees & procedure ↗BNT Exuma Park quick guide ↗The Moorings Exumas charters ↗The Moorings base information ↗Dream Yacht Exumas charters ↗Palm Cay charter partners ↗Official Bahamas boating regulations ↗Bahamas Customs cruising permits ↗Bahamas Department of Meteorology ↗