The Bahamas consist of more than 700 islands, islets, and cays, all sat just South of Florida and enjoying warm weather throughout the year. The temperature rarely drops below 20°C in the winter.
That, along with generally warm and gentle trade winds, should be enough to entice you to rent a sailboat in Bahamas with skipper. You may have a license to sail, but, it’s still worth considering a skipper. The waters around these islands are very shallow and charts are not updated as regularly as they could be. Combine this with the fact that the sea bed is very sandy and moves frequently and you have a strong likelihood of running aground.
You may not know this but the Bahamas has the clearest waters in the world, get offshore and you’ll be able to dive down with visibility of up to 200 feet! It’s also home to the third-largest barrier reef in the world and Dean’s Blue Hole, off Long Island, is one of the deepest in the world. It’s 663 feet deep!
You’ll want to check out the capital of the Bahamas, Nassau, located on the island of New Providence. This island is where the majority of the people in the Bahamas live. It’s a modern city with colorful houses, plenty of reminders of the British Colonial Empire, and a delightful harbor. The harbor separates the main town from Paradise Island, where you’ll find a large waterpark and plenty of upmarket eateries, casinos, and other establishments to indulge in.
It’s also worth looking at the Queen’s Staircase, is at the bottom of Fort Fincastle and consists of just 66 steps. But the steps were made from limestone by slaves, the staircase was renamed after Queen Victoria to honor her role in abolishing slavery in the Bahamas.
It’s a good idea to head to Grand Bahama Island, the fourth largest of all the islands. You’ll find work is still going on to repair the damage caused by hurricane Dorian in September 2019. The northernmost island also has plenty still to see and do. It’s worth checking out West End, the capital of this island and the most-famous rum-running port during the Prohibition.
Here you’ll also find the world’s longest underground cave system.
Other sites well worth visiting like the pink sand beaches of Harbour Island; the color is thanks to the thousands of broken coral shells, it’s stunning, especially as the sunsets.
Sailing south will allow you to experience the Exuma Cays Land and Sea National Park. This is a 176 square mile area that allows you to watch but not to remove. It’s regarded as one of the most successful marine parks in the world. You’ll need a snorkel to appreciate what’s going on just below your hull. Don’t forget to keep an eye open for swimming pigs!
From here you’ll appreciate having a skipper as you head east, or south. This is where the islands start to become more remote, villages are harder to find but there are those living on these small island paradises. A good skipper will help you to find delights that you would never locate by yourself.
After completing your explorations don’t forget to check out the Junkanoo Expo Museum in Nassau. It allows you to appreciate the annual Junkanoo carnival even if you’re not there for the actual event.
The list of things to do in the Bahamas is impressive and probably far greater than you imagined. You’re going to need to rent a sailboat with skipper to appreciate everything this area has to offer. You can choose your preferred vessel from our impressive list. Our first-class customer service team are on hand to help you navigate the process and answer any questions you have.
