Exumas

Day 1 — Palm Cay to Highbourne Cay · approximately 25 NM

Your Exumas adventure begins at 9:00 AM at Palm Cay Marina in Nassau, where you meet the crew, settle aboard and set a course southeast toward the northern Exumas. Leaving Nassau behind, the landscape quickly gives way to open Bahamian water, shallow banks and scattered islands. After the morning crossing, arrive at Highbourne Cay in the afternoon and anchor off one of the island's beautiful beaches. Spend the afternoon swimming, paddleboarding and snorkeling in the clear turquoise water, or take the dinghy ashore to explore the beach and surrounding trails. As evening approaches, settle into a quiet anchorage away from the marina and enjoy dinner aboard beneath the stars. Highbourne provides a gentle introduction to the remote character of the Exumas, with the wilderness beginning almost immediately after leaving Nassau.

Day 2 — Highbourne Cay to Shroud Cay · approximately 20 NM

After an early morning swim and breakfast, continue south through the northern Exumas toward Shroud Cay, part of the protected Exuma Cays Land and Sea Park. The sailing is relatively short, leaving plenty of time to explore the island once you arrive. In the afternoon, take kayaks or the tender into Shroud's remarkable mangrove creeks, following the winding waterways through the interior of the island. At the right stage of the tide, the current carries you through the mangroves and toward the island's Atlantic beaches. There is time for snorkeling and swimming before returning to the yacht. Tonight, anchor in the protected waters of Shroud Cay, far removed from any town or harbor. Dinner is aboard, followed by an evening walk along the beach or simply watching the sunset from the cockpit. With its mangroves, tidal creeks and undeveloped shoreline, Shroud Cay offers one of the most immersive wilderness experiences in the northern Exumas.

Day 3 — Shroud Cay to Warderick Wells · approximately 15 NM

Wake to a quiet morning in Shroud Cay and spend a few hours exploring before breakfast. Take a final kayak through the mangroves, walk along the deserted beach or enjoy an early snorkel in the surrounding shallows. By late morning, sail south toward Warderick Wells, the heart of the Exuma Cays Land and Sea Park. The short passage allows most of the day to be spent exploring rather than underway. Arrive in the afternoon and take a park mooring in the spectacular natural harbor at Warderick Wells. Go ashore to explore the island's trails and climb Boo Boo Hill, where panoramic views stretch across the surrounding cays and turquoise water. Later, return to the yacht for a swim or snorkel before enjoying dinner aboard. With no conventional development or nightlife, Warderick Wells offers an evening of extraordinary quiet beneath a remarkably clear night sky.

Day 4 — Warderick Wells to Staniel Cay · approximately 18 NM

After breakfast, enjoy one final morning exploring Warderick Wells before sailing south through the heart of the Exumas. The route passes countless small cays, sandbars and reefs, with opportunities to stop for a swim or snorkel along the way. Arrive near Staniel Cay in the afternoon and head ashore or take the tender to Big Major Cay, home of the famous swimming pigs. Afterward, snorkel through Thunderball Grotto, the dramatic limestone cave system made famous by the James Bond film Thunderball. The grotto's underwater passages and chambers are particularly spectacular when sunlight filters through the openings above. In the evening, go ashore at the Staniel Cay Yacht Club for a classic Bahamian dinner in one of the Exumas' most iconic island establishments. After dinner, return to the yacht and spend the night anchored among the cays surrounding Staniel.

Day 5 — Staniel Cay to Compass Cay · approximately 10 NM

Today is deliberately slow. Begin the morning with a swim and snorkel around the islands near Staniel, or take some time to explore the small settlement before breakfast. Afterward, make the short sail north toward Compass Cay. Arrive in the afternoon and visit the island's famous nurse sharks, which gather in the shallow waters around the old marina. From there, explore the surrounding beaches, natural pools and sand flats by tender, kayak or paddleboard. The area offers excellent opportunities for snorkeling, swimming and observing marine life in the extraordinarily clear water. As the afternoon fades, move away from the developed portion of the island and settle into a quiet anchorage nearby. Dinner is aboard, with another peaceful night beneath the stars. After several days among the protected cays, the evening at Compass Cay feels distinctly remote.

Day 6 — Compass Cay to Palm Cay, Nassau · approximately 25 NM

Wake early for a final swim and breakfast aboard before beginning the northbound journey toward Nassau. The return passage crosses the beautiful shallow banks of the northern Exumas, with the yacht sailing through brilliant turquoise water and between the scattered cays. Depending on weather, tide and timing, make a final morning stop at a quiet sandbar or reef for one last swim and snorkel before continuing toward Nassau. The yacht arrives at Palm Cay Marina by approximately 6:00 PM, completing the sailing portion of the journey. After six days of sailing through the Exumas, the final evening is spent back at Palm Cay. Guests can enjoy a relaxed final dinner together and a sunset drink aboard before settling in for the night.

Day 7 — Disembarkation at Palm Cay · 9:00 AM

Enjoy a final breakfast aboard before disembarking at 9:00 AM at Palm Cay Marina.