Bareboat Charters Exumas vs Abacos

[dpvandy01]

My wife and I just booked a 51 foot power-cat 5 day bareboat charter in the Exumas through The Moorings. Has anyone done this trip? I filled out their online "Powerboat Resume" and got rated as a Competent Power Boater cleared to rent up to 10 feet larger than current LOA but only in the Abacos, Puerto Rico, or the BVI. What is different between those destinations and the Exumas? One of our crew is a licensed Captain so he is going to put in his credentials which should clear us for the Exumas and the 51 footer. Anyone having experience with this type of charter specifically with the Moorings and the Exumas I'd love to hear your thoughts

 

[yobub]

We did a charter in the Bahamas over New Year's Eve. We were down in the Exumas, and I almost don't want to tell you how cool it was on a public forum. This was a crewed private charter on a 52' sailing cat, and every place we went was absolutely beautiful. Day after day the captain took us to a place that was more beautiful than the last. Despite the fact that it was a holiday week, we were almost by ourselves almost every place we went. We would be on a postcard beautiful beach all by ourselves. Snorkeling on reefs in private coves. Swimming in crystal clear rivers that would run between islands. Trip of a lifetime - highly recommended.

Pictures don't come close, but I'll share anyway.

 

[370Dancer]

If you like marinas, go to the Abacos, if you like beaches, go to the Exumas, but make sure you have a small boat to get to them. If you like deep water sailing yet always in sight of land, go to the BVIs. I can't think of anything you would do for 5 days in Puerto Rico. Pretty exposed.
If you hate cruise ship crowds, plan your islands carefully. We had a stop over at the Baths in the Virgins completely ruined by 200 people trying to climb through the caves at the same time. I hear Majors is getting the same way with day boats running down the Exumas from Nassau to feed the pigs and chase the iguanas. Shame.

 

[yobub]

Agree with everything above. A dingy is necessary to get to the beaches in the Exumas.

I would avoid Nassau if possible and get out of it as quickly as possible if it cant be avoided.

I've chartered in the BVI as well, and loved it, but given the choice would go back to the Bahamas again in a minute.

 

[rwvw415]

We chartered that same size and style of boat with Moorings in the BVI before the hurricane and loved every minute of it. The boat is the perfect size and ran very well as you can loaf around and sip fuel or it has enough efficiency to get up and run. The other couple couple had done the trip before and had a 6 pack license it was our first time but I now feel comfortable in doing it myself. The one thing I would suggest is we rented a larger dinghy which made for an easier time going in for dinner each night. It was not a lot more but it a lot nicer than the little ones they usually supply.

 

[ttmott]

If you like marinas, go to the Abacos, if you like beaches, go to the Exumas, but make sure you have a small boat to get to them. If you like deep water sailing yet always in sight of land, go to the BVIs. I can't think of anything you would do for 5 days in Puerto Rico. Pretty exposed.
If you hate cruise ship crowds, plan your islands carefully. We had a stop over at the Baths in the Virgins completely ruined by 200 people trying to climb through the caves at the same time. I hear Majors is getting the same way with day boats running down the Exumas from Nassau to feed the pigs and chase the iguanas. Shame.

Hmmmm - We spend probably six weeks a year on my boat in the Bahamas from Walkers to mid way down the Exumas and we find things much different than 370Dancer portrays. On the boat we really don't find many people other than those on other private boats on the islands; albeit we stay mostly to the remote islands. With that said we do stop in to Chubb, Hope Town, Green Turtle etc, but we also have great times there. I think Mr. Dancer is painting a more negative picture than really exists. But that is our experience; over and over.....
Now, if I was to charter a Moorings Cat and had several weeks I would spend time exploring the Exumas….

 

[JC3]

I agree with TT. The Abacos are very nice but the Exumas have some of the most beautiful water and beaches in the world. It depends on what you like both are good but I as well would charter the Exumas! GOD bless. JC

 

[370Dancer]

Hmmmm - We spend probably six weeks a year on my boat in the Bahamas from Walkers to mid way down the Exumas and we find things much different than 370Dancer portrays. On the boat we really don't find many people other than those on other private boats on the islands; albeit we stay mostly to the remote islands. With that said we do stop in to Chubb, Hope Town, Green Turtle etc, but we also have great times there. I think Mr. Dancer is painting a more negative picture than really exists. But that is our experience; over and over.....
Now, if I was to charter a Moorings Cat and had several weeks I would spend time exploring the Exumas….

Full disclosure, I haven't been since 2007. We did run the Exumas and Abacos for 15 years straight from May thru September. I was specifically referring to a report from my CEO and her husband who recently went to Nassau, and picked up a day boat go fast to run to the islands around Staniel, to feed the piggies and visit the iguanas. They told me there were tons of boats there doing the same thing. Kind of like how Soggy Dollar is now. A few checks of YouTubes led me to believe that it's becoming the Universal Studios of the Bahamas. If you are experiencing something different, yea!!
Like the BVI, it's still a WONDERFUL place to be, even if it's getting busier. In the mid nineties, we were making our own water and electricity for a lot of the runs, so there weren't as many visitors on a given day. Once desalination became affordable for the islands, progress began. No sour grapes. Best times of my life, and I've got video to prove it! Thanks for the update.