Eleuthera Charter Advice

[karenmccraw]

We have 3 couples / 3 airplanes, planning to do some flying and sailing - we have a 47' Leopard reserved out of Rock Sound for 8 days early May. Any advice for a sailing itinerary? We'll be sleeping aboard the night before, so (hopefully) we'll be able to depart on day 1.....

Our home sailing is the Pamlico Sound in NC.... but numerous charters to BVI and St. Martin on catamarans with this group. We plan to fly to St. Lucie or Ft. Pierce, then across directly to Rock Sound. We'll be able to carry a lot of "stuff" since we have only 2 folks in each airplane - so we'll bring snorkel gear and coolers. We're equally happy with "big sails", isolated anchorages and hopping from beach bar-to-beach bar. Probably the biggest sail we've done with this group was from St. Barts to St. Kitts in 10' seas and 25+ winds on a 43' cat.

I know that 8 days is too short - but if that's all you have, what would you do with it?

(We'll be getting back in the airplanes and flying south for another week after the sailing, so we'll get to see more of the islands!)

[Vasco]

Shoot across to the Exumas.

[karenmccraw]

Oops - I DO know how to spell sometimes! Eleuthera, of course......

[osirissail]

Rock Sound is one of my favorite stops on Eleuthera - as is Governor's Harbor. And you can also continue north to Spanish Wells before returning south back to Rock Sound.

[Waterway Guide]

Beautiful water in the Exumas – it's close and you'd have time to island hop...so many nice spots. May should be really nice.

[defever]

good fishing on the way to the exumas too----shroud cay/the park/pipe creek and staniel---woooohoooo..

[FSMike]

Karen -

Depending on how far afield you want to go (and depending on the weather), visiting Cat Island and hiking up to the Hermitage is one of the neater experiences in the Bahamas. Take a bottle of wine (and a flashlight for the return trip) and watch the sun set behind your boat anchored in New Bight.

Another farther afield experience would be visiting Conception Island, which is a Bahamian National Park with zero residents. Conception is a no take island on shore, but last I heard fishing is allowed. There is also an extensive reef for diving. Might eat up too much of your time though.

The Exuma chain would give you a longer sail there and back, as well as short sails, isolated anchorages, snorkeling, and some fun bars/restaurants. Most of the large crowd of yachties should have left Georgetown by the time you get there.

Enjoy! I hope to arrive there by the 1st of April for the regatta in Georgetown.

FSMike

PS - I hope your charter boat has a good dink and motor.

[twalsh]

FYI.....We cruised the Exumas this year for the first time and it was absolutely incredible. Itinerary was Allen's Cay (iguana population) anchored at Highborne, Shroud (dinghyed the mangroves with lunch on the beach and hike to Camp Driftwood), Warderick Wells (Sea & Land park for hiking up BooBoo Hill) and topped it off with our final anchorage at Norman's Cay (Restaurant there, but definately make reservations by 3pm).

[osirissail]

Biggest problem cruising the Exumas is that there is always one more great place before you turn back - in this case you missed Staniel Cay and Thunderball Grotto just 16 nm or so further south of Warderick Wells.

[twalsh]

.....and that is what will bring us back! I would have loved to see the grotto and Staniel, along with Big Majors. Sights are set within 2 years.

[Lowcountry]

Cape Eleuthera is nice, but was a ghost town the last two times I was there. I love Governor's Harbor for about two days, but then you run out of things to do. I second the suggestion of sailing over to the Exumas. Only about 30 miles across Exuma Sound to Highbourne Cay from Cape Eleuthera. Norman's Cay was fun (good burgers there at McDuff's), Warderick Wells is an absolute must-see (give yourself at least two days there), and Staniel Cay Yacht Club was a blast (also great cheeseburgers there). I wouldn't want to stray any further south than Staniel Cay with such a short time limit on your cruise. Good luck, have fun!