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Bahamas marina for winter 2022

Discussion in 'Marinas & Waypoints' started by Alzira II, Mar 19, 2021.

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  1. Alzira II

    Alzira II Member

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    I had a fleeting thought of leaving the boat in the Bahamas somewhere for next winter. A trusted friend has advised me this may be hard to find a spot with reliable and secure services. I dont have onboard crew. Can anyone recommend a secure marina with some reliable services-nothing heavy? We do not need to be at a major airport with commercial traffic, I would prefer to be slightly more remote with a field atleast 4k feet to come and go.
  2. Pascal

    Pascal Senior Member

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    It would help to know what kind of boat.

    Georgetown and Norman’s are the only long rwy in the Exumas. Norman’s has no services and expensive dockage. Georgetown has two marinas. Emerald bay and Exumas Yacht Club. Limited marine services at night.

    Emerald has a surge problem especially in winter (double up lines and fenders...) and the entrance can be sporty.

    Exuma Yacht club is a much better location but a bit ... rustic. I heard they fixed the docks but haven’t been there in a few months. Will be there tomorrow though and updates

    Nassau is probably your best bet. Yes it’s a busy island but full service, good provisioning and only 35 miles from the Exumas. Many marinas to choose from.

    great Harbor Cay in the Berrys has a very well protects marina but it don’t remember the length of the rwy. I think it maybe long enough. Cruising a little limited though compared to Exumas.

    Abacos are coming back from Dorian. Many long runways. Good provisioning. Downside is the weather as front as much stronger up there compared to Exumas

    finally, Eleuthera. Either Spanish Wells or Harbor Island. Long rwy. Ok provisioning and some services
  3. motoryachtlover

    motoryachtlover Senior Member

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    Pascal I would appreciate a some info on Exuma yacht club especially draft going in and there. The charts don’t show a lot. Also does it have reliable electricity if at all. Thanks in advance. Will be in Georgetown area in late June.
  4. Pascal

    Pascal Senior Member

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    About 6 1/2’ MLW coming in, a little. A little more at the dock. I ve been there with 6’ 1/4 draft and just avoided dead low. Once docked it s fine

    I ll check how power is. We may dock there Monday night.

    what kind of boat do you have?

    gtown has a lot to offer. Elizabeth harbor is fantastic, great beaches. 5 miles south is Moriah Harbor national park... amazing sand bars. A little further south is Pigeon Cay and Sandy Cay. Stunning:

  5. Pascal

    Pascal Senior Member

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    This is just one of many nice spots in Elizabeth harbor. Just 1 mile from EYC

  6. Alzira II

    Alzira II Member

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    Thanks pascal. Post 50. I have not been to any of those places but nassau on a cattle truck. For me the spanish wells or harbor island seem like a nice quaint town.
  7. Ken Bracewell

    Ken Bracewell Senior Member

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    You'll be able to find someone to take care of your boat in Harbor Island for sure. And likely in Spanish Wells too.
  8. Pascal

    Pascal Senior Member

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    Ken, you re not on Rena anymore, right? Saw her off compass a couple of days ago
  9. Ken Bracewell

    Ken Bracewell Senior Member

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    No, I haven't been aboard since 2014. I saw that they're doing a family cruise down there. Good to see them out.
  10. Capt J

    Capt J Senior Member

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    The problem is, most islands that are easy to get to in the exumas don't have protected marinas. I wouldn't even consider Great Exuma. Yeah it has a grocery store and airport, but both marinas are exposed or have horrible surge and honestly, it's just not nice enough to warrant going so so far.
    Exumas:
    Staniel Cay- easy to fly into BUT you have to land on another island to clear customs first. Docks are exposed to anything blowing West/Northwest so cannot leave a boat there.
    Compass Cay- protected and beautiful island but need someone to pick you up 20 miles away in Staniel Cay when you fly in and no grocery store or restaurant
    Highbourne Cay- protected, decent grocery store, good restaurant, but need to fly into Normans Cay and take a boat 7 miles to get there and need to land somewhere else to clear customs.

    Honestly for the Exumas, it's easier to leave the boat in Nassau, fly into there/clear customs there, good grocery stores, cheaper fuel, lots of restaurants, etc. then Exumas are a 40-73NM quick run of mostly protected water. Plus Nassau is easy to fly into if you need crew or mechanics to fly over on a commercial flight. I don't know Atlantis price on a long term, but best protected marina in Nassau area and could just fly in and stay there and the kids all have plenty to do IF you don't feel like going anywhere.

    Spanish Wells/Harbor Island
    Harbor Island- very nice island, groceries, fuel, beautiful beach BUT Marinas are also very exposed in a strong NW wind. Can leave a boat there if it's double tied, well fendered, and a local watching it. Easy to fly into ELH and clear customs etc. and take a 5 minutes $5 water taxi ride across.

    Spanish Wells- is very interesting and a dry island. Would still have to water taxi from ELH, marina is protected, a few restaurants, etc. Island is good for about a 1/2 day IMO. Cheap lobster tails and stone crabs.

    Great Harbor Cay- very protected marina, can fly in, fuel, customs, grocery store is very tiny and very limited. Beautiful beaches but need a golf cart or take the dinghy to get to them. Strange vibe on the island.

    Abacos- Easy to Fly into, not sure what condition each island is in. Easy to jump on a cheap commercial water taxi to get to the other islands. BUT, not sure which parts are well rebuilt or not since the hurricane and I hear crime on Treasure Cay/Marsh Harbor is pretty good and mostly theft.

    Treasure Cay Marina- has a protected marina, several restaurants, pool, and outstanding beach but docks were in somewhat rough condition prior to the hurricane.

    Boat Harbor on Treasure Cay/Marsh is also nice, but a little exposed. Supposedly rebuilt and back up and running. It's run by good guys and they might have someone that could maintain the boat.

    Green Turtle Cay is supposedly rebuilt and has everything you're probably looking for.....beautiful beaches, etc., protected marina etc. would have to ferry from Treasure/Marsh

    Hope town also has a protected marina, nice restaurant, pool, beautiful beaches, and some shopping, but also have to take a quick ferry ride.

    What I'd recommend doing is early summer, running the boat over to Nassau, flying in, doing a week to ten days in the Exumas with a very knowledgable Captain that can show you all of the in's and out's of the Exumas. Leave the boat in Nassau for a few weeks, then fly in and spend a week to ten days in the Abacos and Harbor Island again with a knowledgable Captain that can show you all of the in's and out's of those places.

    Problem is, I've never come across Bahamians that I could trust to keep the boat maintained while the boat was sitting there. Divers try to rape you, people don't wash the boat when they're supposed to or do what they're supposed to, unless they know you're coming in, in 2 days. I've tried over the years in Sampson Cay, Nassau, Port Lucaya, and Treasure and always found I came to a mess. If you fly in yourself no further apart then every 2 weeks, you can get away with it, but then you're spending 2 days getting the boat ready and clean.......
  11. Pascal

    Pascal Senior Member

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    Exuma yacht club has no surge, unlike Emerald. It can be a little choppy when it’s blowing over 15/18 from NE-SE but not too bad.

    he needs a 4000’ runway so Staniel is out. I wouldn’t leave a boat at Staniel anyway because of NW exposure in a front. They have a few days each winter where they have to clear the docks.

    no idea what compass would charge monthly, they re so busy I doubt they even have a monthly rate. a boat run from Staniel is no big deal and flying private you can bring your own food anyway. But again, rwy is 3000
  12. motoryachtlover

    motoryachtlover Senior Member

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    54 Viking and draw 5’. Thanks again for the update.
  13. Alzira II

    Alzira II Member

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    I threw 4000 feet out there. I dont really need that much but usually strips are atleast that long or way longer stateside. I can do 3000 feet if I need to i just prefer to avoid it if I have the option. If I know I will hit level land or water sub 500'AGL then I dont mind so much.

    Thanks again crew for your advice. This bahamas thing is quite a project. I guess figuring out the ins and outs of the locales and differences is part of the adventure.
  14. Pascal

    Pascal Senior Member

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    We re Exuma Yacht club for the night and picking up guests tomorrow. Not much has changed.. they be patched up some of the docks but instead of removing the old beams and decks they just built a new layer a foot higher :). Still many broken up sections. Power is a problem. They have few 30amps and a single 100amp but it s 3 phase... so we re on gen.

    tbey finally torn down the old gas station at the entrance, well most of it and are trying to build some kind of planters... may be finished one day...