The plan for the Exumas

[svcheshirecat]

The Navionics charts are not very good. This is true for all the Bahamas.
The best charts are the Explorer charts. You can buy the books or there is also an on-line version. The on-line version integrates with an App called AquaMaps, which is a free download for Android and then you can buy charts for the area you will be in from the Explorer charts.
Somehow AquaMaps works with the Explorer charts - click on an area in AquaMaps, and it will take you to the Explorer charts that you can buy or rent as a download.

The Explorer charts are highly recommended, and they are not that expensive. You might be able to get a SDSA discount.

The Exumas has an international airport to fly into at Georgetown. Exuma International Airport (GGT).

Typically anchor on the western side of the cays, and then you can go out through the cuts between the islands for day trips.

Highborn Cay, just north of the Exumas has a fuel dock. Blackpoint settlement, south of the Exumas has a fuel dock.
Staniel Cay in the Exumas has a fuel dock.

Good anchorages in the Exumas are:

Day 1: Staniel Cay.
Staniel Cay has a Staniel Cay Yacht Club. There are mooring balls, anchorage is roomy, fuel dock, restaurant, dingy dock, and 3 small grocery stores. Thunderball Grotto is located here. You can swim underwater to get up into the grotto.

Big Major Cay - next to Staniel Cay - known for its swimming pigs. Kind of dirty, and the pigs might be aggressive.

Day 2: Sampson Cay
Anchor on the west side near a private marina channel. You can dingy into the cay and there is a great beach at low tide.

Day 3: Compass Cay - popular spot
Anchor near Rachel's Bubble Bath. There are also plenty of moorings there.
You can dingy to Compass Cay Marina to swim with the sharks. There is a $10.00 landing fee.
Take a lunch to Rachel's Bubble Bath. Go at high tide.

Day 4: O'Briens Cay - a mile north of Cambridge Cay
Anchor or moor at Cambridge Cay with great snorkeling and a nice beach. There are fees associated for both mooring and anchoring.

On the way to Warderick Wells, stop at "The Aquarium" and the sunken plane on O'Briens Cay.

Day 5: Warderick Wells Cay.
There are limited moorings in Warderick Wells Park along a thin strip of deep water, or you can anchor/moor at Emerald Rock.
You can hike up to Boo Boo Hill to paint your boat name and date on a piece of driftwood.

George Town, on Great Exuma, is supposed to have a good grocery store. From the east side of Great Exuma, a good place to pass through is Hog Cay Cut, between Goat Cay and Polly Cay.

In the Ragged Islands, popular Day 1 stops include Water Cay and Flamingo Cay.