The older I get, the more I think about time. At 42, I’m incredibly grateful for every year I get to spend on this amazing planet, but I’m also reminded that none of us has unlimited healthy years ahead. It makes me want to make the most of the time I have to travel, explore, and experience this incredible world while I’m still able.
An eight-and-a-half-hour ride from Fort Lauderdale to Staniel Cay in a 35-foot center-console wasn’t exactly my first choice, but visiting the Exumas had been on my bucket list for years.
Those impossibly blue Bahamian waters, velvety-soft white and pink sand beaches, incredible marine life, and water so clear you’d swear it was drinkable—there truly isn’t another place in the world quite like it.
Wiley and I had been talking about making this trip for a couple of years, and somehow it still managed to exceed my admittedly high expectations. The highlights included delicious lobster, incredible snorkeling, some of the friendliest Bahamian people we’ve ever met, feeding nurse sharks, and simply slowing down long enough to appreciate one of the most beautiful places on Earth.
This wasn’t the most spectacular snorkeling I’ve ever experienced from a marine-life perspective, but it was one of the coolest wrecks I’ve seen. Snorkeling around a submerged airplane in shallow, crystal-clear water is an experience that’s hard to describe.
This ended up being one of my favorite experiences of the trip.
The beauty was in its simplicity. Quiet water surrounded by mangroves. The sound of the current moving beneath us. An occasional ray gliding by. No crowds. Just Wiley and me paddling toward what’s known as “The Washing Machine.”
We had no idea exactly how long it would take, but that was part of the adventure. Just the two of us, a couple of drinks strapped to our paddleboards, and nowhere else we needed to be.
If you go, be sure to check the tides. A mid-to-high rising tide offers the best conditions.
At just 60 feet above sea level, Boo Boo Hill is the highest point in the Exuma Cays Land and Sea Park.
Wiley and I love hiking wherever we travel. Being still, is not really in our vocabulary.
The hike itself is simple and easy, but the reward is a beautiful 360-degree view overlooking the mooring field and surrounding cays. Don’t forget to bring a piece of driftwood if you’d like to add your name to the famous collection left by visiting boaters.
This may have been the best snorkeling I’ve done in years.
The site itself is relatively small, but it’s packed with colorful reef fish, beautiful coral formations, and some of the most vibrant purple sea fans I’ve ever seen. Visibility was outstanding, making every minute in the water worthwhile. To really get the fish going, a local captain suggested we bring a small bag of potato chips with us, crush them and watch the fish go wild.
Anytime we get to interact with animals, we’re there. This was a ton of fun.
Admission was only $15 per person, plus the marina docking fee. I’ll admit we were both a little nervous at first, but these nurse sharks behaved much more like curious dogs than predators. They were incredibly docile.
We brought our own bait, which I highly recommend instead of purchasing food at the marina.
We stayed on Staniel Cay and kept our boat at the Staniel Cay Yacht Club, making Thunderball Grotto an easy trip.
It can become crowded, especially with the day tour boats arriving from Georgetown and Nassau; so we found the best time to visit was early in the morning or later in the afternoon.
The snorkeling here was really nice. Swimming through the cave, looking up through the natural opening in the ceiling, and resting on one of the ropes placed inside the cave to take it all in, was very special. You could also swim all the way through this limestone rock formation, and then enjoy snorkeling along the east side of the rock, while the current gently guides you back toward your vessel at the entrance of the cave. We did this a few times as it was so close to where we were staying.
Overall, I loved the Exumas, just as I love The Bahamas as a whole.
The people we met throughout the cays were some of the friendliest Bahamians we’ve encountered anywhere in the islands. After years of flying over this island chain and dreaming about those turquoise waters and endless sandbars, I still wasn’t prepared for just how breathtaking it would be in person.
If there’s one thing I’d tell anyone planning a trip to the Exumas, it’s don’t underestimate the current.
I’ve snorkeled throughout the Caribbean, and it’s one of my favorite activities. Normally, I can happily stay in the water for hours until someone convinces me to come back to the boat. But the currents in the Exumas are no joke. At times, they were surprisingly strong, and even as a confident swimmer, I found myself working much harder than expected and feeling anxious. The exact opposite of what snorkeling is meant to achieve (in my opinion).
Be sure to pay close attention to the tides and currents, stay aware of your surroundings, and consider using a snorkel vest or flotation device if you’re not completely comfortable in open water.
Would I go back?
Without hesitation.
The Exumas easily earn five stars from me. More importantly, they reminded me why making time for experiences like this matters. We only get so many summers, and I’m grateful this one included a place I’ll never forget.
Ready to see the Exumas for yourself? Explore our catamaran charter options and start planning an island-hopping adventure you’ll be talking about for years to come. You can visit our charter page to start your search now: Charter a Catamaran
Please feel free to reach out to me directly: Laura@CatamaranCentral.com / 802.233.4773
