Destinations

Sailing the Bahamas

The reader submissions for our Bahamas Photo Contest have us drooling at our desks. Winner Jim Nicolaus will receive an Explorer Chartbook of the Exumas, courtesy of Bellingham Chart Printers, and his-and-her pairs of Barz Optics polarized sunglasses. Check out some of our favorite entries here.

By Cruising World Staff

October 10, 2013

Updated: October 10, 2013

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Congratulations to Jim Nicolaus, winner of our Bahamas Photo Contest! Jim writes, “The clear water is always the first thing to come up when talking about the Bahamas. This shot is of our boat (39 Allied Mistress) anchored in Clarence Town Harbour, Long Island, Bahamas. I like how the clarity of the water reveals the sand, grass and boat shadow on the sea floor. I feel the light ripples around the dinghy and boat make the shot.” Jim Nicolaus

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Scott Alan Murphy writes, “This shot was taken of a friend’s 36ft Pearson anchored at Man O’War Cay. I floated around for a half hour in the Avon dinghy to get just the right angle & shot!” Scott Alan Murphy

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Michael King writes, “This is in Frazer Hog a day after a terrible storm blew through. Just 12 hours before this we had gusts up to 60 knots. In this picture there wasn’t a breath of air so the water was as flat as we have ever seen it. Just minutes after this picture was taken a larger Hammer Head Shark swam directly under our dinghy! It was a site we will never forget. So elegant but pre-historic looking.” Michael King

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Laundry day at Monument Beach, George Town, by Leslie Hannah. Her favorite spot in the Bahamas is Staniel Cay, Exuma. Leslie Hannah

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“We were anchored inside the reefs at the Northwest Point of Mayaguana, the easternmost island in the Bahamas,” writes Juan Florin. “The unmarked entrance to the reef and shallow waters once inside made it a memorable adventure with the swing keel capability of our Southerly 42. This was our favorite anchorage in the Bahamas both due to its remoteness and challenge.” Juan Florin

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Hope Town Sailing Club races, by William Heyer. “This is a picture of the Abaco Rage about to win the race. The Rage is from Hope Town on Elbow Cay and skippered by HTSC Commodore Stafford Patterson. The Elbow Cay lighthouse is in the background, built in 1863 and still wound by hand.” William Heyer

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Robert LaDue writes, “As a family of four with two young children, we coerced Grampa into traveling with us to the Bahamas as an extra hand for the Gulf Stream crossing aboard our Hallberg Rassy 352 Sloop. In keeping with our “Road Less Traveled” theme, after clearing in, our first stop was the isolated and magnificent Green Cay. We decided to walk the whole island. Grampa gallantly returned to the dinghy to meet us on the far side in case any little feet got tired but he never showed up. After walking the whole north side of the island in knee deep and absolutely gorgeous water, we circled the northeast point to find him high, dry and napping!” Robert LaDue

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S/V Imagine, our Pearson 365, anchored in Fishers Bay, Great Guana, by Susan Ochs-Conrad. Her favorite spot in the Bahamas is Green Turtle. Susan Ochs-Conrad

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Sitting outside Foul Cay in the Abacos, June 2013, by Bernie Webber. Webber writes, “This was our first charter to celebrate our 20 year wedding anniversary. We were on a Sunsail 36i as we watched an approaching thunderstorm, waiting to get back in the water.” Bernie Webber

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Sunset in Hope Town, Abacos, by Chuck Miller. Chuck Miller

Great Sale Cay

Great Sale Cay, late November, by William Heyer. His favorite spot in the Bahamas is Hope Town. William Heyer

Foxtown, Bahamas

Boat at anchor off Foxtown, by Brian Wagner. Brian Wagner

Rock Sound, Bahamas

Hannah Gardner writes, “Sailing into Rock Sound aboard our Whitby 42, the water was so clear we could see this starfish at 15 feet.” Hannah Gardner

Bimini Blues

Norman Thompson writes, “I call it ‘Bimini Blues’—This photo is the back side of a restaurant, which is on your starboard side when leaving Bimini.” Norman Thompson

Shroud Cay, Bahamas

Kevin Irwin writes, “It was our first trip to the Bahamas on our Hunter 35.5, Foolish Heart, in January 2012. On the second morning in the Exumas, I awoke to find our dingy floating in the gin-clear waters surrounding Shroud Cay. At that moment I realized why we had sacrificed so much to get to where we were.” Kevin Irwin

swimming pig

Edward Schwiebert writes, “We saw this swimming pig at Big Majors Spot, Staniel Cay, Exumas, while sailing our Brewer 44 Ketch.” Edward Schwiebert

Abacos beach

Bruce Davis writes, “I took this in the Abacos on the last day of a charter aboard a Leopard 38. We were sailing from Hope Town back to Marsh Harbour and stopped at this place on the way. It’s only visible at low tide. Our favorite spot in the Bahamas is Manjack Cay.” Bruce Davis

Warderick Wells Cay

Dominique Manny writes, “This sunset photo from the beach of Warderick Wells Cay shows a cute hermit crab. That night was one of the most wonderful of our trip to the Exumas aboard our 36′ Dufour. I hope I’ll get back there one more time in my life. My favorite spot in the Bahamas is the plane crashed in Norman’s Cay.” Dominique Manny

Governor’s Harbor, Eleuthera

A schooner and Brewer 44 Gratitude off Governor’s Harbor, Eleuthera, by Lauren Schwiebert. Lauren Schwiebert

Abacos Islands

Abacos Islands, by Thomas Fondren. Thomas Fondren

Hope Town Light

Hope Town Light at sunset, by Robert Fish. Robert Fish

Elbow Cay, Bahamas

A Sailboat anchored off Elbow Cay, Bahamas, by Steven Thompson. Steven Thompson

Warderick Wells Park Welcome Center in the Exumas

Patrick Bates writes, “I took the photo this spring on the deck at the Warderick Wells Park Welcome Center in the Exumas. My favorite spot in the Bahamas is Staniel Cay, because of the beautiful beaches on the banks and the sound sides.” Patrick Bates

Pearson Vanguard

Crossing the banks in my Pearson Vanguard, by Andy Liddell. His favorite spot in the Bahamas is Rum Cay. Andy Liddell

Green Cay, Bahamas

My morning view; Green Cay, Bahamas, by Jen Brett. Her favorite spot in the Bahamas is Shroud Cay. Jen Brett

Colorful Nassau

Andreas Hollerer writes, “We have seen a plenty of beach, sunsets, etc. The Bahamas are as colorful as you can wish, and this Gent presents all the colors there are with such a happiness in his face. Plus all the friendliness we experienced sailing the islands on our Bowman 47, MoonFlower.” Andreas Hollerer

Thunderball Groto

Randy Krumi writes, “My partner Nikki took this pic from the bosons chair at the spreaders of our Island Packet 38 s/v Kristinly. Taken anchored ear Thunderball Groto at Saniel Cay. Our favorite spot in the Bahamas is Lee Stocking Island in the Exumas.”

Fisher’s Bay

Bill Robinson writes, “Cruisers anchored in Fisher’s Bay socialize under the palm trees on the sandy beach at Grabber’s on Guana Cay. Our favorite place to cruise on our 36′ Morgan O/I Ketch is the out-islands on Little Bahama Bank.” Bill Robinson

Little Bahama Bank

Steve Chase took this photo from his Hylas 46 while crossing the Little Bahama Bank at sunset. His favorite spot in the Bahamas is Manjack Cay, north of Green Turtle. Steve Chase

Great Guana Key, Abacos

Stella contemplates the shimmering Atlantic on Great Guana Key, Abacos, by Rebecca Burg. Rebecca Burg

Starfish in Elbow Cay, Bahamas

“Starfishing” in Hope Town, Elbow Cay, Bahamas, by Marcia Crouch. Marcia Crouch

Stocking Island, Georgetown

Ralph Holiman writes, “This is a picture of my daughter Mary and son Trey on the beach at Stocking Island, Georgetown, Bahamas, looking at a friendly ray.” Ralph Holiman