This itinerary is a SAMPLE of what typically takes place.
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Sailors can arrive the day the trip starts as we lodge at a small inn located in George Town or Barre Terre the first night. Check into your room before dinner with your staff. Your staff will meet you for an orientation meeting and dinner; time to meet everyone on the trip, go over trip plans, issue dry bags and find out everyone's expectations for the coming days. After an early breakfast the next day you will meet the staff to sort through personal gear, pack the Sea Pearls, load the support motorboat, and start sailing up the Exuma Cays.  

The expedition will be made in 21' SeaPearls with a support boat. Familiarizing everyone with the boats and final preparation of the SeaPearls will take place before our first sail. Soldier Cay, Black Cay, and Glass Cay, one mile across the Bahama Bank, are some of the first barrier islands you will encounter as we sail out of town.

Your first nights will be spent camping at one of the many uninhabited Cays, 5 to 10 miles north of Great Exuma. Weather and the time of our departure will determine our first campsite. Your Seapearl will carry your personal gear, sleeping bag, tent, sleeping pads, camp chairs and a cooler. We will provide drybags for your gear. We will set up camp together, have dinner and relax into the rhythm of the tides and beach.

After a hearty breakfast we will strike camp and continue on our journey north. The prevailing winds are from the southeast and usually provide a comfortable reach or downwind sail. The SeaPearls are easy to sail and very stable with their water ballast system. If the winds are up we simply reef and head out. The draft of the SeaPearls is only a couple of feet. With the raising of the lee-boards and rudder we can skim through the shallows. The Exuma Islands provide a lee side to sail behind if the wind is up.

On day two or three we may make a stop at Farmer's Cay or Black Point. Local cuisine, music and island friendship are a welcome diversion from camping and sailing. Just north of Farmers Cay is Oven Rock and a cave to explore. Further on our expedition is White Point campsite with a nesting Osprey to watch over us. Sailing, meals, snorkeling, exploring ocean cliffs, walking private beaches, visiting iguanas and comradeship will fill your days on the trip.

Staniel Cay is our next town with two marinas, grocery stores and restaurants. On most trips we bypass Staniel Cay and explore further north- time and weather permitting.  We will then return to Staniel Cay, as it is our final destination.

The area around Staniel Cay offers many attractions. One of the main attractions is an island which is hollowed out to form a cave Thuderball Grotto. The cave can be entered only by snorkeling your way inside.  Scenes in the movies Splash and Thunderball were filmed here. After a swim in Thunderball Grotto a trip to see the swimming pigs is usually in order

Our last night on the trip will be spent on Staniel Cay in a Bahamian Cottage with a hot shower, dinner at Thunderball Club or the Staniel Cay Yacht Club. The last morning of the trip includes breakfast at Staniel Cay Yacht Club followed by your private charter flight back to George Town. You'll fly over the route traveled with its deep blue water, white sand beaches and friendly islands will have you planning your next trip back.

* This is an expedition style trip. Therefore, distances and places visited will depend on conditions at the time of the trip. This is what a typical trip looks like. Keep in mind that the trip can be strenuous at time and everyone will be helping to set up and break camp each day. Once the "housekeeping" is taken care of everyone can relax and enjoy the sailing, clear blue water, exotic sea life, fantastic sunsets and good food!

Photos provided by: WILDWATER RAFTING, LTD.

Links

Exuma Map

Exuma Cays Land & Sea Park

Peace & plenty

Palm Bay Beach Club

Wildwater LTD. Rafting

Osprey Sea Kayak Adventures

North Carolina Outward Bound

Exuma Cays Interactive Map:

Please take a closer look at some of the highlights along the way! Comments are courtesy of former Starfish employees.

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