Go for the grand on Grand Bahama

While the majority of yachtsmen enter The Bahamas through Bimini, Cat Cay or simply clear in at West End and cruise on to the Abacos, Grand Bahama Island is a great place to spend a few days or a whole season—or even to own a second home.

Cruising to Grand Bahama and then on to Moore’s Island and Sandy Point is a wonderful way to enter The Bahamas if you plan to visit north Eleuthera or Nassau-—or cruise from Sandy Point around Hole in the Wall to Schooner Bay, Cherokee and Little Harbour. Coming from Florida, clear Customs at Old Bahama Bay (West End) and stay a while to explore the area. On Sandy Cay, Keith and Linda Cooper now have eco tours for diving, fishing and birding. weefca.com

If you need work done on your boat, Bradford Marine in Freeport is an excellent, full-service yard and a safe place to leave your boat if you fly home for a while.

In Lucaya, stay at Port Lucaya Marina or the Grand Bahama Yacht Club, where you’ll want to buy fuel as prices are usually the lowest in The Bahamas. portlucayamarina.com; grandbahamayachtclub.com

The Port Lucaya Marketplace has shopping, entertainment and several restaurants. Go to Zorba’s for Bahamian breakfast or lunch, Cappuccino’s for excellent Italian dinners, and Flying Fish for haute cuisine. UNEXSO runs a famous dive operation near the marina and the Dolphin Experience further down the waterway. unexso.com

Grand Bahama’s three national parks—The Rand Nature Center, the Lucayan National Park, and Peterson Cay—are well worth a visit. Go to the Bahamas National Trust website for more information. bnt.bs

Moore’s Island

Moore’s Island (Mores Island for the locals) does not cater to tourists but is a useful anchorage on your way along the southern edge of the bank or a good stop going north or south across the Bight of Abaco. There is decent holding in grass off Hard Bargain; go into the northern creek if there is a cold front but be sure to check the entrance and the creek by dinghy before venturing in. Two important things you must do when on Moore’s Island: visit Mrs. Jones for some fresh baked bread, and take your boat or your dinghy out to Lily Cay, where the shelling and snorkeling are outstanding—there is always a good chance of spearing a hogfish.

Abaco Park Warden Marcus Davis helps with Sea Turtle Research.

Sandy Point

Sandy Point is one of my favorite anchorages. It’s also a fun place to visit by road from further north in Abaco. Whether you come by land or sea, enjoy a couple of sundowners and a delicious supper at Nancy’s Sea Side Inn (242-366-4120) or the Sunset Bar and Grill (242-699-0249) while watching the sunset light up the sky.

The anchorage is only protected from the east, but if a cold front approaches go up the creek north of the settlement if you draw 5′ or less. Anchor bow or stern, or tie up to the government dock among the fishing boats. The local people will help you find your way into the unmarked creek and help you moor your boat.

Diesel, gas, and free water are available at Lightbourne Marina, where there is a good grocery store. It’s also a great spot to fish and snorkel for conch. While in southern Abaco visit the Abaco National Park, home of the Bahama parrot. Call Marcus Davis, Park Warden for information and a tour; (242) 367-6310.

Back in business

Staniel Cay Airport re-opened to air traffic in mid-November after months of closure for refurbishment that led to a newly paved runway 3,000-foot long and 75-foot wide. Safety concerns prompted the Department of Civil Aviation and the Ministry of Works to close the airport in April 2015.

Navigation notes:

The Grand Lucayan Waterway is still in very good condition. The Sir Charles Hayward Yacht Club (242-727-7245), just inside the southern entrance, has been refurbished and now has a growing youth program and a few slips for visiting yachts. Going all the way through the waterway is lovely, and you can look for property to purchase as you go. The lowest bridge has a 27.3-foot clearance. If you have a draft of 5′ or less, go out through the well-marked Dover Sound channel on the tide—the high tide is about 2 hours later than on the south shore. Proceed up to Mangrove Cay, Great Sale Cay and on to the Abacos. If you are towing a speedboat it is possible to explore Hawksbill Creek and Water Cay. The bonefishing on the north side is as good as anywhere in The Bahamas. The east end of Grand Bahama is seldom visited, and there are no detailed charts of the area. But a shallow draft vessel can get into Deep Water Cay (deepwatercay.com) and go gunkholing in the cays to the southeast with a little help from the local fishermen. The snorkeling and fishing are spectacular.

Words and photos by Stephen Connett, Southern Boating Magazine January 2016

Hurricane Season in The Bahamas

Hurricane season is upon us again, but summer and early fall are great times to cruise in The Bahamas as long as you have a good hurricane strategy. (Southern Boating readers know they need a hurricane strategy any time they’re in the hurricane zone no matter where they’re cruising.) If you look carefully at the charts and read the yachting guides you will discover that there are some excellent hurricane holes throughout the north and central islands. With good planning and a close eye on the weather forecasts you can keep yourself within reach of one of these harbors and ensure you’ll be securely moored in plenty of time. Make sure that space is available in your haven of choice and that your tanks are always topped off. The choices will depend on the size and draft of your vessel, where you want to cruise and whether you plan to stay on board during the storm.

Generally you want to choose harbors that are enclosed and small enough to have little fetch. It is also good to be tucked in behind some land and not just a breakwater. If you plan to stay at anchor make very sure that the holding is perfect. A few good choices are:

• Grand Bahama: Bradford Marine in Freeport and Port Lucaya Marina in Lucaya,

• Abacos: Baker’s Bay Marina

• Berry Islands: Great Harbour Cay and Chub Cay

• North Eleuthera: Spanish Wells Yacht Haven

• Nassau: Atlantis and Hurricane Hole

• Cat Island: Hawksnest Marina

• Exumas: Compass Cay Marina and Crab Cay

The southern islands have very few natural harbors. Fast powerboats can cruise these islands with greater safety because they can run back to Hawksnest or down to the Turks and Caicos in a few hours.

If you are new in The Bahamas local knowledge is strongly advised. Inexperienced cruisers will quickly learn that Bahamians have a very healthy respect for hurricanes and are more than willing to help anyone on the water.

Be sure that you have communications systems on board that will provide you with up-to-date hurricane warnings and tracking. The Miami Hurricane Center (nhc.noaa.gov) is available on the Internet, and Chris Parker’s Marine Weather Center is available by email or single side band (mwxc.com). Be extra careful to maintain your float plan with a reliable friend or relative. We also suggest daily communications with at least one other boat cruising in your area.

San Salvador

San Salvador, the “Living Jewel” of The Bahamas, is a lovely destination with good facilities and some of the most abundant wildlife in the islands. Scuba divers swim with beautiful coral, reef fish, turtles, and sharks all along the southwestern shore. Birders find a variety of land and sea birds—Birds of San Salvador, Bahamas by R. Hays Cummins et al. is available from Kindle—and sport fishermen troll for pelagic fish on “The Hump” off the north end of the island. Bonefishermen work the flats in Pigeon Creek, and students and scientists are in residence at the Gerace Research Centre (geraceresearchcentre.com) year-round to study the island’s flora and fauna and geology. Historians still like to argue the evidence that the island was the place that Columbus first came ashore in the New World.

Best of all, the people of San Salvador know how fortunate they are and have worked relentlessly to preserve the island’s environment. For the last 10 years citizens have worked with the Bahamas National Trust, BREEF, the Gerace Research Centre, the Nature Conservancy, and the Bahamian government to achieve permanent protection for important habitats on the island and in its coastal waters.

At a ceremony in Cockburn on April 23rd the Deputy Prime Minister, Phillip “Brave” Davis, announced the establishment of five new national parks in San Salvador. The parks will be managed by the Bahamas National Trust. Most important to cruisers are the protected area on the west side, Graham’s Harbour and Pigeon Creek. These parks are part of the growing number of no-take marine protected areas that will protect at least 20 percent of Bahamian near-coastal waters by 2020 as part of the Caribbean Challenge.

By Stephen Connett, Southern Boating Magazine July, 2015

Southern Exposure’s Q&A: Jimmy Floyd, Sales Manager at Bradford Marine

SB: You have an extensive history in the marine industry. What sets Bradford Marine apart from competitors? How has it accomplished this and how will it continue to do so?
JF: Bradford Marine has been a leader in the industry since it first opened in 1966. Being a full-service shipyard has allowed Bradford Marine to offer its clients the comfort of having the trades of a shipyard under one roof. Owners and captains have the ease of working with a project manager who is assigned to each vessel, which allows more personal control over the project details and the delivery time of their vessel. Bradford Marine will continue to deliver quality work from our more than 130 tradesmen and continue to improve communication with our clients. It is a very competitive industry today and I believe the only way to set yourself apart is through quality workmanship, good service and great communication.

SB: What attracted you to work for Bradford Marine?
JF: I started at Bradford Marine in 1976 as Dockmaster, which was my first job in the yachting industry. Twenty-eight and a half years later I returned to Bradford knowing its history and reputation, wanting to be a part of a traditional business that I was familiar with and be a part of its continuing growth.

SB: What are you most proud of accomplishing in your position?
JF: In my 35 years of working in the industry, I take the most pride in the relationships I’ve made. I have been very fortunate during my career with the opportunity to work with people that take pride in what they do. You’re only as good as the people backing you up. Offer excellent service, stand behind your work and most of all, stand behind your word. That’s something to be proud of.

SB: What do you love most about what you do and what are your goals for 2015?
JF: I have to say that I most enjoy seeing customers happy when they leave the shipyard and even happier when you see them return to you. Bradford Marine has another facility in Freeport on Grand Bahama Island. Our goals for 2015 are to continue to offer great service and increase business at both facilities.

SB: How is Bradford Marine making a difference in the marine industry?
JF: Bradford Marine, along with others, has been collaborating with different business in the area to accommodate the ever-growing number of vessels visiting South Florida. The downturn in the economy several years back changed the way a lot of businesses operate, so we are hoping to continuously aid and increase cruisers in South Florida.

By Christine Carpenter, Southern Exposure