Compass Cay is one of the defining anchorages of the Exumas, a private island where nurse sharks have gathered at the marina dock for decades and the tidal pools drain to clear reef snorkelling within swimming distance of the yacht. The Exuma Land and Sea Park extends north for 40 miles, one of the most consistently impressive protected cruising grounds in the Caribbean basin. Lurssen is a German yard on the Weser estuary that has built some of the largest and most technically sophisticated private motor yachts ever constructed, operating at scales from 50 to over 130 metres.
Lurssen yachts available in the Bahamas are among the largest charter vessels in the Caribbean, typically 70 metres and above, with eight to twelve guest suites, crews of twenty or more, and amenity packages that include beach clubs, helipads, submarines and multiple tender garages. The steel construction is engineered for ocean crossings, and several Lurssen charter yachts transit from the Mediterranean each autumn.
Weekly charter rates for Lurssen yachts at Compass Cay run from 430,000 to 3,000,000 euros per week, reflecting both the vessel scale and the crew required to operate them. The advance provisioning allowance adds approximately 30 percent. The Bahamas is VAT-exempt for charter, an important consideration at this weekly expenditure level.
At the Lurssen scale, Compass Cay and the Exumas provide a manageable cruising ground with well-documented anchorages and reliable provisioning logistics from Nassau. The Land and Sea Park mooring fields at Warderick Wells accommodate large vessels; Staniel Cay Yacht Club handles fuel; the swimming pigs at Big Major Spot and Thunderball Grotto at Staniel Cay complete a circuit that balances the natural character of the Exumas with the practical requirements of a large charter vessel.
