The Berry Islands are among the quietest and most rewarding destinations in the northern Bahamas, a compact chain of cays running from Great Harbour Cay south to Chub Cay, bounded by clear Atlantic water on the east and the vast Great Bahama Bank shallows on the west. Charter traffic here is a fraction of what passes through the Exumas, and the anchorages are correspondingly uncrowded, with beaches that see perhaps one other vessel in a week rather than a fleet. Alloy Yachts, the celebrated New Zealand aluminium builder, produced vessels well suited to this kind of isolated and exploratory charter experience. The aluminium construction keeps weight low and performance high, whether sailing across the shallows of the bank or cruising under power between the widely spaced cays of the Berry Islands chain. The shallow-draft options available across the Alloy range are a significant asset in this destination, where the best anchorages require navigating carefully over the bank in moderate draft. Weekly rates for Alloy charter yachts in the Berry Islands run from approximately 65,000 to 120,000 euros. The advance provisioning allowance adds 30 percent for fuel, food, marina fees at Great Harbour Cay or Chub Cay, and drinks. Provision fully at Nassau before the 35-mile run north-east to the islands, as local provisioning options are limited. The Berry Islands reward a full week of exploration: Great Harbour Cay for the marina and long beach, the uninhabited middle cays of Little Harbour Cay and Frozen Cay for absolute solitude, Chub Cay in the south for diving, and Bullocks Harbour for the only real village settlement in the group.
