Compass Cay provides an explorer yacht with an ideal operational base at the centre of the Exuma Cays, within a day run of the Exuma Land and Sea Park to the north, the deep Exuma Sound to the east and the remote southern cays toward George Town to the south. Explorer vessels at anchor in Compass Cay routinely launch kayaks, snorkelling teams, fishing parties and dive groups simultaneously, each pursuing a different corner of the same extraordinary environment. The nurse sharks at the dock are often the first encounter, and they set the tone for a charter where the wildlife comes to you as readily as you go to it.
Fifteen explorer yachts are available for Compass Cay itineraries. They range from 28-metre purpose-built expedition yachts with enclosed bridges and large dive compressors to 55-metre flagships with helicopter platforms and multiple tenders operating independently. All carry watertoys and dive equipment suited to remote Bahamian diving. The larger vessels extended fuel range makes the run from Nassau to George Town and back without a marina stop entirely feasible, opening the southern Exumas and the route toward the Ragged Island Range.
Weekly charter rates start around 60,000 euros for a smaller expedition vessel and extend to 300,000 euros for the largest purpose-built explorer yachts. The APA of approximately 30 percent covers fuel, Nassau provisioning, Staniel Cay and George Town marina fees and crew gratuity. Extended charters combining the Exumas with the Ragged Islands, the Turks and Caicos or the Dominican Republic are available for guests planning three to four weeks.
The Exuma Land and Sea Park, stretching from Wax Cay Cut south to Conch Cut, is the centrepiece of any explorer charter from Compass Cay. The no-take reserve contains fish populations that rival any reef in the Caribbean, and the absence of speedboat traffic makes snorkelling and diving genuinely serene.
