Grand Bahama Island is the northernmost of the major Bahamian islands, stretching over 150 kilometres from its western tip at West End to the quiet communities at McLean’s Town in the east. A motor yacht is the most practical vessel for exploring its full length, with the power and range to move between the western marinas, the central resort area at Freeport and Lucaya, and the wild eastern cays in a single day’s cruising. The island’s proximity to Florida, under 100 nautical miles at its closest, makes it an efficient entry point for the Bahamas, and its deepwater approaches suit motor yachts of any size. Lucayan National Park preserves 40,000 acres of pine forest, mangrove and one of the world’s longest charted underwater cave networks, accessible by tender through the park’s tidal creeks. Peterson Cay, a national park sitting on a small coral cay east of Lucaya, rewards a morning’s snorkel on its surrounding reef. West End, the island’s western settlement, has a long history as a rum-running port and is now a quiet staging post for the crossing to the Abacos. Motor yachts in the Bahamas range from around 50,000 euros per week for a 30-metre to over 400,000 euros for large superyachts. The APA adds 30 to 35 percent for fuel, food, berthing and drinks. High season runs December through April, and the island’s marinas fill quickly over the Christmas and New Year period.
