The Exumas were made for sailing. The southeast trade wind blows with textbook consistency down Exuma Sound from November through April, generating a broad reach that runs parallel to the island chain for the entire 150-mile length of the archipelago. A sailing yacht can work downwind from Nassau to Georgetown over a week, tacking into quiet anchorages each evening and running before the breeze in the mornings. The sailing charter fleet available for an Exumas voyage numbers approximately 19 published yachts, spanning modern bluewater cruisers, high-performance sloops and classically rigged ketches from 20 metres to 45 metres. Crews of three to five manage all navigation; guests focus on the water. Weekly rates run from around 50,000 euros for a contemporary cruiser to 175,000 euros for a larger performance sailing yacht, with the advance provisioning allowance of roughly 30 percent covering food, drink, fuel, marina fees and the Bahamian cruising permit. The Exumas offer the rare combination of consistent trade-wind passages and protected anchorages. Exuma Sound, the deep-water channel between the cay chain and the open Atlantic, carries reliable wind and a moderate swell suited to comfortable cruising. The western banks are calmer and shallower, better suited to daysailing and exploration by tender. A sailing charter covers both: the exhilaration of an open-water passage along the sound in the morning, and the completely protected anchorage behind a cay by sunset.
