Sea kayaking to the Exumas, The Bahamas, is a paradisiacal experience. Crystal clear water surrounds you, as the waves and the warm breeze swing you back and forth. Going from cay to cay, and once you get close to them, admire the purest and whitest sand. If you’re an adventure lover, sea kayaking to the Exumas is the perfect experience for you.
The Exumas are located in the heart of the Bahamas archipelago. If you want to explore them, the best option for you is to do sea kayaking. Your kayak will provide you with spacious hatches where you can store your camping equipment and food. This amazing journey will take you through the uncivilized side of the Bahamas.
Things to Do
Palm-fringed bays, coconut palms, and conch shells will make you feel like a castaway during your first evening camping. But what will make you taste the magic of the Caribbean is looking at the vast ocean from an unfrequented beach. The sun cuts through the horizon, giving you this beautiful colored-sky with shades of orange and red.
The Great Exuma
The Great Exuma is the largest island in the chain. Here, you can find an airstrip and also incredible towns and villages, offering you a good starting point for your journey. From this place, you have easy access to the other windward cays. Hopping from cay to cay in your kayak will take you through different waters with appearances.
The Boysie Cay
Relatively close, you can find Boysie Cay, which is ideal for a first-day paddle. The cay also provides you with a camping spot. In this place, you will get a breathtaking view of the waters of the Atlantic and it’s also a good place to watch the waves as the swell runs.
On the northern part of Great Exuma, the water changes again as you pass through secret hidden bays and islands with names like Gold Ring Cay, False Cay, and Jimmy Cay. This route will remind you of the times when pirates sailed into these waters.
Additionally, stopping on the southern part of Long Cay is highly recommended. Relax as you drink some freshly fallen coconuts to get rid of your kayaking thirst.
New Cay
Once you reach New Cay, it will be easy for you to follow the limestone shoreline going into a lagoon, at the south-east end of the island. This leads to the beautiful Mangrove Creek, which can be navigated even with high tides.
For your return to Great Exuma, you can either reverse the route you made by going on the opposite side of the chain or you can create your route. No route needs to be the same since there are many islands to explore and different things to do.
How to get there
Exuma International Airport is the Exumas’ major commercial airport, standing 16 km (10 miles) from the capital city of George Town. Flying to the Exumas with Bahamasair, from Nassau, is the most popular option.
Inside Information
Starfish is the only Exumas-based kayak operator. Therefore, they are the only ones who run kayak tours. Their classic Exuma kayak ten-day trip offers you four days and three nights of kayak touring. It also allows you to spend the other three nights in comfortable lodges in George Town, where you can decide if you want to sail, dive or bike.
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