The owner's son edited all of these video's of the Exumas and Abacos, Bahamas on yacht trips that i've done last year and the year before. It is truly an amazing area that one can only reach by boat. There are about 17 of our videos on "The real Bahamas" channel. Shroud Cay, Staniel Cay volume 3, ABaco/baker's bay and Cave Cay are some of my favorites......enjoy:

https://www.youtube.com/channe...i3QylFKug-1JQ95Z0-TQ

Simply stunning!

Very nice.

That's very cool. Makes me want to go.

Breath taking views.......and the water is mesmerizing!!!!!

I live in an area that is full of amazing and natural beauty, with glorious weather.

That my friend, looks even nicer. Absolutely beautiful Jimmy. Thanks for sharing.

Gorgeous footage. The water color is amazing.

Michael

This is a great way to start my morning. Thanks, Jimmy

Great video, thanks. Absolutely stunning. I subscribed, so I'll check out more of them when I have time.

quote:

Originally posted by jimmy123x:

It is truly an amazing area that one can only reach by boat.

I wish that I had known that before I visited dozens of Out Islands and cays without benefit of boat. There are certainly some that can only be reached by boat, but the vast majority of The Bahama Islands and cays of any significant size, have runways and are reachable by air.

Back in the 1960s, there was (not sure whether it still exists) an "Island Flyers Club" sponsored by a department of the Bahamian Government. There was a card that was to be signed by an official at any island where you landed. A long time ago, so I don't remember the qualifying number, but after visiting X number of places by air, you became a member of the club, got neat pin to wear, and an ID card that qualified for reduced landing fees or tiedown (parking) charges at some of the locations that had these fees. I have well over fifty trips to different Bahamas locations in my log book, I had an Island Flyers Club pin with oak leaf cluster.

quote:

Originally posted by V-Tail:

quote:

Originally posted by jimmy123x:

It is truly an amazing area that one can only reach by boat.

I wish that I had known that before I visited dozens of Out Islands and cays without benefit of boat. There are certainly some that can only be reached by boat, but the vast majority of The Bahama Islands and cays of any significant size, have runways and are reachable by air.

Back in the 1960s, there was (not sure whether it still exists) an "Island Flyers Club" sponsored by a department of the Bahamian Government. There was a card that was to be signed by an official at any island where you landed. A long time ago, so I don't remember the qualifying number, but after visiting X number of places by air, you became a member of the club, got neat pin to wear, and an ID card that qualified for reduced landing fees or tiedown (parking) charges at some of the locations that had these fees. I have well over fifty trips to different Bahamas locations in my log book, I had an Island Flyers Club pin with oak leaf cluster.

IF YOU WATCHED THE VIDEOS, THE PLACES AND ISLANDS IN IT, ARE ONLY REACHABLE BY BOAT.

This Area of the Bahamas, The Exumas Cays is a chain of islands about 100 miles. You can fly into Cave Cay on the Southern end and Normans Cay on the North end by private plane, both runways need approval first I believe as they're privately owned islands, and blackpoint and Staniel cay there are public runways, but once you get there the only thing you can do is walk on the beach of those islands without a boat. There are dozens and dozens of islands between those islands so need a boat or to rent one to see the things you want to see on all of the other islands.

Maker's air does fly scheduled flights on a Cessna Caravan daily to Staniel Cay, Bahamas from Fort Lauderdale. This is sort of the hot spot area. BUT, once you fly there, unless you want to sit at the bar at the marina and get drunk, there's nothing to see or do. Again you need a boat. Staniel Cay yacht club does have packages that include a nice villa, small boat, meals, kayaks, paddle boards, snorkeling gear and etc. They also own makers air, and watermakers inc. (produces RO water systems.

As you well know, but most other members don't. The exumas chain of islands is comprised of 100's of small islands that are all 100 yards to 1/4 mile apart mostly (like the Florida Keys) and over 100 NM long, but there is no road connecting them. But if you want to go, I can hook you up with my buddy Bread Boy and you can rent a boat from him to go see the swimming pigs, they really love to eat garlic pickles:

Breadboy's contact and swimming pigs video
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BHZ8lq13_fk



Everyone else- thank you for the comments. The water color in the exumas is something you only see in magazines and very beautiful. 1/2 a mile from Staniel Cay is the grotto that they filmed the James Bond Thunderball movie in and you can snorkel through the cave. Compass Cay marina is like an aquarium and can swim with and touch about a dozen nurse sharks, etc. etc. I'll post links to videos with the various activities over there when I get a chance. It's really an amazing area and my favorite place/area of all of the places I've traveled to. I'm heading back over there on Monday (hopefully) until Aug 9th, except this trip I have to play engineer on this particular yacht instead of Captain and tour guide (Captain) on the center console once we're over there for this particular owner and his girlfriend. But 3 crew for only 2 people (guests) should be easy (hopefully), just a lot of hours.

I really have to thank the yacht owner's son Stephen who took all of the drone footage and spent the time editing and posting them. I'm not into drones and doing stuff like that. I kept pushing him to do it, but with the quarantine, boredom took over and he got around to doing them.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: jimmy123x,

My late wife and I spent 5 years exploring the Bahamas on a 40’ sailboat. Very close to the highlight of my life. The Bahamians are wonderful people once you get away from the tourist areas.

Nice. Thank you Jimmy.

Wow! Thanks Jimmy.
That water is clearer than what comes out of my faucet!

Any details on the drone used?

I have on my bucket list to do the run from Fort Lauderdale to the Bahamas on a jet ski. There are groups that do that run throughout the year and one day I'm going to be headed out into open water with one of them.

You should post some videos of the Bahamas too.

quote:

Originally posted by cparktd:
Wow! Thanks Jimmy.
That water is clearer than what comes out of my faucet!

Any details on the drone used?

One of the DJIA mavic pro's, the little fold up ones. I think the kit sells for around $850 with extra battery and stuff, controller that phone plugs into, and a few wear parts.

TRAPPER189- The Exumas and Abaco's featured in the video's are island chains in the Bahamas.

We usually do a 2 week trip over to the Exumas every 3-6 months on the yacht you'll see in the video at times (2019 66' Sunseeker Manhattan). It's around 275 miles each way, plus I do trips over there on other yachts. I try to take them to one new island every trip to keep it interesting, but they like to go to their favorites. Once we anchor, the first thing the son does is launch the drone and use it to scout the entire island and then tells everyone where the nice beaches are, snorkeling spots etc. We had a trip April 1-12th schedules for months but it got cancelled because they're stuck in Guatamala until Aug 15th (or later) and their yacht is stuck here.

I'm leaving Sunday on a 72' San Lorenzo MY, doing Bimini, Albany (Nassau), Highbourne Cay, Staniel Cay as our stops, we'll visit all of the usual attractions between Highbourne and Staniel Cay. Coming back on August 9th.

Here are some key area's/islands and attractions taken by others:

Swimming with the sharks at Compass Cay:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k0xHV8ztcJI

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZwdbKwf079Q

Thunderball Cave (James Bond movie) near STaniel Cay. It's mind blowing they made this little cave look so big in the movie:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F0oL5L3LcI8

Swimming pigs near Staniel Cay:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NvgKw1bXfqE

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BJuL-yK-I8g

David Copperfields underwater piano and Mermaid (next to his island Musha Cay). He has a diver clean it weekly. Also Staniel Cay yacht club and piana featured in Pitbulls Timber video (my friend filmed the underwater scenes with an Iphone in a waterproof case!!!!!!! LOLOL)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hHUbLv4ThOo

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BJuL-yK-I8g

Iguna feeding on Allen Cay:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t9JDdeHlNsY

quote:

Originally posted by bigdeal:
I have on my bucket list to do the run from Fort Lauderdale to the Bahamas on a jet ski. There are groups that do that run throughout the year and one day I'm going to be headed out into open water with one of them.

You're not missing anything really, until you get there. The closest island is Bimini (48 nautical miles), and you're crossing the gulf stream and it tends to be rough water. There's nothing to see except blue water until you get to Bimini.

quote:

Originally posted by bigdeal:

I have on my bucket list to do the run from Fort Lauderdale to the Bahamas on a jet ski.

If you really want to be spoiled, and treated like royalty, ski over to Kamalame Cay on the east side of Andros Island.

quote:

Originally posted by jimmy123x:

TRAPPER189- The Exumas and Abaco's featured in the video's are island chains in the Bahamas.

My mistake. I didn't read your post or watch the video. I thought that's how it's done around here. You know, like when someone in the second sentence of their first post says "This is a Yanmar Marine Diesel out of a sailboat." and someone posts on the next page "It most likely came out of a sailboat."?

All kidding aside, I wish I had internet other than my data plan so I could watch the video. I'm sure they're fantastic. I'm not as brave as bigdeal as I wouldn't even think to try the trip on my SeaDoo these days. However, I'd give it a try with my 26' Formula.