Perfect Sail Day

January 25

Today we had a terrific 35 km sail to Staniel Cay. Wind was 15kts from the east. Sailed close hauled, averaging 6-7kts. We chose the outside route into the deep water of 3,000’. What’s wild about sailing in the Bahamas is water depths will go from 60’ and suddenly drop to 3000’ within a mile from shore. The maximum range of our sonar depth sounder is 500’. When the digital reading goes blank, we know we’re in deep water. The inside route gets as shallow as 10’ with hidden sand bars, coral heads and rocks. Getting stuck on a sandbar or hitting a submerged rock or coral head would make for a bad day. Deep water sailing is Bistari’s specialty.

Staniel Cay

Staniel Cay, located in the central Exumas, offers good anchorages, the Staniel Cay Yacht Club and Marina, great proximity to Thunderball Grotto, setting for the grotto in the James Bond Thunderball film, and Pig Island. Yes Pig Island.

Pig Beach

Legend has it, residents of Staniel Cay raised pigs’ free range on the nearby island. When visitors came ashore this uninhabited Cay, the pigs would join them, looking for food to share and even swimming out to greet them. It’s now a top tourist attraction for Staniel Cay.