THE ABACOS ISLANDS

The Commonwealth of the Bahamas is made up of thousands of rocky islands and small cays. Geographically it can be divided into 3 areas: north, central and south. Nassau, the capital--located on the island of New Providence--is part of the central Bahamas. The Abaco Island group lies north of Nassau--roughly 200 miles off the coast of Florida and almost directly across from the Lake Worth Inlet at West Palm Beach. In this location, the Abacos experiences much the same temperatures as south-central Florida during the winter months.

On our previous trips to the Bahamas we travelled to the Exumas--the southern chain of islands extending far below Nassau. This area is renown for its warm climate and rugged beauty. But it is isolated and lacking in amenities. We were told by other cruisers that the Abacos, despite its cooler climate, had much to offer in the way of upscale marinas, safe and plentiful anchorages, wonderful restaurants and a very civilized genteel way of life. And so this year, we decided to explore this region of the Bahamas and experience these things for ourselves.

Most cruisers going to the Abacos initially head for Marsh Harbour--the commercial hub of the area. From here they head off to favourite anchorages on cays which ring the area and are only a few hours away from each other by sail. To get to Marsh Harbour however, one must leave the safe confines of the Sea of Abaco and venture out into the Atlantic, looping around Whale Cay and then back in on the other side. In adverse weather conditions, this “Whale Passage” can be very treacherous. And so once around it, and finding themselves in the comfortable cruising grounds of Marsh Harbour and its environs, cruisers are understandably reluctant to “go back”. As a result, many of the lovely islands north of “The Whale” remain undeveloped and in a largely natural state having been by-passed by the majority of boaters rushing on to Marsh Harbour. We wanted to experience ALL that the Abacos had to offer--not just the popular destinations. And so we decided to devote one month cruising north of The Whale, fly home for Christmas and then, in January, sail out through the Whale Passage and south into the Marsh Harbour area where we would spend the rest of the winter and early spring.