Great Harbour Charters
Sample Itinerary
Sample Itinerary for the Abacos
Your trip itinerary is, of course, up to you but here is an example of how much there is to do in the Sea of Abaco...
Day 1 – Sunday:
Hire a cab to take you to buy your provisions in the early morning (or better yet, Saturday afternoon – we would be happy to let you put them aboard Saturday evening) and board Semper Fi at around 10:00am. After a two hour charter/boat orientation and some docking/mooring/anchoring practice, you cast off and head north to beautiful Baker's Bay at the north end of Great Guana Cay (about an hour and a half cruise) where you anchor for the evening and grill up a great dinner on Semper Fi's propane BBQ.
Day 2 – Monday:
After a leisurely breakfast, head south to Settlement Harbour or Fisher Bay on Great Guana Cay and pick up a mooring for the rest of the day. Or you can get dock space at the beautiful Orchid Bay Marina if you prefer. Trek across the dunes to the Atlantic beach for a relaxing afternoon of sunning and snorkeling. There is a fantastic little snorkeling reef about 100 yards offshore of the north end of Nipper's beach bar. If you can't see it from the dunes, ask someone at Nipper's! If you have a yearning to explore, rent a golf cart from Donna Sands and tour this beautiful island. Later, the party's always going strong at Nipper's. You'll sleep well afterwards as Semper Fi's gentle motion rocks you to sleep!
Day 3 – Tuesday:
If you partied too hard at Nipper's, relax in the morning and pick up some muffins from the little shop at Great Guana Cay Villas and maybe a pineapple or mango from Milo. Weigh anchor and head south to Man-O-War Cay. Take a mooring in the harbour or drop the hook in the north anchorage. Dinghy in and explore the town. The Hibiscus Cafe restaurant is a nice, casual place to have lunch. After lunch, do some shopping. You especially don't want to miss Joe's Studio or The Sail Shop for unique, locally-made gifts. Later, cruise south to Hope Town where you can get a mooring ball in the harbour or tie up at Hope Town Marina for the night. Call Buddy or Rudy at Hope Town Marina – Channel 16 – for reservations. After dinner, if you are still feeling adventurous, dinghy across the harbour to party at Harbour's Edge and Cap'n Jack's.
Day 4 – Wednesday:
Get up early and dinghy over to climb the lighthouse steps for a fantastic view of the area. You'll work up an appetite, so it's off to Cap'n Jack's for a nice, hearty breakfast. Finally, cast off and cruise the short distance to the other end of Elbow Cay where you can anchor just north of the aptly-named Tahiti Beach. This place is like a giant sand-bottom swimming pool and is perfect for some sunning and lounging in the crystal clear waters. At lunchtime, cruise (or dinghy) across to Lubber's Quarters and Cracker P's Bar & Grill for some great Bahamian cooking. Relax aboard tonight or dinghy in to the Abaco Inn or Sea Spray Resort for a nice dinner.
Day 5 – Thursday:
Cruise south to Pelican Cays Land & Sea Park for some outstanding snorkeling/diving. Anchor Semper Fi in the anchorage west of Sandy Cay and dinghy around to the mooring balls over the reef. Later, continue south to Little Harbour for the night. Take a mooring ball and dinghy in to Pete's Pub for some libations and fantastic Bahamian food. While you're there, be sure to check out the Johnstones' sculpture studio/gallery. You might even find that once-in-a-lifetime sculpture that you just can't live without. There's even a nice little reef just outside of Little Harbour that you can dinghy to. There are more purple sea fans here than I have seen anywhere else!
Day 6 – Friday:
Reluctantly cast off from Little Harbour and head back north. You have two choices on destinations for the evening. If you're in the mood for some civilization, head to Abaco Beach Resort/Boat Harbour near Marsh Harbour (call ahead for reservations.) Dock and enjoy the fantastic amenities of this world-class resort – including dockside swimming pool with swim-up bar. Cook on the boat or have a nice dinner at the resort. If you want just one more night on the hook – with no one else around, try the seldom-used anchorage at Matt Lowe's Cay. It's a beautiful little bay with a sand beach – and generally no other boats to be found.
Day 7 – Saturday:
All too soon it's time to head back around to Marsh Harbour. Make a quick stop in the morning at Mermaid Reef just outside the harbour entrance for a final snorkel. Then it's on to Semper Fi's dock in Marsh Harbour by noon. You'll be planning next year's trip on the way back to the airport!
NOTE:
If you plan to stay at any marinas during your trip, make your reservations from home before you leave. Phone numbers are in the Guidebook. The marinas fill up fast since there are a lot of Floridians in the Abacos this time of year.
