Catamaran Voyage Bahamas Abacos
The Abaco Islands in the northern Bahamas archipelago: a chain of cays with traditional Loyalist settlements, fringing reefs and one of the finest sailing grounds in the western Caribbean. Sheltered waters between the cays.
Calls at historic villages such as Hope Town (with its distinctive striped lighthouse), snorkelling in coral gardens, lobster on the menus of the island restaurants. Season December to May.
Dates & Book
No fixed dates online at the moment – please ask us about available dates or a tailored trip.
Ship
Bali 5.4
Comfort and generous space combined with excellent sailing characteristics without heeling. Aboard this spacious catamaran you will find room and privacy not only in the double cabins with private bathroom. Saloon and cockpit merge into a generous open-air saloon. Favourite spots are the sun loungers on the flybridge and the airy cockpit with benches and sun loungers on the foredeck. A bimini provides shade from the sun. The Bali 5.4 combines Catana's typically purist design with outstanding sailing qualities. The model was awarded Multihull of the Year at her market launch in 2019. She is fitted to a high standard with watermaker and generator.
- Length
- 16.80 m
- Width
- 8.74 m
- Cabins
- 6 double cabins, each with private bathroom - maximum 12 guests
- Crew
- Skipper + cook/deckhand
- Working language
- English and French
- Dress
- sporty and relaxed
- Watersports
- stand-up paddles + tandem kayak + snorkelling equipment
On board
A relaxed yacht holiday
Simply enjoy. Plenty of space on the flybridge, in the cockpit, on the trampoline net and in the saloon. Cabins with private bathroom, partially air-conditioned.
Atmosphere aboard
You and your fellow travellers spend a relaxed time together. The professional crew (skipper and cook/deckhand) take care of the guests’ comfort and safety. You are a guest and may unwind; you are not expected to lend a hand. The aim: a relaxed trip with fine memories. The catamaran is usually underway two to four hours a day.
Activities
- Swimming from the platform at the anchorages
- Shore excursions or going ashore on your own
- Watersports: kayaks or SUP, snorkelling
- Relaxing aboard during the passage to the next anchorage
- Time on the beach
Seafaring adventure
Glide along on the net above the waves. On this catamaran cruise there is no guarantee that she will sail; in unfavourable winds she may proceed under engine.
Simply arrive and unwind.
Cabins
Modern, light-filled cabins aboard the Bali 5.4
The catamaran offers 6 cabins for 12 guests. Each cabin has a private bathroom with shower and WC. Standard cabins are located amidships in the hulls. The Superior Cabins are positioned forward or aft in the hull, are slightly larger and brighter.
Route
The markers show possible anchorages. The skipper selects the specific places on site, depending on current conditions. Route, stops and order may change at the skipper's discretion. No mutual claims arise from route adjustments. Claims are not excluded where the route change is wilfully caused by the guest.
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1
Marsh Harbour
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2
Guana Cay / Baker's Bay
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3
Manjack Cay - Green Turtle Cay
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4
Noname Cay (Swimming Pigs)
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5
Scotland Cay - Fowl Cay
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6
Hopetown (Elbow Cay)
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7
Tahiti Beach - Man-O-War Cay
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8
Marsh Harbour
Day by day
How your route could unfold:
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Day 1
Marsh Harbour - Conch Inn Marina
Embarkation in the late afternoon at Conch Inn Marina in Marsh Harbour. Safety briefing and introduction to the week ahead. Dinner aboard, overnight in harbour.
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Day 2
Marsh Harbour - Guana Cay - Baker's Bay
We leave the marina and make for the north to Fisher's Bay on Guana Cay. Local atmosphere at Grabber's Bar on the beach on the ocean side. In the afternoon onward to Baker's Bay - snorkelling on the north side and on the ocean side, stand-up paddle and kayak. We anchor for the night.
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Day 3
Manjack Cay - Coco Bay (Green Turtle Cay)
We proceed through the Whale Cay Passage northwards to the Manjack Rocks. Sandy beaches, snorkelling in the marine national park, encounters with stingrays, a walk across the island. In the late afternoon a short passage into Coco Bay on Green Turtle Cay, overnight at anchor.
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Day 4
Green Turtle Cay - New Plymouth - Noname Cay
Morning in Coco Bay with snorkelling and turtle encounters. We set a course south for New Plymouth, the historic Loyalist village with the Memorial Sculpture Garden and the art gallery. Onward to Noname Cay, where the famous swimming pigs of the Bahamas wait on the beach. Overnight at anchor.
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Day 5
Scotland Cay - Fowl Cay
We cruise south to Crawl Bight through the Whale Cay Passage. Anchor off one of the lovely sandbanks north of Scotland Cay, beach and turtle sanctuary. In the afternoon onward to Fowl Cay for snorkelling in the Marine National Park. Night at anchor.
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Day 6
Hopetown - Elbow Cay
We set a course for Hopetown Harbour on Elbow Cay. The picturesque Loyalist settlement with pastel-coloured cottages, the powder-white sandy beach, the Wyannie Malone Historical Museum and the famous red-and-white striped lighthouse. Overnight at anchor.
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Day 7
Tahiti Beach - Man-O-War Cay
A short passage to Tahiti Beach - one of the loveliest beaches with white sand and turquoise water. A visit to the floating bar "Thirsty Cuda". In the early afternoon onward to Man-O-War Cay, anchor by Old Scopley's Rock. Snorkelling, kayaking, a stroll through the quiet settlement with the ice-cream parlour "Dip & Sip" and the traditional sail loft.
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Day 8
Marsh Harbour - Conch Inn Marina
Return to base at Conch Inn Marina in the early morning. Disembarkation.
Included
Included in the price
- Berth in a cabin with overnight stays aboard in the chosen category
- Full board aboard (breakfast, light lunch, multi-course dinner)
- 1 cocktail per guest per evening (subject to location), table drinks (approx. half a litre of wine per guest per day), water, coffee, tea, juices
- Service crew (skipper and cook/deckhand)
- Vessel running costs (diesel, fuel, water)
- Bed linen, final cleaning
- Interim cleaning of communal areas
- Use of snorkelling equipment and non-motorised watersports gear, subject to availability
Optional with surcharge
Ask for your individual quote.
- Superior Cabin at the bow or the stern with even more light and air
- Single cabin
- Transfer from the airport to the marina
- Excursion package
- Special diets (please notify at least two weeks before the start of the trip)
- Later arrival or earlier departure
Not included in the price
- Additional drinks aboard beyond those listed
- Shore excursions that were not booked in advance
- Flights and transfers to the vessel
- Gratuities (customary recommendation 5-10% of the trip price)
- Personal expenses
- Travel insurance
Mandatory destination fee
Details on when this is due are confirmed in your booking confirmation. The fee covers:
- Provisioning
- Berthing fees
- Fuel and cooking gas
- National park fees
- Tourist taxes and clearance fees on the islands
- Topping up the water tanks
- Replacement of small lost items (e.g. broken crockery)
Region: Bahamas
What makes this region special
The Abacos are the northernmost island group of the Bahamas and the calmest sailing ground in all the Caribbean. The main island, Great Abaco, is screened from the Atlantic by a chain of small cays - between them lies the Sea of Abaco, a shallow, sheltered inland sea in which the water is rarely more than four metres deep and always transparent. The inhabitants are often descended from British loyalists who moved here after American independence; the villages still have wooden houses in the Cape Cod style, painted in pastel colours, with white picket fences in front.
Hope Town on Elbow Cay is the most famous of the villages, with its red-and-white lighthouse from 1864, one of the last hand-operated lighthouses in the world. Green Turtle Cay has the little village of New Plymouth with its loyalist houses. Man-O-War Cay is the boatbuilding island - the small wooden Abaco dinghies have been built here for generations. Treasure Cay has one of the finest sandy beaches in the world: three miles of curve, white powder sand.
The water here is a little cooler in winter than in the southern Caribbean - 24 to 26 degrees - but snorkelling visibility is usually excellent. The coral gardens of Fowl Cay are a nature reserve with a dense reef population.
There is often a little more wind here than in the southern Caribbean, especially in February and March. The skipper plans the week by the weather forecast; on strong cold-front days he moves into the sheltered lee bays.
Frequently asked
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We know the cruising grounds, we know the catamarans, and we know the seasonal nuances. A 30-minute personal conversation, without obligation.
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