Day 1: Upon arriving in Nassau, you are greeted by Captain Matt and escorted back to the Independence 2 at the beautiful Marina at Atlantis. Settle in and get to know your crew over some appetizers, before exploring Atlantis.

Day 2: Today we are off to Shroud Cay in the northern Exumas. An uninhabited island cross-hatched with many tidal creeks, it is perfect for exploring by kayak or wave runner. Some of the creeks dead-end and others lead you to the other side of the island. One leads to Camp Driftwood, best described as a scene from Robinson Crusoe.

Days 3 & 4: After breakfast and a quick swim, it’s off to Staniel Cay. We will use Staniel Cay Yacht Club as our base for the next two nights. Slack tide is the perfect time to explore Thunderball Grotto, the cave used James Bond’s Thunderball and also Splash. The cays around Staniel provide spectacular beaches and sandbars, surpassed only by the abundance of reefs to snorkel. These islands are best explored using our 32' tender. Before we can set out for the day, however, we have to pay a food “toll” to Emily, the local wild pig.

Day 5: Leaving Staniel Cay, we move up to Highbourne Cay. Once settled, we take the tender out to explore. First to Normans Cay for some snorkeling and a visit to a downed plane. Then to Allan’s Cay where we will feed rock iguanas and try to entice wild birds to land on your hand with some grapes.

Day 6: Today it’s off to Harbor Island. This voyage takes us through the settlement of Spanish Wells; where we pick up our pilot “Little Woody” to help guide us through Devil’s Backbone. Once docked, explore the island by golf cart. One of the unique features about Harbor Island is its pink sand beach, which is perfect for horse back riding.

Day 7: Unfortunately we have to say goodbye today, but not before one last excursion. We set out for some final treasures: sea biscuits and sand dollars. These can be found in abundance just a couple of hundred yards from the dock. After one last ride in the tender to the airport, you depart for home. Remember to sit on the right side of the plane for one last look at the Independence 2 and her crew.

Itinerary Courtesy of Captain Matt Braisted.