Yacht Charter Bahamas Archipelago

Sea & Coast
Generally known as the Bahamas, this archipelago of about 700 islands, out of which only 30 are inhabited lies to the north of Cuba and Hispaniola and south of Florida in the United States of America. This string of islands in the Atlantic stretches for more than 800km, thus offering Yacht Charter devotees a lot of sailing opportunities.

The name is suspected to come from the Spanish “bajamar” meaning “shallow water” which would make sense since the entire archipelago occupies a relatively shallow region made up of corals and oolitic limestone, which is a rock formed by the decaying coral reefs and seashells, typical of a tropical archipelago worthy of the Yacht Charter community.

The overall relief is that of flatlands, rarely exceeding a few meters in elevation. Some of the islands facing the open waters of the Atlantic do have some rolling hills which are made up of sands blown inland in time by the trade winds. Underneath the shallow strips of land there is the ever-present limestone meaning that the fertility of the soil is much reduced.

The biggest island of the archipelago is Andros, followed by Eleuthera, Cat, Long island, San Salvador, Acklins and Nassau, all big enough to support a permanent population and thus Yacht Charter tourists. The capital of the country (Commonwealth of the Bahamas officially) is New Providence.

The vegetation, mostly scarce, culminates with the beautiful forests of Caribbean pine, which are not only a great Yacht Charter attraction but also the only form of woody vegetation. The rest is made up of shrubs and low trees which accounts for most of the plant life on the islands.

The climate in the Bahamas is semitropical due to the position of the archipelago and the winds blowing across this part of the Atlantic. Temperatures are mild through most of the year, a definite extra reason for Yacht Charter crowds coming here. The average summer temperatures are around 27 degrees while in winter they are a lovely 21 degrees. Most of the rain occurs in summer and the prevailing winds are the northwest in winter and southeast in summer. However, cyclones do occur in the Bahamas, especially between the months of June and November, sometimes with devastating force.

Culture & History
Oddly enough, most of the native population living in the Bahamas today is of African descent, though there is a European minority. English is the native language here, making it even easier for most Yacht Charter visitors.

The archipelago’s history begins with the famous discovery by Christopher Columbus’ New World, actually San Salvador island of the Bahamas. Spaniards followed in suit and began carrying the indigenous population into slavery. The rest were wiped out by smallpox brought in by the Europeans. It is believed that the islands remained uninhabited until the 17th century, though many attempts to colonize were made by several nations.

It was the British who finally set up permanent settlements, beginning with Eleuthera (Freedom in Greek), though in the beginning these were a haven for pirates, most notorious being Blackbeard. This today is mainly used as a touristic attraction for the Yacht Charter public. Modern development began after the Second World War, when the islands were granted self-governing, only to become independent in 1973. The two main sources of income are tourism and offshore finances.

Seamanship & Experience
Sailing in the Bahamas archipelago is an unforgettable experience for anyone. Apart from the lovely setting and the weather, there is plenty of line of sight sailing to be done as many Yacht Charter crew weave in and out around the many island. Also, there are plenty of anchoring places though special care must be taken when in shallow waters at low tide. The prevailing trade winds are gentle, with speeds between 10 and 15 knots in average which shouldn’t pose any threats. Extra care should be taken when sailing between June and November, cyclone season.