Invasion of the Mega Yachts

Invasion of the Mega Yachts   ...   Friday 29 March 2013

Our experience of the Bahamas has generally been very pleasant and low key.  For the most part we met other boaters on either sailboats or power cruisers.  I have come to realize that these folks are the boating equivalent of snowbirds, veritable ‘snow boats’.  The typical thing is to store the boat in Florida over the summer while returning to home in the North.  Then come autumn, the snow boaters either fly or drive back to Florida, get back on the boat and travel to the Bahamas.  Most of these people have a lot in common and are happy to share their insights and learning with us (newbie snow boaters).

This week everything seems to have changed.  Suddenly there are twice as many boats.  The increase in numbers seems to be made up exclusively of very large powerboats and mega yachts.  Now it’s common to see a vessel with multiple tenders, jet-skis, kayaks, paddleboards and assorted inflated toys tied to the stern.  One mega catamaran was seen to have a ‘Hobie cat’ on the foredeck.  The size of these vessels is astonishing.  We saw at least two of these with giant water slides leading down from the top deck.  Clearly the beauty of the waters and beaches of the Bahamas is not enough for these folks.

Meanwhile, we see the crews of these vessels setting up picnic tables, umbrellas, chairs and barbecue grills for the clients to have a beach party.  Later in the day the crew is back, packing everything away and ferrying it back to the “mother ship”.  Even when we were getting our provisions we saw crew-members out getting the groceries for the rich and lazy.   Our hypothesis is that it’s spring break week and these are all chartered vessels.  We aren’t all that certain but this theory allows us to believe that next week will be better.   

Gloria

Moored at Emerald Cay - Exuma Land and Sea Park - fantastic water!

The mooring field at Wardewick Wells - a short dinghy ride to the north, we stayed here a few weeks ago - this area is the most beautiful we have seen anywhere in the Bahamas

A purple sea fan