Nassau to the Exumas: A Charter Captain's Log Aboard Orca

Vessel: Orca. Trip Begin August 14 Trip end: August 20. Destination: Nassau Pick Up Charter to the Exumas. We cast away from Hurricane Hole at 0915, Highbourne Cay on the bow, winds running 13–15. The kind of morning that reminds you why you do this. The crossing was equal parts beautiful and demanding. High tide and wave action had the coral heads all but invisible — you read the water by color and instinct out here. The ride stayed majestic all the way up to our turn to port for Highbourne Cay. At 1130 I crossed port-to-port with M/Y Fly, northbound for Nassau by way of PI, and made a small course adjustment to stay out of the skinnier water to port of the magenta line. Winds held at 14 knots out of the SE, steady 86° all day. ETA to home base at Turnberry: 1357. We were tardy getting off the anchorage the next morning — festivities, and Loraina's photo shoot. 😉 Next stop: Norman's Cay, to dive Pablo Escobar's sunken plane in the morning. The crew was settling in after my morning briefing, and the last five miles into Norman's were sketchy — closing in past sunset, it felt like the twilight zone out there. After a breather at Chub Cay — a top-notch fishermen's resort tucked into a super isolated corner — we set sail at 0140, Turnberry-bound. Exhaust temps had been running a bit hot the day before; now holding steady with a 30-degree spread, burning 14 gallons an hour at 1200 RPM, motoring WNW with favorable ESE winds. Night ops have a certain peace to them. It feels a bit more like space travel than maritime — I dig it, even with the tension of running a vessel into the abyss. Motoring up the NW Channel, I scanned the charts and found a passage a bit further south called Jupiter Cay, about 3.3 nm south of the NW Channel on Navionics. Useful to know if Nassau isn't your intended pit stop. Passing over the channel at 0316, it occurred to me that the fearful have much to fear — and that those afraid of the water need help to understand letting go. Cornerstone moment. Daybreak came with the wake rolling out astern and home on the bow. That's the job: read the water, respect it, and bring everyone home safe. — Captain Marco Thinking about the Exumas? Call (305) 697-8487 for a charter quote.