No Longer Boatless in Bahamas

For a long time, a visit to the Bahamas meant beautiful pink sand beaches, unlimited sunshine, clear water for snorkeling or diving and-of course-boats. But all of the boats were either cruise ships, ferries, commercial fishing boats or fancy boats chartered by people with deep pockets. For the person with a yearning to take a boat into a Bahamian harbor on his or her own, the visit was lacking to say the least.

Today it's possible to arrive in Nassau or Marsh Harbor by air or cruise ship and be piloting a rented boat an hour later.

"I used to sell and repair outboard engines here in Marsh Harbor," Stafford Patterson will tell you. "And as I watched the number of rental cottages increase (which meant a lot of the folks who were going to spend time here), I knew some were going to want to explore with a boat." Patterson went to work on that idea as he continued to sell outboards to residents in the Abacos and decided there was a future in the business. Sea Horse Boat Rentals has been renting boats by day and by week for more than five years, which has sparked others to do the same throughout the Bahamian chain. Though no specific number of rental companies is known (this is the Bahamas after all), the best guess is there are no more than a dozen separate rental outlets in business right now.

Of the more than 700 islands called "the Bahamas", only 30 are inhabited. Some, like the capitol Nassau has more than 220,000 full time residents while others like the island of San Salvador (this is where Columbus first stepped ashore en route to the New World) has only 495 inhabitants.

"We have boaters wanting to just spend the day and there are others who are here for a week and want to explore," says Patterson. "These are folks with a real sense of adventure. So they can go 15 miles north or south of here, which includes some of the other islands in the Abacos"(the Abaco chain in the northern Bahamas spans more than 120 miles and includes Green Turtle Cay, Walkers Cay and Elbow Cay-all popular boating areas).

At Rainbow Boat Rentals in Marsh Harbor (also the Abacos), owner Wayed Collins says he's seeing a lot of return customers who have second homes on the island. "Many have a time share and want a boat while they're here," he says, "and others own a home but make the time to have a boat. This year, I've started to see folks who are familiar with the island but have never rented a boat before. They enjoy the experience."

All boat rental companies provide boats with a full tank of gas (all are outboard). Every customer is given a thorough introduction to the boat, they are asked to start the engine and become familiar with the location of equipment.

Island Marina on Parrot Cay in the Abacos rents boats from a 17' Boston Whaler to a 23' Albury. Lory Kenyon says because they are based on an island, customers are picked up by boat, which provides a first-hand lesson in boat basics.

"This gives us a chance to point out a few islands such at Marsh Harbour, Man-O-War Cay and Lubbers," she says, while adding "but it also gives our customers a chance to see how we operate a boat giving them an idea of how it's done. We spend as much time with them as they need."

If the customer isn't an experienced boater in the Bahamian waters, all rental companies will provide a quick shakedown cruise to gain experience operating the boat and become better oriented with the water. No night use of rental boats is permitted anywhere in the Bahamas and most companies won't rent fishing gear so if that's part of "The List," you'll have to bring your own.

If the customer isn't an experienced boater in the Bahamian waters, a quick shakedown cruise is made to gain experience operating the boat and become better oriented with the water.

"I have three sayings that are repeated for every customer during their checkout," says Wayed Collins: Green is Clean, White's Alright and Brown means Ground. Green water is clean and deep water. White water means you are in shallow water that is sandy. Brown means, you're going to be aground very soon."

Jess Cooley is in charge of TowBoat U.S. Marsh Harbor and West End in the Bahamas and agrees with Wayed's color chart. "The clear water is the biggest comment I hear from the first-time boaters. It can be tricky because being able to see the bottom in the United States isn't something that happens all the time. It takes some getting used to."

Communication is probably the biggest challenge though. Jess Cooley advises anyone to do a few tests of their cell phone prior to leaving the dock. Many of the phones that work in the U.S. aren't going to operate well in the Bahamas and may require an international pin card in the phone for use (Cooley says Cingular seems to work well in his area of the Abacos). The good news is VHF works with no problem at all so be sure to have one onboard (and most rental boats are equipped with one).

Fuel is another issue. "If you know where to go, you'll have no problem," says Collins of Rainbow Rentals. "We will provide a list of places that sell gas for the boat so stick with those locations." If you do that, the fuel will be fine. If you don't, then you may need to make a call to Jess Cooley of TowBoatU.S.

While most of the boat rental companies are located in the Abacos, Grand Bahama or Nassau, Minn's Water Sports is based in Georgetown, Great Exuma. Here, one can rent 35' or 43' houseboats with a 3-day minimum. The Exuma chain includes more than 365 cays that span almost 130 miles. Rented houseboats, all of which have onboard generators, are limited in the area between Goat Cay to the north and Man'O War Cay to the south. Because Stocking and Elizabeth Islands protect these water to the east and Great Exuma to the west, a houseboat works well.

But some seek a farther cay and bring their own boat. Trailering Club Member David Johnston likes to visit the Bahamas with his 63' Viking and explore distant cays in the 17' Boston Whaler he carries onboard. He had heard of Big Major Cay (just north of Staniel Cay) that was inhabited by a group of pigs...yes, you read that right. Johnston decided this was something that needed to be checked out. The story was true.

Pigs have inhabited Big Major Cay for years and have no problem swimming out to a visiting boater in search of a snack. But there are other cays with the same population.

"Great Sail Cay has lots of pigs," says Ronald Russell of Ronald's Rentals in Foxtown, Little Abaco. "For years the natives here put pigs on a distant island to multiply and this is the source of food for many in the Abacos," he says. "Unlike the ones on Big Major Cay where the land is private, the Great Sail Pigs are going to move as far away from you as they can if you arrive in a boat. They know."

Besides 21 foot rental boats, Russell has something for everyone. He operates the M&M Grocery Store in Foxtown, a fuel dock and a restaurant. The rental business is new but he says more and more tourists are making Foxtown a must-see while visiting. "We have a lot of folks wanting to dive the wrecks just offshore but everyone going in the water is there to see the fish. Obviously, the wrecks attract them but if you're in the Bahamas, you're going to see all colors of fish, regardless of where you are diving."

While renting a boat is still a new business in the Bahamas, it's a growth industry. It will never spread to all 700 islands and it probably won't be available on the 30 where people (and boats) are found. But it's fast becoming one more element on the "Things to Do List" and this means more and more visitors are going to be able to explore these islands and cays and waters on their own.

Just think, 415 years ago, Columbus was on San Salvador as he searched for the New World. That same kind of exploration is happening right now on a small boat somewhere on a Bahamian Cay. Then, as now, it's still a search for a New World.

Fast Facts on the Bahamas:
¥ 700 islands of which 30 are inhabited
¥ Highest Point: 206 ft. Mt. Alvernia on Cat Island
¥ Bahamas became independent from the United Kingdom in 1973
¥ 340 sunny days/year. Average temperature in winter: 77
¥ As of January 23, all U.S. citizens visiting the Bahamas must have a passport for entry as well as for their return to the United States (this is a new Homeland Security rule).

Bahamas Rentals:
Marsh Harbor, Abacos 242-367-2513
www.seahorseboatrentals.com

Ronald's Rentals, Fishtown, Abacos
242-365-2046 www.ronaldsrentals.com

Rainbow Boat Rentals, Abacos
www.go-abacos.com/rainbow/index.html

Island Marina, Parrot Cay, Abacos
242-366-0282 www.islandmarina.com

Minns Water Sports, Exuma
www.bahamas-exuma.com/pic17.htm