The Bahamas consists of an archipelago of 700 islands, no more than forty of which are inhabited, as well as scores of smaller cays (pronounced “keys” ) beginning a mere 55 miles east of Miami. A flight of less than an hour from Florida brings travellers to Nassau, the capital of the Bahamas on New Providence Island.

The Exuma Cays stretch over 100 miles to the southeast of Nassau, along the edge of the Great Bahama Bank.

The shallow reefs that surround them are the key to this chain of 365 cays’ lack of development. It’s just too shallow for large, deep drafted vessels including cruise ships. There are very few settlements and marinas.

For over 30 years much of the northern Exumas has been a protected area with no commercial development of any sort. Because of this protection, there are miles of undersea gardens in which coral, sponges and fish abound.