Bahamas Sea Kayak

TYPE OF TRAVEL/DISTANCE: You will travel in tandem Necky & Wilderness Systems expedition kayaks, which hold two paddlers and all necessary gear. While no previous experience is needed to complete this trip, this is a challenging destination due to the often-windy conditions. An average day’s travel consists of 3-6 hours of paddling. Travel distances vary from 6-12 miles per day with the exception of scheduled layover days. To protect the environment, we use Leave No Trace camping techniques.

WEATHER: Temperatures in the spring range from 60 F to 85 F. Rainfall can vary, but typical February days are clear and breezy.

YOUR GROUP: The group size for this trip is limited to 12 people, plus 1-2 Wilderness Inquiry staff. Most groups consist of people of various ages, backgrounds and abilities, including people with disabilities. Our trips are cooperative in nature. Wilderness Inquiry staff will assist you in whatever areas you need, however most people pitch in where they can. Part of the adventure involves learning about daily camp activities.

ACCOMMODATIONS: On the first and last nights you will stay at the Peace and Plenty resort. In between, you will camp on beautiful white sand beaches and sleep in comfortable, spacious tents. Typically, there are 3 people per 4-person tent (although other arrangements can be made). Bathroom facilities are rustic. We make every effort to ensure privacy and cleanliness.

EQUIPMENT AND CLOTHING: If you are new to outdoor activities, you need not spend a lot of money on gear. Wilderness Inquiry will provide all necessary kayaking and camping equipment. All you need to provide is your personal gear. You can get a lightweight sleeping bag and sleeping pad there, or bring your own. A detailed equipment list will be sent to you upon confirmation of your participation. If you need to borrow personal gear that can usually be arranged.

PASSPORT/VISA: U.S. citizens need a passport to enter the Bahamas. Two blank passport pages are typically required for entry stamp. No tourist visa is required for U.S. citizens. We encourage you to check the URL{State Department website;http://travel.state.gov/content/passports/english/country/the-bahamas.html} for the most up-to-date entry requirements.

COVID POLICY: We continue to monitor and update our COVID-19 policies. Wilderness Inquiry strongly encourages everyone to be fully up to date with their COVID-19 vaccination and take other necessary steps for the health and wellness of all. We ask you to self-screen for any signs of illness prior to your trip’s departure. Please contact Wilderness Inquiry if you are exhibiting signs of illness. We will also continue to follow all guidance and requirements of locations that we travel, keeping in mind some international destinations do require vaccinations and/or negative covid tests. We will update this policy as new information and guidance becomes available.

SAFETY WHILE ON TRAIL:  Though not required, some individuals may choose to wear a mask, and we expect all participants to respect this choice. Please ensure proper hygiene including, but not limited to, hand-washing and/or sanitizing before eating and after using the restroom. Individuals who become ill or test positive for COVID-19 during a Wilderness Inquiry experience will be isolated to the best of the group’s ability and are responsible for their own transportation and expenses to depart the trip.

The Bahamas, derived from the Spanish, Baja Mar (“low sea”), is a nation consisting of 29 islands, 661 cays (smaller islands), and 2,387 islets. Located north of Cuba and southeast of Florida, the Bahamian islands lie in the Atlantic Ocean as part of the same island chain that includes Cuba and Hispaniola.

The Bahamas appropriately received their name for the shallow seas that surround them. Cradled atop two elevated bank systems, water depths rarely reach more than 33 feet. In contrast, where the two banks drop off, depths can near two and a half miles. These rich and diverse marine habitats afford tourists some of the best snorkeling and diving in the world and have helped shape The Bahamas into an important destination within the tourism industry.

A mere 50 miles from the Florida coast, the Bahamian islands support surprisingly Caribbean, rather than North American, ecology. During the last of four major glacial advances, sea levels momentarily dropped, exposing the shallow Bahama platform. The banks rose towards the Greater Antilles, lessening the distance between Cuba and the islands, and allowing a diverse population of flora and fauna to cross from southern regions.

Much later, in the 7th century, a people known as the Lucayans sailed from these same nearby lands and moved as far east as San Salvador Island. Here, in 1492 the Lucayans welcomed Christopher Columbus as he first set foot in the New World.

Throughout history, The Bahamas have hosted a wide variety of inhabitants, from indigenous peoples to Loyalists and their slaves leaving the U.S. after 1783. A British Crown Colony until 1964, The Bahamas continue to mirror British politics and the Queen of England serves as a ceremonial head of state.

Kayaking in The Bahamas provides particularly unique experiences due to the Exuma Cays Land and Sea Park, the first-ever protected no-take zone and protected area in the wider Caribbean. Here no one can take fish, lobsters, shells, or conches, and all habitats for seabirds and plants remain protected. This pristine marine environment showcases some of The Bahamas’ most overwhelming displays of colorful coral and anemone gardens. Visitors can also find stromatolites, a blue-green algae and the oldest living evidence of life on earth, within the park.

Exuma Park is one of 25 National Parks and Protected Areas managed by the non-profit Bahamas National Trust. Unique in the world, the Trust is believed to be the only non-profit, non-governmental agency mandated with management of a nationwide system of parks and protected areas. In 1986, The Bahamas National Trust established Exuma Park as a complete NO TAKE ZONE and marine protected area.

The climate of The Bahamas ranges from subtropical to tropical, and the warm waters of the Gulf Stream moderate the climate. There has never been a freeze reported in The Bahamas, even when nearby Florida has dealt with freezes that have affected its citrus crops.

About 350,000 Bahamians live in the Commonwealth. In the less developed outer islands, handicrafts include basketry made from palm fronds. This material, commonly called “straw,” is plaited into hats and bags that are popular tourist items. Another use is for so-called “Voodoo dolls,” even though such dolls are the result of the American imagination and not based on historic fact. Regattas are important social events in many family island settlements. They usually feature one or more days of sailing by old-fashioned work boats, as well as an onshore festival.

Some settlements have festivals associated with the traditional crop or food of that area, such as the “Pineapple Fest” in Gregory Town, Eleuthera or the “Crab Fest” on Andros. Other significant traditions include story telling.