Water Activities

Island
Hopper
GUIDES

Exploring Man O War Cay’s Living Boat Building Tradition

Man-O-War Cay has been the boat-building capital of the Bahamas for over 200 years, with the Albury family at the heart of that tradition since a teenage sailor washed ashore in 1820. Emily’s Take You don’t just see boats here — you watch seventh-generation craftsmen shape wood by hand, tour a century-old museum, and walk past working shipyards that have operated since the 1950s. The island is small (2.5 miles long) and dry (no alcohol sold), so it’s a half-day stop unless you’re a serious boat nerd. Best for families who want a real cultural anchor in an Abaco

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Chasing Dolphins in the Wild Instead of at a Marine Park

Captive dolphins in marine parks live, on average, shorter lives than their wild counterparts, confined to tanks that are a fraction of the size of their natural territories. The more we learn about their intelligence — complex vocalizations, self-awareness, lifelong family bonds — the harder it becomes to justify a ticket to a show. That’s why our family has shifted our approach entirely: we now chase dolphins in the wild, and the Bahamas is one of the best places to do it right. Eight of 13 dolphins at a former Bahamas swim-with attraction have died since 2018 — a

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How to Try Bonefishing Without Ever Having Held a Fly Rod

You spot the tail first — a small, dark V breaching the surface of gin-clear water, waggling as the fish upends itself to root for shrimp in the turtle grass. That’s a bonefish on the feed, and it’s the moment that turns casual beachgoers into dedicated flats anglers. Bonefishing in the Bahamas is one of the most accessible ways to try saltwater fly fishing, even if you have never held a rod before. The learning curve is real — accurate short casts, reading the water, strip‑setting instead of lifting — but the flats are forgiving, guides are patient, and

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How to Spend an Afternoon Sponge Fishing Like the Old Days

On a clear afternoon in the early 1900s, a sponger would lean over the side of a sloop, peer through a water glass — a bucket with a glass bottom — and spot a wool sponge on the seafloor 10 feet below. With a 12-foot pole tipped with an iron hook, he’d tear it loose, squeeze out the gray gurry, and toss it into the boat. In 1917, the Bahamas exported over a million pounds of sponges, ranking it the third-largest producer globally by 1935. That industry collapsed after hurricanes, overfishing, and a 1938 fungus, but the tradition of

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How to Spend a Day Sailing Between Private Sandbars

Over 700 islands and cays exist in the Bahamas, most unvisited by typical tourists. A private yacht charter unlocks the hidden sandbars and secluded shores beyond the reach of ferries and crowds. Emily’s Take A full-day (6-8 hour) private charter from Nassau can comfortably reach Rose Island, Green Cay, and Allen’s Cay. For the more remote Exuma sandbars like Norman’s, Shroud, or Compass Cay, you’ll need a multi-day charter or a fast RIB. The key is matching the itinerary to the boat speed and your group’s tolerance for time on the water. Best for Small groups wanting privacy Families

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Chasing Sea Turtles While Snorkeling the Exuma Cays

Last fall, I found myself sitting chest-deep in the warm water of Hooper’s Bay, when a dark shape materialized out of the glare and drifted straight toward me. It was a sea turtle — curious, unafraid, and clearly expecting a snack. That moment, just a few strokes from shore in the Exuma Cays, was the kind of encounter that redefines a family trip. If you’re planning a Bahamas vacation with kids who love marine life, snorkeling with sea turtles in the Exumas is one of the most memorable things you can do — but it requires a little more

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How to Try Stand Up Paddleboard Yoga in the Bahamas

The first time I saw someone float through a sun salutation on a paddleboard off a pink-sand beach in Eleuthera, I thought they’d fall in within about ten seconds. They didn’t. The board stayed steady, the water barely lapped, and the whole thing looked more like a meditation than a balancing act. That’s the thing about stand up paddleboard yoga in the Bahamas — the conditions make it easier than you’d expect. The retreat programs at Pineapple Fields Resort on Eleuthera run all-levels SUP yoga sessions that start from the assumption that you’ve never been on a board before.

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Chasing the Perfect Wave on a Bahamas Surf Trip

Gregory Town on Eleuthera’s Atlantic side doesn’t look like a surf town at first glance — no neon board shops, no crowded lineups. Then you round the bend at Surfer’s Beach and see the consistent A-frame peaks peeling across a three-mile stretch of sand, and it clicks. The Bahamas, with over 3,000 islets scattered across 100,000 square miles of ocean, catches winter swells that most people assume only happen in Hawaii or Fiji. This article covers the best surf spots across Eleuthera and the Abacos, who each break suits, and how to plan a trip that actually works —

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Exploring the Blue Holes of Andros Beyond the Famous Ones

You drop a pebble into the surface of a blue hole on Andros and you don’t hear a splash—you hear nothing. It just vanishes. The water is so dark it absorbs the light, and the limestone walls drop straight down into a depth nobody has fully mapped. That’s the moment you realize these aren’t swimming holes. They’re doorways into something much older. Andros Island holds more than 200 inland blue holes and dozens of ocean-side ones, the highest concentration on the planet—most of them still unmarked on any map. Most visitors to the Bahamas head straight for Dean’s Blue

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How to Try Deep Sea Free Diving Photography in the Bahamas

You’re floating face-down over a dark, circular hole in the limestone seabed. The water around you is clear — visibility often exceeds 100 feet in these spots — but below, the blue deepens into black. This is a Bahamian blue hole, and you’re holding a camera, waiting for a reef shark to cruise past. This article walks through how to try deep sea free diving photography in the Bahamas — what it takes, what it costs, and how to book a session that’s safe and productive. It’s written for confident swimmers who are comfortable in open water, even if

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