The Exuma Sharks are a type of Nurse Shark, made famous by the swimming with sharks experience at compass cay marina in the Exuma Cays. The swimming with Nurse sharks is now one of the top things to do in the Bahamas alongside their well known counterpart – the swimming with Pigs at Pig Beach!
Compass Cay Bahamas is the home off the swimming with Exuma Sharks. This small island, one of three hundred and sixty five islands that make up the Exuma Cays archipelago of islands. Home to the Compass Cay Marina, a privately owned and operated marine which is the focal point of Compass Cay, there are only a small handful of private rentals and villas on the island.
The Bahamas Swim with Sharks has become one of the best things and most sought after excursions from Nassau. Visitors come to get the photo of them floating in a sea of sharks. It has become a very popular vacation snap to post on social media!
Swimming with sharks in Bahamas can be done a number of ways. Getting to Compass Cay is not so straight forward since there are no ferries or airlines that fly direct from Nassau to the Exuma Sharks – in essence there is no public transport routes to get there. Bahamas Air Tours is the premier tour and excursion provider in the Bahamas and to the Bahamas from Southern Florida. Their Bahamas Day trips are full day long excursions that take guests to Compass Cay Marina to experience the Swimming with Nurse Sharks.
Compass Cay Marina: Home of the Exuma Sharks
The type of sharks that live at Compass Cay are called Nurse Sharks, They are for the most part harmless to humans. And these Exuma Sharks are really considered Ext Sharks, since they’ve always lived with the owners at Compass Cay Marina.
Swimming with Sharks Bahamas Compass Cay Marina
The Compass Cay Marina has expanded its moorings in recent years to accommodate more boats during the peak seasons. The jetty was purpose built to provide a low tide platform for visitors to walk out to the sharks – to pet them – so as to avoid the need to climb into the water. However climbing off the jetty into the sea of sharks is exactly what the Swim with sharks experience is all about.
Compass Cay Bahamas – a tropical island paradise
The Stunning Compass Cay Crescent Beach
Not only does is compass cay blessed with its pet Exuma Sharks, but the island is home to a stunning crescent beach. Aptly named “Crescent Beach”, it’s a one kilometre stretch of pristine white Bahamian Sands. Compass Cay really is a tropical paradise. Although there are not hotels on the island there a number of private villas and rental accommodations. Not to mention that the island has the Compass Cay Marina where a large number of yachts will moor up at. So if cruising around the Bahamas on a yacht takes your fancy, be sure to visit the Exuma Sharks with a stopover at the Compass Cay Marina.
Exuma Sharks: How to get to Compass Cay
On a Bahamas Day Trip with Bahamas Air Tours it’s possible to go swimming with sharks at Compass Cay, since Compass Cay Marina is one of their most popular stops on their Exuma Day Trip itineraries.
With no forms of public transport to Compass Cay it’s only possible to travel to Compass Cay Marina on a tour excursion or private boat charter.
Swimming with Nurse Sharks in the Bahamas
Exuma Sharks in Bahamas are types of Nurse Shark that live at Compass Cay
The swimming with nurse sharks is certainly a surreal experience and you can see why so many visitors flock to Compass Cay to visit them – with photos like this, you can imagine everyone would want a photo of their vacation to include the Exuma Sharks.
As mentioned before, according to National Geographic, Nurse sharks are considered for the most part harmless to humans. The guides at Compass Cay are very good at advising visitors how to safely swim and interact with the Exuma Sharks. The Nurse Shark mouth has thousands of tiny serrated teeth that are used for sucking small plankton from the water. Needless to say if you accidentally put your fingers anywhere near their mouths then you can expect nature to play it’s part and you may well be going home without a finger!
How to book a Day Trip to the Exuma Sharks
Book a Bahamas Day Trip with Bahamas air tours and experience the swimming with nurse sharks from Miami or a Nassau. Bahamas Air Tours offers daily departures form anywhere on Southern a Florida for private charter services.
Bahamas Air Tours operates full day long excursions that takes guests to Compass Cay and the Exuma Sharks. Find your perfect Bahamas Day Trip now!
Compass Cay Marina is home of the swimming with Exuma Sharks experience
Things to do nearby to Compass Cay
1. Pipe Creek Sand Bar
The closest of the many Exuma attractions to Compass Cay is the Pipe Creek sand bar. This stunning stretch of white sand is only accessible and visible during low tide. And the great thing is that during every low tide the sand bar will reveal itself in an absolutely pristine condition after the sea has swept the previous footprints clean.
2. Swimming Pigs at Pig Beach (Big Major Cay)
Big Major Cay is the home of the original Swimming Pigs. In fact they still are the only pigs that actually swim. There are many islands that now claim to have swimming pigs – but instead these are just pigs on a beach that are intruded to walk in the water with food! Now one of the top things to do in the Bahamas alongside the Exuma Sharks, the swimming pigs are a must see experience.
3. James Bond Thunderball Grotto Cave
Featured in the James blond 007 Thunderball film from 1965, the Thunderball Grotto cave is a small hollow island that visitors can access by snorkelling through one of the partially submerged entrances. It’s only safe to visit Thunderball Grotto during low tide when the rip current don’t pose any danger.
4. Staniel Cay Island
Staniel Cay is often described as the Jewel in the Crown of the Bahamas Islands” and quite rightly so, this spectacular tropical paradise is one of the best Bahamas Out Islands to visit. With a small village and the popular Staniel Cay Yacht Club (a small boutique hotel with bar and restaurant), you can experience the a authentic Bahamas small island experience here.
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