If you love the movie “Jaws” or simply an adrenaline junkie in general, you will love the swim with nurse sharks Bahamas excursion.
This excursion will not only take you to explore an idyllic island with crystal clear water and powdery sand but also provide you the opportunity to swim with a group of sharks in Compass Cay Exuma. Don’t worry though, these sharks are docile and won’t mind another being sharing the pristine water with them.
The best part about the swim with nurse sharks Bahamas excursion is it’s easy to arrange, especially if you travel with Bahamas Air Tours. Bahamas Air Tours meticulously curated your Bahamas trip so you can have the best adventure of your life!
Read on to find out more about the swim with Nurse sharks Bahamas adventure.
This Compass Cay Exuma Bahamas excursion is one of the most popular among day trippers!
All You Need to Know to Swim with Nurse Sharks Bahamas
Get your sunscreen and snorkeling goggles on because the nurse sharks Bahamas are waiting for you! Below, you can find all the practical information you need to know before swimming side-by-side the stunning creatures.
Where are the Bahamas swim with sharks?
The famous Bahamas nurse sharks normally roam the turquoise water of Compass Cay Marina – a protected harbor located in Compass Cay Island where dozens of boats dock each day. The nurse sharks can be easily spotted as your boat approaches the marina.
Bahamas Nurse Sharks are commonly known as Compass Cay sharks too, thanks to the island they inhabit. Compass Cay is one of the quaint islands of Exuma Cays that boast around 360 cays, islands, and islets. Aside from the famous swim with the sharks Bahamas experience, you can also find other exciting adventures here such as swimming with the pigs, exploring a sunken plane, snorkeling in James Bond’s cave, and many more.
Compass Cay is located 75 miles south of Nassau, the capital of the Bahamas, and 350 miles away from Miami. These distances are nothing when you travel with Bahamas Air Tours because with your designated window seat in the plane, you will be entertained every second with the picturesque views from above.
The nurse sharks Bahamas experience is well worth the Exuma day trip.
How to get to Compass Cay Exuma
The swim with nurse sharks Bahamas trip can only be reached through a short water taxi ride from Staniel Cay, Exuma Cays’ main hub with the busiest airstrips in the archipelago. Luckily, whether you opt to travel from Nassau or Florida, you can easily reach Staniel Cay and Compass Cay Exuma with Bahamas Air Tours.
Your flight from Nassau will take approximately 20-minutes to reach Staniel Cay. While, from Florida, it will take around 1 hour and 15 minutes. Your journey will be enjoyable with the stunning views and spacious plane reserved for less than 10 people.
Once arriving, head to Staniel Cay Yacht Club to hop on a ferry that will take you to Compass Cay. The ferry journey takes less than 15 minutes so we recommend you use every second to appreciate the untouched beauty of the Exumas while the boat maneuvers through the pristine islands and islets.
Your whole journey will be planned to the smallest details with Bahamas Air Tours, so you have nothing to worry about. Just sit back and enjoy this one-of-a-kind Bahamas adventure. Of course, if you prefer a more flexible and convenient trip, you can customize your excursion where you get to design your chartered itinerary as you wish.
History of Compass Cay Marina
Compass Cay Marina wasn’t always a tourist magnet until one or two decades ago. During that time, the island was nothing more than an untouched island with few inhabitants and minimal facilities.
The Compass Cay Marina is often busy with yachts like these!
This all changed when one of the Marina owners went exploring the nearby islands and found a group of friendly sharks. To his surprise, these sharks were not only gorgeous, but also friendly to human beings. In love with the sharks, the owner brought some of them back to Compass Cay and started raising them as pets.
As time passed, the shark population grew bigger in the Marina and started to attract tourists who were curious about these friendly beasts. Nowadays, Compass Cay Marina is a shark sanctuary that takes good care of the stunning creatures. It’s also a must-visit destination for travelers from all around the world.
Fun Facts about nurse sharks Bahamas
Here are 7 things you ought to know about the Compass Cay Sharks before your Bahamas swim with sharks trip:
- Known as “Ginglymostoma Cirratum” by their scientific name, Compass Cay Sharks are commonly referred to as Reef or Nurse Sharks. Locals even call them “giant catfish” due to their calm temperament.
- Unlike other fish, these sharks can breathe even without swimming for hours. Their buccal pumping technique allows them to linger on the ocean floor while pumping oxygen to the gills.
- Compass Cay sharks can live until 30 years old. Not only that, they grow up to 10 feet in length and 300 pounds in weight!
- Female nurse sharks can mate with multiple males during mating season. It’s common that the male nurse sharks will try to mate with the same female simultaneously.
- Compass Cay Sharks lunch and dinner are mostly sediment and critters from the ocean floor. They can sit on the ocean floor and eat for hours without moving.
- Nobody knows where the name “Nurse Shark” came from. Some theories claim that the word nurse comes from the noise that these sharks make while eating, which is very identical to the word “huss” and “nuss”.
- Nurse shark attacks are extremely rare but not non-existent. These “giant catfish” are docile most of the time unless threatened or provoked, so give them some space while swimming with them.
Make a stop-over at Compass Cay Marina and take a swim with nurse sharks Bahamas!
Swim with Nurse sharks Bahamas etiquette
As mentioned above, the risk of swimming with nurse sharks is never zero. That’s why learning some basic etiquette is extremely important before your swim with nurse sharks Bahamas excursion.
No matter how tempted and curious you are, do not conduct any physical conduct especially around their mouths as their natural instinct is to munch on everything in front of them. With their strong jaws and powerful teeth, losing a finger or two could happen in a matter of seconds.
Pay attention to the instructions given by the guides during the briefing session and do not attempt anything that is not allowed by the instructors. Most accidents happen when the tourists take safety precautions as jokes. Remember, all risks are at your own expense.
What else to do besides swimming with sharks Bahamas
You can do more than just swim with nurse sharks Bahamas while in Exuma. Spare some time to experience some of these unique attractions, too:
Go on a Compass Cay Exuma hike
Challenge the one and only hill in Compass Cay which will take you to uncover a natural jacuzzi hidden in the middle of the island. This is also a great spot to witness the beauty of Compass Cay and surrounding islands from the top. Visit the Stunning Crescent Beach which runs along the Eastern shoreline of Compass Cay.
Many people overlook the stunning Compass Cay Exuma Crescent beach
Take a boat ride to Pig Island to see the Exuma pigs
Aside from swimming with sharks Bahamas, you can also swim with adorable Exuma pigs in Pig Beach, Big Major Cay. Float among these lovely creatures while enjoying the crystal clear waters of the Bahamas.
Grab a drink at Staniel Cay Yacht Club
This is where all tourists and locals gather after a long day of adventure. Staniel Cay Yacht Club is the perfect spot to unwind with a glass of wine during sunset hours while meeting new people from all over the world.
Swimming with Sharks Bahamas on a Day Tout
Why stress yourself with all the booking and planning while you can have a worry-free trip with Bahamas Air Tours. This company provides not only top-notch service but also experiences that you can’t find elsewhere.
Are you curious what special package Bahamas Air Tours has to offer you? Contact us now to find out more!
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