---

The winds finally let up and the seas laid down, so we were able to go out of Cave Cay Cut and into the deep waters of the Exuma Sound to sail down towards Emerald Bay, our next stop. During the last month while we were traveling thru the Exumas other cruisers would tell us about the marina at Emerald Bay, the best kept secret of the Exumas. And we can see why. First off, it isn’t written up in any of the cruising guides nor even on the charts yet because it is so new. You have to hear about the place from other sailors and you have to get the GPS waypoints for the entrance by calling the marina. So we did just that.

Emerald Bay is a new marina which is associated with the Four Seasons Resort, so all the facilities are just top-notch. The Four Seasons Conglomerate is building a mega resort there with the hotel, condos, golf courses, tennis courts, spa, casino, and yes- a full service marina. As marina guests we have access to all that the resort offers including the infinity pool, restaurants, free shuttle service to the grocery store and liquor store (which are on the premises), as well as free laundry facilities and free wi-fi (unheard of at marinas in the Bahamas and the US). Wow! And just when you thought it couldn’t get any better, here is the best part. Because the marina and other facilities are still under construction they only charge you 75 cents a foot to stay there, making this the cheapest marina we have stayed at so far. What a deal! Of course it won’t be like this for long, as soon as the marina has power on all the docks they will triple the price. And once the entire complex is finished it will become one of the most expensive marinas in the Bahamas.

So our timing to visit Emerald Bay could not have been planned any better. We loved our stay there, spending many afternoons drinking pina coladas at the infinity pool and eating great food on the deck overlooking the marina. The staff who works there are incredibly friendly and we had fun hanging out with other cruisers we have met along the way. It is a great place to visit now and I just can’t imagine how amazing it will be after the whole complex is finished.

---