The swimming with sharks Exuma experience is one of the top-rated activities in the Bahamas, and it’s no wonder why. It gives you the chance to get up and close and personal with some giant yet docile animals that people too often view as killers.
However, before you can make a swim with sharks Nassau experience a reality, there are a few things you’re going to want to know. Read on to find out what those are.
Visit the Swimming With Sharks Exuma on one of our top rated Exuma Tours:
- Exuma Tour from Nassau by Plane
- Exuma Tour from Miami Florida by Plane
- Exuma Tour from Georgetown by Powerboat
5 Things to Know About Swimming With Sharks Exuma
1. The Sharks Are at Compass Cay Bahamas
Contrary to what you might have heard, the best swim with sharks Nassau experience actually takes place outside of the nation’s capital. The destination you’re going to want to get to? Compass Cay Bahamas.
Compass Cay is the place to go swimming with sharks Exuma.
Located in the Exumas, a chain of 365 islands to the south of Nassau, Compass Cay is most famous for the Compass Cay sharks. The island (and the region in general) is remote, meaning that you have to take either a boat or a plane to get there.
While a ferry may sound simple, it’s crowded, bumpy, and wastes a lot of time. That’s why we recommend traveling by air on a comfortable, private-class plane.
2. They Swim Around the Compass Cay Marina
Once you’re on Compass Cay, it’s not hard to find where the swimming with sharks Exuma experience takes place. One quick look at the waters around the Compass Cay Marina will tell you everything you need to know!
The owner of the Compass Cay Marina befriended the Compass Cay sharks, causing them to view the waters around his property as their home. Over the years, they’ve bred, giving visitors today the chance to observe several dozen sharks up close.
3. You’re Swimming With Nurse Sharks
While most people hear the word “shark” and immediately think of great whites, tiger sharks, or other, more aggressive varieties, you have nothing to fear from the Bahamas swim with sharks experience on Compass Cay.
The sharks you swim with are nurse sharks — animals that resemble giant catfish. While they use their teeth to grind up shellfish and sometimes coral, they prefer to dine on squid, shrimp, and fish. Humans are almost never on a nurse shark’s menu, ensuring that the swimming with sharks Exuma experience is safe!
Swimming with nurse sharks isn’t as scary as it might sound!
4. Proper Etiquette Is Required
While the nurse sharks Bahamas aren’t anything like the man-eaters depicted in Jaws and other horror flicks, it’s important to remember that they’re still wild animals. Because of that, you need to be smart when interacting with them.
The marina owner advises against bringing food into the water. While feeding the sharks might sound like fun, it invites them to get closer to your limbs than you might like. You don’t want them to think that you’re on the menu!
Likewise, as a general rule of thumb, you should never get in the water with an open wound. Besides running the risk of getting infected, an injury can also encourage the shark to bite something it otherwise wouldn’t be interested in.
5. Bahamas Swim With Sharks Isn’t All You Get to Do
For many people, the swimming with sharks Exuma experience ends up being the highlight of their Bahamas vacation. However, seeing and interacting with the nurse sharks Bahamas isn’t all you get to do.
Bahamas day trips by plane give you more time to see some of the best sites in the Exumas. These include places and attractions such as:
- The Bahamas Pigs at Pig Island: No trip to the Bahamas is complete without a stop at Pig Beach. Once there, you’ll get the chance to see the pigs frolicking around in the water and can even jump in the water to swim alongside them.
- Bahamian rock iguanas at Bitter Guana Cay: The Bahamian rock iguana is one of the most endangered animals in the world. Bahamas day trips by plane let you see the majestic lizards up close on the stunning island of Bitter Guana Cay, which they inhabit.
- An underwater cave system at Thunderball Grotto: Fans of James Bond will recognize Thunderball Grotto as a filming location from one of the movies. It’s the perfect place to swim around, explore underwater wildlife, and fulfill your own super-spy fantasy.
- And so much more besides swimming with sharks Exuma!
The Swimming With Sharks Exuma Experience Is a Can’t-Miss Attraction
Whether you’re in the Bahamas for a day or a month, the swimming with sharks Exuma experience is something you need to make time for. And, while there are a couple of ways to get to Compass Cay Bahamas, flying by plane is the best choice.
Air travel lets you get there in comfort and a fraction of the time, ensuring that you have the opportunity to go swimming with nurse sharks and do so many other amazing things.
Go Swimming with Sharks from: Miami, Nassau or Georgetown (Great Exuma).
Interested in learning more about all the amazing sites the Exumas have to offer? Get in contact with us today!
