In the Bahamas

You recently returned home from what appeared to be a pretty spectacular kite trip to the Bahamas. First, we want to know why the Bahamas?  

Xander - The trip to the Bahamas happened a bit fortuitously. This fall, our friend Tom Bridge casually mentioned that he had an open invitation to the Bahamas if we wanted to tag along. Without much forethought, Noè and I promptly accepted Tom's generosity, and a few months later, the trip became official. Truthfully, the Bahamas was not on my dream spot list, but after visiting, it was by far the most beautiful kiteboarding trip I have ever been on, and I have nothing but positive experiences and memories from the trip. 

What was it like to get there? On a scale of 1-10 (10 being difficult), how difficult was it to reach your final destination?

Xander - On a scale from 1-10, if you don't have a boat, getting to the final destination, or any destination for that matter, is undeniably a 10. Having access to a boat is essential, and if you are lucky enough to travel/navigate by boat, then getting around the Bahamas is not only effortless but also incredibly stunning. The trip started in Nassau, Bahamas, and shortly after our arrival, we departed on a catamaran. For the rest of the trip, we lived, kited, dined, and slept on the Catamaran hosted by Kite Boat Cruises and its incredible crew.

What islands did you visit?

Noè—We mainly sailed Southeast bound through the Exhumas, a chain of islands in the center of the Bahamian archipelago home to thousands of sandbars filled with incredible kite spots. It being a Nature reserve meant we spotted tons of sea life, with sharks, barracudas, and stingrays being the most popular and exciting to see. 

How did you decide where to go?

The crew on the Catamaran has years of experience sailing these waters and putting you in the right spot. They checked with us before making any decisions in case the spot they picked didn't work for us in terms of landscape or filming location, but all in all, they were really spot on.  

Any wrong turns?

I would say we made the most of what was on offer every day. Our captain, Daniel, was extremely motivated to have us on board, and he really wanted to make sure we had the best time there. So he had no problem sailing overnight to make sure we made the most of the wind up until the last hours before our flight back home. 

What were the best kite spots, and why?

We agreed not to disclose our favorite kite spot, and if you'd like to go there, hit up Kite Boat Cruises or spend some hours on Google Earth looking for it. Usually, with incredibly beautiful picturesque spots like the ones we visit, there is a bit of compromise with conditions. Either light winds or currents, sometimes gusty from the thermals releasing of the islands you kite downwind off, will hurt the quality of conditions. However, the spots were as good as they looked in the photos, this time in the Bahamas, which was a very pleasant surprise. 

What were the conditions like?

As you can expect in these parts of the world, you will generally ride in light winds. We knew that, so we arrived prepared, stocked with Juice D labs 14m and foils. There wasn't a day we didn't get on the water. 

Tell us a bit about Bahamian culture. Since you were living on a boat, did you feel like you got a good sense of the local vibe?

For lack of a better word, you feel very Isolated, but the little bits of interactions we had with locals were very positive. The first day at the fish market, stocking up on some seafood, was really cool. The guys had proper Caribbean vibes, asking Xander for his gangster sunglasses and just messing around a bit. He then was persuaded to try a Conch pistol (the cartilage of a conch shell, which is known to have great health benefits) for Xander; however, it upset his stomach and, I'm sure, became an instant regret. But somebody had to do it. 

How was the food?

Absolutely incredible. Sometimes, going to remote locations has its pros and cons when it comes to things like food. Not this time. Monica, our chef on board, made sure we were spoiled like never before. Breakfast, lunch, dinner, homemade gnocchi, or should I say gnocchi made on board? It was definitely a stand out for me watching her cook the stuff she did in such a small kitchen with all the limitations you have while being in a catamaran. Let's just say the food was an experience on its own.

Any funny stories to share?

Tom was kiting back to the boat by himself, and the rest of us were fully loaded on the dinghy and riding back to the Catamaran. As I'm downwinding full speed towards the cat, I see Tom's kite crash on the water, which is weird because he wouldn't be doing tricks out there, so I hurry back, and by the time I can spot what's going on, I see Dani and Tom each on a SUP board swimming downwind trying to catch the kite which had come off the leash and was about to get shredded on these rocks downwind. I made it just in time to catch the kite on the water. It was hilarious for us but Tom wasn't having it, haha.

What else did you get up to besides kiteboarding?

Even though the conditions were light, we still got out Foiling every day. I'd say it was the ultimate foil playground with so many little islands and channels to explore; you could go so far away in silence and foil to the most beautiful spot in the middle of nowhere. Besides riding, we did quite a bit of snorkeling. One of the dives was by a sunken plane from Pablo Escobar, which crashed back when they used to traffic through the area, and you could swim in and around it. Sailing the Catamaran from spot to spot was a lot of fun on its own. Getting the sails out and enjoying that is a really cool part of the experience. 

Anything to add?

If you can, go there. Forget the resorts and fancy stuff people go there for; get on a boat and sail away. You won't regret it. (Also - don't eat the conch pistol)