After reading all of the posts I have reaffirmed in my mind that going to the Bahamas is like camping out at a KOA park.
$300 entry fee
No fresh food
No stocked grocery stores
Limited fuel
No access to marine parts
(Thank God nothing breaks on a boat)
Treacherous crossing with N wind
A menu of can goods in paradise.
No Thanks
I Love The Keys and everything I have come to expect here in America.
It's great for some.
Not for me.
Sadly that's all of the Bahamas you've seen here. However, the Bahamas have some of the most incredible resorts with amenities galore, with concierge service that will restock you with anything you need, with fine restaurants.
Our last trip to the Bahamas we sailed, we paddleboarded, we kayaked, we fished, we played tennis and we played golf. We ate excellent fresh fish on our boat and in fine restaurants. We got fine service from some of the finest, nicest and most helpful people.
We started at Atlantis, an incredible resort that remind one of Vegas with so many fine restaurants, a water park, a spa, and then an incredible marine habitat and entertainment as well. Often we'll take a day over to Nassau but didn't on this trip.
Then to Harbour Island, Romora Bay to be specific. An old standby. Tennis courts, poolside service, even room service type delivery to your boat. laundry service if needed and a fitness center.
Next a brief stop at Spanish Wells. Great diving for those who like as is pretty much all of the Bahamas. Golf carts to explore the island. Oh and one thing we love most is exploring all the other hundreds of island nearby all these location either by our main boat or dinghy.
On to the Abaco's and we chose Abaco Beach Resort. Beautiful grounds, tennis courts, volleyball, badminton, even water trampoline. Fishing, diving and snorkeling. Beaches and islands everywhere. We also took a day to drive to the Abaco Resort at Winding Bay. A Scottish style links course for golfers, tennis, a great spa, all while surrounded by such beauty.
From there we were going to Man-o-war but skipped it and went on to Baker's Bay. It's beautiful but it does reflect an issue you are seeing in the Bahamas and that is more islands taken private and not open to the public.
Last stop was Green Turtle Cay Club. Great dining, fishing, diving, and nightlife. Each of these locations also has history. Here it's the Town of New Plymouth, an 18th century town, with the Albert Lowe museum and a display of models of the Abaco sailing vessels which were used as blockade runners.
So, as to your list.
Entry fee, yes.
No fresh food, false.
No stocked groceries, false, although no huge supermarkets except main cities.
Limited fuel, false. Fuel widely available.
No access to marine parts, false. Quite a few yards and most marinas can arrange for anything you need.
Treacherous crossing. What? Come on people. I don't grasp that so many trawler owners consider crossing to the Bahamas treacherous. People cross all the time in small boats, in center consoles, with no problems. 9 out of 10 days, it's easy. On the 10th, you wait a day.
Can goods in paradise, false big time. Fresh seafood surrounds you and other foods are readily available.
I love the Keys, but there's nothing in the Keys that isn't available somewhere in the Bahamas, other than Duval Street. We live in Fort Lauderdale and are closer to the nearest Bahamas than the Keys and not much further from some great areas. Thousands of islands to explore, all a little different. It's what one chooses, from mega-hotel resort to just anchoring away from it all.
There are so many options in the Bahamas. A place for anything.