The Exumas are an archipelago of 365 cays and islands, beginning just 35 miles southeast of Nassau. Once called Yumey and Suma (names of Amer-Indian origin), the islands have gone through many changes over the years. Rich in history, they were settled by British Loyalists with their slaves following the American Revolution, and remnants of that storied past remain. The islands are divided into three major areas—Great Exuma, Little Exuma, and The Exuma Cays. Each one offers its own unique experience. Great Exuma and Little Exuma are known for their laidback surroundings, while The Exuma Cays act as a playground for the rich and famous, boasting numerous private homes, luxury resorts and beachside condos. One of the amazing sights in the cays is the "Mile-long Sandbar," a stretch of pure white sand emerging from the blue-green water at low tide.

Staniel Cay is an island located in The Exuma Cays, a district of The Bahamas. Staniel Cay is located roughly 75 miles south of Nassau and 250 miles southeast of Florida. The island has a population of less than 118 full-time residents and has an area of less than 2 square miles. Staniel Cay is inhabited by a small Bahamian village which lies on the western shore. The village is composed of residential housing, a few restaurants, a church, a police station, post office, a library, three small retail stores and marine supply shops. Staniel Cay is protected by the Bahamas National Trust, the organization in charge of the conservation and preservation of places of historic interest and natural beauty in The Bahamas.

To see the sights of the Exumas, you may book an excursion from Nassau. Sandals had such an excursion, but – like most trips from Nassau – they involved transportation by sea, which requires up to two hours each way and takes away from one’s time in the cays. So we booked our travel from Nassau to Staniel Cay by air. We had to get up early to catch the flight, a small puddle jumper of a plane that could carry about ten passengers but perfect for us. At the airport, awaiting the boarding okay from the airline, we asked a question of one of the employees – a man dressed very casually, not wearing any type of airline uniform or insignia. He answered our question and noted that he would be our pilot. Well, at least he wasn’t wearing flip-flops and cut-off shorts or we might have been a bit nervous. At any rate the flight was smooth, as was the landing, and we were shortly linked up with our tour company. There were two very nice guides and it turned out that we were their only guests that day, so we had our own private tour.

With them we saw and/or experienced:

• Swimming with pigs (See a separate web page on this site)
• Walking the mile-long (and beautiful) sandbar
• Swimming with sharks (See a separate web page on this site)
• Enjoying a nice lunch at the local yacht club
• Visiting the iguanas at Allen's Cay (See below)

We took our time enjoying all the above sights and adventures and were back at the airport with an hour to spare for our return flight. A really, really great and memorable day.