For East Coast sailors, the Bahamas represent the most exotic destination within immediate reach. Just a short (but nasty) hop from Florida, the islands are known for their crystalline waters, coral reefs, powdery beaches and safe harbors.
Cruising the Bahamas, a massive area strewn with shallow reefs and aggressive currents, is not for the faint of heart, however. Which is one reason that Mathew and Janet Wilson's “The Bahamas Cruising Guide with the Turks & Caicos Islands” was a bestseller and is now in its third edition. The Guide is the only book that is licensed to reproduce British Admiralty charts of the Bahamas. The 2002 edition was released this week; visit www.nomadpress.net for more information.
The Guide includes all the usual cruising-guide standards, port information, color aerial photographs, approaches and local businesses.