TravelTalkOnline Forums Travel and Vacation Forums General Caribbean Exumas Newbie Questions

After many bareboat sailing trips in the BVI, we've decided to explore the Exumas out of Nassau. From all the YouTube videos we've watched, it seems much less developed than the BVI (which in truth, is why we wanted to go). We go through a LOT of ice when in the BVI and appreciate the vendors who stop by almost daily to take our trash and replenish our coolers with ice. What have others done to keep their adult beverages cold when ice might not be available most days?

Thanks in advance.

Best options for ice/trash in the northern half of the Exumas are Highbourne Cay, Compass Cay, and then Staniel Cay. In the Land & Sea Park you are on your own. Have never seen a vendor come around anywhere.

We have a crew member that is relentless about replenishing/rotating beverages in the fridge/freezer. Gets easier as space frees up during the trip. Keep a bag of ice in the freezer for cocktails. Can also ask for or rent a 2nd cooler from the charter company.

You might be able to also get ice at the Land & Sea Park office in Warderick Wells.

Depending on the boat you are chartering, the freezers can be pretty robust, so you can keep and maybe even make ice. When we were cruising in the Exumas on our own boat, we used bags like these: ice making bags . They are inexpensive, very portable, and super-efficient in a small or oddly shaped space.

One other thing we've done on charters is focus on beverages that don't require ice. We'd use up the cocktail stuff early, and by the end of the week drink wine and beer, which are easy to keep cold in fridge.

I’m one of those who are “ relentless about replenishing/rotating beverages in the fridge/freezer.” Aka: The Ice Nazi

It is silly and a waste of time to put bagged ice using multiple coolers. Only cool down what you’ll need for a day. Keep bagged ice for drinks only in the freezer, never in a cooler. We put a couple of 1 or 2 liter water bottles in the freezer, fresh water to start,. Then the next day put those in a cooler with beer and sodas that have been in the fridge. Keeps your cooler cooler. Switch out frozen water bottles periodically which gives you cool drinking water without need for much ice. Rotate and replace frequently. Sometimes we’ll use boat water in empty water bottles to make block/bottle ice if we have to conserve drinking water.

Last couple of charters, we’ve had the countertop ice makers onboard. Fantastic option! Never bought additional ice. The Ice Nazi just has to periodically bag and move cubes from the maker to the freezer, monitor water and bin.

I’ve used the small bags that make ice in small European properties where the only had a small ice tray in the freezer. They come in handy for small quantities. Just bought 100 for $11 on Amazon for our next trip as I only had a couple left that someone gave me in Italy a few years ago. Thanks for the Amazon link.

What type of boat are you renting? The smallest catamarans from Moorings/Sunsail have a generous drawer freezer that stays very cold. I'm sure its cold enough to make ice, but not a practical way to keep a tray of water in there. We fit two 10 pound bags and some other crap into ours. IIRC Moorings gave us four bags of ice free; you can buy more at the dock before you leave if you want it. They also gave us two pretty good large coolers that will hold ice for a few days. We left one cooler ashore and used the other to precool the beverages with the other two bags of ice.

Some boats have a second dorm fridge which is great for cooling down bevvies before making drinks to conserve ice...and who wants melted ice diluting the alcohol anyway??? Our second fridge was broken though, so we rotated beverages from the cooler into the refrigerator as room allowed. We were able to make our initial ice provision last all week, but if you need it, it'll be available for a premium price at Staniel Cay and Highbourne Cay. Normans doesn't have a store, but if you eat at the restaurant, which I highly recommend you do, you can beg some off of them too.