Ocean’s Recommended Gear List for the Bahamas

4/9/2024

The last few weeks have been sheer fun. We are slowly working our way up the Exuma Cays in the Bahamas and having a blast with each stop. And, of course, it wouldn’t be as much fun if our pup Ocean didn’t also get to come along for the ride, snorkel, hike or whatever we have lined up for the day.

Although Ocean is always suited up for a swim, some of her activities require some extra gear to get the most fun out of everything she does.

Here is her Top Five list of “Must Have” Activity Gear for the Cruising Dog

#1 Sunglasses
These great sunglasses protect Ocean’s eyes from the saltwater spray when we take her around in the dinghy. Oh, and they look pretty cool too!

#2 Dog Ramps
Ocean has two! She has a sturdy one that she uses for swimming off the stern of Wild Horses. That plank won’t work for snorkeling off the dinghy so for that we purchased a Solstice PupPlank. Hot Tip – It also helps us get back in the dinghy too 😉.

Watch me swim

#3 Hiking Boots
Trails are not always sandy and smooth! Our hike to the Pool Cave at Farmer’s Cay was full of sharp coral rocks. We needed our running shoes and Ocean needed her hiking boots. Problem solved!

Ocean in her boots and chewing on a coconut

Check out how easy it is to put on Ocean's hiking boots

Putting on the boots

For added fun, here is Ocean wearing her boots for the first time!

Prancing in her hiking boots

#4 Fitted Lifejacket
Ocean wears her lifejacket whenever she swims off the boat or off the dinghy. Styling as always!

Ocean floating in her lifejacket (beside her PupPlank)

Swimming off the back of the boat

Ready for snorkeling from the dinghy

#5 Paddleboard
This is one piece of gear that we haven’t yet purchased. Thankfully our buddy boat Caretta let Ocean borrow one of theirs. Ocean isn’t quite in love with this piece of gear yet but give her time!

Paddleboarding Ocean

What else?

Our time in the Exumas hasn’t just been about Ocean. Her staff (aka Me, Mike and our sailing buddies on Caretta) have also enjoyed lots of activities in the Exumas.

At Rudder Cay, we got in some great snorkeling. One of the highlights there is “The Musician”, a full-scale sculpture of a mermaid and a baby grand piano. This was an incredible gift to snorkelers by the illusionist David Copperfield, who owns the nearby island Musha Cay. In 2011, he commissioned the sculpture and then had it sunk in 15 feet of water as a surprise for anyone who happened upon it. These days, its location is well-known and snorkelers, like us, make sure to dive down and get a good look.

Mike and the Mermaid

We also took our dinghies over to the nearby Guana Cay to search for conch and see some of the underwater beauty of the area. It was a gorgeous place to snorkel and we were rewarded with several conchs for a feed later that night with our boat buddy Caretta.

Dinghies beached at Guana Cay

Mike holding a Horseshoe Conch that Barry found

Victoria and Ocean take a snorkeling break on shore

Ocean had to share the dinghy with our 5 conchs

A big conch meal with sides of beans and mac & cheese. Yum!

At Farmer’s Cay, we got a chance to hike to “Pool Cave”. This is a well-formed cave with dripping stalactites and mounds of stalagmites (both are formed calcium salt deposits) as well as a natural swimming pool.