The Berry Islands sit just 35 nautical miles north of Nassau, a half-day’s cruise, making them one of the easiest and quietest add-ons to a Bahamas charter. Anglers call this chain “the fish bowl of the Bahamas”: the water off Chub Cay drops straight into the Tongue of the Ocean, a mile-deep trench close enough to shore that serious offshore fishing starts within minutes of leaving the dock.
We recommend the Berry Islands for guests who want real big-game fishing, uncrowded anchorages, and a short, easy add-on to a longer Nassau or Exumas charter – not usually a full week built around this chain alone.
Why Charter the Berry Islands
- Real big-game fishing. Chub Cay sits right at the edge of the Tongue of the Ocean, a deep-water trench close to shore, prime marlin, tuna, and wahoo grounds and the reason anglers gave this chain its nickname.
- Some of the best flats fishing in the Bahamas. Great Harbour Cay has bonefish schools that can run into the thousands on a good day.
- An accessible blue hole. Hoffman’s Cay is calm and shallow enough for confident swimmers and first-time snorkelers, not just experienced divers.
- Genuinely uncrowded. Around 700 residents across the whole chain, and most of the roughly 30 cays are uninhabited.
- An easy add-on. At 35 nautical miles from Nassau, it’s simple to combine with a longer charter elsewhere in the Bahamas.
Getting to Your Berry Islands Yacht Charter
Most Berry Islands charters start one of two ways:
Chub Cay (CCZ) – a private airstrip right next to Chub Cay Marina, the shortest route in if your charter is built around fishing this chain specifically.
Great Harbour Cay (GHC) – a small airport serving the largest settlement in the Berries, a good alternative embarkation point for the northern cays.
Nassau – most charters that include the Berry Islands actually start in Nassau and cruise up, since the whole chain is only a half-day away.
Your broker will match the embarkation point to your itinerary, especially if the Berries are one stop on a longer Bahamas charter rather than the whole trip.
Where You’ll Go: The Berry Islands
The Berry Islands are a small chain, so most charters move between just a handful of stops rather than a long list of cays.
Chub Cay
Chub Cay is the reason serious anglers put the Berry Islands on the list. Sitting right at the edge of the Tongue of the Ocean, a mile-deep trench close enough to fish within minutes of leaving the dock, it’s earned the Berries their nickname: the fish bowl of the Bahamas. Chub Cay Marina gives you fuel, provisioning, and a private airstrip, useful if you’re using it as an embarkation point rather than just a stop. Don’t miss a half-day offshore for marlin or tuna, it’s the best reason to be here.
Great Harbour Cay
Great Harbour Cay is the largest settlement in the Berries and the best base for flats fishing, with bonefish schools that can run into the thousands on a good day. It has its own airport and marina, useful provisioning for a longer stay, and a genuinely quiet, low-key feel compared to the busier Exumas. We like it for guests who want a real fishing day, bonefishing, not just trolling, built into an otherwise relaxed charter.
Hoffman’s Cay
Hoffman’s Cay is home to one of the more accessible blue holes in the Bahamas: a short walk from the beach, roughly 20 feet deep, and calm enough for confident swimmers and first-time snorkelers, not just experienced divers. It’s a good half-day stop to break up a fishing-heavy itinerary with something more laid-back.
A Short Berry Islands Add-On
Day 1: Nassau → Chub Cay (35 NM) – settle in, afternoon offshore fishing
Day 2: Chub Cay → Great Harbour Cay (20 NM) – bonefishing flats, provisioning
Day 3: Great Harbour Cay → Hoffman’s Cay (15 NM) – blue hole, snorkeling
Day 4: Hoffman’s Cay → Nassau (40 NM) – final cruise home, or continue on to the Exumas
This works well as a 3-4 day add-on to a longer Nassau or Exumas charter, since the whole chain is only a half-day’s cruise from Nassau in either direction.
Berry Islands or Exumas?
Clients planning a Bahamas charter often ask whether to choose the Berry Islands or the Exumas, or both. In practice: the Berries are a shorter, fishing-focused add-on, best suited to 3-4 days bolted onto a longer charter elsewhere, not a full week on their own. The Exumas are the bigger, more varied cruising ground, with more anchorages and enough range to fill a full week by itself.
As a rule of thumb: choose the Berry Islands if serious fishing, offshore or bonefishing, is the priority and you want it close to Nassau. Choose the Exumas for the classic postcard Bahamas week, swimming pigs included. Combining both works well since they’re each a short hop from Nassau, just budget the extra cruising days.
