Nurse Sharks in Compass Cay – The Bahamas
Swimming with animals seemed to be the theme of our trip to the Bahamas. First it was swimming with pigs, then it was snorkeling with fish, and then it was swimming with sharks…nurse sharks, of course. Nurse sharks are abundant throughout the  Exumas, but the island of Compass Cay has become famous for offering visitors the opportunity to swim with the resident “pet” nurse sharks. They aren’t actually tame, of course, but its a supervised activity and the sharks (almost) never bite.
Getting There
Compass Cay is located in Exuma, a remote district of the Bahamas consisting of 360+ small islands. The best way to get to Compass Cay is by flying into the nearby island of Staniel Cay, which is the closest island with an airstrip. Makers Air offers non-stop flights from Ft. Lauderdale to Staniel Cay and Flamingo Air offers non-stop flights from Nassau to Staniel Cay. Either way, you’ll have to fly on a small single-engine airplane and the flights are usually fairly expensive.
You can either stay on Staniel Cay or arrange water transportation to one of the other nearby developed islands, including Fowl Cay or even Compass Cay itself. We stayed at Staniel Cay Yacht Club which turned out to be the best possible home base for exploring all of the surrounding islands. All Yacht Club guests are provided with their own personal motorboat for the duration of their stay, which allows you to see all of the nearby attractions without needing to pay for a guide or tour package. From Staniel, the 5 mile boat ride to Compass Cay takes less than 20 minutes, and the best part is you can stop and see the swimming pigs along the way. The boat ride takes you through some of the most stunningly clear water you’ll ever see, but at low tide you have to be cautious because the water is only a few feet deep in some areas, especially in the area around Pipe Cay. You should take it slow to avoid getting the propeller stuck in the sand. Staniel Cay Yacht Club provides guests with detailed maps so you know how to avoid getting stuck in the flats.
The Compass Cay Marina is located in one of the only protected harbors in the Exumas. Since we were in a small motorboat, we just anchored on the small beach to the left of the marina. There is a $10/person landing fee that you can pay in cash when you get to the marina store.
Swimming with the Sharks
Descending the ladder into the shallow, nurse shark-infested water is a bit intimidating at first, but apparently as long as you keep your fingers away from their mouths, they (probably) won’t bite. Nurse sharks are generally a non-aggressive species of shark, and even if they were to bite, their small mouths are not powerful enough to do serious damage. That being said, they’re still wild animals, so you need to respect them and you can’t assume that just because it’s a semi-organized activity that it’s 100% safe (more like 99%).
Once you’re in the water, it’s not long before you’re completely surrounded by sharks. The guys working at the marina throw bait into the water so they start to swarm which makes for better photo ops. When the sharks swim close to the surface you can pet them on the back and they feel exactly like sandpaper.
In addition to the sharks, the crystal-clear water is teeming with bonefish and other colorful fish, making for some incredible underwater views if you bring goggles or an underwater camera.
While nurse sharks frequent most marinas in the Exumas, Compass Cay is the only place that provides a true supervised experience. If you’re visiting the Exumas, swimming with the nurse sharks of Compass Cay is definitely worth the quick stop.