Bahamas waters are splendid but may be a bit intimidating for first time sailors in those waters. The shades of blue are numerous and alternating in a very short period of time, those variations indicate depth change and are of particular importance for boaters. Having the right GPS is crucial to have precise and updated information. Bahamian waters are not as precisely indicated as in the US and the very large number of shallow reefs can be overwhelming.

Boaters in the Bahamas should make sure that they have access to all bahamian maps otherwise it will be more than dangerous. The Garmin’s family of GPS seem the most unanimously accepted by the boater’s community for their accuracy and simplicity of use. We suggest having a backup GPS as well. It is also recommended to use the Great Navionics apps as a way to create redundancy .

There are great boater’s forums that share plenty of advice about navigating Bahamian waters and they cover a large array of topics.

https://www.thehulltruth.com/marine-electronics-forum/412541-need-gps-bahamas.html