Hi Reader,

Well, we did it.

After 15 years of island hopping, late-night rum punches, and whisper-quiet anchorages, we finally pulled off something entirely new: our first kids charter.

Two families. Four kids (ages 5, 8, 9, and 11). Six nights. One unforgettable Exumas adventure.

We planned treasure hunts, chased nurse sharks through mangrove creeks, and watched the wonder of the islands light up through younger eyes. Here's our Top 5 moments from the week that reminded us what this lifestyle is really all about.

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Shroud Cay Beach Day: Mangrove Safari Meets Magic

We rode the winding Sanctuary Creek river through the mangroves—baby sharks and turtles below. At the end? A surreal beach that felt like we’d been dropped into a postcard.

We set up camp, splashed in the shallows, rode the waterslide, and hiked up to Camp Driftwood for sweeping views of the Exuma Sound. One of those afternoons where time slows down, and all that matters is being barefoot in paradise.

Check out this stunning drone reel capturing the breathtaking beauty of Shroud Cay.

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Blackbeard’s Treasure Hunt at Pirate’s Lair

This was the heart of the charter.

While moored at Warderick Wells, the kids awoke to a mysterious parchment—Blackbeard himself had visited in the night and left behind a treasure map (conveniently torn into four pieces).

The mission? Explore Hog Cay to recover the lost fragments, then interpret the clues to locate the treasure on nearby “Pirate’s Retreat.” Watching the kids race across deserted beaches, map pieces in hand, was the kind of joy that just hits different.

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Fishing Glory: Mahi for Days

Day 2 brought blue water and bent rods as we fished the deep drop near Highbourne and Norman. We hooked several mahi—including a monster bull caught by our very own Emilia (her first!).

We also landed a gorgeous cero mackerel. Chef Celia turned the fresh catch into delicious nigiri that night, and I’ll be thinking about it every time I open a sushi menu from here on out.

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Snorkeling Escobar’s Plane

Despite all our previous Exumas trips, this was a first: the infamous sunken drug plane off Norman’s Cay.

It's shallow, eerie, and fascinating. The kids were mesmerized swimming over the wreckage, imagining its wild history. And let’s be honest—so were the adults. Chalk this one up as both history lesson and high-seas adventure.

Dive deeper into the story behind the sunken plane with this reel.

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Rose Island Finale: Peacocks & Ghost Villas

For our final night, we dropped anchor near Rose Island, just outside Nassau. We dinghied ashore, where we found:

• Wild peacocks strutting through the brush
• An abandoned beachfront villa lost to time
• A hidden beach on the north shore that stopped us in our tracks

It was the perfect farewell—equal parts exploration, reflection, and “how soon can we do this again?”

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This charter reminded me why I started Yacht Warriors in the first place: not just to sail, but to share the magic of these places with others.

If you’ve ever thought about bringing your kids, nephews, nieces, or grandkids along for an island-hopping adventure, trust me: it’s worth it. We’re raising the next generation of salty souls, one sandbar at a time.

That's it for today! - Matt Weidert