OUR ANSWER to the QUESTION

Google image

       In our opinion, it is NOT better in the Bahamas.  YES, as everyone says- the water is clear and pretty, just as it is in many places down island (to name a few) such as: Frederiksted, St. Croix, St. John and Water Island, USVI; Mustique in the Grenadines, Pigeon Island off Guadeloupe; Pan de Sucre of Isle de Saintes; and Barbados.
     
      The Bahamian Islands DO have some pluses, but I calculate way more minuses.   Bear with me as I try to explain this point of view-

+ + +ENGLISH IS SPOKEN by most people.  Oh, you run into folks from the DR or Haiti every so often, but they make a great effort to communicate in ENGLISH to meet your needs.

Lighthouse at Bird Rock just off  NW point of Crooked Island

+ + +THERE WERE NO BOAT BOYS...
- - - which means there is NO CHANCE OF WARM BAGUETTE DELIVERIES BOATSIDE AT 7AM.

+ + + FISHING LICENSE IS INCLUDED WITH CRUISING PERMIT FEE ($300 USD for 12 months).
- - - But INSURED VESSELS, such as Exit Strategy can only be there for a maximum of 6 months outside of hurricane season.

- - - - BAHAMIAN WATERS WERE COLD during our visit (late February- early May). Even the snowbirds that spend two to three months in Georgetown annually weren't getting in the water.  Perhaps if we ventured there during July-September when the water temps warm up (as my dear bro and his wife have done for years) it may have been more comfortable.

- - - DINGHY DOCKS WERE SCARCE, as are places or trees/shrubs along shores to secure dinghies.  Hence, we did lots of dragging and its bottom has multiple scars to prove it.
+ + + The BAHAMAS ARE REPORTEDLY SAFE and most other cruisers did NOT lock their dinghy.

- - - TIDES AND CURRENTS WERE CHALLENGING, so jumping off the boat at anchor had to be done with care to avoid drifting away uncontrollably fast.

- - - HIKING TRAILS WERE HOT and LARGELY UNSHADED and with rough footing.
+ + + Walking on low grades was easier.

- - - There were NOT MANY CATHOLIC CHURCHES where we could attend Sunday Mass.
+ + + The few churches found were not perched high up on a mountainside as they often are down island.

On altar in Fr. Jerome's Hermitage, Cat Island

- - - TERRAIN WAS BLEAK WITH POOR VEGETATION; finding local produce was a rarity and only Georgetown had dependable, scheduled mail boat deliveries of goods from Florida and Nassau.

- - - NO LOCAL BUSES.

- - - HIGHEST TRASH FEES experienced at Staniel Cay ($6.45 US/bag).  Every now and then we've read about cruisers disposing of trash off shore in the deep, but that practice is totally unacceptable to us.

+ + + The CRACKED CONCH WAS GREAT!

  

Google image, and mine looked just as luscious!

PS:  I expect some of you will totally disagree with our take on the Bahamas and that is your prerogative.  As for the crew of Exit Strategy, if we ever return to the Bahamas, it'll be by air.