Mom & Pop Maps That Became Essential for Bahamas Exploration

‘Explorer Charts’ Celebrate 30 Years in Business

Peter Swanson Oct 8

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The mom-and-pop operation that gave Bahamas cruisers “Explorer” chartbooks is celebrating its 30th year in business. Monty and Sara Lewis have cruised the island nation since 1984, and, from the beginning, they wanted to see what was beyond the overpopulated harbor at George Town.

She was a technical writing teacher at a community college. He was a sergeant in the Maryland State Police with a captains license.

As incredible as it may seem today, this pair of nautical tourists set out to map routes, anchorages and entrances before the existence of GPS. According to their official history, “they sat down with local fishermen and salty cruising sailors, tracing vague routes on tissue paper and listening to stories of adventuresome travel to the Ragged Islands and the Bight of Acklins.”

Their three primary publications are chartbooks: Near Bahamas, Exumas & Ragged Islands and Far Bahamas with Turks & Caicos. All three are now available in their recently released 12th edition. These books are famous for their reliable charts but also incorporate elements of a cruising guide with descriptions of local amenities and lists of resources.

“Explorer” chartbooks have a strong competition for the most popular and easy-to-reach Bahamas regions (including those covered in Addison Chan’s “Bahamas Land & Sea” cruising guide app), but they are unique in service to the more adventurous sailors who wish to go to the most remote islands.

As navigation entered its electronic age at the beginning of the millenium, “Explorer Charts” were able to stay relevant through strategic partnerships. The Lewises first venture into electronic charting began in 2003 with Nobeltec, a division of Jeppesen. Now their data is incorporated into the electronic charts sold by B&G, Furuno, Lowrance, Navico, Raymarine, Simrad, Standard Horizon, Aquamap, C-Map, iNavX, OpenCPN and TZi Boat.

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In other words, they went from sketching on tissue paper to an honest-to-goodness business. Sara Lewis said this came about mostly by accident:

Making money was never a thought as we began. There seemed to be a need and we could fill a special niche. It turned out to be another “hidden gift” that we could claim it as a business. Our first retirement venture was taking charter guests out for a sail on our 34-foot Carter Vivacious at our home port of Ocean City, Maryland. Being able to claim boat expenses as a business was a bonus we hadn’t even planned on, so it sort of allowed us a cruising kitty that we hadn’t planned on. We had no idea it would grow and sustain us for 30 years! And even now, provide a legacy for family to take over.