THE VOYAGE OF EXPLORER CHARTS
- Sep 23, 2025
- 2 min read
Many people ask Monty and Sara Lewis how they began the process that evolved into the Explorer Chartbooks. Monty puts it very simply: “I found the best routes and the best way in to our favorite places and shared them.”
2025 marks the 30th anniversary of the publication of the Explorer Chartbook series of navigational charts and cruising guide information for the Bahamas.
Back in 1991 in their cruising “retirement,” Monty and Sara soon wanted to go to more remote places where there were no detailed charts with soundings, routes, anchorage, and shoreside facilities. They were pleasantly forced to sit down with more salty-seasoned cruising friends and local fishermen who were willing to give some guidance where there were no magenta lines. Before GPS, their first tools were a depth sounder, a compass, and a Radio Direction Finder. They even still had a sextant and Loran on the boat! Weather reports were from Charlie’s Locker in Florida and ZNS in Nassau. Radar and SSB were soon added to the tools, and the charts evolved from tissue paper tracings to topographical map templates to the drawing board to digital versions--the continuum of their cartography. Land facilities where they cruised became the Need-to-Know Info. In their 30th year of publication, the Explorer Chartbooks follow the breadcrumbs from Columbus to today’s amazing technology and open a beautiful world of crystal waters and swaying palms to the delight of many cruisers.
The new editions of Explorer Chartbooks--Near Bahamas, Exumas, and Far Bahamas—are available on September 15, 2025. As always, the Gold Standard for all of the Bahamas, you can expect updated hydrographic and geographic data, plus the latest in facilities and services for the islands you love to visit.
Explorer Chartbooks is an Allied Member of the Association of Bahamas Marinas.
Great read! It’s fascinating to see how Explorer Charts have evolved and continue to be such a valuable tool for safe and enjoyable navigation in the Bahamas.Roller Baller
every move counts as you guide a ball across tricky paths and test your timing and control.
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The story of Monty and Sara Lewis is absolutely inspiring to any sailor. Their dedication to accuracy has made navigating the Bahamas so much safer for all of us. As a travel writer, I often document my own sailing logs and route tips using Markdown because it's so efficient. For fellow explorers who want to compile their sea journals into professional, print-ready documents, MarkdownCo Pro is an incredible tool that simplifies the entire process.