ESSENTIAL EVENT INFORMATION 2026
EXUMA TRAVERSE
Due to the scale and nature of Rat Race Events, changes to the event course, structure and timings sometimes need to be made right up until the date of the event. To ensure you have the latest information and are fully prepared for the challenge that lies ahead, please checkback on this EEI before travelling to the event.
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The EEI was last updated on: 19/02/2026
WELCOME TO THE BAHAMAS!
WELCOME TO THE EXUMA TRAVERSE.
Dear #ratracer
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Welcome to paddling paradise...Exuma Traverse 2026! White sands as far as the eye can see, uninhabited desert islands, bath-tub warm turquoise seas, sand bars teeming with wildlife, sunken wrecks, palm trees bristling in the wind and the clearest waters on Planet Earth. We cannot wait to welcome you to the adventure ahead!
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We’re excited to share our Essential Event Information Guide—a comprehensive outlook towards your upcoming adventure with us! If you have not done so already, do ensure you are fully conversant with the website and then pour yourself a cup of tea or coffee (or even something a little stronger!) and read on….
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Abbi
Event Director, Exuma Traverse 2026
HANDY LINKS:
SKIP TO SECTION
TIME ZONE
GMT (-5)
PHONE CODE
+242
LANGUAGE
English
CURRENCY
Bahaman Dollar. The US Dollar is also widely accepted.
IMPORTANT REMINDERS
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Event Participation Form MUST be submitted NO later than 15th March 2026.
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Medical Form MUST be submitted NO later than 15th March 2026.
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The Q&A Webinar will take place on 8th April at 5:30 PM UK Time. The webinar will be recorded and emailed to you the following day so you can watch it back at your leisure if you are unable to make the date and time. The link and passcode to join the Q&A session is within the email you received alongside the EEI.
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Arrival: We will meet you at Great Exuma Airport on the 15th May in the morning. When we have collated everyone’s flight details (via the Event Participation Form), we will organise a convenient time for a whole group transfer. If you have landed on the island already and have been exploring, you are welcome to make your own way to the hotel to meet us. A WhatsApp group will be set up one week prior.
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Insurance:  You need insurance. You will need a medical repatriation and evacuation policy that has a minimum of $500 000 trip cover on it. You will submit your policy details to us in the event-participation form and we will ensure we have the correct number to call your insurer if we need to evacuate you or provide serious medical attention. We also highly recommend a policy that covers you for curtailment and non-attendance.
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Kit: You will need to pass a kit check to be able to take part in the event. This will take place in Exuma. If your kit is not right the Event Team will reserve the right to prevent you starting the event. Don’t worry – there are several touchpoints before departure to ensure this does not occur including the Q&A session and the Kit List section below. If in any doubt on kit, please do get in touch with us at events@ratrace.com and we can help!
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Live Events Decision-Making: During the event, the Event Director’s decision is final. They are at all times acting in the combined interest and safety of both individuals and the group as a whole.
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Snacks: You will need to bring 7 days’ worth of scooby snacks PLUS a day’s contingency to see you through the duration of the kayaking, you will also need to provide lunch for your first 3 days of kayaking. See more below for what we expect you to bring with you . Your own snacks will ensure you always have something that you fancy and that on the boats, you always have something close at hand.
ITINERARY
Trip Meeting & End Point
The dates of the adventure are fixed as 15th-23rd May 2026. These are the dates on which our itinerary commences and finishes.
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Arrival: We will meet you at Great Exuma Airport on the 15th May in the morning. When we have collated everyone’s flight details (via the Event Participation Form), we will organise a convenient time for a whole group transfer. If you have landed on the island already and have been exploring, you are welcome to make your own way to the hotel to meet us.
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IMPORTANT NOTE FOR THOSE ARRIVING INTO GEORGETOWN EXUMA AIRPORT
Upon arrival, when asked where you are staying upon arrival, please give the name and address for our initial accommodation, which is Peace and Plenty Resort (Queens Highway Ex 29055, Georgetown, Exuma, Bahamas). Please do not say you are camping. We have permission to camp in the locations we do so (and are issued specified permits for our stay in the Land and Sea Park also), wild camping on most of the islands in the Exuma chain is not permitted.
Most of the visitors to the Exumas will stay in hotels and private villas, so we are quite unique. It has therefore confused some border guards in previous years where our participants have mentioned camping. This has led to nothing that has not been sorted out with some assistance from the Tourist Board and our other partners, but to avoid this confusion and inconvenience, please give the hotel details outlined above, which is our home for the first 2 nights on the island of Great Exuma.
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Departure: On the morning of the 23rd May we will make our way back to Nassau on our own private Catamaran. Our journey time will be around 6 hours and we will get an early start putting to sea for the crossing back to Nassau. However, we would recommend and have already advised that you consider an international flight the following day. This is to ensure that if delay occurs with the Cat crossing, you will not miss your homebound flight. If you do need to depart from Nassau on the 23rd May, we advise to pick a flight that is as late as possible and we will do all we can to get you there. Please understand that we cannot accept any liability if we do miss air connections owing to any delays with our Cat crossing.
DAY ONE / ARRIVAL AND REGISTRATION DAY
15th May 2026
You will be picked up at Great Exuma International airport in the morning and taken to our accommodation. We will then get stuck into registrations and briefing activities. The afternoon can then be spent getting familiar with the kayaks and hopefully, a little relax on the beach.
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Meals: We will walk down to some fish shacks near to where we will do our kayak activities and you can buy some local catch. We will keep it informal and get to know one another as the sun sets over the water.
Accommodation: Twin and shared rooms in hotel accommodation
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DAY TWO / EXUMA FILES BEGINS!
16th May 2026
We will transfer early-doors to the very southern tip of Little Exuma Island to commence the Exuma Files. Today we will paddle alongside Little and Great Exuma before coming onshore for a night on terra firma.
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Meals: Breakfast and dinner provided, take own snacks and lunch.
Accommodation: Twin and shared rooms in hotel accommodation
Distance: 35km approx.
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DAY THREE / WAVE GOODBYE TO CIVILISATION!
17th May 2026
This is our last day kayaking next to the main island of the Exuma archipelago; tomorrow we will be heading out into the deep blue sea and our desert island hopping adventure really begins.
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At the end of todays kayak we will transported back to the hotel. Tonight will be the last night in our hotel before we set out on our kayaking and camping adventure
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Meals: Breakfast and dinner provided, take own snacks and lunch.
Accommodation: Hotel
Distance: 35km approx
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DAY FOUR / PADDLE INTO PARADISE: BARRETERRE TO LINGUMVITAE CAY
18th May 2026
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Today we'll come face to the face with the lion’s share of the effort – the kayak traverse of the upper Cays from Great Exuma to Norman’s Cay.
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We will spend some time sorting boats and kit and ensuring you are all outfiited with everything you need. Then, moving off in pods of similar speeds/ abilities, we will make our way in a grand flotilla away from Great Exuma and into the big blue yonder.
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Our stage today isn’t very long – around 25km in total. But with a bit of tide running against us and the wind just in the wrong place, it could be punchy. It’s a good ‘opener’ for you to get used to what lies ahead over the next few days. We will hope for the prevailing southerlies/ south-westerlies to speed us north anyway, stopping enroute at a lovely little Pit Stop where there is a sunken cave for a refreshing dip.
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As you reach the end of the stage at Lingumvitae Cay, you will pull the boats ashore onto a pristine deserted island and strng up your hammock between the palms. Dinner will be served on the beach, with the sun setting on a perfect day’s paddling in the Exumas.
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Meals: Breakfast included, provide your own lunch snacks and camp exped meal (hot water provided)
Accommodation: Beach camp
Distance: 25km approx
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DAY FIVE / SNORKEL A SUNKEN PIANO AND OTHER EXUMA ODDITIES: LINGUMVITAE TO BLACKPOINT
19th May 2026
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As we pull away from Lingumvitae we will pass between Darby and Little Darby Islands and you’ll witness one of those classic Exuma scenes that you will get so accustomed to over the next few days – a lagoon-like section of sea between Cays, with a pure-sand bottom. It is like paddling through the world’s most picturesque open-air pool – the water all the time maintaining bathtub warm temperatures.
As we approach Musha Cay about 12km into today’s stage – an island owned by the magician David Copperfield – an unusual opportunity for a dip will occur. Sunken on the seabed in shallow water is Copperfield’s Piano, complete with mermaid seated and tickling the ivories. You will have some time to take a refreshing dive down to the Piano while having a well-earned snack. Back in the boats, we are now making for the small informal settlement of Blackpoint for some pizza, before kayaking onto the northern tip of Great Guana Cay to camp with the Iguanas.
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It’s time to turn into the hammocks and enjoy the sound of the sea lapping away metres away from where you’re sleeping. Utter bliss.
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Meals: Provide your own exped breakfast (hot water provided) and lunch snacks. Dinner provided at a local restaurant.
Accommodation: Beach camp
Distance: 40km approx
​​DAY SIX / FACE TO FACE WITH THE SWIMMING PIGS: BLACKPOINT TO O BRIENS CAY
20th May 2026
This is the biggest mileage day so far and is crammed full of interest and action from the water. 15km into the day, we make our way first to 15km to yachties’ favourite Staniel Cay, home to the world-famous Exuma Swimming Pigs.
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As we move away from the superyachts and beach vibes of Staniel, we are back into island wilderness as we approach the boundary of the Exuma Land and Sea Park – a protected area with virtually no development within it – and teaming with marine life of all descriptions.
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Part of the appeal of the Exumas as a kayaking undertaking is the variety of tidal and other sea conditions we experience. Although the tidal range is not enormous, the tides and currents do rip through the gaps between some of the islands, creating exciting ‘tidal race’ features and other marine phenomena. We will likely witness some of these features today and throughout the trip as we make our way hopping from island to island. These ‘crossings’ between islands are always exciting – and none more so than what lies ahead tomorrow.
Meals: Breakfast, brunch/lunch at Staniel Cay) and Catamaran dinner provided
Accommodation: Beach camp
Distance: 40km approx
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DAY SEVEN / THE CROSSING: O BRIENS CAY TO HAWKSBILL CAY
21st May 2026
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Deep now within the Land and Sea Park, we head for Shroud Cays where we will put into the HQ of the Land and Sea Park before attempting what we dub simply as ‘The Crossing.’ We have been doing mini crossings of varying distances between islands and cays throughout our passage thus far, but today a bigger crossing looms large. As we depart Shroud Cays, we pass some smaller rock features before carrying out a much longer and exposed sea crossing to Hawksbill Cay. We may experience bigger swells and waves here as we are exposed to the full force of the open Ocean. Embrace the thrill as we head for the sheltered waters and one of the most beautiful cays on the trip: Our destination for the night – Hawksbill Cay.
Meals: Breakfast, Snack Lunch and Catamaran Dinner provided
Accommodation: Beach Camp
Distance: 3okm approx
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DAY EIGHT / JOURNEY’S END – VIA A SUNKEN PLANE WRECK: HAWKSBILL CAY TO NORMANS CAY
22nd May 2026
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Whilst today is a shorter day in the boats, you will be weary from the constant attrition of the paddling, salt and sand everywhere and the general battering you may be feeling by now, at the hands of the Ocean.
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We have a couple of shorter crossings to contend with, which ultimately bring us to the mangroves of Shroud Cay. A brief paddle through the mangroves changes our scenery to a new paddling experience – and the heat in these sheltered waters will likely turn intense, far from the cool of that constant Caribbean sea breeze.
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Towards the end of the stage you will see Norman’s Cay looming on the horizon – Journey’s End. Situated around 1km offshore from Norman’s is one of the area’s most interesting and famous wrecks – that of a 1970s drug-smuggling plane which crashed on take-off from Norman’s when the island was owned by one of Columbia’s most notorious cartel figures. Lying in around 3 metres of water, it provides a final evocative Pit Stop for us to anchor up our support boats as you dive down and snorkel on the wreck, with tropical fish flitting in and out of the windows of its rusting hulk.
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A few more km now and it really will be journey’s end as you pull up to our uniquely Caribbean finishline on the beach outside the legendary MacDuff’s bar. The beers are on us, as we toast a quite incredible week together adventuring in the Exumas.
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Meals: Breakfast, Snack Lunch, Celebration Dinner plus a couple of beers on us.
Accommodation: Catamaran
Distance: 21km approx
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DAY NINE / AN EXTRAORDINARY WAY TO END AN EXTRAORDINARY TRIP: PRIVATE CATAMARAN BACK TO NASSAU
23rd May 2026
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After having breakfast on the private yacht, the crew will sail you back to Nassau. You can learn to sail and help the crew or you can relax and unwind with the wind whistling through you hair and a cocktail in hand. This is such an incredible way to finish the trip as you sail away from Norman’s Cay across the Caribbean Sea. We wave you goodbye at the marina in Nassau, where our itinerary ends. Talk about finishing on a high. Wow – what an adventure!
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Meals: Breakfast. Service and itinerary ends upon arrival at the marina in Nassau
Accommodation: N/A. Arrange your own transportation/taxi from the marina to your over night hotel or the airport. The marina office is able to help organise taxis.
DAY-TO-DAY: WHAT TO EXPECT
STYLE OF TRAVEL
The Exuma files is very expeditionary in style. There is a small group of us that will complete this challenge as a team – 15 participants plus 3 crew travelling together (then 3 other crew joining us on board the Catamaran). This does not mean that we can’t be dynamic and split into kayak pods depending on speeds, but it means that you are supporting each other as well as us supporting you. The likelihood is when we are in the kayaks that we will spend a lot of time together as a unit, helping each other and pushing each other on, together, as one.
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During the sea kayak we will be paddling as a team or two teams, expertly guided by Ian Dovey and Ollie Footitt with assistance from myself; Dovey (as he likes to be called) is a UK qualified guide who has guided this trip for the previous 3 years and from our original Test Pilot outing before that. He therefore knows the waters well. Ollie is also a UK qualified guide and has worked with us at Rat Race on numerous events; this will be his first time kayaking in Exuma. I will be there to help guide the kayak sections and also to provide medical care if needed when on the water and off. I myself have paddled the route 3 times including our Test Pilot outing in 2021
We will be supported from day 3 of the kayak by a large catamaran vessel with skipper and mate and cook on board. This will be our base for lunches, and evening meals. It is available for accommodation too (if and when you don’t want to sleep on the beach, that is). The yacht will be skippered by Will, who skipped with us the last two years and his mate will be Simon; Ruth is the chef onboard to cook up some tasty treats.
There’s a lot of experience here in the crew therefore and a lot of love for this very special journey.
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ACCOMMODATION
The bulk of the sleeping arrangements when kayaking will be beach camping based. This is sandwiched between nights in a hotel and a grand finale night spent on the catamaran at Norman’s Cay. Here we will also have time to celebrate at the legendary MacDuffs Restaurant and bar.
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Nights 1: Peace and Plenty Restort
Night 2-3: Exuma Palms Resort
Night 4 - 6: Tent or hammock on the beaches of our paradise archipelago
Night 7: The catamaran will be moored up in Norman’s Cay. We will stay on the boat overnight. Here there will be access to shower facilities.
Night 8: Sleep onboard our Catamaran. Please note that the catamaran has berths - these berths have beds/mattresses that are fitted to the size of the hull. These are normally double beds. There is not enough berths for one person. This means you will be put into a berth with one other participant. ​
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On night 8 you could book yourself into the luxury accommodation at Normans Cay if you want to give yourself a treat! This will be at your own cost. You could also make a longer stay of the trip and stay for a few nights on Normals Cay. Please note you will be responsible for transport back to Nassau. The Team at Normans cay would be happy to assist you with that.
MEAL PLAN
15th May - Casual dinner for those that want to join at the local fish shack. Not included
16th May - Breakfast - hotel
Lunch Not included > take snacks and lunch
Dinner - Hotel
17th May - Breakfast - Hotel
Lunch Not included > take snacks and lunch
Dinner - Hotel
18th May - Breakfast - Hotel
Lunch - Not included > take snacks and lunch
Dinner - Beach camp - PYO Expedition meal (we will provide hot water)
19th May - Breakfast - Beach camp PYO expedition meal (We will provide hot water)
Lunch - Not included > take snacks and lunch
Dinner - Pizza or burgers at a local restaurant
20th May - Breakfast - Beach camp - Catamaran bacon or egg buttie delivery
Brunch/lunch - At Staniel Cay
Dinner - Onboard the Catamaran
21st May - Breakfast - Beach camp - Catamaran breakfast delivery
Brunch/lunch - Made on the catamaran
Dinner - Onboard the Catamaran
22nd May - Breakfast - Beach camp - Catamaran breakfast delivery
Brunch/lunch - Made on the catamaran
Dinner - Celebration meal at Macduffs
23rd May - Breakfast - Onboard the Catamaran
Lunch - N/A
Dinner - N/A
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WHAT FOOD DO I NEED TO PROVIDE?
The meal plan above outlines when the meals are included and when they are not. To be prescriptive you need to bring:
1 x Dehydrated Expedition Breakfast
1 x Dehydrated Expedition Dinner
PLUS Snacks and electrolytes for the full itinerary 7 days worth
PLUS 3 x lunch 'items' or additional hearty snacks for the first 3 days. These are best to be brought in Exuma from the shops and supermarkets or you can buy 'packed lunches' from the hotels.
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Discounts available for those who still need them with expeditionfoods.com. Get 15% off at check-out by quoting RatRace15.
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ALCOHOLIC DRINKS & EXTRAS
Where we provide meals as part of the general event service, we will not include alcoholic or soft drinks as standard, and these must be provided by yourselves. See more on local payments, below.
At the hotels there will be a bar where you can but alcoholic and soft drinks. If you put anything onto your ‘tab/room’ please pay for it before you leave the hotel.
We will provide you with some beers at certain locations, to celebrate a job well-done. That is a Rat Race tradition! These will be at the discretion of the organisers, however. In general, you should expect to pay for alcoholic and soft drinks.
THE ROUTE
The overall distance of the route is approximately 250km. We start at the very Southern toe of little Exuma. We then Kayak to the East of little and Great Exuma, when next to the main island we will stay in hotels for the first few nights. After the first 2 days of kayaking the adventure will be in full swing as we leave Great Exuma to go and explore paradise. Stopping at white sandy beaches and jumping into crystal blue waters as we make our way North to our finishing point of Norman’s cay.
Our sea kayaks can go through the shallow waters and mangroves of the islands. At some points the catamaran will not be able to follow us along the same route. We will meet the sailing team at certain locations. Along the route the catamaran has an outboard motorboat that can be used to follow our direct line if/when needed.
You must remain open to the possibility that our plan may change due to unforeseen factors, such as the weather and diversions. So, while Plan A is plan A, it is not inconceivable that we may deploy Plan B, C or D if we deem it necessary for your safety.
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TRAINING AND PREPARATION
This is a big sea kayak by anyone standards. It is not technical and we are not asking anyone to be professional kayakers at this stage. However, it is wise that you are familiar with sea kayaking and that you have been in a sea kayak previously. I hope all of you have managed to do some training in a sea kayak. You will be kayaking for us to 8 hours per day, you need to have a strong upper body and core.
There are options for support when kayaking alongside Little and Great Exuma. After which you will need to be competent to kayak to black point where we will be met by the catamaran and that will be then be there to support us all as individuals and as a team.
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ROUTE FINDING & GPS
Please note that a GPX file will not be available for the sea kayak stages; this will be guided by the instructors.
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BEDDING DOWN INTO THE COURSE
It is probable that when you set off on the adventure on day 1, the first hours of the first day may be a bit hit n’ miss. Pace, temperature regulation, kit selection, footwear etc. All to be expected. Embrace that ‘bedding down into it’ phase and listen to your body and to your kit. Expect some unexpected phenomena (not UFOs, just unusual kit or equipment issues that you may not have quite been expecting). Use this time to just get used to the environment, the gear and the temperature. Go with it and relax. Ask the guides how to make yourself more comfortable in a kayak.
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​COURSE CUT OFFS & WITHDRAWALS
This event is not about cut-offs but having a ‘cut-off’ structure is an important part of our Event Management Plan and Risk Assessment processes. Cut offs are independent of any other factors that occur earlier in the course such as start time, injury, going the wrong way, head winds; and whether it is your fault or not. We understand that missing cut offs can be tough to take but please remember this is not the crew member’s fault that breaks the news to you, should it happen to you. Please also remember that if this does happen to you, the Event team’s decision is final.  
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If you are cut off, there will be no option to re-start from where you were cut off the next day. (The event only ever moves forwards). You may however re-start the next day from the official re-start location; subject to the discretion of the event team.  
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There are a number of reasons why you may be cut-off or withdrawn from the event. These could be medical, pace, kit, personal or other factors.  
 
It is OK to retire and to be taken on board the catameran for the overnight camp. We’d rather you re-started the next day vs suffer meaninglessly and spoil it for yourself. We call this being ‘boosted.’  
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As far as the time available goes to avoid a cut-off, there is no ‘set’ cut off time each day. (ie. Time limit or published time). Instead, we require all participants to be at the finish location before nightfall. If this is looking unlikely you will be ‘swept’ forward. That is the cut-off.  
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Above all else, please remember, this event is not about cut-offs. It is about getting the most out of this magical environment. We will not cut you off and sweep you forward unless we really have to. And if we do, it is for your own safety.  ​
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IS THE ROUTE LIKELY TO CHANGE?
The nature of an adventure is that sometimes the certain becomes uncertain! That is all part of the adventure. Whilst we will always strive to pull off ‘Plan A,’ it may well be that for any one of a number of reasons, we cannot do so and we need to wheel out Plan B, C or D. We do line up contingencies for many eventualities of course. But it is worth knowing that the course may change if we deem it prudent for your safety or for other operational or weather-based reasons and we must always reserve the right to do so. Ultimately our skill and judgement in organising such events is part of why you are entering, so we must be able to exercise this on your behalf where we deem it necessary. If we do have to make a route change, we will strive to inform you in good time (if that is possible). Usually, these unforeseen changes simply add to the flavour of proceedings and provide for a good story to tell at day’s end! ​​
MANDATORY KIT LIST
Some of the kit listed is to help you have a safe experience and have the best chance of finishing. Some of this kit is to ensure that if you are unable to continue without our assistance then we can be confident of you having the level of equipment required to keep you as comfortable as possible whilst you wait for that assistance. Some of it is simply to keep you from perishing. It is a serious list and we know everyone knows this, but we ask that you please do work with us on this. Please do not skimp on kit.
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REGISTRATION KIT CHECK
During Registration in Exuma, we will be conducting a kit check. The full kit list can be found above. However, as a minimum, we will be checking:
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Snacks, electrolytes and 2 x expedition meals
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Sun Hat
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Sunglasses
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Long sleeved top for kayaking (WIth UV protection)
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Shoes you will be kayaking in
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Hammock (if using)
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Sleeping bag liner
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Roll mat
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Personal First Aid kit
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You may be asked to show any other items from the mandatory kit list. Clearly at this point, the die is somewhat cast in respect of where we are geographically and the ability to ‘fill in any gaps’ is therefore heavily reduced; however we will look to assist where we can, in the event of major kit catastrophe. If you do not have the appropriate kit with you when you register in Exuma, you may not be allowed to participate. We have devised the mandatory kit list for your protection and safety, and we will not be able to make any exceptions on required items. If you have any kit questions, you can bring them to the webinar or contact us via events@ratrace.com and we will be more than happy to help!
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ADVENTURE PACK
​In Exuma, there will be one adventure pack issued per person. It will contain: ​
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Baggage Label: For your overnight bag.
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Event T-Shirt & Rag: Essential wear! Your preferred size will be provided if you communicate this to us in our form, linked in this document. If we do not receive size info from you, you will receive size Large as default.  
BAGS
There are 2 bags required for this event: 
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Norman’s Cay Bag (if needed) - We understand that when we hit the kayaks, you may not want to take your best bib and tucker on the water. There will be the opportunity to leave a bag of gear at Great Exuma, which will be taken all the way to Norman’s Cay for you if needed. This bag needs to be a soft holdall-style bag as it will be in and out of boats in its journey up the Cays to be re-united with you.
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Kayak Bags - For the kayak stage, you will need to pack you gear into several dry bags, we will go into more detail during the webinar.
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TO HAMMOCK OR NOT TO HAMMOCK
We will provide tents as standard for those who want them, for our beach camps. You may choose to use your hammock instead. If you do not have a hammock, no problem and don't worry - you do not need one. If you wish to use the tent some night and the hammock others, also fine. We will talk about this in the webinar so you can make some decisions and if you really don’t think you will need a tent from us, we will ask you to say so, as that is one less piece of gear that you will not need to stash away in your kayak. In any case, as standard, tents will be provided for all and hammocks remain personal options for those who wish.​
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AVOIDING KIT CATASTROPHE IN TRANSIT
It is not impossible that your gear may not arrive with you to the Bahamas. Once you start travelling away from major airports, getting re-united with lost bags becomes harder. However, it is not impossible and if you do lose bags or if bikes do not arrive, it does not necessarily spell certain doom. However, to avoid the chances of total catastrophe, we would recommend that you do travel with some event clothing in your hand luggage: A something to wear top and bottom, swim kit, sports bra (if needed) and some footwear would be minimum recommended. Indeed, you can travel wearing this gear.
Experience tells us that if you arrive wearing or physically carrying some of what you need, the likelihood of getting you on the start-line increases dramatically, vs those who entire event kit is in their hold baggage, making its way around a carousel in the wrong airport far, far away.
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Q&A WEBINAR
The Q&A Webinar on 8th April at 5:30 PM (UK Time) is a great opportunity to ask any kit related questions and ensure you are fully prepared for the adventure ahead.
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RAT RACE STORE
As a #RatRacer you now have a 15% discount in our store so you can get kitted out for your next adventure. Use the code RATRACE15 to save 15% on full priced kit only, excludes event specific merchandise and bundles.
MEDICAL & SAFETY
MEDICAL OPERATIONS
Our team is there for you in case you have an incident with which you require assistance. The team will shadow the progress of the adventure each day in vehicles or on foot (whichever is most appropriate given the days activity) before establishing a medical clinic each afternoon/evening at our overnight accommodation. Whilst the medics are there for ‘what ifs,’ they are also a great source of preventative advice; so please do use them to ask questions and check best practice, particularly in suspected foot injury or issues such as blisters.
MEDICAL PRE-SCREENING
Please complete the medical screening form HERE. Please complete this as soon as possible – and certainly please, no later than 15th March 2026. If you do have any conditions that you feel we should know about, however small you feel it may be, please do share this with our Medics. Experience has shown that early pre-screening can assist both us and you greatly in enabling the care you need pre and during the trip. If you do not share information on conditions which are likely to affect your participation or decide to share them very late in the process, we are all under pressure and we will always reserve the right to cancel your participation if we feel there is a medical issue that may affect yours, or others’ safety. So please, do share anything and everything you feel our team should know about, at the earliest opportunity.
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 IMPORTANT NOTE ON SUBMISSION OF DOCUMENTS AND MEDICAL INFORMATION:
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​ We are very fortunate to have an excellent Medical Director providing oversight, planning and screening on all of our international trips, who in turn engages seriously professional and qualified staff to join you on the trip. Rat Race also conforms and has been audited to the rigorous BS8848 standard of expedition management. This means our approach to all things safety and medical is extremely thorough and it is designed throughout with your best interest at heart.
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Your medical screening details will be sent direct to our medical team and under medical confidentiality rules, this will only be shared with our medics and no-one else. If they decide this is information that is in the best interests of everyone for us as organisers to be privy to, they will seek and gain your consent before doing so. It is therefore important you complete the medical survey only via the link which can be found HERE; do not send Rat Race medical information direct. If you have any queries at all on the medical side of things in relation to this event, you can email our Medical Director, Dr Patrick Musto confidentially on office@trailmed.com and he and his team will assist.
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SUN & HEAT
Please carefully review our Sun & Heat safety guidance issued by our medical partner Trail Med.
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EMERGENCY PROTOCOL
In the event of a true emergency or serious incident you will be notified of protocols at the pre-event briefing in Exuma. If you are with an injured party whilst on the route, stay with the casualty and await assistance. In the event of a non-emergency incident but for which action is requested from the organisers, then you should place a call (we will give you numbers) or if no phone reception, you should send a message forward to the next Pit Stop with another participant if possible and/or await an event crew member approaching via vehicle/or on foot from behind. This might be medical, logistical or kit/ equipment breakdown as examples. We politely ask that you stop and help someone that is in difficulty – you will be the first person to find them – remember to take note of time, place (number of km, or minutes/ hours from last Pit Stop) and participant number/ name at the incident site. Remember we are all in it together and we are in effect one big team.
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​On the water, we will use different protocols and will explain these to you in person when we are all together.
POOR WEATHER CONTINGENCY
The Rainy season on Great Exuma normally spans between May and October but fear not, even the Tropical rainstorms in the Bahamas are relaxed, normally only making an appearance in the guise of brief summer showers. However, we are jnot far away from the hurricane season which historically spans between late June through to the end of November.
The event will proceed in many conditions, but if it is deemed unsafe to continue due to weather conditions, the event will be halted at the current camp (or destination camp). If required, we will await more favourable conditions to re-commence and take shelter on shore or perhaps onboard the cat. This may result in some stages being cut short to achieve daily mileages within the time available. In all cases, the decision of the Event team is final in these matters. We will monitor weather throughout.
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INSURANCE
We have asked that you have in place Travel Insurance cover and specified Evacuation cover to last for a minimum period of the event duration for the days you are with us on the published itinerary. Evacuation and medical expenses cover should total no less than $500 000. A copy of this cover/covers (if separate policies) is required to be received by us by 15th March 2026.
​We recommend that participants have insurance to cover damage, loss, theft, injury and non-attendance. Rat Race cannot accept any responsibility for the loss of, theft, or damage to any Participant property or the circumstances of Participant non-attendance. Within the 12-week departure window, we cannot provide any transfers and, in all cases, we cannot entertain requests for refunds. We respectfully remind all participants that unforeseen circumstances preventing attendance is what travel insurance is designed for and is the reason for this as a strong recommendation on such undertakings.  
Some suggested providers are as follows:  
 
For UK and Channel Island residents Rat Race’s own insurer brokers have a brand-new product: https://www.mannbroadbent.co.uk/sports-travel-insurance/. 
 
Note: This is Rat Race’s UK-based insurance broker, specialising in the leisure insurance market. This is a specialist sports travel cover product; however, Rat Race is neither an insurance broker or underwriter. We can recommend Mann Broadbent wholeheartedly as good people to deal with, but please remember that this is not a ‘Rat Race product’ and we have no say whatsoever on claims decisions made by the insurers, in the event that you raise such a claim via one of these policies.  
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Other providers: 
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Note: We have no relationship with any of these providers, but previous customers have found them reasonable to deal with regarding some of our similar Bucket List challenges.  
 
Note: For all insurance, please remember that cover is offered based on several factors, (the nature of the event disciplines being one of them), but your own insurance profile, age, health and other details form a big part of this. As such, we are always happy to provide details to insurers in support of cover requests from customers, but we cannot influence their decisions as to whether to offer cover to individuals.  
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GENERAL SAFETY AROUND VEHICLES
On the water, we may experience other traffic in proximity to us. We will brief you on etiquette with other water users but in general, we will keep high levels of vigilance around any other water-borne craft, particularly those travelling at high speeds.
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LITTER
We want to show that this event has exemplary control of littering. Please help us achieve that. Pack your litter into your pack, pockets, or nearby bin bag (trash sack) at a vehicle. No exceptions, Great Exuma is a beautiful environment, and our absolute commitment is to keep it that way.
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MUSIC PLAYERS
While these are allowed, please control their volume according to your environment. Always use your judgment when listening to music or audiobooks. Please also be aware that if you cannot hear general voice levels you might miss instructions or warnings from crew, other participants or approaching vehicles or boats. We suggest that when you re riding or running, you run the leads behind you so that persons or vehicles approaching from behind might be able to see that you are wired for sound.
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FINAL ADMIN
TRANSFER DEADLINE
At the time of booking, on our website and within our welcome email we made clear that your purchase is non-refundable. But up until 12 weeks prior to departure, you could use our transfer system if you wished to withdraw from the event. We respectfully remind all participants that unforeseen circumstances preventing attendance is what travel insurance is designed for and is the reason for this as a strong recommendation on such undertakings.
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We want to be really clear that the transfer option is there for you if you need it. But it does have a deadline. That deadline is  Friday 20th February 2026. This is 12 weeks prior to the event and our advertised standard transfer window for international events. After this time, we regret that we simply cannot change entries and if you are in, you’re in. So if you don’t think you’re in this time around, please do ensure you use that transfer window and get your transfers in by the dates above. You can do that by logging into your RR account, heading to the ‘Your Entries’ tab and hitting the ‘Transfer button’.
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Please note event credit is exempt from the transfer process. Once credit is redeemed against an event entry it is locked into that event. You can read our transfer policy HERE
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EVENT ETHOS: ‘RACING’ AND OUR FINISH TIMES SERVICE
Completing not competing. Rat Race’s ethos has always been about inspiring folk to undertake challenges in awesome outdoor locations. Exuma is just that, taken to an epic level. This is not a formal race environment and there are no winners and losers. We do not award prizes for the fastest folk. There will be no splits. Indeed, there will be no timings. It is fully expeditionary in feel and character. Rat Race totally appreciate the incredible commitment of those taking on the challenges we lay down and each participant is as important as the next regardless of how fast you can cover the distance. As stated, this is far morehis is akin to an expeditionary undertaking than anything else.
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In delivering this unique challenge we prioritise factors such as safety, camaraderie and environmental concerns. Respecting the wishes of local stakeholders with our route management and litter policies is vital in being able to bring folk together for this unique experience. Safety above all else is paramount, as you will fully appreciate. To reasonably balance all these factors, we emphasise that the event is not a formal race environment, rather it is a challenge in the great outdoors where great folk come together with a common purpose.​​
LOCAL PAYMENTS
Most locations in the Exuma stake credit and debit cards. Having some US Dollars is a good idea, however. When we are staying in hotels, you may charge incidentals to your room if the hotel has that facility. All room accounts should be settled prior to leaving the accommodation in each location.​​
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COMMS COVERAGE AND DATA​​
You will most likely have phone reception in Great Exuma itself and until day 2 of the Kayak. After which mobile phone coverage is limited. We will have use of a satellite phone that can used for non-emergency comms, subject to availability of credit and battery power, at the rate of £5/ minute. No internet or data services are available upon departure from Great Exuma.
CONTACT
To facilitate the very best support for you whilst embarked on the event, we have prepared some contact information below that should assist you and loved ones both before departure and then throughout your adventure. Please find a series of phone numbers and email addresses and instructions on which is to be used; and for what. Finally, we have included an action check-list so you may tick off the pre-event jobs arising from this Essential Event Information document.
1. For ALL pre-event email correspondence prior to departure: 
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events@ratrace.com - admin / kit / challenge based queries
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office@trailmed.co.uk  - Medical-based advice or discussion on medical conditions in confidence
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2. For specific arrivals and pre-trip issues in the days immediately prior to arrival in Exuma -   A WhatsApp group will be set up pre-arrival. This will include numbers of crew members if you need assistance whilst you travel to the event. 
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3. Emergency correspondence from people who need to get in touch with you (i.e. from those who need to contact you) IN EMERGENCY ONLY while you are embarked on the event: events@ratrace.com
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The originator should quote ‘Emergency correspondence for (your name)’ in the email title and they must provide a phone number for return comms. This will be patched through to our crew’s mobile phones, (or satellite messaging platform if we are out of reception) from our office and a satellite phone will be made available for you to return the comms to the originator. We would aim to provide a suitable response period of within 24 hrs for this service to the originator. Please, please, please do tell your family and supporters not to contact us about Tracker Emergencies!
FINAL CHECK LIST
Submitted no later than 15th March 2026.
Submitted no later than 15th March 2026.
8th April - 0530 PM (UK Time)
That’s it. Pheeeww!
Abbi
Event director, Exuma Traverse 2026