December to April is the dry, cool season — and the busy one. Expect the Yacht Club packed and the swimming pigs surrounded by day boats. Water temperatures still hover around 22 °C in January, fine for snorkelling in a thin wetsuit.
May to early November is hot and quieter. Hurricane risk runs from August to October; serious storms are uncommon at Staniel itself but flights from Nassau can be cancelled by weather. The shoulder seasons of May and November are often the best — warm water, fewer boats, full availability at the few rental cottages.