Marsh Harbor / Sugar Loaf Cay Bahamas

[John P]

Just curious if anyone has been in/around these areas recently. Spent a lot of time on Sugarloaf as a kid and was curious how "modernized" it is these days.

[Vasco]

Depends on how old you are but every year there's changes. Due to the economy some of the changes are slowing down or stopping. We cruisers are a bit selfish and never want places to change. The big resort development at Royal Island has stopped completely! So has the one at Rum Cay. The marina at Emerald Bay has closed. These are all recent mega projects. Looks like development is taking a breather in the Bahamas.

[John P]

I don't mind the slow down or stoppage. I recall as a youngster, my favorite book was "Cruising Guide to the Abacos". I mentioned wanting to see Nassau once and my dad said "Why in the world would you want to do that?" Marsh harbour was all we needed:
2 banks (one local one international)
1 blinking stree light
1 hardware store
2 grocery stores
The small marina (forget the name) had a great restaurant and good wooden boats for rent.
lastly, The Lowes family Taxi service!

Sugarloaf is where we had a 4-wall plywood cabin and it was quite the adventure for a little kid (there 5 of us kids, but I was the youngest and the one that appreciated the area the most). Two of my greatest memories are of taking the 12' tin boat and motoring through the mangroves, and taking the Sunfish and sailing from Sugarlaof to Hopetown. Wow, great fun!

Now I know they have electric and water out to the island and one owner has dredged a channel and mooring for his house and guest house.

Looking at google earth, some parts of Marsh Harbour and Matt Lowes Cay are totally unrecogniseable.

[nautical62]

It sounds like Marsh Harbour hasn't changed too much from what you've said. Still just one street light. There are a few Marinas in the Harbor and one on the south side.


I can't speak so Surgarloaf other than it appears there are some "newer" cottages there.

Things are changing: The bay and beach at the north end of Great Guana used to be my favorite undeveloped beach, but is now part of one of the biggest, most exclusive resorts around. Manjack is beginning to loose some of it's isolation as well as new homes are being built. Despite that, there are sill many isolated places. Even on a charter, probably half the nights I'm anchored alone.

[roberttigar]

We were in The Abaco's last June. Its the same but different...The Lite in Marsh is now a full traffic lite rather than a red blinker. The development at Bakers Bay has taken away a picturesque spot. But in the 12 years we have been sailing to the Abaco's not much else has changed dramatically...still charming, and the people are delightful...gotten very expensive, even for cruising sailors. Bob