Marinas in the Bahamas

[Zephyr's Aura]

I'm going to be in the Bahamas the last week of Febuary through the first week of March. I'll be sailing to Bimini and then on to Great Harbor key, then to Little harbor Abaco. On the return I was thinking about a stop at Sadny Point or Gorda Cay. I was wondering if any of you have stoped at either?

Also dose anyone know what the prices are for a slip at Little harbor Abaco?

Thanks,

Tim

[shawnbush12]

I was just looking a little harbor, abaco for a stop and what I read was no overnight slips but mooring balls are $10 a day. it looks shallow getting in (like 1 meter deep) so look at the tide charts for getting in and out.

Pete's Pub is reported to be a great stop and looks like you can dingy to it.

Can someone else confim my information?

[shawnbush12]

Also, Gorda Cay is the Disney Island and do not know if you can land there.

[GordMay]

Gorda Cay (Latitude 26̊ 6' 54" N x Longitude -77̊ 33' 45" W) is indeed owned by The Walt Disney Company, who call it “Castaway Cay”. Stretching 3.1 miles long and 2.2 miles wide, the cay is reserved exclusively for Disney Cruise Line guests, and we cruisers are not welcome (nor permitted).

See the very interesting article: Blackbeard Doesn't Come Here Anymore
Blackbeard Doesn't Come Here Anymore | Outside Online

And: Gorda Cay - Abacos, Bahamas

[camaraderie]

You can get in Little Harbor at full tide with 6ft....I did it...but NOT any more than that! Moorings are fine and the harbor is VERY well protected. Nice place and some interesting blue holes nearby as will for snorkeling/diving in addition to Pete's and the foundry.

May I suggest you also plan a stop (moorings or marina) in Elbow Cay and visit Hopetown...just a couple of sailing hours away. Not to be missed since you will be so close.

[Zephyr's Aura]

Thanks Camaraderie,

I'll check out Elbow Cay provided we have time and weather. We're doing allot in a two week cruise. I may not get as far as little harbor but here's hoping. Just out of curiosity what do you recommend on Elbow Cay?

My MacGregor only draws 18 inches with the centerboard up, so it should be fairly easy for me to get into little harbor.

Thanks,

Tim

[shawnbush12]

Talked with Heather at Pete's Pub in Little Harbour. It is $15 per night for a mooring ball and you pay at the pub.

pete@petespub.com

[SurfNRG]

Check out The Abaco Inn and Sea Spray Resort on White Sound, Elbow Cay (south end). Great food, drinks and ambience. Actually some great surfing and snorkeling right out from there at Rush Reef and Garbonza's. We anchored off of Aunt Pat's Beach just south of White Sound and dingied in or you can call up JR at Seaspray to see about a slip. Hopetown is on the north end and a must stop off and see venue as well. The Candy stripped light house has been seen in many magazines. Moorings I think are $15 in Hopetown. Elbow Cay is awesome! Don't miss it. We also love Guana Cay a few islands to the north and on the south end of the infamous (and often dreaded) Whale Cay passage. make sure you get a good report of the conditions there before attempting the passage. It can get pretty heavy there on a northeaster (rager). Then Green Turtle is just north of there and a great stopover as well. The Abacos are awesome!

[camaraderie]

Tim...I'd recommend sailing into Elbow Cay's Hopetown harbor and taking a mooring...then dinghy over to the lighthouse and climb it for a great experience...then take the dinghy over to the beach and snorkle out to the reefs or just lay around and explore the small town and buy some Bahama bread at Vernons for a treat.
This will give you some perspective...the harbor is a few hundred yards across:

[peterroach]

I just got back from a month and 1/2 in the Abacos on Jan 15th (brrrrrrrrrrr - did you guys cancel Global Warming while I was gone?). Here are my recommendations (don't do it in this order as they are spread all around):

Manjack (by far the best place for cruiser since they closed Baker's Bay and Royal Island)

After that Hope Town (some call it Elbow Key) Go to Hope Town. Walk around. See everything. It will take you one day.

Great Guana Cay (Nippers) on Sunday they have a pig roast (actually just BBQ). It is the Vegas of the Abacos.

Green Turtle Cay - nice town and lots of cruisers.


The more important question is what do we do while we are there.

Make a conch horn (you can get a lot of shells on No Name Cay on the shore between it and Green Turtle)
Snorkel at Foots Cay or Sandy Cay (national parks)
Fly a kite
Have nightly cocktail parties on your boat - server appitizers
Ask the owners of Manjack if you can have a bon fire and invite cruisers
Announce yourself on the Cruisers net (ch 68 VHF)
Do something nice for one of the natives (it shocks them)
Take pictures of EVERY sun rise and sunset

[nautical62]

I just wanted to add that while many marinas in the Bahamas are affordable, anchoring out in many places in both convenient, easy and cheap. Unlike many places in on the U.S. east coast, you can snorkel on your anchor and land your dingy on the beach or at a public dock.

In Little Harbour, you an pick up a mooring or anchor. Your shallow draft will allow you a a great deal of flexibility, here and points north! Heading north you will easily be able to take the pass between Tilloo/Elbow and Lubbers Quarter. You can anchor near Tahiti Beach or head up to Hope Town. You can easily enter the harbour at anytime, and pick up a mooring or slip. With your draft, you can also anchor right outside (outside Eagle Rock) and dinghy in and have more privacy.

Marsh Harbour also offers marinas and anchoring and has a public dinghy dock. A mooring at Treasure Cay is cheap, protected and includes us of their shower, pool and other facilities. Instead of going around Whale Cay, you can easily go through the Don't Rock passage or just inside Whale Cay which I've done many times on a boat with twice your draft. No Name has a nice beach. Green Turtle has two sounds which you will be able to enter any time both of which have marinas and at least one of which has moorings. You can also anchor off New Plymouth for free and use their dingy dock, located right next to the obvious freight dock. Garbage, restaurants, and grocery stores all with in 3 blocks. You'll be able to tuck way into the northwestern Manjack Anchorage and enjoy the trails there. Powell offers a good, often deserted anchorage in prevailing winds. Spanish Cay has a Marina. Allens-Pensacola is a popular anchorage for those coming and going. If you end up with an extra day, consider stops (anchor) at Moraine, Fish, Carters or Double Breasted Cays.

Some of my Abacos pictures which may give you a better idea are:

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[Tellie]

Originally Posted by GordMay

Gorda Cay (Latitude 26̊ 6' 54" N x Longitude -77̊ 33' 45" W) is indeed owned by The Walt Disney Company, who call it “Castaway Cay”. Stretching 3.1 miles long and 2.2 miles wide, the cay is reserved exclusively for Disney Cruise Line guests, and we cruisers are not welcome (nor permitted).

See the very interesting article: Blackbeard Doesn't Come Here Anymore
Blackbeard Doesn't Come Here Anymore | Outside Online

And: Gorda Cay - Abacos, Bahamas

Thanks for the link Gord. The author reminded me of similar changes when I lived in the Florida Keys as a kid and when I go to them now. So much is gone now that made the Keys the place they really once were. The old pushed out by the new. Gone is Great Grannies pies made with real Key limes and not some cheap imitation that comes from a bottle of concentrate sold to tourists. Where as kids we could walk or ride bikes for miles without tresspassing through gated communities. Where we sold Lobster to tourists for .25 cents each and later worked for free for that "Eccentric nut case" as my father called him, Mel Fisher.
Money and greed, it's a shame.

[Zephyr's Aura]

Thanks for all of the posts! If we get to see even part of you all have suggested it will be a great trip. I wish I was able to spend two months instead of two weeks.

If any of you will be arround the Bahamas or Biscane Bay Feb 21st through Mar 8th look us up. SV Zephyr's Aura