Eleuthera

Bahamas — Eleuthera, Andros & the Out Islands

Bahamas

Everything in the central and southern Bahamas outside the Exuma Cays and George Town: Eleuthera (with Spanish Wells and Harbour Island), Andros, Cat Island, Long Island, the 'Far Out Islands' (Conception, Rum Cay, San Salvador), Crooked Island and Acklins with Long Cay, Samana and the Plana Cays, Mayaguana, Great and Little Inagua with Hogsty Reef, and the Jumentos Cays and Ragged Island chain. Eleuthera, about 110 miles long and in places a mile wide, has a well-protected shallow 'Bight' on its west side with Spanish Wells, Hatchet Bay, Governor's Harbour and Rock Sound, and a wild Atlantic east coast. Andros is the largest Bahamian island, ringed on the east by a barrier reef that drops into the Tongue of the Ocean and riddled with blue holes; it is the bonefishing capital of the world. South and east of George Town, the islands get thinner on services and thicker on solitude: Cat Island's Hermitage and fish fries, Long Island's Thompson Bay cruiser community and Dean's Blue Hole, Conception Island's national park, Columbus's landfall at San Salvador, and the remote, east-protected anchorages of the Jumentos and Raggeds. Nearly every anchorage here is on a west-facing (lee) shore, so the rhythm of cruising is set by winter cold fronts that clock the wind through south, west and north. George Town (Elizabeth Harbour) is the usual hub for the southern half; Nassau and Spanish Wells for the north.

Top of the list

1. 1Conception Island West Bay AnchorageAn uninhabited national park island with white-sand bays, nesting seabirds and turtles in the creek; widely rated the best anchorage in the southern Bahamas in settled easterlies.
2. 2Conception Island Creek (dinghy tour)A high-tide dinghy drift through a mangrove creek full of green turtles, nurse sharks and egrets (4-knot limit inside the creek).
3. 3Pink Sands Beach (Harbour Island)Three miles of pink-tinged Atlantic sand on Harbour Island, a short walk from the Dunmore Town docks.
4. 4Spanish Wells Town (St. George's Cay)The working lobster-fleet town of north Eleuthera: fuel, boatyards, chandleries and groceries, and the base for the Devil's Backbone run to Harbour Island.
5. 5Glass Window BridgeThe roughly 30-ft-wide neck of Eleuthera where the deep-blue Atlantic meets the green Bight; the island's signature viewpoint.
6. 6Current Cut drift dive/snorkelThe tide-swept gap between Eleuthera and Current Island; time it at slack and it is the shortcut onto the Eleuthera banks, or a thrilling drift snorkel.
7. 7Hatchet Bay HarbourA man-made cut into a near-landlocked pond with all-round protection; the best foul-weather refuge on Eleuthera's bank side.
8. 8Rock Sound Ocean HoleAn inland blue hole a short walk from Rock Sound's well-protected anchorage and its supermarket.
9. 9Cape Eleuthera Resort & MarinaThe jumping-off marina for the Exuma Sound crossing to the Exuma Cays, with fuel and a port of entry by arrangement.
10. 10The Hermitage (Mount Alvernia)Father Jerome's miniature stone monastery on the highest point in the Bahamas, a short hike from the New Bight anchorage.
11. 11Fernandez Bay Anchorage (Cat Island)A crescent of sand with good holding, an honor bar ashore and mangrove trails, a favourite Cat Island stop in east winds.
12. 12Hawk's Nest Resort & MarinaCat Island's only marina, tucked into a creek at the southwest tip, used to wait out fronts.
13. 13Thompson Bay Anchorage (Long Island)The cruiser hub of Long Island at Salt Pond: large, well-protected, with groceries, a chandlery and a cruisers' net.
14. 14Dean's Blue HoleOne of the world's deepest known blue holes, beside a beach west of Clarence Town; home of the Vertical Blue freediving event.
15. 15Clarence Town Harbour AnchorageThe only port on Long Island's Atlantic side, with Flying Fish Marina, customs, and Father Jerome's twin-spired churches.
16. 16Columbus Landfall Monument (Long Bay, San Salvador)San Salvador is the probable site of Columbus's first landfall on October 12, 1492.
17. 17Port Nelson Anchorage (Rum Cay)A reef-strewn approach to a sleepy settlement on one of the least-visited islands, with the HMS Conqueror wreck nearby.
18. 18Bird Rock LighthouseAn abandoned 19th-century lighthouse off Crooked Island's north tip, a landmark for the Crooked Island Passage.
19. 19French Wells AnchorageA well-protected anchorage at the mangrove-lined entrance between Crooked Island and Long Cay, with snorkeling and birding.
20. 20Inagua National Park (flamingos)Home to the largest breeding colony of West Indian flamingos in the world (BNT: about 70,000 birds).
21. 21Hogsty Reef AnchorageA remote atoll-like reef between Acklins and Inagua; spectacular in settled weather, no shelter in anything else.
22. 22Flamingo Cay Two Palms AnchorageA Jumentos anchorage with clean beaches, strong holding and a dinghy-accessible sea cave.
23. 23Buenavista Cay AnchorageA mile-long west-side beach in the heart of the Jumentos with excellent views and snorkeling.
24. 24Hog Cay Yacht Club (Raggeds)An informal cruiser-built beach bar that is the social centre of the Ragged Island chain.
25. 25North Andros Barrier ReefA barrier reef about 140 miles long on Andros's east side, dropping into the 6,000-ft Tongue of the Ocean.
26. 26Captain Bill's Blue Hole (Blue Holes National Park)Andros has the world's largest collection of blue holes; this park protects the most visited of them.

When to go

The main cruising season is roughly December to May, when the easterly trades blow and most cruisers migrate between Eleuthera, the Exumas, Long Island and the southern islands. Winter (December–March) brings regular cold fronts every few days to a week, with strong winds clocking from south through west to north; most anchorages in this area are open to the west, so plan to move to a front-proof spot (Hatchet Bay, Rock Sound, Hawk's Nest creek, Thompson Bay, Clarence Town or a marina) before each front. Spring (April–June) has lighter winds and the best weather for the remote Jumentos, Raggeds, Crooked/Acklins and Inagua. Summer is hot and calm with afternoon squalls, biting insects (Andros, Inagua) and hurricane risk.

Weather and hazards

Cold fronts: in winter, west-facing anchorages (Cat Island's west coast, Calabash Bay, the Jumentos, Landrail Point, Matthew Town) become untenable as wind clocks west and north; noforeignland reviews repeatedly flag these as rolly or exposed. Atlantic coasts of Eleuthera, Cat, Long Island and the Far Out Islands are steep, rocky and exposed; only Clarence Town and Little Harbour on Long Island offer east-side shelter, and Harbour Island's entrances need care (shifting sand and the Devil's Backbone reef). Tidal cuts: Current Cut runs at 4+ knots at times and Fresh Creek's entrance rips on the ebb (around 3 knots inside). 'Rage' in the cuts and reef passes when swell opposes the tide. Coral heads: reading water in good overhead light is essential at Rum Cay (Port Nelson), Abraham's Bay (Mayaguana), Crooked Island Marina's approach and in the Jumentos, where guides warn charts are less accurate. Restricted areas: the U.S. Navy AUTEC range off Fresh Creek, Andros is off limits. Wildlife: bull sharks are frequent in the Jumentos, especially around spearfishing; horse flies, no-see-ums and mosquitoes on Andros and Inagua in warm months. Remote services: from Long Island south there is little or no fuel, water, chandlery or medical care; be self-sufficient, and expect intermittent cell coverage south of Long Island. After Hurricane Melissa (2025), recent reviews note damage affecting dinghy access at Thompson Bay; check current reports.

Hurricane season

Atlantic hurricane season runs June 1 to November 30, peaking around September 10 with most activity mid-August to mid-October (NOAA NHC). The southern Bahamas lie on a common hurricane track (Irma devastated Ragged Island in 2017; Melissa in 2025 caused damage in the southern islands). Few true hurricane holes exist in this area; Hatchet Bay (Eleuthera) and Hawk's Nest creek (Cat Island) are cited by cruisers as storm refuges but are not substitutes for leaving the hurricane belt or a professional haul-out. Most insurers require boats to be north of a specified latitude or hauled for the season; check your policy.

Entry and clearance

All arriving foreign yachts must clear at a designated Port of Entry with the Q flag up; only the captain goes ashore until cleared. Since 2021 the cruising permit is applied for and paid online through the Bahamas Customs Click2Clear portal (Cruising Permit module: Pleasure Vessel → Pleasure Craft → Create Inbound), then stamped and signed in person by a Customs officer at the port. Customs ports of entry in this area listed by Bahamas Customs include: Harbour Island (public dock, Harbour Island Marina, Romora Bay, Valentines), Spanish Wells (public dock, Yacht Haven), North Eleuthera (airport, Three Island Dock), Governor's Harbour (airport, public dock, French Leave), Rock Sound (airport; Cape Eleuthera restricted/by arrangement), Andros (Fresh Creek airport and public dock, San Andros airport and public dock at Morgan's Bluff, Congo Town airport), Cat Island (New Bight and Smith's Bay airports, Smith's Bay, Bennett's Harbour and Arthur's Town public docks), Long Island (Stella Maris airport, public dock and marina, Simms and Salt Pond public docks, Clarence Town public dock, Deadman's Cay airport), San Salvador (airport, public dock, Riding Rock Marina), Crooked Island (Colonel Hill airport and public dock) and Inagua (airport and public dock, Matthew Town). Mayaguana's Abraham's Bay is described by Noonsite and Waterway Guide as a port of entry, but officials commute from Inagua and a February 2023 report said clearance there was not possible; confirm before relying on it. Customs offices typically keep 9:00 am to 5:00 pm hours. Outbound clearance ($75) is only needed if the next country requires clearance papers.

Permits and fees

Bahamas Customs fees (as published on bahamascustoms.gov.bs, fee schedule effective July 1, 2025; USD/BSD at par): 30-day temporary cruising permit $150 (≤30 ft), $250 (30–50 ft), $350 (50–100 ft), $600 (>100 ft), no free re-entry; 6-month permit $300 (≤50 ft), $750 (50–100 ft), $2,000 (>100 ft), one free re-entry; 12-month permit $500 (≤50 ft), $1,000 (50–100 ft), $3,000 (>100 ft), two free re-entries. Fees include Customs and Immigration attendance and transport. Anchorage fee for foreign vessels that anchor rather than use marinas, paid once per permit: 30-day $50/$100/$200, 6-month $150/$350/$1,000, 12-month $200/$350/$1,500 (≤50 / 50–100 / >100 ft). Fishing permit $100 (<50 ft) or $300 (>50 ft), valid 30 days only and not included in the cruising permit. Passenger arrival tax $20 per person when the vessel carries more than three non-resident crew/passengers aged six or older. A 2-year Frequent Digital Cruising Card (FDCC) is also offered. Foreign-owned vessels 50 ft and over must keep AIS on in Bahamian waters (Noonsite, 2025). Park fees: Conception Island, Inagua and Andros parks are managed by the Bahamas National Trust; the whole Bahamas has a closed crawfish (lobster) season (verify current dates and bag limits with the Department of Marine Resources).

Tides and currents

Semi-diurnal tides with a range of roughly 2.5–3.5 ft across the Bahamas; most cruising guides reference predictions for Nassau with time and height corrections for other locations. Tidal streams are strongest in narrow cuts: Current Cut (Eleuthera) runs at 4+ knots at times and must be taken near slack; Fresh Creek (Andros) ebbs near 3 knots; Conception Island's creek and the Duncan Town trench are tide-dependent for dinghies. On the banks, many approaches (Stella Maris, Dollar Harbour, Abraham's Bay dinghy dock, Fresh Creek government dock) are best on a rising tide. Offshore, the Antilles Current sets generally northwest along the outer islands and through the Crooked Island and Mayaguana passages.

Money

Bahamian dollar (BSD), pegged 1:1 to the US dollar; US dollars are accepted everywhere. Cards work at marinas and larger stores in Eleuthera, Long Island and Andros Town; carry cash for the southern islands, fish fries, mailboat freight and small settlements, where ATMs are few or absent.

Radio and phones

VHF 16 for hailing and safety; marinas and many businesses answer on VHF 16 (some switch to working channels). Local cruisers' nets run in season, notably the Long Island (Thompson Bay/Salt Pond) cruisers' net; check locally for the current channel and time. Cell service (BTC and Aliv) is good around Eleuthera, Andros Town and Long Island settlements but intermittent or absent across Conception, the Jumentos, Crooked/Acklins and parts of Mayaguana and Inagua; satellite messaging or Starlink is recommended for weather south of Long Island.

Charter bases

• No major bareboat bases in this areaBareboat fleets operate from Nassau (New Providence) and the Abacos; Exuma bases are in George Town/Emerald Bay. Charterers usually reach Eleuthera from Nassau across the Northeast Providence Channel or from the Exumas across Exuma Sound.

Getting there

• Lynden Pindling International Airport, Nassau — NASMain international gateway; domestic connections to every island below.
• Exuma International Airport, Moss Town — GGTGateway for George Town, the usual hub for Long Island, Conception and the Jumentos.
• North Eleuthera Airport — ELHFor Spanish Wells and Harbour Island (water taxis from Three Island Dock).
• Governor's Harbour Airport — GHBCentral Eleuthera; also a Customs port of entry.
• Rock Sound International Airport — RSDSouth Eleuthera, near Rock Sound and Cape Eleuthera.
• San Andros Airport — SAQNorth Andros, near Nicholls Town and Morgan's Bluff.
• Andros Town Airport (Fresh Creek) — ASDCentral Andros, Fresh Creek.
• Clarence A. Bain Airport, Mangrove Cay — MAYMangrove Cay, Andros.
• South Andros Airport (Congo Town) — TZNSouth Andros.
• Arthur's Town Airport — ATCNorth Cat Island.
• New Bight Airport — TBICentral Cat Island near the New Bight anchorage.
• Stella Maris Airport — SMLNorth Long Island.
• Deadman's Cay Airport — LGICentral Long Island.
• San Salvador Airport (Cockburn Town) — ZSASan Salvador.
• Port Nelson Airport — RCYRum Cay.
• Colonel Hill Airport — CRICrooked Island.
• Spring Point Airport — AXPAcklins.
• Mayaguana Airport — MYGMayaguana.
• Inagua Airport (Matthew Town) — IGAGreat Inagua.
• Duncan Town Airport — DCTRagged Island.

Charts and guides

• Explorer Chartbooks: Near Bahamas, Exumas & Ragged Islands, and Far Bahamas (Monty and Sara Lewis) — the standard surveyed chartbooks for this area
• Waterway Guide: Bahamas edition
• Stephen J. Pavlidis, 'The Southern Bahamas' and 'The Exuma Guide' cruising guides (Seaworthy Publications)
• Navionics / Garmin electronic charts (verify against Explorer Chartbook and satellite imagery on the banks)
• noforeignland Bahamas area guides (community-rated anchorages, marinas and clearance offices)
• Noonsite Bahamas (formalities, fees, ports of entry)
• Bahamas Customs Click2Clear portal and fee schedule
• Bahamas National Trust park pages (Conception Island, Inagua, Andros, San Salvador parks)

Sample routes

• 7 days: Eleuthera end to end (Spanish Wells to Cape Eleuthera)Day 1 · Spanish Wells Town (St. George's Cay) → Harbour Island Anchorage (off Dunmore Town) · 9 nmDevil's Backbone with a local pilot; Pink Sands Beach. Distances approximate.Day 2 · Harbour Island Anchorage (off Dunmore Town) → Royal Island Harbour Anchorage · 14 nmBack around via Spanish Wells; landlocked harbour.Day 3 · Royal Island Harbour Anchorage → Current Settlement and Current Island Anchorage · 8 nmTransit Current Cut at slack; drift snorkel.Day 4 · Current Settlement and Current Island Anchorage → Hatchet Bay Harbour · 18 nmGlass Window Bridge by road from Gregory Town; Hatchet Bay Cave.Day 5 · Hatchet Bay Harbour → Governor's Harbour Anchorage · 16 nmFriday fish fry, Cupid's Cay, Atlantic beach walk.Day 6 · Governor's Harbour Anchorage → Rock Sound North Anchorage · 25 nmOcean Hole, provisioning at the supermarket.Day 7 · Rock Sound North Anchorage → Cape Eleuthera Resort & Marina · 15 nmFuel up for the Exuma Sound crossing; Lighthouse Beach by road.
• 10 days: George Town loop to Conception, Rum Cay, San Salvador and Cat IslandDay 1 · George Town (Elizabeth Harbour) → Calabash Bay Anchorage · 30 nmExuma Sound to Cape Santa Maria; Columbus Monument. Distances approximate.Day 2 · Calabash Bay Anchorage → Conception Island West Bay Anchorage · 16 nmNational park arrival; beach walk.Day 3 · Conception Island West Bay Anchorage → Conception Island West Bay Anchorage · 0 nmHigh-tide dinghy tour of the creek; turtles; reef snorkel.Day 4 · Conception Island West Bay Anchorage → Port Nelson Anchorage (Rum Cay) · 20 nmGood light for the reef approach; HMS Conqueror wreck.Day 5 · Port Nelson Anchorage (Rum Cay) → Cockburn Town Anchorage (San Salvador) · 35 nmClear or visit Riding Rock; Columbus landfall.Day 6 · Cockburn Town Anchorage (San Salvador) → Cockburn Town Anchorage (San Salvador) · 0 nmWall dive; Dixon Hill Lighthouse; Long Bay monument.Day 7 · Cockburn Town Anchorage (San Salvador) → Hawk's Nest Resort & Marina · 55 nmLong open-water leg to Cat Island's south tip.Day 8 · Hawk's Nest Resort & Marina → New Bight Anchorage · 15 nmHike to The Hermitage; New Bight fish fry.Day 9 · New Bight Anchorage → Fernandez Bay Anchorage (Cat Island) · 3 nmHonor bar, mangrove trails.Day 10 · Fernandez Bay Anchorage (Cat Island) → George Town (Elizabeth Harbour) · 55 nmReturn across Exuma Sound, or continue north to Little San Salvador and Eleuthera.
• 14 days: Long Island and the Jumentos & RaggedsDay 1 · George Town (Elizabeth Harbour) → Thompson Bay Anchorage (Long Island) · 38 nmBanks route to Salt Pond; cruisers' net. Distances approximate.Day 2 · Thompson Bay Anchorage (Long Island) → Thompson Bay Anchorage (Long Island) · 0 nmRent a car: Dean's Blue Hole, Hamilton's Cave, Clarence Town churches.Day 3 · Thompson Bay Anchorage (Long Island) → Fisherman's Bay Anchorage (Great Water Cay) · 40 nmAcross the banks to the Jumentos via the Thompson Bay to Water Cay route; first Jumentos anchorage, no cell service.Day 4 · Fisherman's Bay Anchorage (Great Water Cay) → Fisherman's Bay Anchorage (Great Water Cay) · 0 nmExplore the Water Cay blue holes and beaches by dinghy.Day 5 · Fisherman's Bay Anchorage (Great Water Cay) → Flamingo Cay Two Palms Anchorage · 12 nmDinghy into the sea cave; trails.Day 6 · Flamingo Cay Two Palms Anchorage → Buenavista Cay Anchorage · 28 nmMile-long beach, lobster grounds near Rick's Cay.Day 7 · Buenavista Cay Anchorage → Double Breasted Cay Anchorage · 15 nmCave, trails, kite flats.Day 8 · Double Breasted Cay Anchorage → Hog Cay Anchorage (Raggeds) · 10 nmHog Cay Yacht Club sundowners.Day 9 · Hog Cay Anchorage (Raggeds) → Hog Cay Anchorage (Raggeds) · 0 nmDinghy up the trench to Duncan Town (tide-dependent).Day 10 · Hog Cay Anchorage (Raggeds) → Raccoon Cay House Bay Anchorage · 12 nmSheltered from easterlies; family beach.Day 11 · Raccoon Cay House Bay Anchorage → Johnson Cay Anchorage · 6 nmSnorkel and spearfish (beware bull sharks).Day 12 · Johnson Cay Anchorage → Flamingo Cay North Bight Anchorage · 34 nmNorthbound; good in southerlies before a front.Day 13 · Flamingo Cay North Bight Anchorage → Fisherman's Bay Anchorage (Great Water Cay) · 12 nmStage for the run back to the Exumas.Day 14 · Fisherman's Bay Anchorage (Great Water Cay) → George Town (Elizabeth Harbour) · 50 nmAcross the bank to Hog Cay Cut and up Exuma Sound to George Town.
• 14 days: The Thorny Path south (Long Island to Inagua)Day 1 · Thompson Bay Anchorage (Long Island) → Clarence Town Harbour Anchorage · 55 nmRound Cape Santa Maria; Flying Fish Marina. Distances approximate.Day 2 · Clarence Town Harbour Anchorage → Clarence Town Harbour Anchorage · 0 nmDean's Blue Hole; wait for a weather window.Day 3 · Clarence Town Harbour Anchorage → Landrail Point Anchorage · 45 nmAcross the Crooked Island Passage; Bird Rock Lighthouse.Day 4 · Landrail Point Anchorage → French Wells Anchorage · 10 nmMangrove creek by dinghy; birding.Day 5 · French Wells Anchorage → Long Cay (Fortune Island) East Anchorage · 8 nmAlbert Town ruins.Day 6 · Long Cay (Fortune Island) East Anchorage → Castle Island Anchorage · 30 nmLighthouse; wreck snorkel.Day 7 · Castle Island Anchorage → Hogsty Reef Anchorage · 40 nmOnly in settled weather; wrecks and pristine reef.Day 8 · Hogsty Reef Anchorage → Man of War Bay North Anchorage (Great Inagua) · 40 nmProtected from easterlies.Day 9 · Man of War Bay North Anchorage (Great Inagua) → Matthew Town Anchorage · 9 nmCustoms; provisions; lighthouse climb.Day 10 · Matthew Town Anchorage → Matthew Town Anchorage · 0 nmInagua National Park flamingo tour with the warden; Morton Salt.Day 11 · Matthew Town Anchorage → Little Inagua South-West Anchorage · 48 nmUninhabited national park island.Day 12 · Little Inagua South-West Anchorage → Abraham's Bay Reef Anchorage West (Low Point Pass) · 55 nmReef entrance in good light.Day 13 · Abraham's Bay Reef Anchorage West (Low Point Pass) → Abraham's Bay Reef Anchorage West (Low Point Pass) · 0 nmSettlement visit by dinghy at high tide.Day 14 · Abraham's Bay Reef Anchorage West (Low Point Pass) → Providenciales (Turks & Caicos) · 50 nmAcross the Caicos Passage, or return north via the Plana Cays.