Exumas North: Land and Sea Park

DAY 1 · Highbourne Cay Marina

Photo: Vincent Poirier · CC BY-SA 3.0

Arrive 1:00 pm · leave 3:00 pm

The Guide starts here, the first sheltered harbour in the Exumas and the last real fuel and grocery stop before the park. Most charters come from Nassau, about 35 nautical miles away, and the crossing over the open Yellow Bank is a full day, so arrive in the afternoon and plan to leave early the next morning. Top up water and provisions before you go, as nothing is sold inside the park.

• 1:30 pmWalk to East BeachA short walk across the island to see the stromatolites in the shallows.

2.5 NM · about 25 mto Allan's Cay Anchorage (inside the lagoon)

Allan's Cay Anchorage (inside the lagoon)

Photo: Kazuha1029 · CC BY 4.0

Arrive 3:30 pm

A short hop north to a small, clear lagoon ringed by three cays, famous for its wild rock iguanas. Shelter is excellent, but the tide runs hard through the lagoon and boats swing in every direction, so use two anchors if the crew is comfortable with it. It fills up by mid-afternoon in season, so arrive early.

• 4:30 pmMeet the iguanasDinghy to the beach and keep a respectful distance from the animals.

10.5 NM · about 1 h 45 mto Norman's Cay - Sunken Airplane Anchorage

DAY 2 · Norman's Cay - Sunken Airplane Anchorage

Photo: Uli Elch · CC BY-SA 4.0

Arrive 11:00 am · leave 10:00 am

An easy morning run south to a wide turquoise anchorage with a sunken 1980s cargo plane a couple of minutes away by dinghy. Holding is good, but be sure you are not anchored in the channel that runs alongside. Snorkel the wreck at slack or on a rising tide, because the current through the channel is strong.

• 12:00 pmSnorkel the plane wreckVisit at slack water and stay clear of the sharp metal.
• 1:30 pmLunch at the beachThe beach bar is a short dinghy ride away.

4.5 NM · about 45 mto Shroud Cay Mooring Field

DAY 3 · Shroud Cay Mooring Field

Photo: cogdogblog · CC0

Arrive 11:00 am · leave 9:00 am

The first stop inside the Exuma Cays Land and Sea Park, with a row of park moorings off a lagoon and a maze of mangrove creeks behind it. Moorings are first come, first served, and the field is open to the west, so it is uncomfortable in a westerly or a norther. Pay the park fee through the park's online system or at the drop box.

• 1:00 pmDinghy up the creekGo on a rising tide at idle speed to reach the beach on the Sound side.

14 NM · about 2 h 20 mto Warderick Wells North Mooring Field

DAY 4 · Warderick Wells North Mooring Field

Photo: cogdogblog · CC0

Arrive 11:00 am

The park headquarters and its best-protected mooring field, set in a narrow channel with the park office and a sperm whale skeleton ashore. The channel is shallow, about 6 to 7 feet at low water, so enter on a rising tide. Anchoring is not allowed here, and park staff assign moorings by VHF during office hours, so call Exuma Park on the way in.

• 3:00 pmWalk to the whale skeletonVisit the park office and the skeleton ashore.

0.5 NM · about 5 mto Warderick Wells Coral Gardens & Park Snorkel Sites

Warderick Wells Coral Gardens & Park Snorkel Sites

AI image

Arrive 1:00 pm · leave 10:00 am

Decades of no-take protection mean healthy coral heads, large parrotfish and grouper that stay put. Ask at the park office for the snorkelling handout showing the best heads, which are mostly 8 to 20 feet deep and a dinghy ride away. Fly a dive flag, anchor the dinghy in sand only, and touch nothing.

11 NM · about 1 h 50 mto Hawksbill Cay North Anchorage & Moorings

DAY 5 · Hawksbill Cay North Anchorage & Moorings

Photo: James St. John · CC BY 2.0

Arrive 12:00 pm · leave 9:30 am

A short run back north to a long, empty beach with a few park moorings and clean sand to anchor in. It is often the quietest good anchorage in the park and has no services of any kind. It is open to the west, so move on if a norther is forecast.

• 3:00 pmWalk the ruins trailA hike to the remains of a Loyalist settlement.

16 NM · about 2 h 40 mto Highbourne Cay Marina

DAY 6 · Highbourne Cay Marina

Photo: Vincent Poirier · CC BY-SA 3.0

Arrive 1:00 pm

The longest leg of the week, about 16 nautical miles north along the bank, ends back at the marina. Refuel, take on water and book your berth ahead, as slips fill in season. Good snorkelling is a short dinghy ride away if you arrive with time to spare.

• 3:00 pmSnorkel Octopus Garden ReefShallow coral heads, 6 to 8 feet deep, near the marina.