Anchorage· Long Island· Bahamas — Eleuthera, Andros & the Out Islands
Calabash Bay Anchorage
23° 38.9′ N · 75° 20.1′ W
Long Island's showpiece lee anchorage: miles of powder-white beach along Galliot Cay's west shore, gin-clear water over pure sand, and the Cape Santa Maria Beach Resort's bar a short dinghy hop away. The coral heads just off the point are full of fish.
Practical
ActiveCaptain listing: anchor in about 8 ft MLW over white sand with excellent holding; reviewers report 9-10 ft off the resort. Protected from north clockwise through south-east in most wind strengths; a small barrier reef damps the surge in light wind, but above about 12 kt from the north-east quadrant expect roll (several reviewers call it only suitable for catamarans in NE winds). Wide open to the west. Three natural channels cross the reef (see the Calabash North, Middle and South channel passages). Dinghy to the beach at the resort, keeping clear of rental houses; happy hour is 5 pm to 6 pm (2024 report) and cruisers are welcome at the bar. Resort WiFi reaches the anchorage with an extender; BTC data is good. A 2021 reviewer rented a car from the resort for $88 (verify locally). No fuel, water or provisions here.
Best for
Beach, snorkelling and resort sundowners in settled easterlies
Season
Nov–May in E–SE trade winds; leave before a front (open W)
Nearby
- Cape Santa Maria reefs snorkel trips (Calabash Bay)Right here
- Cape Santa Maria Beach (Calabash Bay)0.4 NM away
- Cape Santa Maria Beach Resort0.4 NM away
- Calabash Bay North Anchorage (Hoosie Harbour)0.7 NM away
- Galliot Cay South Anchorage (Calabash Bay South)0.9 NM away
- Sunset Restaurant (Hoosie Harbour)1 NM away
- Grouper Valley (dive)1.2 NM away
- Cape Santa Maria North Anchorage1.3 NM away