Anchorage· Cat Island· Bahamas — Eleuthera, Andros & the Out Islands
Orange Creek Anchorage
24° 38.5′ N · 75° 42.9′ W
A roadstead off the small Orange Creek settlement near Cat Island's north tip, with a long empty beach, a shallow creek full of rays, and the best-stocked grocery at the north end of the island.
Practical
Holding is good in sand, but the sand is thin close to shore where the creek current scours it; one cruiser had better holding about 1/4 nm west of the Explorer Chart anchor mark in 11 ft. Coral heads are scattered but easy to see in good light. Protected from E and N. Reviews are split: fine in 10-12 kt E, but rolly in SE or S swell, and one 2018 report called it untenable in 10-15 kt E with 3-4 ft rollers. Bennett's Harbour, about 6 nm south, is the usual fallback. The creek entrance is very shallow at low tide; land the dinghy on the small beach about 150 yards south of the store or at the sea-wall steps in front of the Orange Creek Inn. Explore the creek on a rising tide to see rays.
Best for
Provisioning stop and creek exploring in light east or north-east winds
Season
Nov–May; avoid in SE swell and any westerly
Nearby
- Orange Creek BeachRight here
- Orange Creek Community Clinic0.5 NM away
- Orange Creek grocery (Orange Creek Inn)0.5 NM away
- Orange Creek Point reefs1.3 NM away
- Port Royal Beach Anchorage (Tail Winds Bay)1.5 NM away
- Shannas Cove Resort restaurant1.9 NM away
- Arthur's Town Airport (ATC)2.4 NM away
- Arthur's Town Anchorage2.4 NM away