Landmark· Samana Cay· Bahamas — Eleuthera, Andros & the Out Islands
Samana Cay (Columbus landfall candidate)
23° 5.1′ N · 73° 45.0′ W
A 10-mile, reef-bound, uninhabited cay that National Geographic's Joseph Judge argued in 1986 was Columbus's first landfall of 12 October 1492; archaeologists found ten Lucayan sites here, and ruins of a 20th-century settlement lie near the west end of the south side.
Practical
Position is the island centroid in OpenStreetMap (Wikipedia gives 23°05'N 73°45'W). About 22 miles north-east of Acklins and about 30 miles from West Plana Cay. Explore ashore from the Propeller Cay lagoon; Lucayan sites are protected, so do not dig or collect. Offshore, Marlin magazine rates the pelagic fishing among the best in the Bahamas (blue and white marlin, yellowfin, wahoo, dolphin).
Best for
History and solitude for well-prepared crews
Nearby
- Samana Cay Anchorage (Propeller Cay lagoon)1.2 NM away
- Samana Cay offshore fishing1.5 NM away
- Attwood Harbour Anchorage (Acklins)23.1 NM away
- Hurricane season (Crooked/Acklins)23.1 NM away
- Attwood Harbour beach (Acklins Atlantic shore)23.3 NM away
- Attwood Harbour mangroves (turtles and rays)23.3 NM away
- Chester's Highway Inn bonefish lodge (Chesters)25 NM away
- Chesters settlement (Acklins)25 NM away