Snorkel· Negril· Other Caribbean
Booby Cay (Negril)
18° 20.3′ N · 78° 21.0′ W · approximate
A small uninhabited cay off the north end of Negril's Seven Mile Beach, named for the boobies that nest on it. Its outer reefs are the classic Negril snorkel, and glass-bottom boats pair it with the nearby Anchor and Cannon reef.
Practical
Coordinate approximate: just west (seaward) of the cay, which OpenStreetMap places at 18.3382N, 078.3476W. Inside the Negril Marine Park (declared March 4, 1998): take nothing, and do not anchor on coral. Anchor in sand in Bloody Bay or off Long Bay and dinghy over, landing on the beach. Virgintino (2015): do not pass between Booby Cay and the shore heading south unless you draw very little (6 ft or less in spots); keep to the outside. Seabirds nest on the cay, so stay off nesting areas. Excursion boats from the Long Bay hotels crowd it by late morning. Go early. Hurricane Melissa (Category 5, landfall October 28, 2025 in Westmoreland) caused severe damage in western Jamaica; confirm that operators are running before you plan around them.
Best for
Reef snorkelling and a beach picnic from the Bloody Bay anchorage
Season
Trade-wind season; untenable in westerlies
Nearby
- Negril Harbour Anchorage (Bloody Bay)0.9 NM away
- Negril Marine Park (Rules)1.8 NM away
- Long Bay (Seven Mile Beach) Negril2.3 NM away
- Negril Town Provisioning2.9 NM away
- Sweet Spice Restaurant (Negril)3.5 NM away
- Rick's Café (Negril cliffs)4.1 NM away
- Negril Lighthouse Day Anchorage4.5 NM away
- Rockhouse Restaurant (Negril West End)4.5 NM away