Anchorage· Turneffe Atoll· Other Caribbean
Mauger Caye Anchorage (Turneffe North)
17° 36.3′ N · 87° 46.7′ W · approximate
A settled-weather day stop in the lee of Mauger Caye, the tiny lighthouse caye on Turneffe's northern tip and the first landfall for boats coming across from Ambergris or Caye Caulker; the surrounding reef is a popular dive area.
Practical
Position approximate: placed about 300 m west-southwest of Mauger Caye's OpenStreetMap outline (the caye is only about 800 m long, 17.604-17.607 N, 87.767-87.775 W). No cruising-guide depth, holding or approach data was found online, so treat it as a lunch or snorkel stop and anchor on sand by eye, not overnight. The light is Fl(2) W 10s on a 19 m white metal skeletal tower, range 13 nm, run by the Belize Port Authority (Wikipedia) - but many Belize lights are reported out, so never rely on it for a night arrival. The caye sits inside the Maugre Caye Conservation Zone (2012) and the Maugre Caye Nassau grouper spawning protection area (2003), both Fisheries Department zones (OpenStreetMap): no fishing there. Turneffe Atoll Marine Reserve rules apply; licensed guide required for scuba. Exposed to the north and east: leave in any norther or strong trades.
Best for
Landfall stop and reef snorkel at the north tip of Turneffe
Season
Calm settled weather only
Nearby
- Mauger Caye Light (Turneffe North)0.4 NM away
- Rendezvous Point Anchorage (Turneffe North)4.3 NM away
- Belize Flats Fishing (bonefish, permit, tarpon)10.7 NM away
- Turneffe Atoll Marine Reserve12.5 NM away
- Shark Ray Alley (Caye Caulker Marine Reserve)15.2 NM away
- Coral Gardens (Caye Caulker Marine Reserve)15.5 NM away
- Caye Caulker Marine Reserve15.6 NM away
- Caye Caulker Water Taxis (to San Pedro & Belize City)16.3 NM away