Anchorage· Utila· Other Caribbean
Water Cay Day Anchorage (Utila Cays)
16° 3.5′ N · 86° 58.7′ W · approximate
The palm-and-pine sand cay at the outer edge of the Utila Cays is the classic day stop. Come by dinghy from the cays anchorage, or bring the boat in settled weather for a swim and a snorkel off the windward reef.
Practical
Approximate coordinate: placed in the narrow water between Water Cay and Morgan's Cay using their OpenStreetMap outlines. We found no published yacht soundings or anchoring directions for Water Cay. Visitors normally arrive by water taxi and run onto the beach. A travel writer swam this gap to Morgan's Cay and found it murky. Safer plan: anchor at the Utila Cays Anchorage, about 1 mile away, and come by dinghy; if you bring the boat, use good overhead light, eyeball sand, and never drop on coral or seagrass. Entry fee L60 per person, paid to the caretaker (Utila Guide; a 2012 visit paid L25). Simple toilets, often with no fresh water. No food or shops, so bring water and pack out all rubbish. Camping is allowed. The cay gets busy at weekends with up to six tour departures, and it hosts the Sun Jam festival in early August. Diamond Cay, Bell, Southeast and Southwest Cays are privately owned and closed to day visitors.
Best for
Beach-and-snorkel day stop by dinghy from the cays anchorage
Season
Calm, settled days only; quietest on weekdays
Nearby
- Water Cay (Utila Cays)0.1 NM away
- Utila Cays (Pigeon & Jewel Cay)0.6 NM away
- Cay View Restaurant (Jewel/Pigeon Cay, Utila)0.7 NM away
- Utila Cays Anchorage (Pigeon/Suc-Suc Cay, west Utila)1 NM away
- Raggedy Cay (Utila west end)2.1 NM away
- Neptune's Dock Snorkel (Coral Beach Village, Utila)3.1 NM away
- Turtle Harbour Wildlife Refuge (Utila north side)3.6 NM away
- Utila Lagoon & Mangrove Canal3.9 NM away