Boating in the Abacos

Boating in the Abacos

The Abacos provide superb recreational cruising grounds. If you tune your VHF radio to Chanel 16, you'll be able to communicate with just about everyone in the area.

In the northern portion of the archipelago, Grand Cay is a laid-back settlement of about 200 people and four times that many Bahamian potcakes (mixed-breed dogs). Most yachters will find the anchorage off the community dock adequate, and the docks at Rosie's Place can take boats up to 80 feet, depending on traffic. Double anchors are advised to handle the harbor's tidal current.

Heading south from Grand Cay, you'll pass a clutch of tiny cays and islets, such as Double Breasted Cays, Roder Rocks, Barracuda Rocks, Miss Romer Cay, Little Sale Cay, and Great Sale Cay. Great Sale Harbour provides excellent shelter. Other small islands in the area are Carter Cay, Moraine Cay, Umbrella Cay, Guineaman Cay, Pensacola and Allen's cays (which are now virtually one island since a hurricane filled in the gap between them), and the Hawksbill Cays. Most offer varying degrees of lee anchorage. Fox Town, due south of Hawksbill Cay on Little Abaco's western tip, is the first refueling stop for powerboats traveling east from West End.

A narrow causeway joins Little Abaco to Great Abaco, where the largest community at the north end is Coopers Town. Stock up here on provisions. You'll also find a coin laundry, a telephone station, a few restaurants, bakeries, and a resident doctor here. Just northeast of Coopers Town is the private island 81-slip marina at Spanish Cay.

Cruising south, you'll pass Powell Cay, Nun Jack Cay, and Crab Cay on the way to Green Turtle Cay, which has excellent yachting facilities at White Sound to the north and Black Sound to the south. The Green Turtle Club dominates White Sound's northern end, whereas Bluff House, halfway up the sound, has docks on the inside and a dinghy dock below the club on the Sea of Abaco side.

South of New Plymouth on Great Abaco's mainland is the Treasure Cay Hotel Resort & Marina, with one of the area's longest and finest beaches. Complete facilities for boaters are available here; you can also stop over to play a round of golf.

Straight back out in the Sea of Abaco is Great Guana Cay and its famous 7-mi strip of pristine beaches. Just south is a New England-style charmer: Man-O-War Cay, a boatbuilding settlement with more deserted beaches and the 28-slip Man-O-War Marina.

Continuing south, the Bahamas' most photographed lighthouse sits atop Elbow Cay, signaling the harbor opening to Hope Town, an idyllic small resort community.

Back on Great Abaco, you'll find the Abacos' most populous settlement at Marsh Harbour, which has plenty of facilities for boaters. These include the modern 190-slip Boat Harbour Marina, a full-service operation on the island's east side. The other side of town has additional marinas, including the 80-slip Conch Inn Marina, Marsh Harbour Marina and its 68 slips, and a couple of smaller facilities.