Grand Cay, off the beaten path

A slice of old Bahamas is waiting for you in Grand Cay area. If you want to get away from crowds and see a bit of the Bahamas that have not been taken over by the 1%. Take the time to sail to Grand Cay.

Grand Cay is a 48-mile sail from the West End or 15 miles from Great Sale Cay. It is at the northern end of the Abacos. In an area known for fishing and diving and a few of the prettiest anchorages in the Abacos. There is not a lot going on up there, so it is  the perfect place to enjoy nature. Star watching is amazing due to little light pollution.

Getting to Grand Cay anchorages is a bit tricky. If you draw 6ft + you want tide help – Navionics charts seem to be quite accurate around here.

There are a handful of places to anchor around Grand Cay. We have been to Wells Bay twice. It is well-protected from the NE-SSW but open to the west. It is a large anchorage area that offers great holding but is affected by a small current, so you swivel a little. If you draw 6 ft+ you’ll want tide help to get into the bay.

The bay has a horseshoe beach to the East that is a perfect place for a long walk to stretch after a long sail. There is a healthy population of conch in the grass off the beach. It is an ideal place to spend a few hours walking, relaxing, or combing for shells.

Little Grand Cay has a small well-protected anchorage between Little & Big Grand Cay. Rosie’s marina has decent size docks and depth that should accommodate up to 6+ ft draft (with tide help) and coverage for all weather conditions.

Little Grand Cay has customs and immigration, rumor has it that they are some of the nicest C&I workers in Abaco. Rosie’s bar is the hopping place in town (relatively speaking). You can get baked goods from a few homes and basic amenities at a local store. There are also a few hotels and rentals available due to the island hosting fishing tournaments. It is also a good diving area with the North wall of the little Bahama bank being right there.

Big Grand Cay has three large homes/resorts built on it and it is only a matter of time before the area loses its “old Bahama” charm. So, see it while it is still old Bahama funky.