A week in the Abacos: Guana Cay, Man-O-War, Hope Town
The Abacos are the northern chain of the Bahamas: a long barrier of cays shuts the shallow Sea of Abaco off from the Atlantic, and inside it you sail short hops over turquoise water two to four metres deep. It is catamaran country, and for crews who can read depth from the colour of the water: the islands are close and there is hardly any sea, but shoals are everywhere, and Hope Town harbour can only be entered on the tide. Hurricane Dorian wrecked Marsh Harbour and the nearby cays in 2019; the marinas and charter bases have been rebuilt since, though parts of the shore are still recovering. A loop of about 50 nm — a week without long passages, with nights on moorings and off beaches.
Day by day
Marsh Harbour
- Marsh Harbour26.549, -77.058
Take over the yacht after 17:00 at one of the Marsh Harbour marinas, ten minutes from the airport. This is the main town of Abaco and the only place on the route with big supermarkets — provision for the whole week. At the briefing, mark the shoals and channels on the chart: on the Sea of Abaco they matter more than the wind.
Marsh Harbour → Great Guana Cay
- Great Guana Cay (Fisher's Bay)26.660, -77.118
Two hours north across the Sea of Abaco to Great Guana Cay, which has seven miles of empty beach on its ocean side. Anchor in Fisher's Bay by the settlement, take the dinghy to the dock and walk across the island to a beach with a reef right off the sand. Sunset is at the bar on the dune above the Atlantic.
Great Guana Cay → Fowl Cay reef → Man-O-War
- Fowl Cay reef26.635, -77.050
- Man-O-War Cay26.594, -77.007
In the morning, the reef at Fowl Cay, a Bahamas National Trust preserve: nothing may be fished or taken here, not even shells. The moorings by the reef are meant for boats up to 25 feet, so the yacht waits at anchor on sand and you reach the coral by dinghy. By evening, Man-O-War harbour, a boatbuilders' settlement where boats are still built and no alcohol is sold; the harbour is moorings only.
Man-O-War → Hope Town
- Hope Town26.538, -76.960
An hour south to Elbow Cay. The entrance to Hope Town harbour is shallow and winding — go in at high or rising water. Anchoring in the harbour is not allowed: moorings are first come, first served, or book a marina berth. Climb the striped 19th-century lighthouse, one of the last in the world still burning kerosene, with a clockwork wound by hand.
Hope Town → Tahiti Beach
- Tahiti Beach26.499, -76.990
- Sea Spray Marina (White Sound)marina26.510, -76.975
A morning in Hope Town — boardwalk lanes, Loyalist cottages and the settlement museum. After lunch, half an hour to the southern tip of Elbow Cay. Tahiti Beach is a sand spit under palms; at low tide the flat opposite almost dries, and you can wade across it knee-deep. A night at anchor off the beach.
Tahiti Beach → Sandy Cay → Lynyard Cay
- Sandy Cay (Pelican Cays park)26.398, -76.995
- Lynyard Cay26.370, -76.990
- Little Harbourmooring buoys26.327, -76.998
South along Tilloo Cay past Tilloo Bank, where starfish show at low water — look, but don't take them. At midday, Sandy Cay in the Pelican Cays Land and Sea Park, one of the best reefs in the Abacos for mask and snorkel, with the yacht waiting at anchor on sand. The night is spent in the lee of Lynyard Cay, the ocean booming beyond the narrow strip of island.
Lynyard Cay → Marsh Harbour
- Marsh Harbour26.549, -77.058
Three hours north across the Sea of Abaco with the trade wind on the bow or the beam. Into Marsh Harbour by midday: fuel and handover. A night aboard in the marina, flight home the next day.
Coordinates are approximate, for the harbour or bay. Paste them into Google Maps or a chartplotter, and check the chart and pilot book before you moor or anchor.
Good to know
- Season: December to May, with the steadiest weather from March to May. In winter, cold fronts come down from the north every few days: the wind veers through west to north and builds to 25–30 knots, so spend front day in a sheltered spot. June to November is hurricane season.
- Depths: the Sea of Abaco is shallow — two to four metres, less in places, with a tidal range of about a metre. Sail by day with the sun behind you and read depth from the colour of the water; time the Hope Town entrance and Tilloo Bank with the tide table. The Whale Cay passage north of Guana Cay goes out into the ocean and is closed by a dangerous breaking swell, the 'rage', when the northerly swell runs; this route does not cross it, and whether you may go there is the fleet's decision.
- Formalities: arriving by air, you go through normal Bahamas immigration, and the base handles the boat's papers; a cruising permit is needed by a yacht arriving in the Bahamas on her own keel from abroad. The Bahamas National Trust parks — Fowl Cay, Pelican Cays, Tilloo Cay — are no-take zones: no fishing, spearfishing or shell collecting, and fishing anywhere in the Bahamas needs a licence.
- Logistics: Marsh Harbour airport (MHH) is 6 km from the marinas, with flights from Nassau and Florida; from Europe you connect. Fuel, water and big shops are in Marsh Harbour; on the outer cays there is less choice and prices are higher. Since Dorian, some restaurants and marinas on the islands keep reduced hours — check current information before you set out.
How to get to the marina
- Boat Harbour Marina and Conch Inn Marina, Marsh Harbour, Abaco
- Marsh Harbour (Leonard M. Thompson) (MHH) — 6 km, 10 min by carTreasure Cay (TCB) — 42 km, 40 min by car
10–15 min · €15–30 per car
A taxi from the rank by the terminal to the Marsh Harbour marinas at a fixed fare; pay cash — the Bahamian dollar is on par with the US dollar.
10–15 min · €60–100 per day
Rental at the airport or in town; driving is on the left. A car is only worth it for touring Great Abaco — the taxi is quicker to the marina.
40–55 min · €80–110 per car
If your flight lands at Treasure Cay, a taxi south along the island highway to Marsh Harbour.
Direct flights to Marsh Harbour come from Nassau and Florida; from Europe the easiest connection is via Miami or Nassau.
Prices are autumn 2026 estimates in euros; times are without traffic. Bus and ferry timetables change with the season, so check them before you travel.
When to go and what it costs in the Caribbean
Median € per berth per week from the agent's latest check, monohulls; each month's page has both boat types, a chart and boats departing that month.
Discounted boats in the Caribbean
All boats in the Caribbean
How long is the Marsh Harbour — Hope Town route and where do you stay overnight?
7 days and about 50 nautical miles in a loop, starting and finishing in Marsh Harbour. Overnight stops in order: Marsh Harbour, Great Guana Cay (Fisher's Bay), Man-O-War Cay, Hope Town, Tahiti Beach, Lynyard Cay. The longest leg is day 7, 14 nm.
How do I get to the marina for the Marsh Harbour — Hope Town route?
The route starts and finishes at Boat Harbour Marina and Conch Inn Marina, Marsh Harbour, Abaco. The nearest airport is Marsh Harbour (Leonard M. Thompson) (MHH), 6 km away. Fastest: taxi, 10–15 min, €15–30 per car.
When is the best time to sail the Marsh Harbour — Hope Town route?
The Caribbean season runs December to April: dry, with a steady 15–20-knot trade wind. The most expensive weeks are Christmas, New Year and February–March. June to November is hurricane season: boats are cheaper, the weather riskier; May is a transition month. The fleet is mostly catamarans, booked 4–8 months ahead. By the agent's latest checks (monohulls), the cheapest month is October: a median of €510 per berth per week. The most expensive is February, at €787. The most boats with 20% off or more are in November: 11%. The agent checks the current month and the next five; each month has its own page with the numbers.
How much does a yacht for this route cost?
A whole boat in the Caribbean for a week starts from €1,790 in the agent's current selection: the cheapest discounted week departing in the next three months. Prices per berth by month are higher up the page; the boats are under “All boats in the Caribbean”.
Do I need a licence to charter a yacht?
For a bareboat charter (no skipper or crew provided), yes: a skipper's licence and, as a rule, a VHF radio certificate. Without a licence, we add a skipper, paid separately from the boat price.
What's included in the boat price?
Just the boat, for a week. Usually paid separately: transit log and final cleaning, fuel, marina fees, the security deposit (or deposit insurance), a skipper, cook and hostess if you need them, and extras (SUP board, on-board Wi-Fi, coffee machine, child safety netting).
