Mangrove Cay: Bonefish Flats and Wild Cruising Through the Bights of Andros

Mangrove Cay sits between the Middle and South Bights of Andros, surrounded by an immense landscape of turquoise flats, tidal creeks, mangrove forests and virtually untouched coastline. Quiet even by Andros standards, this isolated island offers a yacht charter experience built around nature rather than resorts, with small settlements, empty beaches and some of the most celebrated bonefishing waters in The Bahamas. Moxey Town, also known locally as Little Harbour, is the cay's principal settlement.

The surrounding bights are central to the appeal of a Mangrove Cay yacht charter. The North, Middle and South Bights cut across Andros from east to west, creating enormous shallow waterways that can range from approximately five to 25 miles across. Mangrove Cay's position between two of them gives guests exceptional access to bonefish flats, mangrove channels and remote western waters that are best explored by tender or shallow-draft skiff.

Fishing is the area's signature activity, but Mangrove Cay offers far more than bonefish. Charter guests can kayak through creeks, snorkel and dive along the Andros Barrier Reef, visit inland blue holes or spend an afternoon on a beach with almost nobody else in sight. Swain's Cay Lodge, for example, sits directly beside a bonefish flat and arranges reef fishing, diving and excursions into both the Middle and South Bights.

Navigating Mangrove Cay requires a different approach from cruising the deeper harbours of Nassau or Grand Bahama. Much of the surrounding water consists of shallow flats and tidal channels, while the Middle and South Bights funnel large volumes of water through Andros. Captains should expect strong tidal flow, rapidly changing depths and extensive areas better suited to tenders than deeper-draft yachts. Good daylight, current charts and careful visual navigation are particularly important.

The South Bight provides one of the most practical eastern approaches and runs relatively directly inland from the Tongue of the Ocean. Lisbon Creek, on the southeastern side of Mangrove Cay, serves as the island's commercial port and provides shore access. Yachts approaching deeper into the bights should carefully consider draft and tide, as many of the most interesting creeks and fishing areas quickly become too shallow for larger vessels.

Lisbon Creek is one of the most protected anchoring options around Mangrove Cay for vessels drawing less than approximately six feet. The creek offers shelter from winds in all directions, with good holding available in sandy areas, although strong reversing currents must be considered. Deeper portions of the harbour can have scoured bottom and poorer holding, so selecting the correct patch is important.

South Bight offers another useful anchoring area, generally in approximately eight to ten feet of water. The anchorage has protection from southeast around through north but remains more exposed toward the northeast. For larger charter yachts, anchoring in suitable deeper water near the bights and exploring the interior by tender is often the most practical way to experience Mangrove Cay.

Mangrove Cay is one of the quietest inhabited parts of Andros and is particularly well known among fly fishermen. Moxey Town is the cay's capital, while other small communities extend south along the eastern coastline through Swains, Victoria Point and Lisbon Creek. The island retains a distinctly traditional Out Island atmosphere, with fishing, boating and the surrounding natural environment shaping everyday life.

The cay's location is exceptional for anglers. Fishing lodges here can access the Middle, South and even North Bights, as well as the remote west side of Andros, allowing guides to choose waters according to tide and weather. For yacht charter guests, the same geography creates an enormous natural cruising playground of creeks, flats, reefs and deserted shorelines.