Great Guana Cay Yacht Charter: Beaches, Caves & Authentic Exumas

Stretching south from Staniel Cay through the central Exumas, Great Guana Cay offers a beautiful combination of secluded beaches, traditional Bahamian island life, protected anchorages, and largely undeveloped coastline. The island is home to Black Point Settlement, but much of Great Guana Cay remains remarkably quiet, with long stretches of shoreline accessible primarily by yacht or tender.

Cruising south along the cay reveals a succession of very different landscapes. Beyond Black Point and Little Bay, yachts can explore White Point, Bay Rush Bay, Oven Rock, hidden coves, sweeping sand beaches, and the rugged Atlantic-facing coast. White Point in particular forms a striking half-mile spit with arcs of powdery white sand on either side.

Great Guana Cay is therefore much more than simply the island containing Black Point. A yacht allows guests to experience its entire length, combining an authentic Bahamian community with empty beaches, snorkeling, fishing, cave exploration, and quiet overnight anchorages before continuing south toward Little Farmer's Cay and the lower Exumas.

Great Guana Cay lies immediately south of the Staniel Cay cruising area and can be approached along the Exuma Bank from the north or from Little Farmer's Cay to the south. Yachts arriving from Exuma Sound can cross toward the western side through Dotham Cut or Farmer's Cay Cut, after which established routes lead toward Black Point and the island's other anchorages.

Navigation becomes progressively more intricate toward the southern end of the cay, where sandbars, shoals, coral heads, and narrow channels surround White Point, Bay Rush Bay, Oven Rock, and Little Farmer's Cay. The passage south of Oven Rock is especially shallow, and cruising guidance notes that vessels need to remain within the clearly defined deeper channel between extensive shoals. Current charts, tide information, good daylight, and local knowledge are essential.

Great Guana Cay offers several excellent anchorages along its western coast. The large Black Point anchorage is the most convenient for accessing the settlement, while Little Bay provides approximately 7 to 12 feet of water with good sandy holding and useful protection in prevailing easterly conditions. Farther south, White Point offers approximately 8 to 12 feet around a striking sand spit with beaches on both sides.

More secluded options include Bay Rush Bay, Oven Rock, and Great Guana Cay South. The southern anchorage has approximately 7 to 9 feet of water with good holding in sand, but its narrow entrance is best negotiated near high slack tide and strong reversing currents can occur. Bay Rush Bay provides another quiet option in settled conditions, while Oven Rock gives direct access to one of the island's most interesting natural attractions.

Great Guana Cay should not be confused with the Great Guana Cay in the Abacos. This Great Guana Cay lies in the Exuma Cays and is home to Black Point Settlement, one of the principal communities of the central Exumas. The settlement provides restaurants, grocery stores, an airstrip, docks, and basic services, while the remainder of the island becomes increasingly undeveloped as you cruise south.

One of the island's most unusual attractions is Oven Rock Cave, reached by hiking inland from the shoreline near Oven Rock. The limestone cave contains stalactites, stalagmites, and clear subterranean pools, offering a completely different experience from the beaches and reefs that dominate most Exumas itineraries.