Exuma anchorages by wind: trade-wind protection, swell and where park moorings apply

Wind decides where a boat is comfortable in the Exumas, and the right answer changes with the forecast. Most of the chain is a line of small cays with shallow banks to the west, so an anchorage that is perfect in a southeast breeze can be miserable twelve hours later. This page sorts the anchorages by the direction of the wind that threatens them, then covers swell, current and the park rules that replace your choice. Check the current forecast and a chart before you anchor.

What are the prevailing winds in the Exumas?

Consistent trade winds blow out of the east to southeast¹.

Condition	What to expect
Trade winds	Blow out of the east to southeast1
Winter	The trades blow more from the northeast1
Summer	The trades come more often from the southeast1
Interruptions	Fall and winter cold fronts, and summer tropical disturbances1
Strength	Averaging 10 to 20 knots, an operator figure and not a seasonal forecast5

The trades blow fairly steadily unless fall and winter cold fronts or summer tropical disturbances interrupt them¹. Waterway Guide puts it from the sailor’s side: easterly winds in winter and southeasterly breezes in spring favor northbound sailing⁷. The weather windows guide shows how a front appears in a Bahamas Met bulletin.

Which anchorages shelter from the easterly trades?

Most of them. The majority of Exuma anchorages are located with protection from the easterly trades¹, and the sandy patches along the west shores of the islands make good anchoring for exactly that reason³. The west side of the Exuma Bank keeps swell to a minimum even in fresh breezes¹. The Exuma Bank or Exuma Sound guide compares the two sides of the chain.

Anchorage	Sheltered from	Watch for
Warderick Wells, north field	Prevailing easterlies, most wind directions14	Swell working in during strong northeast winds14
Warderick Wells, south field	All-around, with the cay blocking westerlies15	Northeast swell in strong trades15
Cambridge Cay	Easterly winds; surrounding cays block wind and swell from nearly every quarter11,16	Current changes that move boats on their moorings16
Norman’s Cay, southwest coast	Prevailing easterlies17	A shallow entry at Norman’s Pond, which shelters well16
Bitter Guana Cay	Prevailing winds, with good holding16	Occasional roll in south winds16
Monument Hill, Stocking Island	Easterly winds16	The busy marked shipping channel16
Musha Cay	Prevailing easterlies, with good protection and a calm night18	An uncomfortable chop in the south-to-north half of the compass18

Elizabeth Harbour at George Town is protected by mainland Great Exuma to the southwest and by long, narrow Stocking Island to the northeast¹⁹. Sand Dollar Beach is among the calmest corners of it, shielded by Stocking Island from ocean swell²⁰. In the middle of Stocking Island an inlet called Hurricane Hole is where sailboats anchor for protection during storms²¹. The George Town and Elizabeth Harbour guide and the Stocking Island page cover the harbour in more detail.

Where do you go when a cold front brings northwest to north wind?

This is the wind that empties the easy anchorages. Winter northers can bring squalls and clocking winds, with lots of fetch over the shallow banks, and finding a spot with adequate protection can be challenging³. A north wind can occasionally blow hard, but there is always advance notice, and that is when everyone looks for a good lee⁸.

The anchorages that work in a front are the ones with land to the north:

• Halls Pond Cay is described as reliable shelter when northwest to north winds sweep through during cold fronts⁹.
• Square Rock Cay gives good protection from northerly winds in the lee of the island¹⁰.
• Sampson Cay, just north of the Bay of Pigs, offered perfect protection for a north wind to one cruising crew².
• Cambridge Cay is described as protected from virtually every quarter¹¹.
• Pipe Creek, just south of the park’s southern boundary, is a good, snug place to be in a blow, and Staniel Cay is only six miles away⁸.

Exposed anchorages tell you the other half. Shroud Cay is sheltered from the east but open to the northern quadrant²², and reports of how far its shelter extends disagree: one cruising blog says swell arrives as soon as the wind goes south of east²³. Use Shroud Cay in settled easterlies and plan to leave before a front.

What if the wind goes west?

Plan on few good choices. There are few options in the Exumas to hide from a westerly². Any mostly open anchorage in the Exumas has its best protection from east or north of east²³.

• Emerald Rock mooring field can be rolly in west winds, and nearby sandbars break much of the fetch^16,24.
• Little Darby Island is exposed to the west, north and south, so use it only in settled weather or on a confirmed easterly forecast²⁵.
• Big Majors Spot is exposed to westerly weather systems²⁶, although reports of its shelter in other directions disagree^26,23.
• Lee Stocking Island has good protection except from westerlies²⁷.
• Pipe Cay, northwest offers good protection from west and southwest²⁸.

How do swell and current catch out a sheltered anchorage?

Wind direction is only half the story. Strong northeast winds can push swell into the Warderick Wells fields^14,15, and Bahamas Met warned on 17 October 2026 that large northeast swells would break heavily across reefs, cuts and harbour entrances in the Exumas²⁹. Read the bulletin for swell direction as well as wind before each leg.

Current moves boats in narrow places. Allen Cay’s narrow anchorage has strong reversing currents, and holding is good if you stick to the sandy areas³. Staniel Cay harbour has strong tidal currents that can make anchoring challenging³⁰. In tight spots between islands, currents race through the cuts and a two-anchor Bahamian mooring may be necessary³.

Cold fronts test everyone at once. A crew filming in winter 2026 described fronts that regularly sweep the islands and turn a calm anchorage upside down for a day or two³¹. At a crowded George Town anchorage with over 300 boats, three boats dragged when a front arrived earlier than forecast³¹. Southern Boating’s hurricane-season advice for a boat that stays at anchor is to make very sure that the holding is perfect³². The hurricane season guide covers the season dates.

Where do you use mooring balls, and where do you anchor?

Few mooring balls are available in the Exumas, so be ready to anchor almost everywhere¹. Mooring balls are mainly limited to those in the Exuma Cays Land & Sea Park, where well-maintained moorings sit around Shroud, Hawksbill, Warderick Wells and Cambridge Cays^1,3. Inside the park, the rules decide for you.

Anchoring is not permitted in the mooring fields, on coral reefs and certain other designated areas within Exuma Park⁴.

All vessels, including dinghies and jet skis, must operate at idle speed in any mooring field or anchorage⁴.

The mooring fields guide and the anchoring rules page cover the park. Separately, Bahamas Customs charges an anchorage fee once for the whole cruising permit period, whether the permit runs 30 days, 6 months or 12 months⁶. The Boating the Exumas hub links the rest of the passage guides.