Warderick Wells: Exuma Park headquarters, office hours and VHF contact

The Exuma Cays Land & Sea Park has its headquarters on Warderick Wells Cay^2,3. When a question about rules, moorings or camping comes up, you call the park on VHF channel 09¹.

What the headquarters does

The Exuma Cays Land and Sea Park’s headquarters are on Warderick Wells Cay^2,3. Park wardens and officers of the Royal Bahamas Defence Force (RBDF) are stationed there, and they maintain constant patrols and surveillance of the park¹.

The Defence Force has three officers at park headquarters to help park staff with enforcement matters¹. Defence Force vessels also overnight at headquarters often¹.

The park is a no-take zone, and the Trust’s rules state that there are fines and confiscation of vessels for poaching violations⁵. To report suspicious activity, call “Exuma Park” on VHF channel 09¹. You may report anonymously, using a fictitious vessel name¹. The rules are laid out in the park rules guide and the no-take zone guide.

How to reach the park office

The park office is the first call for anything that is not an emergency: mooring questions, a camping notice, a rule you want to check. Call “Exuma Park” on VHF channel 09¹. The office keeps hours of 9am to 5pm Monday to Friday and 9am to noon on Sunday¹.

The office sits on a remote small island, so contacting it can sometimes be challenging¹. If you get no answer, wait and try again rather than assuming nobody is there. Keep your questions short and specific, such as your boat length and how many nights you plan to stay, so a brief call is enough.

For an emergency, skip channel 09. Channel 16 is monitored 24 hours a day for emergencies¹, and the Defence Force is on VHF 16 as well¹. Our VHF channels guide covers the other channels you will hear around the Exumas.

Moorings and paying at Warderick Wells

The park does not take reservations. Pre-payment does not constitute a reservation or guarantee a mooring⁴. So you arrive, pick up a ball or anchor where the rules allow, and then pay online through the Trust’s ParkPay page or app⁴.

Warderick Wells is a popular stop for cruising sailboats and yachts, which spend the night in one of three anchorages². Inside any mooring field or anchorage, all vessels, including dinghies and jet skis, must run at idle speed⁵. Anchoring is not permitted in the mooring fields, on coral reefs and certain other designated areas⁵.

Rates depend on your boat length and whether it is a private or charter vessel⁴. They are in the park fees and mooring fees guide, and how moorings work in Exuma Park explains how to get a ball. Fees change, so check the ParkPay page on the day you pay.

Ashore: trails, Boo Boo Hill and camping

Several nature trails cross the island². One leads to Boo Boo Hill, with views of the island, the anchorage and Exuma Sound². Stay on marked trails and use the Exuma Park Trail Guidelines⁵. A cruisers’ custom is to leave a driftwood sign with your boat’s name at the top of Boo Boo Hill².

Pets are restricted to beaches only: none are permitted on trails or in the brush⁵. Warderick Wells is also one of two places where the Bahama hutia, the only land mammal native to The Bahamas, was transplanted⁶. The hutia is protected under the Wild Animals (Protection) Act⁶.

Warderick Wells is one of three places where camping is allowed, alongside Hawksbill and O’Briens⁵. Campers need a permit and must notify the headquarters at least two weeks before the planned date, so that the stay does not clash with other park users⁵. Tents go on beaches only, and stoves are for cooking only⁵.

Before you go

Trash disposal is not available within the park, so take out everything you bring in⁵. Open fires and fireworks are not permitted⁵. Sort your questions with the park office on the radio before you arrive, and read the park rules first.

For the cay itself, see the Warderick Wells guide.