Compass Cay nurse sharks: swimming at the marina, rules and what else is on the island

Compass Cay sits in the Exuma district of the Bahamas, and its nurse sharks draw visitors¹. The cay lies outside the Exuma Cays Land & Sea Park².

What is Compass Cay?

Compass Cay is an island in the Exuma district¹. It is notable for its naturally protected harbor, and it has been fitted out with a beach lodge and a marina¹. A small shop at the marina sells trinkets and snacks¹. The marina store also lists ice, beer, soda, bottled water, limited sundry and food items, and clothing⁸. The island is also developing a restaurant, and several cottages are available to rent¹.

A large maze of mangroves leads out from the marina¹.

Can you swim with the nurse sharks at Compass Cay?

Yes. The island has a famed population of docile nurse sharks¹. The sharks in the marina have become a popular tourist attraction, bringing in visitors from as far as Nassau¹.

Swimming with the sharks in the marina is one of the island’s main attractions³. Bahamas Tourism says visitors can swim alongside the sharks, or pet their skin when the sharks swim up to the dock during high tide⁶. Plan for tide, not clock. Listen to the marina staff on the dock before you get in.

Call the marina on +1 (242) 422-7300 for the price and the rules for the water before you plan a day around the swim³.

What are the marina rules at Compass Cay?

The marina’s policies page sets a few rules to plan around:

• No fires are allowed anywhere on the island⁵.
• Day boaters may not bring outside drinks or food⁵.
• A slip reservation needs a credit card deposit equal to one night’s dockage, and a cancellation less than 48 hours before arrival is charged one night’s dockage⁵.
• The marina accepts Mastercard and Visa⁵.

The marina’s rental boats are rated for four people and must be back at the dock by 5 PM⁴.

Is Compass Cay inside the park?

No. The cay lies outside the boundary, south of the park’s southern edge.

That edge runs between the south-west corner at 24°14′25″ N, 76°36′02″ W and the south-east corner at 24°18′37″ N, 76°28′47″ W². Compass Cay, at about 24.267° N and 76.517° W, falls south of the line between those two corners^1,2. The marina places the lagoon at Rachel’s Bubble Bath on the cay’s north end, bordering Conch Cut and the southern boundary of the park³.

The park’s rules and ParkPay fees apply inside the boundary². Before you continue north into the park, read the park boundaries map and the park rules.

What else is on Compass Cay besides the sharks?

A trail system runs across the island from north to south and east to west³. The island has 13 beaches³. Walking the island, you can find a beach and a landing strip, a long patch of sand visible only at low tide¹.

Rachel’s Bubble Bath is a lagoon on the island’s north end³. Waves from the Sound break over a notch in the lava rocks there, often leaving foam on the surface³.

Compass Peek is the island’s highest point at 92 feet, with views of the park³. The south end has the Bat Cave and Low Tide Airport³.

What is near Compass Cay?

Rocky Dundas, almost within swimming distance of Compass Cay, has snorkeling caves³. Staniel Cay lies to the south, and its area has Thunderball Grotto and the swimming pigs at Big Major Cay³. Staniel Cay is the island beside them, with restaurants⁴.

Google Maps listed Compass Cay at 4.7 stars from 80 reviews in October 2026⁷. Families can see how the sharks, pigs and grotto fit together in the Exumas with kids guide. The places guide lists the other cays and which side of the boundary they sit on.