Pipe Creek and Sampson Cay, Exumas: how to enter, what to see, what is private

Pipe Creek is a tangle of small cays, sandbars and tidal cuts in the middle of the Exuma Cays. This page covers where it is, how to enter, what the cays hold and which ones are private. For more stops, browse the places guide.

Where is Pipe Creek?

Bahamas Motor Yacht Charters describes Pipe Creek as a stretch of islands between Compass Cay in the north and Staniel Cay in the south¹. It adds that some guides refer to the area between Compass Cay and Sampson Cay as Pipe Creek¹, so the boundary depends on the chart or guide you use.

According to residents, the creek comprises Pipe Cay, Hattie’s Cay, Little Pipe Cay (Kemp Cay), Wild Tamarind Cay, Joe Cay, Thomas Cay and Overyonder Cay¹. Yacht Warriors calls the area renowned for clear water and numerous protected anchorages².

How do you enter Pipe Creek?

You can enter Pipe Creek from the banks or the Exuma Sound side¹. From Exuma Sound, enter at Compass Cay Cut¹. An alternative Sound entry is Joe Cay Cut, though it is filled with deep channels and a chance of unreliable currents¹. Yacht Warriors advises entering at high tide to avoid running aground². The cuts and tides guide explains how the Exuma cuts behave.

How hard is the navigation?

Bahamas Motor Yacht Charters calls the area an adventurous sail thanks to its shifting sandbars, unpredictable channels and large rocky bars that appear out of nowhere¹. The cuts in the creek have strong tidal currents that should be used to your advantage while sailing¹. It advises sticking to the internal area of Pipe Creek and avoiding the northern rocky bars, and recommends extreme caution and sound navigation skills in the shallows¹. Yacht Warriors also notes the many shallow areas and strong currents².

What is on the cays?

Pipe Cay. Bahamas Motor Yacht Charters describes it as a private bank without visitation restrictions¹. The remains of the old U.S. Navy Decca Station lie on its western side, and its southeastern tip is known for shoals of bonefish¹.

Kemp Cay. Also known as Little Pipe Cay, it was named after Moses and Drucilla Kemp, who worked nearby until 1929¹. Entry to Kemp Cay and to Overyonder Cay is by invitation only¹. Treat both as private.

Joe Cay. You can snorkel and enjoy the underwater views at Joe Cay¹. There is also a staghorn coral reef south and west of the cut between Overyonder Cay and Sampson Cay¹.

The operator adds that almost all the cays have beaches worth visiting for a swim, a stroll or a dive¹. For the private islands elsewhere in the chain, see Exuma private islands and the people tied to them.

Snorkeling and diving nearby

Yacht Warriors says the clear water of Pipe Creek is perfect for snorkeling and diving², and that the area gives access to renowned snorkeling spots like the Sea Aquarium and Rocky Dundas². The Aquarium has its own page: the Aquarium at O’Brien’s Cay.

Compass Cay and the nurse sharks

Compass Cay is a short dinghy ride from Pipe Creek and is known for its marina and amenities². Bahamas.com says visitors snorkel the beaches and nearby reefs and swim with nurse sharks at Compass Cay Marina, and calls the protected marina an unmissable stop on an island-hopping itinerary³. See the Compass Cay guide.

Staniel Cay at the southern end

Staniel Cay is roughly 120 km (75 mi) south of Nassau⁴. Bahamas.com says it is reachable by boat and by air through Staniel Cay Airport³. The Staniel Cay Yacht Club opened in 1956, founded by Bob Chamberlain and Joe Hocher⁴.

Staniel Cay Airport serves as a Port of Entry in the Exuma Cays, with Customs and Immigration³. The Staniel Cay guide covers the village.