Pelican Cays Land and Sea Park

The Pelican Cays park covers about eight square kilometres of shallow water and small cays south of Marsh Harbour, and its interest is specific: the undercut ledges and small caves in the reef here shelter a dense community of sponges, corals and other invertebrates that is unusual for the Bahamas, and the whole thing sits in water shallow enough to snorkel rather than dive. Sandy Cay, the main snorkelling site, has moorings for visiting boats and a reef that starts a metre or two down. It is a no-take park, so fishing, shelling and collecting are all prohibited, and the reef shows the difference.

What you actually see

• Sandy Cay reef - shallow enough to snorkel, dense with sponge and coral.
• The undercut ledges - caves and overhangs full of invertebrate life.
• The cays - small uninhabited islands with mangrove and beach.
• The no-take rules - the reason the reef is in the condition it is.

When to go

December to May is the dry season with the calmest water and best visibility. The park is exposed to swell from the east, so trips depend on the wind. Moorings are limited and fill in the winter cruising season.

Honest expectations

There is no way in without a boat, and no scheduled service. Nothing may be taken, including shells and lobster. Anchoring is prohibited and boats must use the moorings, which are limited. Hurricane Dorian in 2019 damaged the reef and the recovery is partial. There are no facilities on any of the cays.

Nearby

Hope Town and Marsh Harbour are half an hour north; Little Harbour is nearby.