Princess Alexandra National Park

The park covers the whole of Grace Bay, the reef running along it, and the cays off the eastern end including Little Water Cay and Mangrove Cay, and it exists because everything the islands earn depends on that water staying clear. Fishing, anchoring outside moorings and collecting anything are all prohibited within it, and the reef line a few hundred metres off the beach is what keeps Grace Bay flat. Boat trips run out to the cays and the mangrove channels behind them, which are the nursery for the reef fish and hold juvenile turtles, lemon sharks and a great many birds.

The landscape

• The barrier reef - the line offshore that keeps Grace Bay calm.
• Mangrove Cay channels - the nursery behind the cays.
• Little Water Cay - the rock iguana reserve within the park.
• Juvenile lemon sharks - in the shallow mangrove water.

When to go

November to May is the calmest and clearest. Mangrove trips run on the tide. Mornings are best for water clarity. Winter fronts can make the outer reef rough.

Practical notes

Nothing may be taken from the park, including shells and sand, and the rules are enforced. The reef has been affected by stony coral tissue loss disease across the region and is not in the condition older guides describe. Boat traffic in Grace Bay is heavy and swimmers should stay inside marked areas.

Nearby

Grace Bay is the beach; Little Water Cay is at the eastern end.