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Laying just off the port of Georgetown, the Fowl Cay Restoration Reef sits within a strip of coral islands. Easily accessible by boat from the Exuma’s capital, the reef boasts some of the most beautiful coral in the archipelago. Small colorful fish abound in the shallow parts of the reef, while the deeper channels allow spotting larger species, such as snappers and barracudas.

Barracuda in Fowl Cay
A barracuda noted just above the surface.

How to get to Fowl Cay snorkeling spot?

The Fowl Cay Restoration Reef sits in a cut between Fowl and Guana Cays, just 2km off Georgetown, the capital of the Exumas. It is only accessible with a boat (GPS Coordinates: 23° 29.8848′ N 075° 42.3439′ W), which may be chartered in nearby Georgetown.

There is a buoy for mooring at the edge of the reef, but if it is full you can anchor just off the nearby beach. Always anchor over sand so as not to damage the coral.

Fowl cay snorkeling map, Bahamas

Water entrance for snorkeling Fowl Cay

Water entrance is from a boat. As the tides rise and fall, water is forced through the cut providing nutrients for the reef and fish. In addition, the current has worn deep channels between the groups of coral. This current makes this site difficult to snorkel at anything less than slack tide so plan accordingly.

Fowl Cay Restoration Reef snorkeling exploration tips

There is plenty to see on the reef, which boasts some of the healthiest hard and soft corals in the Bahamas. The corals run from 15+ feet deep to less than a foot below the surface, providing lots of spaces for fish both small and large.

Sea fans at Fowl Cay
The reef supports a wide diversity of sea fans.

Small wrasses and other reef fish, including moray eels (goldentail morays, green morays), graysby and Nassau groupers, swim among the corals. There is a surprising number of trumpetfish in the area. Much larger fish can be encountered in the deeper channels, including big Cubera snappers.

Trumpetfish in Fowl Cay
Trumpetfish are very common at this location.

Restaurants and accommodation nearby

Many accommodations and food options are available in and around Georgetown, Great Exuma.

 

  • Level required Intermediate
  • Maximum depth15ft/5m
  • Water entranceFrom a boat
  • Potential DangersCurrents
  • LifeguardNo
  • Visitor numbersLow
  • Access costsFree (with your own boat)
  • Restaurants nearbyNo

MAP Spot

These spots are accessible to anyone with basic snorkeling skills, and feeling comfortable in the water and with his snorkeling gear. You will enter the water from the shore (beach, pontoon, ladder, rocks) or from a boat. The water height in the sea entrance area is reasonable, but you will not necessarily be within your depth. Moderate currents can occur in the area, even when the sea conditions are good. The distance to swim to reach the most interesting snorkeling areas of the spot does not exceed 200 meters.

This level only apply when the spot experiences optimal sea and/or weather conditions. It is not applicable if the sea and/or weather conditions deteriorate, in particular in the presence of rough sea, rain, strong wind, unusual current, large tides, waves and/or swell. You can find more details about the definition of our snorkeling levels on our snorkeling safety page.