Would you like to have your watchlist on all your devices? Log in or register for free.
Shroud Cay – the highlight of the Exumas
Imagine there’s a spot along your sailing route that takes you from a stunning bay through a flat mangrove landscape to a natural water park. Allow me to introduce: Shroud Cay.
Shroud Cay is located in the northern part of the Exumas. On the western side, where you’ll anchor, the water is very shallow, so be sure to check the tide and your draft. You’ll need to cross a sandbar.
It is best to take the dinghy through the mangrove landscape at high tide. The entrance is at 24°33'09.2" N, 76°46'18.3" W.
As you pass through the mangrove forest, you’ll see numerous turtles. Sometimes they even pop up right next to you! The mangrove landscape is truly breathtaking - it’s unlike anything else you’ll see in the Exumas. Suddenly, you feel as though you’re on a river on land, surrounded by dense yet shallow vegetation.
Stay to the left at both junctions and you will reach the water park, also known as the Washing Machine. Thanks to an offshore sandbar, shallow waters on the east side, and the currents of the mangrove rivers, you will literally be washed out to sea at the end of the route.
Keep the dinghy on your left and pull it ashore there. You really must experience the Washing Machine by swimming! Otherwise, you won't be able to easily get back with the dinghy.
Before swimming, walk further along the beach to the left and climb up the slope. A lush but stunning view awaits you. The eastern side is, on the whole, at least as beautiful as the anchorage on the western side.
Remember to start your return journey in good time - at low tide, it becomes impossible to navigate the shallow mangrove channels.
The trip takes about 1.5-2 hours in total. It's a short adventure that shows why Shroud Cay is one of the Exumas' absolute highlights for many sailors.
