Safe Haven

If you need to duck in to a well-protected spot to ride out a passing cold front or want to top up on fuel and water, then the Sea Spray Marina in White Sound on Elbow Cay is a logical choice.  Located centrally on Elbow Cay, it is only a few hours at most from any point inside the Sea of Abaco.

Do not come here expecting a dazzling tropical anchorage.  It is simply a very convenient and well-protected marina located at the far end of a dredged basin.  The water is murky and the surrounding scenery only average, but the facilities are excellent.  Being tied up at this marina certainly lessens the discomfort of inclement weather.  There are a number of attractions within walking distance that also ease this discomfort.

Getting There

The entrance to White Sound is marked by a white buoy with a flashing white light, located at N 26° 31.130' W 76° 58.870'.  Go to it and head 123 degrees towards the range markers lined up with the Abaco Inn.  There are also channel markers.  As you near the Inn, turn right and follow the channel markers to the far end of the basin.

Contact the Sea Spray Marina on Channel 68 and follow their instructions.  They will direct you to your assigned slip and provide plenty of assistance while you dock.

Sea Spray Resort Villas and Marina

Owned and operated by Ruth Albury, the Sea Spray is an excellent place to hole up during inclement weather.  The dock is managed by Junior, who is one of the friendliest and most helpful persons I have met in the Bahamas.  A real gentleman, he also bears an uncanny resemblance to basketball star Shaquille O’Neal.

The dock has diesel, gasoline, water, ice, telephones, and electricity.  Dockage is 85¢ per foot per day.  There is a small gift shop on the premises, and golf carts and bicycle rentals can be arranged as well.  As a guest, you are also entitled to use of their swimming pool, which is always a nice treat at the end of a hot steamy day.

The Happy Hour at the outdoor Garbonzo Bar always seems to attract a few storytellers.  The Boat House Restaurant serves up a great barbecue on Monday evenings.  They also serve lunch on the terrace every day, so it is possible to just lounge around and be waited on if you so wish.

Surrounding Attractions

If you are holed up here for a few days, you will need to fight off the boredom by scheduling a series of meaningless trips to surrounding attractions.  There are a few worth mentioning.

First, take a short walk up over the hill from the Sea Spray.  From the top of the dunes, you will be treated to a spectacular view of the Atlantic Ocean and the waves that attract surfers from all over.  It is not unusual to see several dozen of them riding the waves.  It’s Tube City, with no less than six breaks!

Take a walk along the shore, in either direction, it doesn’t matter.  You never know what you might find washed up on the beach.  The sand on the shoreline is frequently interrupted by the heavily-eroded remains of ancient corals, which can be quite sharp and uncomfortable to the foot.

If you head north, you will be able to duck in to the bar at the Abaco Inn for a liquid refreshment.  Sit out front on the terrace and enjoy the day, as the waves crash into the shore.

If you head south, you will pass a number of spectacular oceanfront villas that will just make you sick.  Don’t look.  If you continue far enough, your walk will end at Tilloo Cut, one of the few places to exit the Sea of Abaco en route to the Atlantic Ocean.  If you are lucky, you will observe the Cut at its worst, when one of its infamous “rages”presents towering breakers that are simply impassible.

Head over to the Sea of Abaco side of the south end of Elbow Cay and take in Tahiti Beach.  A lovely crescent of golden sand ends at a sand spit surrounded by warm shallow water that glows a bright turquoise on a sunny day.  The beach attracts numerous sun worshippers on a nice day.