Staniel Cay & Big Majors Spot, Exumas
Staniel Cay is a happening place in the northern Exumas where cruisers can get provisions, fuel, water, interact with the local community and have a good meal.

Map of Staniiel Cay

Updated: 20 March 2016

Explorer Chart: EX-19, 19A
Airstrip
  • There is an airstrip on the island with commercial service to the US and other cays.
Air Service
  • See Air Travel for charter services.
  • Flamingo Air; 242-355-2003. Provides service to Nassau; also stops in Black Point.
  • Professional Flight Services; 954-938-9508. Service from Ft. Lauderdale.
  • Southern Air; 242-377-2014. Charter service to Staniel Cay.
  • Watermakers Air; 242-355-2024; 954-771-0330; info@watermakersair.com. Provides regular twice daily service from Ft. Lauderdale Executive Airport.
  • Note: The Staniel Cay Airport was closed for a few months in 2015 for repaving. The improved airstrip reopened in late 2015.
Anchorage
  • Good holding in 8-10’ in sand on sides of channel to the Cay. Do not block the channel. Beware of rock reef running from off Staniel Cay Yacht Club pier toward Harvey Cay. There is also limited space on Cay side of this reef S of the fuel pier. Beware of strong tidal currents in this area.
  • Big Majors Spot just to the NE offers a much larger anchorage with excellent holding in sand. It is open from the WSW to WNW.
Area Information / Tourism
  • Bahamas Area Websites. Sites that can be searched for tourist and business information throughout the Bahamas.
  • Exumas Visitors Guide. An free guide booklet available at many local businesses. It provides a good directory of services and attractions throughout the Exumas.
Art Gallery / Art
  • Datt Art Gallery located in Taste n Sea.
Bakery
  • A bakery located in the yellow house on the corner across from the town beach on the way to Burkes store offers several varieties of fresh bread daily.
  • Emil's Bread; 242-355-2114.
Bank & ATM
Beverage Store
  • Burkes Convenience / Blue Wing Groceries; 242-355-2014. Has a limited selection.
  • Pink Pearl Groceries. Has a few basics.
  • Staniel Cay Yacht Club; 242-355-2024. Has a good selection.
  • Island Bibben; 242-561-6623; 242-225-2642; Fax: 241-355-2141; islandbibben@gmai.com Ruth and Andrew Smith have opened a liquor store located in the same building as the new laundromat.
Bike Rental
Boat Rental / Charter
  • 3N's Vacation Services; 242-355-2101; VHF Ch-16. Located at SAirport.
  • Wheels n Waves / Island Shuttle; 242-524-8191 / 524-9600; "island Shuttle", VHF Ch-16; coralq@stanielrentals.com. Has boats for rental that are registered and insured: two 13' Whalers; 15' Novadura, 17' Maco; 18' Carolina Skiff; 22' Century; 25' Aqua Sport.
  • Isles General Store; 242-355-2007.
  • Ocean Breeze Boat Rental Tour and Charter Service; 242-355-3070; 242-464-1181. Raymond Andrews offers a 23' Contender, a Boston Whaler, and four jet skis; he will bring a boat anywhere from Highborn Cay to Gorge Town.




Book Exchange
BTC / Batelco Office

  • 242-355-2060 / 2061; Fax: 242-355-2063. Office near the town beach by tower.
Car Rental
Cell Phone Service
  • There is a cell tower on Staniel Cay providing good coverage to the surrounding area.
Church
  • Mt. Olive Baptist Church.
Cruisers Net
Coffee Shop
Customs & Immigration
Dinghy Landing
  • Staniel Cay Yacht Club: finger pier closest to shore on S side of main pier and on the beach inside the breakwater on the N side of the main pier.
  • Isles General Store: pier while visiting the store.
  • Club Thunderball: pier in place; club closed (Jan 2015)
  • Town beach to SE of Staniel Cay Yacht Club.
  • Pirate Beach at NW tip of cay just before cut.
  • Government pier S of SCYC. Keep clear for mailboat.
  • New pier at NW corner of Bonefish Creek bridge to Isle General Store - not very usable at low tide.
Ecology.
Emergency
  • Overseas Salvage; VHF Ch-16 Overseas Salvage or Amazing Grace. Based in Staniel Cay area. David Mitchell; 242-524-1429. Provides emergency services including towing and divers. Are not affiliated with TowBoat US but will work in conjunction with them.
Ferry
  • Island Shuttle; 242-524-4400 / 8191; "Island Shuttle", VHF Ch-16; info@stanielcayshuttle.com. Serves Staniel, Big Major, Fowl, Sampson's Cays; cruises, excursions; enclosed boat seats 16.
Fishing
  • 3N's Vacation Services; 242-355-2101; VHF Ch-16. Located at Staniel Cay Airport.
  • Staniel Cay Yacht Club; 242-355-2024. Contact for deep sea fishing charter information.
Fresh Fish
Fuel

  • Staniel Cay Yacht Club; 242-355-2024. Diesel and gas. Note: In January 2012 the new separate fuel pier was put into operation located just to the N of the marina face pier.
Golf Cart / Scooter Rental
  • Isles General Store; 242-355-2007; VHF Ch-16.
  • 3N's Vacation Services; 242-355-2101; VHF Ch-16. Located at airport. $50 for 2-seater for 24 hrs.
  • Staniel Cay Golf Car Rentals; 242-554-3879. Located at "Bread House"
  • Wheels & Waves / Island Shuttle; 242-524-8191; 954-769-0155; VHF Ch-16; coral@stanielrentals.com Has 4 and 6 seat golf carts for rental. Located at Serenity Retreat.
Government / Administrator
Groceries & Produce

  • Isles General Store; 242-355-2007; rollesroost@batelnet.bs. Berkie, Vivian Rolle. Special orders: cruisers and residents can place special orders for items that are not regularly stocked. Orders for these items are placed with suppliers in Nassau and they are delivered by the mailboat. Due to the variable mailboat schedule, orders need to be placed well in advance. Contact Isles General by phone, email, or fax.
  • Burkes Convenience / Blue Wing Groceries; 242-355-2014.
  • Pink Pearl Groceries; 242-355-2040. Florine Smith.
Hardware & Lumber
  • Isles General Store; 242-355-2007; VHF Ch-16 Has a modest selection of hardware items, fasteners, wire, etc.
History
Ice
  • Isles General Store.
  • Staniel Cay Yacht Club.
Ice Cream
  • All 3 stores have some ice cream.
Internet & WiFi
  • WiFi service is available in the Staniel Cay area from a commercial provided. [Exuma WiFi; $10/day; Jan 10]
  • Taste and Sea provides free wifi to customers.
Laundry
  • Staniel Cay Laundromat; 242-561-6623; 242-225-2642; Fax: 241-355-2141; stanielcaylaundry@gmail.com In January 2015, a new laundromat opened for business by Andrew and Ruth Smith. There are two standard and two commercial-size washers and two standard and two commercial-size driers; self-service or drop off. It is located SE of Staniel Cay Yacht Club; E of the cemetery.

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  • Blue Store. Drop off service.
  • Isles General Store. Drop off service.
  • Staniel Cay Yacht Club. Drop off service.

Library

  • The library is located in the oldest building in town near the town beach and it has a reading room.
Local Artists & Writers
  • Martha Wohlford; 242-357-0047; Came to Staniel Cay in the late 1960's is a writer and lives in Serenity Retreat. Copies of her books are available at Isles General Store and Staniel Cay Yacht Club. They are also available through Amazon and iBooks. She has published;
    • A history / memoir: Chaos to Serenity
    • A novel: Drumbeat No Lie
    • A children's story: Splash the Staniel Cay Cat
  • Anita Rolle makes beautiful custom jewelry.
  • Bernadette Chamberlain makes jewelry, coconut oil, paintings and other artwork.
  • Ruth Smith makes high-end handbags.
Lodging
  • Blessings; 242-355-2101.
  • Chamberlain's cottages.
  • Island Rentals; 242-524-8191; 954-769-0155; coral@stanielrentals.com; marty@mwpr.com; offers waterfront bungalows and homes for rent.
  • Isles Inn; 242-355-2007; rollesroost@batelnet.bs; Offers 4 1-room bungalows with kitchen access, deck, barbecue area.
  • Palm Top Villas; 242-
  • Staniel Cay Cottages; 242-355-2043.
  • Staniel Cay Yacht Club; 242-355-2024 & 954-467-8920; info@stanielcay.com. Offers rental villas. Five new bungalows are in operation in January 2015.
  • 3N's Vacation Services; 242-355-2101; VHF Ch-16. Located at Staniel Cay Airport.
Mailboat
  • MV Captain C provides mailboat service. Due to funding cutbacks the former weekly schedule is now ~ 3 times a month and variable.
Marina & Dockage
  • Staniel Cay Yacht Club; 242-355-2024; 954-467-8920; info@stanielcay.com; VHF Ch-16.. 18 Slips; restaurant & bar; pool; WiFi. Note: during periods of winds with a westerly component, the piers are not usable for berths.
Marine Supplies & Parts
  • Isles General Store; 242-355-2007; rollesroost@batelnet.bs Some marine supplies are available in the store and they will special order boat parts such as marine batteries, etc.; these are shipped from Nassau by mailboat. Contact by phone or email to make arrangements.
  • Arrangements can be made to ship replacement parts for cruising boats from Ft. Lauderdale to Staniel Cay via Watermakers Air.
Marine Services & Repairs
  • Overseas Salvage; VHF Ch-16 Overseas Salvage or Amazing Grace.
Medical / Clinic / Pharmacy
  • St. Luke’s Clinic; 242-355-2010; VHF Ch-16. The nurse resides on the cay; a doctor makes a monthly visit..
Moorings
  • There are a five moorings available on a first-come first-served basis located between the now derelict Club Thunderball and Thunderball Grotto; $20/night. Solomon Robinson owns and manages them; 242-357-0286.
Navigation
  • Beware of the shallow reef W of the Staniel Cay Yacht Club and paralleling the pier T-head. It is prudent to approach the pier after going around the N tip of this reef.
  • Boats with drafts > or = 6' should note that there are several 6' bumps in the channel into Staniel Cay Yacht Club that will need a > MLW tide to clear.
  • Beware of strong currents when approaching the Staniel Cay Yacht Club pier - account for both wind and local tidal conditions while approaching.
  • Note: This data is provided for information only. Navigation decisions are the responsibility of each captain and should be based on appropriate navigation charts for the area supplemented by local knowledge.
Packages / Shipping
  • Professional Flight Services; 954-938-9508; offers weekly parcel service from U.S.
  • Watermakers Air; 954-771-0330; freight@watermakersair.com Will transport items that you have shipped to their Ft. Lauderdale office. There are twice daily flights to Staniel Cay. They handle customs at the stop at Andros on the way to Staniel. Watermakers Shipping Instructions/Form This is a great service!
  • MV Retriever; 910-599-8707; captnmarc@aol.com A freight boat providing regular freight service between Miami FL and the Exumas. The ship has a 3000 lb crane to handle heavier items. They handle customs and VAT.
  • See Cruising Info Pages; Shipping Items for additional guidance
Personal Services
  • 3N's Vacation Services; 242-355-2101; VHF Ch-16. Located at Staniel Cay Airport. Childcare, babysitting; weddings and special events
Police
  • 242-355-2042.
Post Office / Mail
  • There is no longer a PO in town; Vivian Rolle at Isles General Store is the postmistress.
  • Mailboat service; ~ 3 times a month, variable.
Propane
  • Isles General Store; 242-355-2007.
Resort
  • Staniel Cay Yacht Club; 242-355-2024 & 954-467-8920; info@stanielcay.com. Resort packages are available.
  • Fowl Cay Resort (see Fowl Cay)
Restaurant & Bar
  • Fowl Cay Resort (see Fowl Cay)
  • Staniel Cay Yacht Club; 242-355-2024. Bar, dining room, patio. Breakfast, lunch, dinner (reservations needed by 1700 for dinner at 1830 or 2000). Great Cheeseburgers! In Dec 2014, a beautiful new dining room was put in service along with a new kitchen.

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David & New Dining Room

  • Taste & Sea. Located on S edge of the public beach to S of SCYC. This new restaurant and bar offers a wide selection of great food. They even have a spot on the porch for your pet. Open for lunch and dinner 1800-2000. WiFi for patrons.
  • DSC_0088

  • Club Thunderball is no longer in operation; the building is derelict.

Retail Therapy - Shopping

  • Datt Art Gallery.
  • Lindsay's Boutique.
  • Staniel Cay Yacht Club. Gift shop.
Showers
Snorkeling & Scuba Diving

  • Sad to report that Staniel Cay Divers ceased operations in 2014.
  • 3N's Vacation Services; 242-355-2101; VHF Ch-16. Located at Airport.
Taxi
  • There is a golf cart shuttle service available from Staniel Cay Yacht Club to the airstrip at $5 / person.
  • TC Transportation Services; 242-355-2147.
Things to See & Do
  • DVD: Isles General Store has some DVD for rent.
  • Snorkeling: Thunderball Grotto is a must-see. There is a buoy for dinghies on the W side of the grotto. Near low tide / slack tide is best.
  • Tours: Ocean Breeze Boat Rental Tour and Charter Service; 242-355-3070; 242-464-1181. Raymond Andrews.
Tides
Trash

  • Isles General Store; $2 / small bag; $5 / large bag.
  • Staniel Cay Yacht Club; $2 / small bag; $5 / large bag.
Veterinarian
  • There is no local veterinarian.
  • Dr. Issah Hanson from the Bahamas Humane Society in Nassau visits George Town approximately every 3 weeks. Supplies for heart worm, flea and tick preventions, etc. may be purchased in between visits. To schedule an appointment or purchase meds, please call 242-524-2390 or e-mail bhsexuma@gmail.com
VHF Protocol
  • Standard Bahamas VHF Protocol: Ch-16 is for marine emergencies, safety, and hailing. It is also used by local Bahamian shore facilities for hailing. Communication traffic must be shifted to another channel.
Waste Oil
Water
  • RO water is available at the Staniel Cay Yacht Club fuel pier for $0.50 / gal.
Weather
  • Highborne Cay Marina broadcasts weather daily at 0800on VHF Ch 06.
  • Marine Weather Center; Daily SSB, webcast, & email forecasts by Chris Parker. Note: Best reception in this area is usually on 4045 KHz USB Simplex at 0630 AST.
  • Bahamas Met Office website provides weather forecast for local areas throughout the Bahamas.
  • "Blue Yonder" (C6AGJ) based at her home or MV Emerald at Staniel Cay, when on the island, broadcasts a weather summery from multiple sources at 0815 - 0830 on VHF Ch-12; an announcement is made on VHF Ch-16 first. The service is provided during the period of late November to May.
  • Staniel Cay Yacht Club. Provides copies of weather summaries on bulletin board in the bar.

Topics: 19 Jan 12