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Last updated on June 19, 2022
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Many accommodations and food options are available in and around Georgetown, Great Exuma.
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.
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Snorkeling spots are part of a wild environment and their aspect can be significantly altered by weather, seasons, sea conditions, human impact and climate events (storms, hurricanes, seawater-warming episodes…). The consequences can be an alteration of the seabed (coral bleaching, coral destruction, and invasive seagrass), a poor underwater visibility, or a decrease of the sea life present in the area. Snorkeling Report makes every effort to ensure that all the information displayed on this website is accurate and up-to-date, but no guarantee is given that the underwater visibility and seabed aspect will be exactly as described on this page the day you will snorkel the spot. If you recently snorkeled this area and noticed some changes compared to the information contained on this page, please contact us.
The data contained in this website is for general information purposes only, and is not legal advice. It is intended to provide snorkelers with the information that will enable them to engage in safe and enjoyable snorkeling, and it is not meant as a substitute for swim level, physical condition, experience, or local knowledge. Remember that all marine activities, including snorkeling, are potentially dangerous, and that you enter the water at your own risk. You must take an individual weather, sea conditions and hazards assessment before entering the water. If snorkeling conditions are degraded, postpone your snorkeling or select an alternate site. Know and obey local laws and regulations, including regulated areas, protected species, wildlife interaction and dive flag laws.
