Francis Bay

Lovely beaches; good snorkeling around the rocks to the north; trails; good overnight anchorage.

A cordon of buoys restricts anchoring too close to the shore along the entire bay. The rocky point to the north sports a submerged prop-killing rock 150 feet from shore.

Old customs house on Whistling Cay overlooking Fungi Passage.

The National Park Service has installed a thick line of red anchor/dinghy restricting buoys but placed the seaward dinghy channel buoys inside the restricted area instead of placing them on or outside the buoy line. It is often confusing to determine where the Park Service wants dinghies to enter.

This also is the case around Waterlemon Cay where dinghy moorings are inside the dinghy-restricted area. And at Francis Bay, again inside the restricted area, on the right side of the beach there is a set of red and green dinghy channel buoys. Landing can be made at the beach directly east of the channel markers, taking care to avoid swimmers.

Maho Bay holds the beautiful, sugar-sand beach to the right of the dinghy channel and Maho Point. The tent-cabins of one of the first eco-tourist destinations, Maho Bay Camps, are behind Francis Bay and Maho Bay beach, and up the hill.

Along the rocky north shore of Francis Bay, there are prop-killing rocks that are barely submerged. Take care while running a dinghy in this area.

Restaurant & Activities

Maho Bay Camps

340.715.0501
www.maho.org

Trails

Francis Bay Trail

Distance: 0.3 mile.
Begins/Ends: At the beach, left of the dinghy channel / At the dirt road near the beach entrance road.
Features: Ruins, bird watching.