Cay Sal Banks

The Cay Sal Bank is situated about 60nm SE of the Florida Keys, between Andros Island Bahamas, and Cuba. It is part of the Bahamas but there are no facilities nor Bahamian officials there at all, and it is too far away to be patrolled by the Bahamian Royal Defense Force. It is patrolled by USCG Cutters looking for drug and Cuban smuggling operations. Many fisherman from the Keys make this a day trip, though it’s at least an overnight stay for slower cruisers. This is the most remote area of the Bahamas, with more Blue Holes than any other place in the world. It consists of almost 100 small Islands spread out over an area about 40 nautical miles across, but over 140 nautical miles in circumference. Please take note that you FIRST have to check in with Bahamian customs and immigration, and there are NONE in the Cay Sal Bank. Closest are Bimini and Andros, so it's not practical (legally) to go directly from the Keys to the bank. Many fishing boats do, but it is illegal and you could lose your boat. You should write to Bahamian officials to encourage them to develop some mail-in permit system where you can pay a fee and get back a short term permit by mail, and then just go directly to the bank. In the interim your best bet might be to hook up with one of the commercial diving groups out of S. Florida that take you via liveaboard boat and check in along the way. However, if you've been in the Bahamas cruising for a while, it might be a good spot before you leave, and you could go straight on up to the Keys.​