Reviews | Waterway Guide

Review Now

These are observations from the boating community. Waterway Guide information is verified regularly and all efforts will be made to validate any new updates submitted here. Thank you for taking the time to share comments about your experience.

Waterway Guide reserves the option of editing reviews and comments for grammar, clarity and the removal of defamatory or potentially slanderous language. When appropriate, reviews are forwarded to businesses for response prior to being made public. We will make every effort to be objective and impartial when posting reviews, but do not publicize details of disputes between parties.

Thanks for your valuable feedback!

Half Moon Bay

Location: Cat Island
Lat / Lon: N 24° 35.030' / W 075° 57.720'
Depth: 10'-15'
Tide: 2.5'-3.75'
Description:
Little San Salvador has been transformed into a self-contained cruise ship destination where passengers can disembark for a day on the beach. Part of the transformation was the adoption of the name Half Moon Cay, which is deemed to be more appealing than Little San Salvador.
Names aside the bay is a shallow crescent that has extensive shoreside facilities built on the south end. It is not uncommon to find 2 large cruise ships anchored at the mouth of the bay with an accompanying fleet of small boats shuttling passengers back and forth from the beach. For the most part the beach clears by 3:30 and the ships themselves are gone 5:00PM.
The anchorage on the north end of the bay offers acceptable protection from the NE-E with good holding but there is no possibility of going ashore, at least not until the cruise ships leave for the day. The anchorage is almost always subject to a gentle swell which is not objectionable in easterly winds, but will become uncomfortable if the winds rise above 15 knots. A good plan for using this anchorage is to arrive later in the day and to depart for first thing in the morning, otherwise if will be tricky maneuvering between the ships, their tenders and the multitudes of jet skis and kayaks.

Holding:

Good, Grass, Sand

Wind Protection:

NW-ENE

Current Flow:

Wake Protection:

Open and Exposed SE-WNW

Scenic Beauty:

Ease of Shopping:

Shore Access:

Shore access is difficult

Pet Friendly:

Beach nearby - do not go ashore until the cruise ships leave.

Cell Service:

Fair Coverage

WiFi:

Review for Half Moon Bay

Reviewed by: Jason Spitz on Apr 17, 2022
Vessel Type: Sail
LOA: 40'
Draft: 4.0'

Overall Rating:

Holding:

Wind Protection:

Current Flow:

Wake Protection:

Scenic Beauty:

Ease of Shopping:

Shore Access:

Pet Friendly:

Cell Service:

WiFi:

Little San Salvador is owned by Carnival Cruise Lines. During the day, it's a busy stop for thousands, but at night, the few cruisers who stop here own the bay. There's excellent cell service through ALIV and BTC. We did not go ashore. The water was crystal clear and you can swim around your boat. This is a great stop between Cat and Eleuthera.

View location on the Waterway Guide Explorer