Mooring Balls at Hatchet Bay

Entrance into Hatchet Bay

Hachet Bay in northern Eleuthra bills itself as the “safest harbor in the world,” except that it is not. It could be so with adequate mooring balls and here in lies the conflict.

Hachet Bay was originally an inland lake. An entrance to the Exuma Sound was dynamited out in the early 20^th century to make a harbor for a cattle ranch nearby. The cattle ranch is long ago defunct, but a wonderful 90 foot wide by 10 foot deep channel provides entrance into 360 degree protection. The problem is that the holding is described in one guide book as “feeble” and that the bottom is foul with debris from numerous wrecks. Indeed, Jan saw a water heater on lying on the bottom while on a kayak trip.

The solution is mooring balls. Several were installed by the government and were essentially free; in that no one was available to collected the nominal rent.

The local government of Alice Town has declined to intercede due to liability issues. However, this year (2015) a local restaurant, the Front Porch, has taken over control of the mooring balls and has started charging rents.

The rest of the story is courtesy of Francis, an employee of the Front Porch. He is obviously an interested party. He told us that the decision to take over the mooring balls was done with little forethought. No one considered the issues of maintenance. Gradually it dawned on the Front Porch that something had to be done beyond mere collections.

According to Francis, the mooring balls in the western part of Hachet Bay are worthless and should not be trusted. Indeed he has collected a number of these

mooring balls from the mangrove swamps after storms. The several balls in the eastern part of the bay have been inspected and seems to be sturdy. They lack tag lines and are difficult to secure.

Francis assures me that improvements are planned. New moorings will be placed with appropriate foundations and lines. Existing moorings will be brought up to USA standards. Divers will do yearly maintenance. As in all of the Bahamas grandiose schemes abound, but few are ever brought to fruition. Time will tell about Hachet Ball.

White Pepper sincerely hopes that Francis and the Front Porch succeeds in installing numerous high quality mooring balls in Hachet Ball. If so it really would be one of the safest harbors in the world. There is room in here for 200 plus mooring balls. Most of these would likely go to boats interested in long term storage, esp. over the hurricane season. There is a good airport nearly, the Governor's Harbour Airport, built courtesy of the US military during the Cold War. If 200 yachts showed up a marine service industry would quickly evolve. All of this is a pipe dream of one man, but White Pepper completely endorses the idea.

Note added in July of 2017:  All of the mooring balls have rotted away. I am told that the anchors remain in place and can be used by diving down to thread a mooring line through the ring.  I spoke at length with a cruiser that spends all season at Hachet Bay and northern Eleuthra.  He gave Francis negative reviews. Regardless Hachet Bay is a good place to visit.  You just have to anchor with caution.