There are good reasons so few cruisers go to the west coast of Andros, the biggest island in the Bahamas. Red Bays settlement is in the far northwest corner, but apart from that and the small Flamingo Cay Club hunting and fishing resort, there are no settlements, supplies or fuel heading south until you reach Cuba. There are no harbors on the west coast, although there is a decent anchorage off Williams Island, and no people—just a zillion bugs.

There are, however, many excellent reasons to spend time on this uninhabited coast, including fish, turtles, birds, and solitude. Androsians claim the finest bonefishing in the Bahamas, and the fish are found over so many miles of creeks and flats that it would take a lifetime to fish all the habitats. There are significant populations of sea turtles, and the birds, including flamingos, are magnificent. If you want to fish, to be alone and savor Bahamas wildlife, the west coast of Andros could be your place.
Coming from Bimini or Cat Cay to Andros is straightforward, but make sure you are topped off with fuel, water and all supplies. Cruisers coming from the east should fuel and stock up in Chub Cay. Head for the southeast corner of Williams Island, where there is four and half feet of water. You can anchor comfortably in easterly winds between Williams and Andros, favoring the Andros side. If the wind goes westerly, there is water enough between Billy Island and Williams, and in places around the islands, to find reasonable shelter.
Be aware that available charts do not adequately document the west coast of Andros. Also, the water can be muddy and impossible to read, so be careful. Many of the creeks have shallow entrances but good water inside; still, it is best to explore by dinghy before taking the big boat in.
Williams and Billy are beautiful places to explore, and there is a huge creek and mangrove system on Andros just northeast of Williams. It could easily take a week or two with a guide in a fast bonefish boat to cover this area, where there is great fishing for bonefish and snappers. A handheld GPS that creates a track can be a good safety feature if you go way up into these creeks.
Last November, as part of our educational outreach for the Bahamas National Trust, I took two Bahamian students, Trueranda Cox and Ortam Rolle, with me on my boat Foxy Lady to the west side of Andros to tag sea turtles for research. Anyone who knows Andros would ask how we managed with the bugs. The answer is that we anchored far enough offshore to miss the mosquitoes, but the doctor flies nailed us while we were tagging turtles. Finally we found an insect repellent cream that helped.
Although we enjoyed the solitude, one day we took a break and headed to the Flamingo Cay Club (flamingocay.com) inside Wide Opening, about 50 miles south of Red Bays. This exclusive rod and gun club has been operated by the Bethell family since the 1920s.

Today, Flamingo Cay is owned by Charles Bethell, III, and draws sportsmen from all over the world for its outstanding flats fishing and waterfowl hunting. Charles also offers comfortable accommodations and excellent cuisine, an amazing feat in a spot where he has to fly in a hundred percent of his supplies. If you plan to visit by boat, be sure to let the resort know ahead of time.
We anchored as close as we could at low tide, about two miles off Wide Opening in a good lee despite the distance offshore. We climbed in the dinghy to head to Flamingo Cay; as we approached the mangrove creek leading to the club in, a friend of Charles’ arrived in his float plane, so we let him pass and followed him up the creek; it is so narrow his wing tips often brushed the mangroves on either side. We spent a wonderful day visiting with Charles and Cindy at Flamingo Cay, a touch of civilization.
South of Wide Opening are Little Loggerhead Creek, Big Loggerhead Creek, and Miller Creek. These creeks, especially the latter two, are bigger than you expect. You will see plenty of turtles, but you won’t see much else, because the water is muddy. The fishermen go to these creeks to catch sharks, so swimming is probably not a good idea. Past the deep water, the creeks spread out onto the flats which shallow up to a couple of feet, although boats with four-foot draft cross them on the high tide and reach the eastern side through South Bight. If you cannot arrange for a guide, bring your sense of humor. It can be done, but it won’t be easy.
The best boats for a trip to Andros are shallow-draft powerboats and catamarans with fast dinghies and barrels of gas. There is a lot to see and the distances are considerable. The best way to avoid the bugs is to batten the hatches and run the air-conditioner. Plan B involves a combination of screens, mosquito coils, and repellent. Make sure you allow enough time to get up into the creeks and enjoy what may be the quietest, most pristine area left in the Bahamas.