George Town - Docking
Moorings
Visiting yachts are normally directed to a free mooring 250m north of the port. These are large red buoys. If all are occupied then ask permission to anchor.
There are many moorings around the island and should be used in preference to anchoring if possible. Moorings at dive sites are identified by a white buoy with a blue strip and are available to the public at no charge. Normally they should only be used for an hour or two, but can be used overnight when diving for the day has finished.
Anchoring
There is very limited anchoring off George Town and it is generally uncomfortable due to the movement of the many cruise ships and ferries. This anchorage is exposed to Northerly winds.
North Sound is much calmer and quieter and from here it’s possible to hire a car and explore the island. Beware of the shallow depth (2.3 metres/max. 7ft) in North Sound.
Enter North Sound carefully, through a poorly marked pass which should not be attempted in Northerly winds, or any weather above 20 knots approx.
Inside North Sound, there are several anchorages amongst the mangrove creeks and millionaires’ houses (mostly depths of 2.5 to 3m) and marinas. Governor’s Creek lies on the west side of the Sound near the Cayman Island Yacht Club, which has fuel etc. (see a photo taken by Brian Simm with the yacht club in the distance).
At the southern end of Governor’s Creek is Mitchells Creek. Both these anchorages are sheltered and convenient for shops. Max. draft 6ft.
Getting Ashore
Dinghies can be landed almost anywhere, except where cruise ship passengers are being landed (due to security concerns). See photo of dinghy docks north of Georgetown, taken by Brian Simm. Cruisers recommend locking dinghies to the Lobster Pot dive center dock, but always secure your dinghy and outboard when coming ashore.
Marinas
The marina, run by the Cayman Islands Yacht Club, in North Sound, has been extensively re-built and has visitor berthing.
Harbour House Marina and Boatyard is midway along the South side of North Sound. This is less of a marina and more a yard with tie-ups along a channel.
Barcadere Marina is in the SW corner of North Sound and is just north of the airport.
The restaurant, Kaibo, in the NE corner has some berthing, although it is rather remote from the town.
A more recent alternative for docking (max. depth 5.5ft) is in the large commercial shopping village of Camana Bay, where new canals have been dug.
Last updated: February 2023
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Related to following destinations: Cayman Islands, George Town, Grand Cayman
Port Navigation
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As reported by Brian Simm:
Grand Cayman checks in and out may only be made at Georgetown with the boat present for check-in. After that, the most sheltered anchorages in Grand Cayman are accessed from north sound and are in the residential canals and lagoons for boats of up to 2.5m or so draft. After entering north sound through the poorly marked main channel the main routes are accessible to 2.8 m.
Governor’s creek with the Cayman Islands marina is a large sheltered anchorage area at up to 4m. Entrance is buoyed at N19.21.45 W81.22.17. The marina has an outside dock for fuel and water.
Mitchell’s creek further in from Governor’s is accessible through the canals at 2.4m center channel and 2.2m in the anchorage. There is a mini marina with 3 or 4 catamarans, the owner, John’ has 4 moorings, white conical with a blue top band that he may allow cruisers to use free, otherwise free range anchoring area.
Further south from the main lagoon is the shopping center and marina of Camana bay; entrance from the sound at N19.19.48 W81.21.78 through a buoyed channel. This has been designed with dredged access of 1.7m. The channels are one way; with the north channel in and the south channel out. The very sheltered marina has a number of free slips on a first come first served basis and a moderate overnight charge-though they may not suit larger boats.
Further south still near the airport is a buoyed channel to Barcadere marina and at the very bottom of the sound is Harbour house marina which is a work yard with some mooring in a concrete channel. Both these latter have Marine chandleries.
Grand Cayman is a full duty-free stop for shipping in spare parts to boats in transit, 48 hr by air from UK or USA. Personal clearance for items can be made at the airport or more expensively via couriers. Also for booze, but the proviso for both is that customs officers must see goods onboard to boat.
Brian Simm
SV Scraatch, Sundeer 56
As reported by the CSSN – 12 May, 2017:
For three weeks a yacht’s dinghy/outboard was pulled ashore well above the tide line at 6PM and left unlocked in downtown George Town while the owners went to the weekly happy hour nearby. When they returned at 8PM the dinghy/outboard had been stolen. A police report was filed by phone. Owners advise locking to the Lobster Pot dive center dock instead.
When arriving in Georgetown hail “Georgetown Port Security,” not Port Authority – they tend to not respond to anything but Port Security.