Princess S6567'7"
View Specs & ReviewBerths to 300 feet over seven feet of draft — read that twice
Yachting in Eleuthera & Harbour Island
A Minted Location · Eleuthera & Harbour Island, The Bahamas
Harbour Island advertises megayacht berths to 300 ft (91.4 m). The island's largest marina states, on its own site, that 33 of its 51 transient slips carry seven feet of draft. Both sentences describe the same half-mile of water, and the gap between them is the most useful fact in this market.
Here it is in the operator's own words. Valentines Residences Resort & Marina publishes: "51 transient slips, 33 of which are over 80' with 7' draft. Several slips have a 9' draft and the marina has accommodated vessels up to 204'." Along the same shore, Briland Club publishes "34 Berths", a "300ft Maximum Vessel", 15 ft wide floating docks, "480V 400 Amp Power" and in-slip fuelling. Romora Bay publishes a "40-slip marina" for "vessels up to 200+ feet" with "deep-water slips." Neither states a depth, so ask for that figure before you commit a deep-draft boat.
So the length is on the page and the depth mostly is not, and where it is stated it is 7 ft (2.1 m). On an island where the big-boat marketing runs to three hundred feet, that is the number that actually decides whether your boat comes here.
⚠️ And the way in is a reef. The Devil's Backbone, across the north end of Eleuthera, is the passage from Spanish Wells to Harbour Island. Valentines puts it plainly: "Located off of the northern end of Eleuthera there's a shallow, jagged reef known as the Devil's Backbone. We highly recommend assistance from the locals to successfully navigate through this notorious area." It publishes three local pilots by name with telephone numbers. Take the recommendation, arrange the pilot before you sail, and make the passage in daylight.
The deep-water answer in this district is sixty-odd miles south. Cape Eleuthera Resort & Marina publishes 47 slips for vessels "Up to 200' LOA" with a "Controlling entry depth of 12'" and a marina basin "ranging from 6' to 40' at MLW." That is the district's deep-water berth, and it sits at the unfashionable end of the island.
So treat Eleuthera as what it is: a two-ended market where the famous address is the shallow one. Draft picks your dock here long before length does.
Where to keep a yacht in Eleuthera & Harbour Island
Valentines is the market's benchmark, and the number that matters is the draft.
Its own marina article states: "Valentines Residences Resort and Marina, the largest marina complex on Harbour Island in The Bahamas, has 51 transient slips, 33 of which are over 80' with 7' draft. Several slips have a 9' draft and the marina has accommodated vessels up to 204'."
| Slips | 51 transient · 33 over 80 ft |
| Draft | 7 ft (2.1 m) on those 33 · 9 ft (2.7 m) on "several" |
| Length | "Yachts up to 200 ft" and "accommodated vessels up to 204'" |
| Power | "full electric (30, 50, 100 amps)" |
| Water | "unlimited fresh RO Water" · cable and wireless at every slip |
| Fuel | Diesel |
| VHF | 16, monitored 07:00–19:00 daily |
| Security | Night security · marina relay protection switch on the power supply |
Plan against 200 ft (61 m) and confirm anything above it with the dockmaster before you sail.
Briland Club is the length headline. Its own marina page states "34 Berths", a "300ft Maximum Vessel", "15′ wide floating docks", a "Fixed breakwater" rated "Category-3 hurricane", "480V 400 Amp Power" from a private plant, "Reverse-osmosis water from private facility", "In-Slip Fuel & Waste", "24-hour security with CCTV" and fibre-optic Wi-Fi. It describes itself as "The Bahamas' first IPE wood floating dock megayacht marina with in-slip fueling and clean power." Depth, VHF channel, office hours and customs status are settled on the telephone — and on an island whose one stated draft is 7 ft, depth is the number to ask for first.
Romora Bay, which markets itself as Harbour Island Marina, publishes a "40-slip marina" for "vessels up to 200+ feet" with "deep-water slips" and "on-site customs clearance, fuel, pumpout, fresh water, electric, showers, laundry, and concierge support." "Deep-water" is the whole of the description — get the figure from the marina before you commit a deep-draft boat.
Harbour Island Club & Marina publishes the useful basics: VHF 16, monitored 08:00–18:00, gas and diesel, laundry, free Wi-Fi and a 212 kW generator. Slip count, maximum length, depth and rates come from the dockmaster on the call.
Cape Eleuthera is the district's deep-water berth, and it states a controlling depth.
| Slips | 47 · "Up to 200' LOA vessels" |
| Entry | "Controlling entry depth of 12'" (3.7 m) |
| Basin | "Marina depth ranging from 6' to 40' at MLW" |
| Fuel dock | "Shell filtered diesel and gas" · 9 ft at MLWS |
| Power | "Inverter with 30, 50, or 100 amps and 3-phase" |
| Clearance | "Customs & immigration on call" |
| Dockage | $3.50/ft short stay · $2.50/ft at 30+ nights · $2.25/ft seasonal at 90+ days |
| Metered | Water $0.35/gal · electricity $0.75/kWh |
Read the basin line and the fuel-dock line together. Twelve feet at the entrance and 6 to 40 feet inside means some berths are six feet, and the fuel dock itself is 9 ft at mean low water springs. A boat drawing eight feet can enter Cape Eleuthera and still not take fuel at the bottom of a spring tide, so agree a berth and a fuelling window with the dockmaster.
Spanish Wells Yacht Haven is the staging marina for the north end, and it publishes a "30 slip all-weather marina" with "Maximum length of boat: 165 ft.", "Maximum width of slips: 25 ft. to 30 ft.", "All power metered – Single phase- 30amp/50amp/100amp, Three phase- 100amp" and "Metered reverse osmosis water supply."
Both of its depth figures are high-tide figures — "Maximum depth at the face dock: 12 ft. with high tide" and "Maximum depth of slips: 11 ft. with high tide." A high-water number tells you nothing about the bottom of the tide, so plan against the tide rather than the sign and ask the marina for the low-water figure.
Hatchet Bay, Rock Sound and Governor's Harbour work by telephone rather than by tariff. Rock Sound and Governor's Harbour are both designated ports of entry with government docks, and Hatchet Bay is the best-protected hole in the island. Clear in at the government dock and settle a berth on the call.
For a haul-out, the answer is Freeport on Grand Bahama. No yard on Eleuthera, Harbour Island or Spanish Wells runs a travelift or a railway, so schedule yard work as a delivery.
Marinas
| Name | Where | Max yacht | Slips | Fuel |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Valentines Residences Resort & MarinaThe market's benchmark, and the figure to plan from is the draft: "51 transient slips, 33 of which are over 80' with 7' draft. Several slips have a 9' draft and the marina has accommodated vessels up to 204'." Also published: "full electric (30, 50, 100 amps)", "unlimited fresh RO Water", cable and wireless at every slip, night security and a marina relay protection switch on the supply. On length it gives "Yachts up to 200 ft" on the dock page and "accommodated vessels up to 204'" in the marina article — plan against 200 ft (61 m) and confirm anything above it with the dockmaster. It is also where the Devil's Backbone advice comes from: it recommends a local pilot and lists three by name with telephone numbers. | Dunmore Town, Harbour Island | 204 ft | 51 | Diesel |
| Briland Club MarinaThe district's length headline: "34 Berths" and a "300ft Maximum Vessel", on "15′ wide floating docks" behind a "Fixed breakwater" rated "Category-3 hurricane". "480V 400 Amp Power" from a private plant, "Reverse-osmosis water from private facility", "In-Slip Fuel & Waste", "24-hour security with CCTV" and fibre-optic Wi-Fi. Describes itself as "The Bahamas' first IPE wood floating dock megayacht marina with in-slip fueling and clean power." Depth, VHF channel, office hours and customs status are settled on the telephone — and on an island whose one stated draft is 7 ft, depth is the number to ask for first. | Harbour Island | 300 ft | 34 | In-slip fuelling and pump-out |
| Romora Bay Resort & Marina — "Harbour Island Marina"A "40-slip marina" for "vessels up to 200+ feet" with "deep-water slips" and "on-site customs clearance, fuel, pumpout, fresh water, electric, showers, laundry, and concierge support", plus access to the resort's restaurants, pool and pickleball courts. "Deep-water" is the whole of the description — and in a market whose one stated draft is 7 ft, that adjective is not a plan. Get the figure from the marina before you commit a deep-draft boat. | Harbour Island, south of Dunmore Town | 200 ft | 40 | Fuel on the dock — grades and hours by telephone |
| Harbour Island Club & MarinaThe useful basics: VHF 16 monitored 08:00 to 18:00, gas and diesel, laundry, free Wi-Fi and a "212 KW GENERATOR". Slip count, maximum length, depth, beam and rates come from the dockmaster on the call, so telephone rather than plan from a listing. Its own description of the island is the useful part for planning a walk: "Only three miles long and half mile wide". | Harbour Island | — | — | Gas and diesel |
| Cape Eleuthera Resort & MarinaThe district's deep-water berth, and it sits at the unfashionable end of the island: "47 slips accommodating vessels up to 200 feet", "Controlling entry depth of 12'", "Marina depth ranging from 6' to 40' at MLW" and a "Fuel dock with 9' depth at MLWS". "Inverter with 30, 50, or 100 amps and 3-phase", complimentary Wi-Fi, fish-cleaning station and "Customs & immigration on call". Dockage $3.50/ft short stay, $2.50/ft from 30 nights, $2.25/ft seasonal from 90 days; water $0.35/gal, electricity $0.75/kWh. Rules: idle and no-wake throughout, no swimming, diving or fishing inside the marina, pets leashed and accompanied. Read the basin range with the fuel dock: some berths are six feet and the fuel dock is nine at low-water springs, so a boat drawing eight can enter and still not fuel on a spring low. Customs lists Cape Eleuthera as "( Restricted)" on its national list and leaves it out of the Eleuthera district table, so confirm by telephone before making landfall here. | Powell Pointe, the south-western tip of Eleuthera | 200 ft | 47 | "Shell filtered diesel and gas" — fuel dock 9 ft at MLWS |
| Spanish Wells Yacht Haven & ResortThe staging marina for the north end and the Devil's Backbone crossing: a "30 slip all-weather marina", "Maximum length of boat: 165 ft.", "Maximum width of slips: 25 ft. to 30 ft.", "All power metered – Single phase- 30amp/50amp/100amp, Three phase- 100amp" and "Metered reverse osmosis water supply", with showers, laundry and ice. Both depth figures it gives are high-tide figures — "Maximum depth at the face dock: 12 ft. with high tide" and "Maximum depth of slips: 11 ft. with high tide" — so plan against the tide rather than the sign and ask the marina for the low-water number. Fuel, VHF, office hours, customs procedure and rates are all settled on the call; Spanish Wells is a designated port of entry. | Spanish Wells, off the north-west end of Eleuthera | 165 ft | 30 | By arrangement — call ahead |
| Hatchet Bay, Rock Sound and Governor's HarbourRock Sound and Governor's Harbour both appear in the Bahamas Customs Ports of Entry listing as designated ports with government docks and airports, and Hatchet Bay is the best-protected harbour on the island. All three work by telephone rather than by tariff: clear in at the government dock, and settle slips, length, depth, power and rates on the call. | Central and southern Eleuthera | — | — | — |
Figures are as each facility publishes them on its own site; blank cells mean the facility doesn't state a number. Confirm slip availability and current rates directly — or ask us to make the calls.
Cruising from Eleuthera & Harbour Island
The Devil's Backbone is the passage that defines this market, and the instruction on it is simple: take a local pilot.
Valentines' own marina page states: "Located off of the northern end of Eleuthera there's a shallow, jagged reef known as the Devil's Backbone. We highly recommend assistance from the locals to successfully navigate through this notorious area." The marina then publishes three local pilots by name with telephone numbers — Lil Woody on 242-333-4433 / 242-557-7417, A1 Brod Shad on 242-557-7750 / 242-333-4427, and Bandit on 242-333-4695.
There is no marked route and no published depth over the reef, so the pilot is the plan. Book one before you sail, and make the passage in daylight.
Clearing in. The Eleuthera district carries five designated ports of entry in the Bahamas Customs Department's own listing: Governor's Harbour, Rock Sound, North Eleuthera, Harbour Island and Spanish Wells. Customs publishes dock and airport entries for each of the main ones.
Cape Eleuthera is the one to check before you sail. The numbered national list carries "16. Cape Eleuthera ( Restricted)" and "17. Half Moon Cay (Eleuthera)"; the ELEUTHERA district table lists North Eleuthera Airport, Spanish Wells, Rock Sound Dock, Rock Sound Airport, Harbour Island, Governors Harbour Dock and Governors Harbour Airport; and Cape Eleuthera's own marina page advertises "Customs & immigration on call." If you intend to make your Bahamian landfall there, confirm it by telephone first — "restricted" is not the same as "open to you."
The country-wide rules apply here as everywhere, and they are easy to get wrong:
- Fly the yellow quarantine flag on arrival and notify Customs. Only the captain may leave the boat until the vessel is cleared.
- ⚠️ Foreign pleasure vessels above 50 ft must run AIS at all times in Bahamian waters. The stated fine is $1,000.
- The cruising permit covers departure tax for three people on board. Each person beyond that is $30 per visit on the Ministry of Tourism's boating regulations and $20 on the Bahamas Customs Department's pages — budget the $30.
- A fishing permit is separate — $100 under 50 ft, $300 over — and Customs states it is valid for thirty days only, whatever the length of your cruising permit.
- Outbound clearance documents, where required, are $75. Filing is through Click2Clear, digital since 22 February 2021.
The fee schedule, effective 1 April 2026, published by the Ministry of Tourism, Investments & Aviation under Regulations 91 and 91B:
| Permit | ≤30 ft | 30–50 ft | 50–100 ft | Over 100 ft |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 30-day (no free re-entry) | $150 | $250 | $350 | $600 |
| 6-month (one free re-entry) | — | $300 | $750 | $2,000 |
| 12-month (two free re-entries) | — | $500 | $1,000 | $3,000 |
A Frequent Digital Cruising Card runs two years — $1,500 under 50 ft, $2,500 from 50 to 100 ft and $8,000 over 100 ft — for unlimited visits.
The Bahamas Customs Department publishes a second schedule on a different set of length bands. Its "Pleasure Vessels" page gives 3-month and 12-month permits banded at 34, 100, 150 and 200 feet:
| Vessel | 3 months | 12 months |
|---|---|---|
| Not exceeding 34 ft | $150 | $300 |
| Over 34 ft, under 100 ft | $300 | $600 |
| 100–150 ft | $500 | $1,000 |
| 150–200 ft | $800 | $1,600 |
| Over 200 ft | $1,000 | $2,000 |
A 120-footer is $500 for three months on one and $600 for thirty days on the other; a 250-footer — a Briland Club boat — is $2,000 for twelve months on the Customs table and $3,000 on the Ministry table. Customs also states the permit "can be used again if the vessel returns to The Bahamas within 90 days" at no extra cost, where the Ministry schedule gives a fixed count of free re-entries instead. Plan against the effective-dated Ministry schedule, carry the difference, and print both when you file.
Anchorage fees are separate and apply only to vessels not docking at a marina — the Ministry's own framing. Thirty days runs $50 / $100 / $200 by size; twelve months runs $200 / $350 / $1,500. For a boat living at Valentines, Briland Club or Cape Eleuthera it does not arise.
The depths on this page are the ones the marinas state for their own water. For the Eleuthera ocean cuts, for Current Cut and for the Harbour Island approach, take local advice on the day.
- The Devil's Backbone — take a local pilot — The north shore of Eleuthera, Spanish Wells to Harbour IslandA shallow, jagged reef across the north end of Eleuthera, and the passage from Spanish Wells to Harbour Island. Valentines' own marina page puts it this way: "Located off of the northern end of Eleuthera there's a shallow, jagged reef known as the Devil's Backbone. We highly recommend assistance from the locals to successfully navigate through this notorious area." It lists three local pilots with telephone numbers — Lil Woody 242-333-4433 / 242-557-7417, A1 Brod Shad 242-557-7750 / 242-333-4427, Bandit 242-333-4695. There is no marked route and no published depth over the reef, so the pilot is the plan: book one before you sail, and make the passage in daylight.
- Clearing into Eleuthera — five ports of entry — The Eleuthera districtBahamas Customs publishes five designated ports of entry for the district, with dock and airport entries for the main ones. Cape Eleuthera is the one to check before you sail: the numbered national list carries "16. Cape Eleuthera ( Restricted)" and "17. Half Moon Cay (Eleuthera)", the ELEUTHERA district table lists North Eleuthera Airport, Spanish Wells, Rock Sound Dock, Rock Sound Airport, Harbour Island, Governors Harbour Dock and Governors Harbour Airport, and Cape Eleuthera's own marina page advertises "Customs & immigration on call" — confirm by telephone before making landfall there. Departure tax for each person beyond three on board is $30 per visit on the Ministry of Tourism's boating regulations and $20 on the Bahamas Customs Department's pages, so budget $30. Country-wide: yellow quarantine flag on arrival, captain only ashore until cleared, AIS running above 50 ft with a stated $1,000 fine, fishing permit $100/$300 and valid thirty days only, outbound clearance $75, filing through Click2Clear.
- Bahamas cruising permits — carry both schedules — Bahamian waters generallyThe Ministry of Tourism, Investments & Aviation schedule effective 1 April 2026, under Regulations 91 and 91B, runs 30-day, 6-month and 12-month permits banded at 30, 50 and 100 ft — $150/$250/$350/$600 for thirty days, $300/$750/$2,000 for six months with one free re-entry, $500/$1,000/$3,000 for twelve months with two. The Bahamas Customs Department's own "Pleasure Vessels" page gives 3-month and 12-month permits banded at 34, 100, 150 and 200 ft — $150/$300 not exceeding 34 ft, $300/$600 to 100 ft, $500/$1,000 to 150 ft, $800/$1,600 to 200 ft and $1,000/$2,000 above — with the permit re-usable if the vessel returns within 90 days. A 250-footer at Briland Club is $2,000 for twelve months on one and $3,000 on the other. Plan against the effective-dated Ministry schedule and carry the difference. Anchorage fees are separate and, in the Ministry's own framing, apply only if a vessel actually anchors: $50/$100/$200 for thirty days, $200/$350/$1,500 for twelve months. A Frequent Digital Cruising Card runs two years at $1,500/$2,500/$8,000.
Service, refit & supplies
Shipyards & refit
| Name | Where | Max yacht | Dockage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Yard work — plan it as a deliveryNo yard on Harbour Island, at Cape Eleuthera or at Spanish Wells runs a travelift or a marine railway. For a lift, the answer is Freeport on Grand Bahama. Eleuthera is a berthing, clearance and cruising market, so schedule yard work as a delivery rather than as a stop. | Eleuthera, Harbour Island and Spanish Wells | — | — |
On the Eleuthera & Harbour Island calendar
Eleuthera runs year-round, and the clocks here belong to the marinas and to Customs rather than to a season.
- Valentines: VHF 16, monitored 07:00–19:00, every day. Call before you commit to an arrival.
- Harbour Island Club & Marina: VHF 16, monitored 08:00–18:00.
- Briland Club, Romora Bay, Cape Eleuthera and Spanish Wells Yacht Haven work by telephone — call ahead rather than assume a listening watch.
- Cape Eleuthera check-out is 11:00 EST for all transient boats, with a 24-hour cancellation policy — miss 16:00 EST the day before arrival and one night is charged.
- Cape Eleuthera dockage steps by length of stay, not by season: $3.50/ft short stay, $2.50/ft from 30 nights, $2.25/ft from 90 days. Rates elsewhere in the district are quoted on request.
- Bahamas cruising permits run on duration: 30-day, 6-month and 12-month, the last two carrying one and two free re-entries, from 1 April 2026. Customs' own Pleasure Vessels page instead gives 3-month and 12-month permits with a 90-day return window — check which instrument you are being sold.
- Fishing permits expire at thirty days regardless of the cruising permit's length.
- Take the Devil's Backbone in daylight, with a local pilot arranged in advance — Valentines publishes three by name with telephone numbers.
Regatta and homecoming dates are set by the organising clubs — confirm them directly with the organiser. The marina hours and the permit dates above are what actually change a trip.
Yachts we'd shortlist for Eleuthera & Harbour Island
Reviewed the same way as everything on this site — specifications verified against the builder's own numbers.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the largest yacht that can dock at Harbour Island?
Briland Club publishes a 300-foot maximum vessel across 34 berths on 15-foot-wide floating docks behind a Category-3 hurricane-rated fixed breakwater, with 480-volt 400-amp power from its own plant and in-slip fuelling. Valentines states it has accommodated vessels up to 204 feet, and Romora Bay publishes 40 slips for vessels up to 200-plus feet. Depth is the catch: Briland Club does not state one, and the single draft figure given anywhere on the island is Valentines' 7 feet. A 300-foot berth is only useful if the water under it is confirmed, so ask for that number first.
Where are the ports of entry in Eleuthera?
Bahamas Customs publishes five for the district: Governor's Harbour, Rock Sound, North Eleuthera, Harbour Island and Spanish Wells, with dock and airport entries for the main ones. Cape Eleuthera is the one to check. The same Customs document lists it as a port of entry marked restricted in one place and leaves it out of the Eleuthera district table in another, while Cape Eleuthera's own marina page advertises customs and immigration on call — confirm by telephone before making your Bahamian landfall there. On arrival anywhere, fly the yellow quarantine flag, keep everyone but the captain aboard until cleared, and run AIS if you are over 50 feet — the stated fine is $1,000.
Do you need a pilot for the Devil's Backbone?
Take one. Valentines' own marina page states that off the northern end of Eleuthera there is a shallow, jagged reef known as the Devil's Backbone, and that the marina highly recommends assistance from the locals to navigate it — then publishes three local pilots by name with telephone numbers. There is no marked route and no published depth over the reef, so the pilot is the plan rather than a convenience. Call ahead, book one before you sail, and make the passage in daylight.
How deep is Harbour Island for yachts?
Seven feet, on the only figure any Harbour Island operator states. Valentines Residences Resort & Marina publishes 51 transient slips, 33 of which are over 80 feet with 7 feet of draft, and several slips with a 9-foot draft. Briland Club publishes berths to 300 feet without a depth, and Romora Bay publishes 40 slips for vessels up to 200-plus feet described only as deep-water. So the island advertises length in the hundreds of feet over a stated draft of seven, and depth is the constraint that actually selects the boat. If you draw more than nine feet, get the figure in writing from the marina before you commit.
Is there dock and dine on Harbour Island?
Only through the marinas — dining here works by berth and short walk rather than by guest dock. What is published is Valentines' own property: The Boathouse Restaurant and The Rooster Tail Bar on the marina, plus room service and on-board dining for boats in the slip. At the other end of the island Cape Eleuthera publishes dining and provisioning on the marina property. The island is three miles long and half a mile wide by the local marina's own description, so the working answer is to berth and then walk or take a cart.
Where can a deep-draft yacht dock in Eleuthera?
Cape Eleuthera, at the south-western tip of the island. It is the district's deep-water berth and the one that states a controlling depth: 47 slips accommodating vessels up to 200 feet LOA, a controlling entry depth of 12 feet, and a marina basin ranging from 6 to 40 feet at mean low water. Read those together — some berths are six feet — and note that the fuel dock is 9 feet at mean low water springs, so a boat drawing eight can enter and still not fuel on a spring low. Spanish Wells Yacht Haven gives 12 feet at its face dock and 11 in its slips, but both are high-tide figures rather than controlling depths.