A bucket list spot for us – Warderick Wells.

We have been meaning to go to Warderick Wells in the Exumas Land and Sea Park since we started going to the Bahamas, but for some reason it had never happened. We had anchored near it, but we had never stayed in the mooring field which has some of the most iconic scenery in the Exumas.

I think part of the reason we hadn’t stopped there was because it’s the only mooring field in the Bahamas where you need to call ahead, but no sooner than the day before you want to arrive. If there isn’t availability, then your name goes on a list and you listen to the VHF at 9:00 a.m. the next day to see if you have a spot. So you need to be able to plan a bit, and you need to be within VHF range to see if there’s room. Both require a bit more structure than we prefer when we’re in the Bahamas. But we decided to go for it this time, and after our stay I can say that we won’t hesitate to jump through the minor hoops again.

Warderick Wells has great snorkeling and hiking, and we took full advantage during our five night stay.

One of the things we wanted to do was hike up to the top of Boo Boo Hill. Boo Boo Hill got its name because it is supposedly haunted from a ship that vanished on a nearby reef during a storm. It is a relatively easy hike – when you go the right way that is.

We thought the trailhead was near the park office so we ended up taking the VERY long scenic route around the Cay until we finally found the hill. Once we arrived at the top, we saw where we SHOULD have gone up, so it was a faster trip back. It was very hot and we were seriously rationing water by the time we got up the hill, but we’ll know better for next time!

Despite the longer route, the scenery was gorgeous along the way.

And once we got to the top of the hill, we could see why it was such a popular hike. The views were stunning.

One of the traditions of Boo Boo Hill is to leave a piece of wood with your boat name (or whatever else you want) on it. Some people plan well ahead and make elaborate decorations. We scrounged up a piece of driftwood along the way and brought a marker with us!

When we weren’t hiking or snorkeling, we got together for sundowners a few times with fellow cruiser friends and simply relaxed and enjoyed the view. We even saw a fever of spotted eagle rays – at least 8-10 of them – swim by each evening around the same time. Sadly no pictures this time, but hopefully next time. And there will definitely be a next time. Warderick Wells was absolutely worth it. We won’t miss it again.