Cay One

Located within 5 minutes of two popular resorts, Tiamo Resort and Emerald Palms Resort, this one mile long island has enormous potential for the future. The sand is white, the air is fresh, the water is azure and the island breeze is constant.

This is truly one of the quietest places left on the planet, as Andros Island represents the largest remaining unexplored land-mass in the Caribbean. A coral limestone formation, Andros is dominated by thick impenetrable bush, sliced in pieces by inland waterways, and edged by mangrove marshlands. To the north are hardwood and pine forests including Andros Pine, Mahogany, Horseflesh, and Lignum Vitae. Along the east coast are miles and miles of white sand beach and palm trees and the fishing and diving grounds of the Andros Barrier Reef. On the west coast are the pristine fishing flats of the Great Bahamas Bank. Amidst all this beauty, in the middle of nowhere, yet near Mangrove Cay, Lisbon Creek Settlement, Driggs Hill Settlement and Harbour, two airports and a medical clinic, lies Cay One. The nearby settlements guarantee access to whatever you need to make island living or development realistic.

The island is 12.4 acres (50,181 sq.m) and has extensive beachfront as it is formed like a string alongside the coast of South Andros. It is separated from the mainland by a (3 to 7 feet deep, 100 to 300 feet wide) tidal creek (Hatchet Creek) and extensive and impenetrable marshland. There is a blue hole and limestone crack perfect for diving and snorkelling only 30 feet from the island within the creek. This area and part of Cay One were recently seen on Fine Living TV cable television in the “Yak to the Crack” scenes of the “Your Private Island” series episode which aired on 12-10-05 (Fine Living episode FLYPI-412).

Cay One has great accessibility via two nearby airports: Congo Town (TZN) and South Andros Island (MYAK). You can choose to fly to Andros via Fort Lauderdale or Nassau International Airports. When flying from Fort Lauderdale, it is possible to book with Lynx Air or Trans Caribbean Air. This 90-minute journey takes you across the Gulf Stream and over the brilliant blue waters of the Bahamas. Going to Andros via Nassau, one can choose Safari Seaplanes, Western Air or Golden Wings Air. Western Air alone books two 20-minute flights daily from Nassau to Congo Town (TZN) and South Andros Island (MYAK). From the local airport, land and sea taxis are available to get to Cay One.

Shown in the pictures is the charted entrance to the South Bight. This is one of the few places along the east coast of Andros Island that has a break in the coral reef wide enough to safely navigate through to the mainland. Cay One is the first sizeable cay one comes to upon entering the South Bight and, hence, the name. These factors allow for easy water access to the cay. Suitable for a dock, the water is 6 feet deep within 250 feet of the beach. For deeper water access, Driggs Hill Harbour is only ½ mile away.

Andros Island is the largest island of the Bahamas at roughly 2300 square miles (6,000 km²)in area, being 104 miles (167 km) long and 40 miles (64 km) wide (at its widest point). It has the lowest population density of anywhere in the Bahamas. It also has the third largest barrier reef in the world at 140 miles (225 km) long, with a drop off of over 6,000 thousand feet (1.8 km). The water above the reef is only about twelve feet (4 metres) deep on average. The reef acts as a natural barrier to ocean swells ensuring relatively calm and inviting waters in and around Andros. Because of the tropical breeze, the average air temperature is usually in the mid 80s (F) and the average yearly water temperature is 80 (F).

There are more than 40 square miles (104 km²) of rainforest that is inhabited by more than 50 species of orchids. Two hundred different types of birds, including flamingos, are native to the island. New species of life are still being described in Andros, which is an ecological safe-haven and an area of intense ecological research and preservation. The mainland is actually made up of many different islands adjoined by thousands of miles of freshwater inlet creeks and waterways. It holds the largest collection of fresh water in the Bahamas (making a freshwater well for Cay One a likely possibility).

The natural beauty of Andros Island draws thousands of visitors there every year. This is especially true of anglers and sailors who come from all over the world to fish and sail in the diverse Androsian waters. Androsian waters are unique because this is where the shallow Great Bahamas Bank meets the deep Tongue of the Ocean. This means Andros can offer excellent shallow flats and deep-sea fishing. Also, the changing depths of water correspond to changes in colour (hues of blue and green) and make the waters around Andros easily the most beautiful in the Caribbean. Because of the Bonefish Flats, Andros is said to be the “Bonefish Capital” of the world. Just beyond the Andros Barrier Reef, about one mile away from Cay One, lies the Tongue of the Ocean. It is over 1,000 fathoms deep. Just like the Gulf Stream, fish from all over the world use this as a deep-water route through tropical waters, which makes for excellent nearby deep-sea fishing. Almost every identifiable species of fish in the world can be found in the Tongue of the Ocean. This is a unique characteristic for a tropical island. Divers come to explore the blue holes (under water caves) and the Andros Barrier Reef in order to see all of the wonderful coral formations and marine life. Andros is the also home of the largest annual sailing regatta in the Bahamas. It is a favorite spot for many yacht goers who want to get away from the crowds.

Many people choose the Bahamas as their island home because of the government’s favourable views on foreign ownership and business development. Recently included in these ranks are actors Johnny Depp (who owns an island only 25 nautical miles away from Cay One) and Nicolas Cage (who recently bought an island about 50 miles away). The title is impeccable and the cay is being sold freehold forever.

Price: USD 3,100,000 plus stamp tax and 6% commission payable by the buyer.