This table represents personal opinions from frequent BVI sailors
and from many, many charter weeks in the British Virgin Islands. However,
it does not intend to be exhaustive, as the BVIs offer endless discovery.
Unless noted otherwise, all have good holding in a sandy bottom, generally
less than 25 feet.
* R = on the old boat, the "Willy T." and "Pirates" ashore.
Indians
N
Y+
Y
N—none
N
Exposed, no anchor, +
Peter Island
White Bay
Y+
Y-
N
Y—none
Y
Grass, small area, swell
Little Harbour
N
N
N
Y—1 house
Y
Small area
Great Harbour
N
N
N
Y—1 house
Y
Deep anchorage
Deadman's Bay
Y+
N
N
Y+—PIYC*, R
Y
Some grass, swell, ++
Sprat Bay
N
N
Y
Y—PIYC, R
N
Docks, no anchor, resort
* Very little of PIYC is in sight
Salt Island Bay
Y
N
N
N—hut
N
Cooper Island
Manchioneel Bay
Y+
Y+
Y
Y—CIBC, R
N
Grass-no anchorage
The Dogs
Great Dog, West
N
Y
Y
N—none
Y
rocks, swell, ++
George Dog
Y-
Y+
Y
N—none
Y
lunch, ++
Island/Anchorages
Bch
Snkl
MB
OvN | Bldgs.
Scl
Comments
Virgin Gorda
The Baths Area
Y+
Y+
Y
N—hut, R
N
boulders, swell, ++
Spanish Town
N
N
N
Y—many, R, P
N
docks, marina
Savannah / Pond / Teter Bays
Y++
Y+
N
Y—none
Y+
difficult entrance, swell ++
Long Bay / Mtn Point
Y-
Y+
N
N—none
Y
Nice reef
Drake's Anchorage
Y *
Y
Y
-—some, R
N
Anchor S. of shallow
Leverick Bay
N
N
Y
Y—many, R, P
N
Nice
Cactus Point
N
Y
N
N—none
Y
Coral heads
Vixen Point
Y
N
Y
Y—hut, R
N
Beach bar
Saba Rock
N
N
Y
Y+ R
N
Windy ++
Bitter End
Y
N
Y
Y—many, R, P
N
Resort, some anchor++
* You must walk to beaches and snorkeling area
Anegada
Reef Hotel Area
N
N
Y
Y—few, R
Y
Difficult entrance
Loblolly Bay
Y++
Y
cab
N—hut, R
Y+
Best lobster ++
Beef Island
Trellis Bay
N
N
Y
Y—many, R, P
N
Last Resort, no anchor
Island/Anchorages
Bch
Snkl
MB
OvN | Bldgs.
Scl
Comments
Great Camanoe
Marina Cay
Y-
Y-
Y
Y - R
N
Minor swell
Cam Bay, opp.
Lee Bay
N
Y
N
Y—houses
Y+
Difficult entrance
Lee Bay
Y-
?
N
Y—houses
Y
Small area
Bail's Ground
N
?
N
N—none
Y+
Rocks, lunch, ++
Guana Island
Monkey Point
N
Y+
Y
N—none
Y
Rocks, ++
White Bay
Y
Y
N
Y
Y
Very nice ++
Muskmellon Bay
N
?
N
?—some
Y
Deep, small area
Tortola
Long Bay, near Guana Island
Y+
N
N
Y—few
Y
Swell
Cane Garden Bay
Y
Y
Y,R,P
Y+many, R, P
Nice, can be noisy ++
Soper's Hole
N
N
Y
Y—many, R, P
N
Busy - Nice shops
Jost Van Dyke
White Bay
Y++
Y
N
Y—hut, R
N
Entr. w/ markers++
Great Harbour
Y
N
N
Y—many, R, P
N
Foxy's, ++
Little Harbour
N
N
Y
Y—few, R
Y
No anchor
Green Cay/Sandy Spit
Y+
Y+
N
N—none
N
Small islands+++
Sandy Cay
Y+
Y
N
N—none
N
Small island, ++
Little Thatch
Y
Y
N
N—few
Y
Small area
Additional Notes:
Drake's Anchorage
(This is actually Mosquito Island, but who cares... )
Most nights there are a line of boats anchored inside the reef
on the north side of the area off Drakes, anchoring in great
sand in 12-15', and with an outstanding breeze all night and
a gorgeous sunrise in the morning. I never use the mooring balls
there any more since the anchored boats get more privacy and
better air.
Trellis Bay
We have anchored a couple of times in a grassy bottom. Not my
favorite area, but I wouldn't avoid it just because all the
mooring balls are taken. The area near Conch Point seems to
be a little more secluded than the rest of the Bay.
Cane Garden Bay
In the winter, there is definitely a northern swell problem here,
and a mooring or anchoring location protected from the swell
(north part of the anchorage) will
make for a better night rest. Watch out when cruise ships are
in the area.
White Bay, Jost Van Dyke
This is no longer a difficult entrance, since the cut through
the reef is clearly marked with red and green marker buoys. In addition to the Soggy Dollar Bar--a great place, Sandcastles
Resort here now offers candlelight dinners in the open air dining
room that are excellent, albeit pricey. A couple of other shack
places have opened up further down the beach.
Little Harbor, Jost Van
Dyke
It is a "no anchor", and a mooring ball would be your
best choice, but we have anchored there twice when forced to
by New Years' crowds, and with two anchors set, we had no problems.
Key Cay on Peter Island
It can be a little rolly unless you tuck up close to the beach
behind the cay. It will only hold about 3 boats. The bottom
is mostly grassy. There is OK snorkeling, but its main charm
is that it is very private and seldom used. It's also a convenient
first or last night stop.
back to top