BVI Best Anchorages

Print

British Virgin Islands - Best Anchorages

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.

Key to abbreviations

Island/Anchorages 

Bch

Snkl

MB

OvN | Bldgs.

Scl

Comments

Norman Island

Privateer Bay

N

Y

N

Y—none

Y-

Small area

Treasure Point

N

Y+

Y

N—none

N

Caves, no anchor, ++

The Bight

N

Y

Y

Y—R*

N

Large area

Soldier Bay

N

N

N

Y—none

Y

Small area

Benures Bay

N

Y

N

Y—none

Y

Small area

* 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:

  1. 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.

  2. 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.

  3. 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. Diinghys should be locked at dinghy dock and during night on the boat.

  4. 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.

  5. 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.

  6. 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.