BVI Anchorages

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After provisioning and becoming familiar with Absolutely, sail across the Sir Francis Drake Channel to Norman Island, a favorite BVI anchorage. Thought to be the inspiration for Robert Louis Stevenson's Treasure Island, a protected cove and views of most of the BVI and USVI from its hilltops, it is easy to imagine a pirate lair on the island. Today, it has a lively restaurant, a nice beach, great snorkeling, hiking with spectacular vistas AND of course, the famous Willy T, a rusty old frigate turned floating restaurant and bar. The Bight has a well protected and large mooring field. From the Bight mooring field, it is a quick dinghy ride to Pirate's Bight Restaurant. On shore, Pirate's Bight has a sandy beach with lounge chairs for those who purchase a cocktail or bite. Sunsets are especially beautiful from this beach. Beginning snorkelers can enter the water directly off the beach with nice coral formations to the the left and a grassy field that attracts turtles and rays to the right. More experienced snorkelers and divers will enjoy exploring the Caves to the west of The Bight. There are Day Use Only mooring balls for vessels or dinghys just west of Treasure Point. Kelly Cove has a smaller mooring field to the east as you are entering the Bight, with nice snorkeling around Water Point.  Some of the best snorkeling in the BVI is at the Indians to the northeast of the entrance to The Bight. It can sometimes become crowded with day trip snorkel boats. We recommend stopping first thing in the morning as you are leaving The Bight or later in the afternoon as you are heading into the Bight for the evening. There are Day Use Only mooring balls as well as a dinghy mooring line. It can be a bit rough but the snorkeling is spectacular.  

 With an early morning start, you’ll have time to motor to the Indians for a snorkel on the way east to Salt Island. Once you arrive at Salt Island, pick up a Day Use Only mooring ball and dinghy to the island. You can hike around the salt ponds that were used to harvest salt in the 19th and early 20th century. You can also dinghy over to Lee Bay and the Wreck of the Rhone. The Rhone was a steam ship that sank in a Hurricane in 1867. This is a popular SCUBA dive site but since part of the wreck is in 20 feet of water, she can be seen by snorkeling overhead as well.  

 Another option if you are looking for a quiet anchorage would be to spend the night at Great Harbor on Peter Island. In the southwestern corner of Great Harbour, Ocean's 7 Restaurant and Beach Bar is a great option for dinner ashore. Be sure to call ahead. 

A visit to the newly rebuilt Bitter End Yacht Club for lunch or the evening is well with the stop. Mooring balls and slips are available.

After leaving North Sound, consider a stop at the Dogs for snorkeling. The Dogs are a grouping of four tiny islands with Day Use Only mooring balls. The snorkeling around these islands is outstanding. From the Dogs, head west around Great Camanoe Island or south through the Camanoe Cut to White Bay, Guana Island. Guana Island is a quiet anchorage with a small mooring field. It is quiet and the area around it is lightly developed. It is one of the best places for star gazing. Monkey Point is at southeast corner of the White Bay. It offers another great snorkeling opportunity. Guana Island is privately owned and there is a small resort on the island.  While you can not wander around the island, the beach is open to the public and it is beautiful. If you prefer a livelier stop, Scrub Island Resort has overnight slips that offer you full use of the resort's restaurants, beaches, spa and swimming pool. Marina Cay and Trellis Bay offer lots of mooring balls, however these areas are still recovering from Hurricane Irma.

Diamond Cay is at the eastern end of Jost van Dyke. From the anchorage you can explore Sandy Cay and Sandy Spit and hike to the Bubbly Pool, a naturally created pool surrounded by rocks. The B-Line Beach Bar on Little Jost Van Dyke and Foxy's Taboo offer libations and fun. Foxy's Taboo is a great place for a meal. This anchorage is not protected and can be uncomfortable if the seas are high or north swells are running. Little Harbor on Jost Van Dyke offers a good alternative.

 Whether you stay at White Bay or Great Harbour, drinking a Painkiller at Soggy Dollar is a must. The Soggy Dollar is named for the condition of the money used to pay for the drinks. White Bay does not have a dingy dock so you must swim into shore. The Painkiller is their signature drink. When in White Bay, have a drink and visit the store at Soggy Dollar and enjoy lunch at Hendo's Hideout. Hendo's pulled pork sandwich and conch fritters are some of the best you’ll ever have! For dinner, pizza at Corsairs in Great Harbour can’t be beat. Vinny, a colorful Colorado biker turned salty Caribbean pirate and restaurateur, owns an open air place in the center of Great Harbour. You will often find him behind the bar, entertaining guests with his colorful tales. They have an extensive menu, that gets great reviews, but many go for the pizza, rumored to be the best pizza in the islands. 

Last Night: Leaving Jost Van Dyke, sail south through the Thatch Island Cut and then east for your final night at either Norman, Peter or Cooper Islands. Along the way, you may decide to stop for lunch at either Omar’s or Pussers in Sopers Hole. Last day you’ll want an early morning start across the Channel to return Absolutely to Road Reef Harbor on Tortola. 

Unlike most other anchorages in the British Virgin Islands, Anegada requires a bit of planning and forethought. Be sure to make the 11.5 nautical mile sail from North Sound in settled conditions. There is a marked channel into Setting Point. It is important to stay strictly within the channel. Given that there are limited options once you arrive, it’s probably wise to reserve a mooring through Boatyball for at least your first night as the mooring field tends to fill up fast and places to anchor are limited in Anegada due to the many coral heads. Fuel is available at Kenneth's Gas Station on the east side of Potter's at the dock used by the ferries. Provisioning supplies, gift shops and a laundry are available in Setting Point just behind Potter's and the Anegada Reef Hotel. Trash disposal and ice is available at the Anegada Reef Hotel. There are dinghy docks at Potter's, Anegada Reef Hotel, Lobster Trap, Wonky Dog and Neptune's Treasure. 

The beaches in Anegada are some of the best in the BVI.  All the beaches have long stretches for walking and exploring. Cow Wreck Beach has a lively beach bar and restaurant, chaise lounges and palm tree shaded areas. Anegada Beach Club is situated on Bones Bay. They have a restaurant, beach bar and overnight accommodations, including glamping palapas directly on the beach. The chaise lounges and swimming pool are available to patrons of the restaurant and bar. Cow Wreck Beach and Bones Bay are the best for swimming.  Loblolly beach is the best for beach entry snorkeling. The Big Bamboo and Flash of Beauty offer cold drinks and great food options if you are hungry after enjoying the beach. Make sure you bring reef friendly sunscreen and a dry bag for your valuables.

From Anegada, it’s a wonderful four-hour downwind sail to Cane Garden Bay or Jost Van Dyke.