TravelTalkOnline Forums Travel and Vacation Forums British Virgin Islands Mooring / anchorage help

Hello all! After our first bareboat trip last June, we learned some valuable lessons. We did 10 nights, and like true first-timers, we pushed too hard and checked off a lot of things. We hope to relax this year, so at most we will have a loose itinerary. However, I am struggling a bit with the list of overnight locations. We love St. John, White Bay, Jost, CGB, Anegada, Scrub for our two girls on the last night while we pack, etc. The beauty of the beach is something we seem to gravitate to. For example, the fact that a family was attempting to roll a passed out grandmother back into a dinghy last year in front of Soggy really didn't bother us. The place is just too damn nice after the party leaves. Yes, the little grandchildren were really saying "wake up grandma" by the way and there was no medical emergency! She was a young grandmother and she truly had her pain killed as many of us have had over the years!

Anyway, since we like beautiful settings, we are considering a night or two this year in White Bay, Guana, Savannah Bay, VG and/or Big Trunk, VG (if this is doable on the hook). For those of you with experience in these locations, will you please provide some feedback? I recognize there are no onshore restaurants or bars, but we will need a few quiet nights where we cook in. With this said, I am wondering if we could anchor in Big Trunk, VG and dinghy (before dark) to Coco Maya. We ate there last year and really enjoyed it.

Thank you in advance for any assistance you can provide! If you have suggestions for other places we should consider, please share them.

FYI, we will be on a Moorings 433 PC for 10 nights in June with our two daughters (11 and 13). We are very careful with the boat and treat it as if it were ours. In addition, I have a lot of experience with larger boats, so I am comfortable navigating into locations like Savannah/Pond and anchoring. Thank you!

Steve

You can't overnight in Savannah Bay. See the derelict wreck on shore for why.

I've never overnighted in Big Trunk but it would certainly be nice (swell dependent)

Regarding White Bay, just read the cruising guide carefully. I prefer anchoring on the Ivan's side. Less traffic and more room.

Steve - As mentioned I would be cautious about overnight anchoring in Savannah Bay. It can become quickly dangerous if a swell moves in. Also red-lined by some charter companies, though I don't recall Moorings policy.

White Bay at Guana Island has 15 mooring balls (as of early December). Anchoring is possible - just make sure you get into sand not the reef. The bay is exposed to northerly swell and can get lumpy in strong winds.

Peter Island offers several excellent north and south shore bays for anchoring.

Personal opinion is that I would flip flop the above. I would overnight in Savanah bay with a weather forecast for no thunderstorms or North Swell. Big trunk has no reef for protection and might even be in the no anchor zone for the baths.
G

We have overnighted in Savannah bay. It is very nice. Make sure you understand the wave forecast for north swells. Rule of thumb, if there is a nice beech there can be surf. We also anchor in 15 feet or more water. Also make sure to pay close attention to the reef on the chart to enter the area, don't cut any corners, it is not a straight path.

Assuming a June trip there are no north swells. The issue with Savannah is a mental one. The wind will howl through the cut and you will think a hurricane is upon you, but water will be flat and top of mast wind indicator will be 20+.

Savannah is a nice spot to snorkle as the sun is setting and it gets dark, shallow reef close to the boat.

Thank you for your responses! Very helpful! Has anyone spent the night at Big Trunk in the summer with an E or SE wind? If so, was it rolly and do you think it is possible to dinghy to Coco Maya? Steve

If you have a East wind the water conditions will be fine. The problem is that if you get rain squalls at night the wind may not stay out of the east and could easily shift to a bad direction. I can't remember the bottom conditions there but I think it's like the baths with some rocks with coral. If so you really don't want to anchor.
G