TravelTalkOnline Forums Travel and Vacation Forums British Virgin Islands smuggler's cove

We will be bareboating for a week in June and we're looking for pretty, calm and secluded beach to hang out at for a while. What is the best way to get into smuggler's cove? I'm reading that anchoring is difficult there and being I haven't bareboated by myself yet I'm not sure if that would be a good idea. I was thinking of anchoring in Long Bay and taking the dinghy over to Smuggler's cove which would be a little over a mile. Is this possible or would it be too rough? I was also thinking of taking a taxi or hiking from Soper's Hole. Any suggestions?
I've searched and can't find info on this

You can definitely taxi from Soper's hole. Be sure to tell the driver where you want to go when you call for a pickup because some drivers won't take their vehicles to Smugglers. Not sure about hiking but I can't see why not. It will be a decent hike by the time you walk from Soper's around the harbor and get to the road to Smugglers. You could potentially dinghy to the dock near the ferry but I don't know if that's restricted to customs traffic.

I have walked from Soper's Hole (started at the Fish and Lime area not the other side) bring water, bug spray and decent shoes...took about an hour maybe if I recall.

Yes - agree - the walk is do-able but by no means one you'd be able to make in flip-flops....we drove there from Sopers in our rental...one of my more hilarious memories from Flotilla 2012 <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Laugh.gif" alt="" /> but we had a great time. Let's just say the road is memorable <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Laugh.gif" alt="" />

I don't believe you can anchor there - pretty sure you can't.....or it's at least not advisable....

If I have properly identified smugglers on the chart, then it's worth noting that it's designated as an anchorage.

You can anchor in Smugglers Cove in the Summer, in settled weather. Since it is totally exposed to the north, it is untenable with even the smallest northerly swell.

The reefs are easily seen, with the sun at your back, and you can anchor safely between the two reefs with ample swinging room. I personally wouldn't anchor very close to the beach - for a bunch of reasons. There's no reason to do so.

Go slowly on your first trip into the beach with the dink. The reefs can trick you in shallow water.

Check with your charter company if the Smuggler's Cove anchorage is red-lined. If not, then no advantage to anchor at Long Bay. The small anchorage is fringed by reefs so make sure you drop the anchor in sand. I've seen charter boats clearly drop anchor on the reef - more frustrating than boats overnighting on NPS moorings.

The beach is lovely but will probably not be secluded especially on the weekends even with no cruise ships in Roadtown. Only a few cruise ship dates in June so that helps.

If you're an anchoring novice, nearby there are more straightforward anchorages off the south shore of Little Jost Van Dyke which has a small beach, and west of Sandy Spit with the beach never seeming to get too crowded.

Of course you need to consider wind swell and weather before making a choice of suitable anchorage.

The context of the original question pertained to June.

It's becoming a bit of a popular spot for the dayboats out of the USVI, so don't be surprised to have some company, with loud music.

Yeah... gotta second that comment....
The last 2-ish years... Smugglers has become b.u.s.y.
Once the taxis started coming in (some yrs back).. that was the end.

Funny thing - those taxis seem never to pick people up again
How many stranded tourists we've driven back to the main road - lol

I appreciate the responses so far. No comment on taking dinghy from soper's hole to smuggler's cove? Would it be too rough or long of a ride?
Also, any suggestions on a nice secluded beach?

Not a trip I'd want to make in a dinghy - the cut is pretty busy with boats coming through, ferries, etc.

Smuggler's is still my favorite beach even though it has picked up some fame over the last few years. Make it a point to go, even if you're not anchoring there.

It's nearly 6 nautical miles from Soper's Hole moorings to Smugglers Cove - one-way.

I would discourage attempting this unless all the following conditions were met:
- you're experienced in open water with a small boat
- seas are flat with no swell and forecasted to remain so. You'll have a good idea of the conditions as soon as you turn the corner at Steele Point.
- the dinghy needs to be able to plane - that means at least 9.9 hp and preferably 15 hp, and no more than 2 persons onboard
- there are a set of oars and oarlocks on board, not just a paddle
- a portable (charged) VHF is brought along in waterproof bag
- both persons wear a PFD
- bottled water is brought along
- you have plenty of fuel (>2 gallons) and the outboard has been running smoothly up until then.

Also bring at least an aerial view printout of Smugglers Cove showing the reef locations. The reef entrance can be deceiving when you approach sitting low in the water, and you might tend to head directly toward the beach when you turn the corner at Gun Point. This can put you on the reef.

Beaches at nearby Sandy Spit and Sandy Cay never seem to be very crowded, and there's a small secluded beach on the south shore of Little Jost Van Dyke.

Did you mean round-trip? It sure doesn't seem more than 2.5 nm one way

My bad! Just under 2 nm one-way. Just a bit further than the distance from Leverick Bay to Saba Rock.

I still wouldn't do it without all the conditions you've listed above.....

Oh no ...say it ain't so.... <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/duh.gif" alt="" />

As GlennA described it to us as first time visitors in '05 it is the "scenic route" - he was right on.
Chris from Heritage Inn (miss her) told us how she had to back up quite a ways to make room for another driver new to Tortola and not accustomed to that drive...funny story!

We all miss Chris very much..Heritage/Bananakeet is not the same without her..indeed Tortola and Little Jost are not the same..