TravelTalkOnline Forums Travel and Vacation Forums British Virgin Islands Dinghy Great Harbor to White Bay

I am chartering with BVIYC and just completed the chart review. White Bay, YVD is redlined. We have anchored here previously, but obviously will not be doing that on this trip. We will plan to grab a mooring in Great Harbor.

I have read some reviews that the dinghy ride from Great Harbor to White Bay and back can be a "white knuckle ride". Can someone help to determine how viable this is as an option or if we should just hike or take a cab?

Appreciate the help

I'd wait until you get there to decide. If there are waves and/or wind, take a cab. If the seas are flat then it's just a normal dinghy ride. I carry a handheld VHF when I do dinghy trips like this, but I'm not sure if the charter boats supply one. I've done that round-the-corner tip in waves before. Also, if you plan on returning after dark, then take a cab.

Thanks Zanshin. I'll be bringing a portable VHF. I also will not plan to making the trip in the dark.

On a side note, glad to see you were able to dodge TS Brett despite sailing a lot of miles to get away.

@Mark - it was worth the trip. Carriacou is very nice. Here's one image from sunset the day before yesterday, and last night ashore at the Paradise Beach Club.

That sunset is absolutely fabulous.

I've made the dingy trip from Great Harbor to White Bay many times without incident. I would not try it at night and certainly would not try it with swell. The taxi gate from GH to WB is only $5 per person. No reason to push your luck.

Mark, our itineraries overlap a bit. If you see us on Toucan Share (51' mono), come say hi and have a drink with us!

Mark, We will be on the look-out for you. We will be on "Debriefed", an Elba 45 cat out of BVIYC. We will be flying a TTOL flag along with some other flags (large red pirate flag, large Raiders flag, Colts, and Cowboys flags.

Good advice on the dinghy. We will make a game-time decision based on conditions, but many of the crew are leaning towards just taking a taxi.

Totally depends on conditions. I've paddleboarded it many times.

TTOL flag??

Nothing unsafe about that Dinghy ride. Just do it in daylight and be aware that the pleasant downwind dinghy ride over will be quite different than the wet bouncy ride back.

Husker: I was able to purchase a TTOL flag many years ago.

Husker,

We bought a TTOL flag many years ago.

Hey Mark - do you know if TTOL flags are still available?

Ask Carol.

Especially when taking a dinghy outside of bay, take a good flashlight (ie bright, not I-Phone)....even in the DAY.

IF your engine conks out on your return, you will likely be too far to swim as the current/wind will sweep you out rapidly as you trouble shoot engine.(I once had fuel line crack just before connector, starving the outboard for fuel... easy fix once back to the boat, but nervous while paddling with 2 girls with an offshore wind).
The bright light will be a lifesaver if someone is searching for you in the dark.

Why does BVIYC not allow us to take a boat into White Bay.

Look at this google maps image: Google Maps White Bay

Only 2 entrances, visible in good (noontime) light. Improperly marked, if at all. And a history of beached/sunken boats at White Bay. If things go bad at night with a storm, there's no way out visually.

I am actually surprised that more charter companies do not allow their boats in White Bay.

In 2019 we used mooring balls in front of Ivins.

We were there over the past two weeks, and the morning balls in front of Ivans are not being maintained any longer. They aren’t even collecting fees if that tells you anything. The painters are makeshift single lines or missing. The sad thing is that boats are now throwing anchors everywhere – even in spots that are likely damaging coral and grass. We also saw boats anchoring way too close together and two incidence happened – one was a collision, and the other was an anchor rope from a day boat getting wrapped around a sailboat’s prop. White Bay is an absolute mess unless you are in the perfect spot. The safe play is to moor in Great Harbor, which most know.

When we were there in early May there were only 4 balls visible on the surface in front of Ivans and two of them no longer had painters. The ground tackle is still on the bottom from the old balls (9 in total) - lots of chain - and it is therefore dangerous to anchor in this area unless you know exactly where the old tackle is. It was just too difficult to maintain the balls - boats constantly damaging them and most "guests" just used them as day balls and headed to the Soggy end of the bay not even frequenting Ivan's. Too many boats and far too much dangerous behavior there now.

We were in White Bay 7/12/23 and they were installing 8 new moorings (that day, could be more) in front of Ivan's.