TravelTalkOnline Forums Travel and Vacation Forums British Virgin Islands North swell effects

We're going to bringing our Nordhavn, Tropical Blend, over to BVI in a week or so. I was checking the weather, and I see that the swells are now from the north, but the east trades are still blowing. That makes for some rolly anchorages.

For those of you that are currently or recently out on the water, can you comment on how much the 3' swell is affecting the anchorages?

Very small swell right now..less than 3 feet..wont have any effect on anchorages..

We were on a ball at Cooper last night. No rolling.

Windguru and Buoyweather forecasts are pretty different over the next week. BW is showing 3' waves from the north, winds 15 to 20 from the east. WG shows a similar sized NE or E swell, much better considering the wind direction. We'll be around the north side of St. John for a few days, then heading over to BVI for a week or so, Our boat rolls notoriously in a beam swell at anchor. I foresee deployment of flopper stoppers in our future.

If the swells are up and you want to stay in STJ there is always the S. side - Rendezvous, the Lameshurs and Salt Pond are often flat calm during a N. swell event.
Leinster isn't a bad choice up close to shore as well. I watch this site for real time info in a buoy 160 NM North.

http://www.ndbc.noaa.gov/show_plot.php?s...;time_label=GMT

Surfers are arriving Monday

Massive Weather conditions in the Northern Atlantic have been and will continue to create massive waves that will end as Northern Swell in the coming days and the next ten days across the caribbean.






The swell forecast should be checked carefully each day for any open anchorage. Rapid changing swell is possible over the next week at least.

In most cases the large north swell that impacts the BVI is the result of storm a 1,000 miles away or more and waves that have traveled for days.

Way early to really tell. But, Next weekend the and even late next week could be very interesting swell, wind, and waves across the area.

NOTE: This is the wave forecast for next Saturday or 7 Days out! Note the storm the models see off the coast of Mexico?

Thanks for the contributions. IIRC, the most protected anchorages during a north swell are:

JVD - Great Harbour
Norman Island bight
Peter - Great Harbour, White Bay
Tortola - Soper's Hole, Trellis Bay
Virgin Gorda - North Sound
Anegada

Are there any other recommended anchorages for north swell conditions? I have read the current cruising guides, but one can never have enough info.

We're thinking about coming straight from Red Hook to JVD, returning to SJ when the swells are down. Our boat is a very seaworthy Nordhavn trawler, but it does roll in a beam swell at anchor. We're also looking to anchor, as the boat is heavy at 25 tons, and we don't trust most of the moorings. We haven't been to BVI since 2011, and this will be the first trip on our own boat.

We should add areas to avoid.

I will start with white Bay jost van Dyke, Cooper island, sometimes marina Cay.

I will add Cane Garden Bay, White Bay Guana . Depending on the height of the swell sometimes Lee Bay Great Camanoe gets a wrap around swell.

I was very surprised that Diamond Cay was not a mess in 4m swells. there were these 10-12 foot wave crashing on the reef, and still as a pond at the morning field.

slept like a baby with that surf noise going on.

Yes,
Avoid Cooper Island until after January 25th.

Yeah, I experienced a very rolly night there around Thanksgiving in 2009. It's strange how some of the anchorages on the south shores get pounded by north swells. In most places we have been, lee shores have been very protected.

interesting there is an actual date in which the swell stops <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/duh.gif" alt="" />

I'm sure Ron is fast on wiki working up an answer that cites swell data back to Columbus.

sail2wind: Just trying to keep one mooring ball available the week of Jan 18th.
I've been lucky in the past and have never experienced North Swells at Cooper.
The first time I ever got close to White Bay, JVD, I saw masts swaying and told our crew, no way we are going to even try that that place for an overnight.

He will be along later. His Mom told him he had to clean his room before he could copy and paste more stuff. And it's Saturday night, so playing in the tub will occupy him a bit longer.

Be nice. You know he’s pressing his Blazer to impress the servers at the KFC Sunday brunch.

The blazer is always pressed...

I did recheck my crystal ball for you and yes the weather will change this week resulting in greater swell and wind coming into next weekend... Both the wind and swell will diminish at some point and then return with a vengeance. I do not have any notes on Columbus? We do have some family bibles that talk about waves on a old boat called Mayflower.

Looks to be building:

http://www.ndbc.noaa.gov/show_plot.php?s...;time_label=GMT

No one knows what your issue is with this individual...and no one cares.

Can we just play nice, and help each other better enjoy their time in the BVI?

Sheesh.

You haven't been around long enough to know....and at least three of us care.

It's looking pretty ugly by Friday. We're leaving Red Hook tomorrow, and we're debating whether to stop at Leinster or just head straight to Great Harbour. I think we'll make an on-the-water call.

The buoy site only shows real time - it is not predictive for Fri and is already subsiding.

Isn't Lienster USVI and great harbour BVI?

You'd be correct.

I would think Maho/Francis would be less swell then Lienster.

Leinster wouldn't be a great choice in a large N swell.

Francis would be fine, unless it has a 'Western component'. If so, there's an anchorage monitor (or...I'm not sure what they call themselves. They're volunteers who are permanently stationed in the anchorage, and are both knowledgeable and friendly)who will sound the alarm if the Francis Bay/Maho Bay anchorage will be untenable.

Been down there doing our sailing thing since 11/7 so haven't been able to post this sooner, but......Thank You!

Looks big today.

http://www.ndbc.noaa.gov/show_plot.php?s...;time_label=GMT

We moored overnight in Caneel last night and it was very rolly. Plan was to stop in trunk bay for some snorkeling and then overnight in Leister but now wondering if we should skip Leister (and waterlemon) and head straight to JVD great harbor. Or would Maho be adequate ? Maybe we head straight to JVD and can leave Leister/Waterlemon for the trip back...? Thoughts? What site are those posting on this forum using to check swell data ?

The whole north shore will be rolly, Leinster bay on the east side is fine.
The swells should subside Saturday evening.

Seas calm to Anegada but water visibility very poor including chichizen (10 feet) no rolling at moorings.

My list of best anchorages in north swell season:

1. Little Harbor Jost Van Dyke
2. Bight Norman Island
3. Sprat Bay Peter
4. South Shore of St. John
5. Anywhere in the North Sound
6. Soper's Hole
7. Nanny Cay (few moorings mostly slips)
8. Little Harbour Peter Island
9. Leinster Bay St. John
10. Trellis Bay

Not happy places for folks with sensitive crew:

1. Cane Garden Bay
2. Caneel Bay
3. Great Harbor JVD
4. White Bay JVD
5. Maho and Francis Bays St. John

Others may disagree. YMMV.

PG