Forums39
Topics39,176
Posts317,614
Members26,630
|
Most Online3,676 01:00 PM
|
|
19 registered members (phustad711, JeanneB, WWII, KirkB, Manpot, fabila, SXMbeacher, Kennys, BillS, charlie, deliveryskipper, justaroofer, SXMScubaman, 6 invisible),
3,111
guests, and 345
spiders. |
Key:
Admin,
Global Mod,
Mod
|
|
|
Re: St John anchorages
[Re: sail2wind]
#87179
02/20/2016 09:57 AM
02/20/2016 09:57 AM
|
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 1,961 St. John, USVI
RickG
Traveler
|
Traveler
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 1,961
St. John, USVI
|
We've had to anchor once at Caneel Bay in order to check in at Cruz Bay. If you draw less than 6' you can anchor in the creek near the customs house. Otherwise, high season/low season no problem getting a mooring in the National Park. Normally I would link to the NPS mooring map, but its no longer up on their web site. They updated the fees to $26/night in January, so maybe they are going through an update.
Our favorite Caribbean village in the VIs is Cruz Bay. It is completely walkable and has over 20 restaurants and bars. Dolphin Market is walkable for provisions. There is an ice house in the Lumber Yard development. Too bad the nearby Caneel Bay anchorage gets ferry wakes from 5AM-1AM. In our monohull we pretty much have to stow gear at that anchorage as if we were underway. Bonine for dessert.
Our favorite anchorages in the park are Maho/Francis Bay, Leinster Bay, Great Lameshur Bay and Salt Pond. All three have lots of turtles/rays/fish. We had an eagle ray jump next to our boat in Maho in January. There are no houses on the hills above Lameshur and it is incredibly nice at night. Hurricane Hole has lots of free day use moorings. Great spot for kayaking in the inner bays - Princess Bay has the best mangrove snorkeling.
Outside of the National Park, we love the anchorage at Hansen Bay inside of Coral Bay. The campground is there and friends can park and we can pick them up. Lots of good snorkeling at Pelican Rock and good holding in sand.
Coral Bay Harbor has provisions at Dolphin Market on the west side of the bay. No dinghy dock, but there is a dinghy line for tie up. Aqua Bistro there is a good restaurant/bar. The nearby Caribbean Oasis has good home cooking. Island Blues location is getting ready to reopen and is now owned by the group at Woody's in Cruz Bay.
At the north end of Coral Harbor is the floating dinghy dock. Its crowded, but most folks leave at least 6' painter so that you can tie up. Skinny Legs has solid bar food and is a good value. Indigo Grill, owned by the Rhumb Lines folks in Cruz Bay, is 100' west on the road and has good pizza and some Caribbean interpretations.
Cheers, RickG
S/V Echoes, 2003 Beneteau 423 Grenada
|
|
|
Re: St John anchorages
[Re: LocalSailor]
#87182
02/20/2016 08:56 PM
02/20/2016 08:56 PM
|
Joined: Dec 2015
Posts: 55 NC
GoneSailing
Traveler
|
Traveler
Joined: Dec 2015
Posts: 55
NC
|
To pile on, there are lots of good places around the island of St John and its surrounding smaller islands. As "leeguice" said above it isn't the night life but it is a real treat when you find a good spot. Evan & I even went treasure hunting in Christmas Cove a few years back..... Remember that? We salvaged a highly valuable battery that some as$hole dumped there. But all kidding aside it is a great place to visit.
Since we keep our boat at Sapphire Beach on the east side of STT we always make a stopover at St John. Even after a coupe of years we are still finding new stops to enjoy.
Be Happy or Leave
|
|
|
Re: St John anchorages
[Re: Twanger]
#87183
02/20/2016 11:06 PM
02/20/2016 11:06 PM
|
Joined: Jul 2012
Posts: 559 Apex, NC
agrimsrud
Traveler
|
Traveler
Joined: Jul 2012
Posts: 559
Apex, NC
|
Twanger said: ..... We usually take a ball in Cinnamon Bay on the first night, after sailing from St. Thomas. Lots of turtles. There are only maybe 8-10 balls there.
We always stay a night in Cinnamon Bay - usually the first night out from CA and sometimes even our last night (we check in with C&I in Cruz Bay then go back to Cinnamon for the night). We enjoy it - very quite. Only downside is that for a mono it always seems a bit rolly especially if it's a first night before you've gained your sea legs. Cats seem to be flat as a pancake so probably no problem if you are sailing one of those.
Life's short - sail more!
|
|
|
Re: St John anchorages
[Re: sail2wind]
#87187
02/21/2016 09:00 PM
02/21/2016 09:00 PM
|
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 1,961 St. John, USVI
RickG
Traveler
|
Traveler
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 1,961
St. John, USVI
|
Check out the NPS map sail2wind mentioned. No anchoring on the south side in the national park of the national monument. That pretty much leaves Coral Bay for anchoring on the south side. Johnson Bay has an anchorage with liveaboards that is closer to Coral Bay Harbor than Hansen, but we prefer Hansen Bay.
Day moorings at Ram Head, Kiddel Bay, Reef Bay and Hurricane Hole. Fishing moorings at Cabritte Horn Point. Dive moorings at Booby Rock.
Cheers, RickG
S/V Echoes, 2003 Beneteau 423 Grenada
|
|
|
Re: St John anchorages
[Re: JD_Midnight]
#87189
02/23/2016 09:12 AM
02/23/2016 09:12 AM
|
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 1,961 St. John, USVI
RickG
Traveler
|
Traveler
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 1,961
St. John, USVI
|
Hansen Bay has no moorings. Plenty of room to anchor over sand. I've never seen more than a half-dozen boats there.
There is plenty of room to anchor in Coral Harbor. The bottom is sand and clay and holds like glue. We just anchor at the outer edge of the anchorage. Hansen Bay is a quick jaunt, about 2nm.
Cheers, RickG
S/V Echoes, 2003 Beneteau 423 Grenada
|
|
|
Re: St John anchorages
[Re: Maria_and_Steve]
#87191
02/27/2016 08:35 PM
02/27/2016 08:35 PM
|
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 1,961 St. John, USVI
RickG
Traveler
|
Traveler
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 1,961
St. John, USVI
|
The Coral Bay dinghy dock still has the concrete section plus a long floating section. Posters on the bulletin board adjacent ask visitors to leave slack in your line/security lock to allow people to pull up and to keep your outboard down. There is plenty of room when all follow those suggestions. Will it ever be larger? The current dinghy dock is not permitted, so all it takes is initiative to expand it.
Cheers, RickG
S/V Echoes, 2003 Beneteau 423 Grenada
|
|
|
Re: St John anchorages
[Re: GoneSailing]
#87192
03/16/2016 09:40 AM
03/16/2016 09:40 AM
|
Joined: May 2014
Posts: 23 St. Paul, Mn.
Genie
Traveler
|
Traveler
Joined: May 2014
Posts: 23
St. Paul, Mn.
|
We love spending a few days in St. John. Francis and Maho are great places to stay. We stay at Caneel near honeymoon beach often. Most of the time it has been fine. Over Christmas it was rolling but it has never been terrible. People scared me away by saying it was very rolly. The ferry ways were the most noticeable. We are on a Cat though. I would highly recommend if the conditions are mild. I am sensitive to seasickness and we've been overnighted many times this year and haven't had a problem. Knock on wood I'll be there this weekend.
Cool Change
|
|
|
Re: St John anchorages
[Re: Genie]
#87193
03/17/2016 09:12 AM
03/17/2016 09:12 AM
|
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 1,961 St. John, USVI
RickG
Traveler
|
Traveler
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 1,961
St. John, USVI
|
On our monohull, Caneel Bay is untenably rolly even with no wind or swell. The ferries run 20 hours a day and they all wake the Caneel mooring field at 20 kts.
Cheers, RickG
S/V Echoes, 2003 Beneteau 423 Grenada
|
|
|
|