British Virgin Islands
British Virgin Islands · a week from Road Town, Tortola · about 79 nautical miles
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The British Virgin Islands are one of the easiest and most popular places in the world to charter. Some sixty islands and cays sit around the sheltered Sir Francis Drake Channel, almost all within sight of each other, the trade wind blows steadily from the east, and most bays have mooring balls and a beach bar. This loop from Road Town takes in the classics, from the Caves at Norman Island and the boulders of the Baths to North Sound, the reef island of Anegada and the beach bars of Jost Van Dyke.
Where the charter boats are
Most charter companies in the British Virgin Islands are based on Tortola. The largest fleets are at Wickhams Cay II in Road Town, and the second area is Nanny Cay, a few miles west along the south coast. Both are within about half an hour of the airport on Beef Island, and the loop is the same from either.
Main bases: Road Town, Tortola and Nanny Cay. Marinas: Nanny Cay Marina · Hodges Creek Marina, Beef Island · Inner Harbour Marina, Road Town
When to go
- You can sail here all year, but the main season runs from December to April, with steady trade winds and dry weather.
- Christmas, New Year and the spring holidays are the busiest weeks, so book well ahead.
- May, June and November are quieter and cheaper, with lighter winds and warmer water.
- June to November is hurricane season. The risk is highest from August to October, when some charter companies, bars and restaurants close.
Weather
The trade wind blows from the east almost all year, usually 15 to 20 knots, so most passages are a reach. Expect warm sunshine, short squalls and a little more wind in winter.
Trade wind
from the east
Usually 15 to 20 knots, swinging between north-east and south-east. Do the beats east, such as the sail to the Baths, early in the day.
Christmas wind
from the north-east
Stronger trades, often 20 to 25 knots for days at a time, usually between December and February. Reef early and expect a lumpy sea in the open passages.
Squall
from the east
Short, dark rain squalls bring gusts well above the trade wind. Reduce sail when you see one coming; most pass in a few minutes.
Forecasts
- US National Weather Service marine forecasts for the Virgin Islands, from the San Juan office.
- US National Hurricane Center outlooks at nhc.noaa.gov, every day from June to November.
- Your charter company's check-in briefing, including its hurricane plan in season.
Sea temperature: About 26 °C in February and March, rising to 28 to 29 °C from August to October.
Where you moor
marina
Slips with water and power in Road Town, Nanny Cay and a few resort marinas. Book ahead in the high season.
town quay
There are few town quays. Dinghy docks are the norm, and most beach bars and restaurants have one for guests.
buoy
Mooring balls in almost every bay, paid nightly, and some can be booked online. National Parks moorings are for day use only, with a time limit.
anchor
Anchor only in sand, well clear of coral, seagrass and the mooring fields. In the popular bays, moorings now fill most of the space.
Filling up: water, power and fuel
| Port | Type | Water | Power | Fuel | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Road Town | Marina | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | Charter base: start and finish. Fuel docks in Road Harbour. |
| Norman Island | Buoys | – | – | – | Mooring balls in the Bight; day moorings at the Caves. No fuel. |
| Cooper Island | Buoys | – | – | – | Mooring balls off the beach club in Manchioneel Bay. No fuel: refuel in Road Town or North Sound. |
| North Sound | Buoys | ✓ | – | ✓ | Mooring balls off Leverick Bay, Bitter End and Saba Rock. Fuel and water at the Leverick Bay dock. |
| Anegada | Buoys | – | – | – | Mooring balls off Setting Point, inside the reef. Daylight entry only, by the marked channel. Fill up in North Sound before you go. |
| Jost Van Dyke | Buoys | ✓ | – | ✓ | Mooring balls in Great Harbour, with a small fuel dock. White Bay, next door, has the beach bars. |
| Nanny Cay | Marina | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | Second charter base, with a fuel dock; handy for refuelling on the way back. |
A sample week
Saturday: Saturday is check-in day. Boats are usually ready from the afternoon: do the boat and chart briefing, stow the provisions and spend the first night in the marina. Bring passports, as you clear immigration when you arrive by air or ferry.
Sunday · about 6 nm
Road Town → Norman Island
A short first sail south across the Sir Francis Drake Channel to Norman Island, said to be the inspiration for Treasure Island.
On the way: Snorkel the Caves at Treasure Point from a day mooring before you pick up a ball for the night.
- Snorkel into the Caves at Treasure Point
- Have a sundowner at one of the bars in the Bight
- Watch the stars from the cockpit
Overnight: Mooring ball in the Bight, the big sheltered bay on the west side of the island.
Monday · about 8 nm
Norman Island → Cooper Island
East up the channel past Peter and Salt Islands to Cooper Island, a small, laid-back island with a single beach club.
On the way: Morning snorkel at the Indians, four rocky pinnacles in a national park, from a day mooring.
- Snorkel or dive the wreck of the Rhone off Salt Island
- Swim from the beach in Manchioneel Bay
- Have dinner at the beach club
Overnight: Mooring ball in Manchioneel Bay, off the beach club.
Tuesday · about 15 nm
Cooper Island → North Sound, Virgin Gorda
Usually a beat east to the Baths, where giant granite boulders make grottoes and pools on the beach. Then north up the coast of Virgin Gorda into North Sound.
On the way: The Baths has day moorings only, and dinghies tie to a line offshore, so you swim in. Go early, and stay away if the red flag is flying.
- Scramble through the boulders from the Baths to Devil's Bay
- Watch the sunset from Saba Rock
- Top up with fuel and water at Leverick Bay
Overnight: Mooring ball in North Sound, off Leverick Bay, Bitter End or Saba Rock.
Wednesday · about 13 nm
North Sound → Anegada
North across open water to Anegada, a flat coral island ringed by reef. Some charter companies do not allow this trip, so check yours does before you plan it.
On the way: Arrive in good daylight with the sun high, and follow the marked channel through the reef to Setting Point.
- Take a taxi to the beaches and reef at Loblolly Bay
- Look for flamingos in the salt ponds
- Try Anegada lobster grilled on the beach
Overnight: Mooring ball off Setting Point, inside the reef.
Thursday · about 25 nm
Anegada → Jost Van Dyke
The longest day of the week, but usually downwind: west along the north side of Tortola to Jost Van Dyke, the little island famous for its beach bars.
On the way: Lunch stop at Sandy Cay, a tiny island of white sand, in settled weather.
- Swim ashore to the Soggy Dollar Bar in White Bay
- Have dinner and live music at Foxy's in Great Harbour
- Walk to the Bubbly Pool on the east end
Overnight: Mooring ball in Great Harbour, or off White Bay when the swell is down.
Friday · about 12 nm
Jost Van Dyke → Road Town
Back east through the Narrows and up the Sir Francis Drake Channel to Road Town. It is usually a beat into the trade wind, so start early.
- Stop for breakfast at Soper's Hole on the West End
- Refuel at Nanny Cay or in Road Harbour
- Have a last dinner ashore in Road Town
Overnight: Back in Road Town by Friday evening for the check-in inspection.
Friday evening and Saturday: Be back in Road Town by Friday evening, refuelled, for the check-in inspection. Saturday morning is check-out, at a time set by your charter company.
Navigation and mooring
- This is eyeball navigation: read the water colour, with the sun behind you, to spot reefs and coral heads. Plan reef passages for the middle of the day.
- Anegada is surrounded by reef that has wrecked many boats. Go only if your charter company allows it, in daylight with good visibility, and follow the marked channel to Setting Point.
- National Parks moorings at sites such as the Caves, the Indians, the Rhone and the Baths are for day use only, with a time limit, and every boat needs a National Parks permit.
- Most charter agreements do not allow sailing after dark. Moorings in the popular bays fill by mid-afternoon, so arrive early.
- Fast ferries link Tortola, Virgin Gorda, Jost Van Dyke and the US Virgin Islands. The US border runs close to Jost Van Dyke and Norman Island; entering US waters needs customs clearance on both sides.
Provisioning
- Supermarkets in Road Town for the big shop; most charter companies can also deliver a provisioning order to the boat.
- Shops on Virgin Gorda, Jost Van Dyke and Anegada are small, with limited stock and high prices, so stock up before you leave.
- The islands use the US dollar. Book dinner ashore by radio or phone in the busy bays, and ahead for Anegada lobster.
Rules and fees
- Charter guests pay a cruising permit for each person aboard, usually collected by the charter company, plus a National Parks permit for the moorings. Check the current fees when you book.
- Bring passports for immigration on arrival. Visiting the US Virgin Islands means clearing out and back in through customs, with the right US entry documents.
- Hurricane season runs from June to November. Check your charter contract's hurricane terms and follow the company's instructions if a storm is forecast.
A planning guide, not a navigational publication. Maps are simplified and distances approximate (Coastline: GSHHG, Wessel and Smith, LGPL). Always use official charts, the current pilot book, local notices and the latest forecast, and follow your charter company's briefing.