BVI Anchorages & Mooring Guide
A Captain’s Knowledge Base
Firsthand notes from five seasons cruising the British Virgin Islands — where to spend the night, where to stop for lunch, which harbors hold and which don’t, and where to grab a ball versus drop the hook.
Jost Van Dyke & the Surrounding Cays
Foxy’s, the Soggy Dollar and the Bubbly Pool
Great Harbour
Grab a ball — the anchorage is deep with poor holding, so don’t rely on the anchor. Foxy’s and the Great Harbour shops and customs are ashore.
White Bay
Wind clocks around at night and a shallow reef guards the entrance, so don’t overnight. The Soggy Dollar Bar and a floating massage bar are ashore.
Little Harbour
A snug south-coast harbor. Sydney’s Peace & Love and Harris’ are ashore.
Little Jost Van Dyke
Off Diamond Cay — dinghy to the Bubbly Pool and Foxy’s Taboo.
Sandy Spit
“Make your snorkel your anchor” — pick a sandy patch, never drop on the reef. Fine to overnight in settled conditions.
Sandy Cay
A pristine uninhabited cay you can walk around; park moorings only, no overnighting.
Tortola
Charter bases, Cane Garden Bay and the north shore
Soper’s Hole (West End)
West End marina with customs, fuel and Pusser’s.
Nanny Cay
South-shore charter base — haul-out, chandlery and restaurants.
Road Town
The capital — charter bases, shops and ferries.
Cane Garden Bay
Beautiful beach and bars; you may also anchor between the swim buoys and the mooring field. Gets crowded on heavy cruise-ship days.
Brewers Bay
A quiet north-shore bay with reef snorkeling and the Callwood rum distillery.
Maya Cove / Hodges Creek
Protected behind the reef on SE Tortola (Penn’s Landing).
Norman Island
The Caves, the Bight and the Willy T
The Bight
The main anchorage — for best holding anchor in close along the shore. Pirates’ Bight and the floating Willy T are here.
Privateer Bay
South of the Bight by the Caves — quieter, and steps from the snorkeling.
Soldier Bay
A quiet north-side spot for settled conditions.
Benures Bay
Northeast side — protected, with good holding.
Peter Island
Deadman’s Bay and private hurricane holes
Great Harbour
On the north side.
Little Harbour
A dramatic, private little hurricane hole — anchor and stern-tie to the rocks.
Peter Island Marina
Full dockage with the resort ashore.
Deadman’s Bay
Off the famous Deadman’s Bay beach on the north shore.
Key Bay
South side — snorkel or dive the wreck of the original Willy T, sunk here after Irma.
Salt Island
Below the salt ponds, gateway to the Rhone
Salt Pond Bay
On the south side below the old salt ponds — dinghy to the RMS Rhone dive moorings.
Cooper Island
Manchioneel Bay and the Beach Club
Manchioneel Bay
The Cooper Island Beach Club is ashore. Can be uncomfortable in heavier winds and seas with strong currents.
Hallovers Bay
A quieter south-side alternative.
Marina Cay, Scrub, Trellis & the Camanoes
Easy first and last nights near the airport
Marina Cay
A tiny cay with Pusser’s — a classic easy first or last night.
Scrub Island
A resort marina with pools and restaurants.
Trellis Bay
On Beef Island by the airport — artist community and the Full Moon party.
Cam Bay (Great Camanoe)
Quiet and undeveloped, with good snorkeling.
White Bay (Guana)
A private island — dinghy to Monkey Point’s silverside snorkeling.
Virgin Gorda
The Baths, Spanish Town and Long Bay
Spanish Town (VG Yacht Harbour)
Marina, fuel, customs and taxis to the Baths.
Savannah Bay
A long white-sand bay north of the harbor; settled conditions only.
Long Bay
On the NW coast — dinghy to the Kodiak Queen art-reef wreck.
The Baths
Iconic granite boulders and grottoes; exposed, no overnighting.
Virgin Gorda — North Sound
Bitter End, Saba Rock, Leverick and Oil Nut Bay
Leverick Bay
Fuel, moorings and the Friday pirate jump-up.
Saba Rock
A resort, bar and restaurant with evening tarpon feeding.
Bitter End (BEYC)
The resort marina and watersports hub.
Vixen Point (Prickly Pear)
Sandy with good holding and room to swing; a beach bar ashore.
Gun Creek
Ferry landing and moorings — dinghy and hike to Hog Heaven.
Deep Bay / Biras Creek
Protected and quiet.
Oil Nut Bay
High-end Marina Village in the SE corner of the Sound; reservations required.
Anegada
The BVI’s coral island and its famous lobster
Setting Point
The island’s one anchorage. It’s reef-strewn — approach in good light and take a ball. Famous lobster ashore.
Build It into Your Route
Browse ready-made sample routes, or see the reefs and wrecks a dinghy ride away.