Cooper Island

Cooper Island, located a short 6 nautical miles from The Moorings base at Road Town, is a beautiful island with a protected anchorage at Manchioneel Bay, and plenty of activities to offer. Ashore, Cooper Island Beach Club is the main attraction – a small resort with restaurant, rum bar, coffee shop, boutique, and lovely outdoor lounge area. The beach bar and lounge face west, making this the perfect place for enjoying a cocktail while watching a stunning Caribbean sunset.

The beach and calm waters make Manchioneel Bay well-suited for water sports, and nearby Cistern Point offers excellent snorkeling and turtle watching.

The day’s sailing

• 1 Hr Sailing time
• 6 Nautical miles

Mooring

Anchoring in Manchioneel Bay, Cooper Island’s main harbour, is not recommended because the holding ground isn’t good. Moorings for a fee are plentiful, but get there early.

Dinghy dockage: Tie up on either of the jetties flanking the Cooper Island Beach Club.

Things to do

Cooper Island has a good beach for swimming and watersports. Enjoy a meal at the Cooper Island Beach Club or shop at the Seagrape Boutique. Scuba buffs will want to check out Sail Caribbean Divers, which offers dive excursions for divers of all skill levels. Of special interest are dives on the HMS Rhone, a mail steamer sunk off the west end of nearby Salt Island during a hurricane in 1867. As is the case at Norman and Peter islands, a motorboat makes early evening rounds in the mooring fields, its cheerful crew offering a variety of provisions for sale, including freshly baked bread and pastries.

Facilities

Cooper Island Beach Club has moorings. No other facilities for yachts are available.

Virgin Gorda Island

Venture toward the island of Virgin Gorda, home of the world-famous Baths. The Baths are as pristine as ever, including the famous pathway leading through the giant boulders to Devil’s Bay. Top of the Baths Restaurant is open with its delightful panoramic views.

The day’s sailing

• 1 Hr Sailing time
• 6 Nautical miles

Mooring

There are mooring balls available at Leverick Bay for a fee. When anchoring, holding is generally good here.

Dinghy dockage: Leverick Bay offers dinghy dockage.

Things to do

The Baths is a major attraction on Virgin Gorda, where you can explore the rock formation’s tunnels, pools, and caves. In North Sound, you are spoiled for choice when it comes to activities and photo opportunities.

Facilities

Leverick Bay Resort and Marina has slips, ice, garbage disposal, and provisions available.

Anegada Island

Get underway early and enjoy a scenic cruise to Anegada, a charter-favorite that remains just as charming as the last time you visited. Sparsely populated and rural, Anegada is 11 miles long, low, and flat, quite unlike any of the other islands in the BVI. The balmy trade winds gently sweep across its sandy shores, swaying the palms and rustling through the boughs of the pines. Anegada Reef Hotel can also assist in organizing taxi transportation to get the most out of your time on the island.

The day’s sailing

• 5 Hr Sailing time
• 23 Nautical miles

To be used as a guide only. Based on suggested sailing lanes and average wind speed for the area.

Mooring

Moorings for a fee are available in the inner harbor. FCFS (first come, first served) moorings and BoatyBall are available. Anchorages are located in the inner and outer harbors. Holding is good.

Dinghy dockage: Dinghy dockage is available.

Things to do

It’s well worth renting a car from one of several companies to fully explore Anegada, or opt for a bicycle or scooter rental instead. There are also taxicabs to get you where you want to go. Loblolly Bay on the north shore is known for its spectacular snorkelling and scuba diving in crystal clear water. Bones Bight and Cow Wreck beaches are also lovely. Fishing on the flats extending eastward from Setting Point is another popular pastime; guides are available for private charters. A sail to the island wouldn’t be complete without savouring the locally caught lobster. Potter’s by the Sea, Anegada Reef Hotel, and Wonky Dog are just a few of your dining options. Not all of the businesses on Anegada accept credit cards, so plan on paying with cash, and be sure to make dinner reservations in advance.

Facilities

Ice, provisions, phones, and Internet access are available. Fun in the Sun Market is open for basic provisions. Ice is available at Li’l Bits store or Anegada Reef Hotel.

Marina Cay

Scenic and quiet, Marina Cay is a sheltered anchorage nestled behind a protective reef. Cruising in Marina Cay waters brings you to the north end of Tortola and the smaller isles that bejewel its picturesque coast.

The day’s sailing

• 2 Hr Sailing time
• 21 Nautical miles

Mooring

A small number of moorings are available for a fee. Holding ground is good.

Dinghy dockage: Dinghy dockage is available.

Things to do

Snorkeling is excellent behind Marina Cay. Ashore is a Pusser’s Company Store, where you can shop for a variety of goods.  Enjoy a hilltop meal while taking in a spectacular view from the Robb White House, the highest point on the tiny island. There’s also a beachside restaurant. Dive BVI offers scuba diving excursions.

Facilities

Marina Cay Marina has fuel, ice, water, garbage disposal, laundry facilities, and showers.

Cane Garden Bay

Sail around the northern end of Tortola, bound for Cane Garden Bay. Rum enthusiasts may want to arrive earlier for a lunch on the beach and a visit to the Callwood Rum Distillery. Two splendidly secluded stretches of sand will catch your eye as you near Cane Garden Bay. Sandy spit and Sand Cay are tiny islands where you can anchor carefully and swim or dinghy ashore, often with only a few palm trees for company.

The day’s sailing

• 1 Hr Sailing time
• 12 Nautical miles

Mooring

Moorings for a fee are plentiful. The holding ground is excellent.

Dinghy dockage: The bay has a public dinghy dock.

Things to do

Aside from swimming, enjoying windsurfing or kayaking (rentals are available from Pleasure Boat), or simply relaxing in the cockpit, the bay’s many beach bars and restaurants are well worth a visit for breakfast, lunch, or dinner. You can walk from one to the other, beach crawling to sample specialty rum drinks, pumpkin fritters, conch, and other Caribbean delights. Live music and ‘jump up’ is almost always available in one or more establishments. Quinto’s Gazebo, the Big Banana Paradise Club, Rhymer’s Beach Bar and Restaurant, Stanley’s Welcome Bar, Myett’s Garden & Grille Restaurant, De Wedding, and the Elm Bar and Gift Shop all offer a variety of dining and shopping experiences.

When sightseeing, include a trip to Callwood rum distillery. Ask permission before exploring the grounds and take advantage of the opportunity to purchase some locally produced rum!

Facilities

Ice, showers, laundry facilities, provisions, high-speed Internet access, and other amenities are available at one or more locations.

Great Harbour

Just to the north and west of Tortola, the heights of Jost Van Dyke rise majestically from a turquoise sea. With a population of a little more than 200, the island’s character is distinctly rural. No British Virgin Islands vacation is complete without a visit to Jost Van Dyke, which harbors some of our favorite seaside establishments. Great Harbour is an excellent overnight anchorage and is home to the famous Foxy’s Tamarind Bar & Restaurant.

The day’s sailing

• 0.5 Hrs Sailing time
• 6 Nautical miles

Mooring

A number of moorings are available for a fee. Holding ground is good. The anchorage can get crowded, so be sure you have plenty of swinging room.

Dinghy dockage: Dinghy dockage is available.

Things to do

A BVI charter wouldn’t be complete without a visit to Foxy’s, one of the more famous restaurants in the Caribbean. It’s located at the eastern end of the beach and has built a reputation over the last 40 years as a hugely popular party Mecca for world sailors. The casual ambience and friendly staff certainly contribute to its appeal, but the other patrons taking a short breather from long ocean passages also play a part in the bar‘s allure.

A short hop to the west brings you to White Bay, home to the Soggy Dollar Bar, so named for the yachties who swim to it from their boats, soaking their dollar notes in the process!

Facilities

Water, fuel and ice are available at the main dock in Great Harbour. Provisions are not available at present.

The Bight

Norman Island, with its popular anchorage “The Bight”, lies on the east side of Flanagan Passage with St. John in the U.S. Virgin Islands just across from it to the west. Hilly, scenic, and popular for its superior snorkeling locations, Norman Island is a highly-recommended stop on any BVI charter.

The day’s sailing

• 3 Hr Sailing time
• 11 Nautical miles

Mooring

Moorings for a fee are plentiful. Anchoring in the north-east or south-east portion of The Bight outside the mooring fields is possible, but it’s easier to just pick up a mooring to avoid worries about swinging room or dragging anchor.

Dinghy dockage: Dinghy dockage is available at the Pirates Bight restaurant and bar.

Things to do

The caves at Treasure Point are a very special snorkelling location. You can swim inside the flooded indentations in the island with an underwater flashlight and observe teeming sea life in the shallow water. Just above the surface, the interior walls of the caves shimmer in purple and rust coloured orange. Nearby Pelican Island and The Indians is another major BVI snorkelling and scuba diving location.

Facilities

No facilities available for yachts.