Coast and anchorages

Road Harbour
This is the main port of entry for the BVI.
Road Harbour and the shores
immediately around it form the single
largest concentration of marinas in the
Lesser Antilles. The approaches and entry
are clear as far as Hog’s Valley Pt coming
from the E. You can get your bearings
using the tanks of the Shell depot on the
W shore of Fish Bay. From there head
between the Scotch Bank buoy, and the
buoy at the tip of Burt Point marking
Lark Bank.

Wickham’s Cay
This wholly developed inner lagoon has
several marinas. It is in the NW of the
bay. To get there, leave the cruise liner
dock and its long extension jetty to port.
The entrance between the two
breakwaters is quite narrow and there
are two lit buoys (unreliable) marking
the channel. Depths vary from 4-3m.
Inside, it is forbidden, in principle, to
anchor even temporarily.

Wickham’s Cay I
There are two marinas in this SW part of
Wickham’s Harbour:
Village Cay Marina (VHF 16) This is the
most popular with visiting yachts. There
are berths for over 100 yachts up to the
biggest (<25m loa) in 2–3m. All berth
have water and electricity. The fuel dock
is at the end of the first pontoon.
Ashore Village Cay Marina is usefully
placed off a commercial and residential
development. Most of the professionals
are found on the other, E side in
Wickham’s Cay II, but this is the side
that has the widest choice of shops, bars
and restaurants in the streets round
about and along the harbour walls,
including the marina quay where
yachties usually meet up. The majority
serve seafood, others a broadly
European cuisine and prices cover the
gamut. Various shops, a chandlery and a
big Rite Way supermarket make up the
rest of this lively spot.

Wickham’s Cay II

The three pontoons are almost all occupied by the “bare-boats”.

Ashore The Mariner Inn has its rooms
and restaurant on the quayside. The
complex includes a few small shops and a
dive centre.

Other anchorages on Tortola

West of Road Harbour

Nanny Cay Marina

This marina that’s been built in what was
called Hannah Bay is less than 2M W of
Burt Pt. A pass has been blasted through
the fringing reef off the point of Nanny Cay to create an entry channel.
The whole pontoons have around 300 berths all with water and electricity.

Ashore: Opposite the pontoons there’s a
restaurant and bar that’s the usual
yachtie rendezvous. There’s a small
shopping centre with a minimarket,
chandlery, specialist yacht services
(including Cay Electronics) and various
small shops. At the other end there’s a
hotel and a restaurant to complete this
sea-orientated complex in its green and
landscaped setting.
The whole N part of the complex is set aside
for the boatyard with its impressive
hauling equipment (50 tonne and 70
tonne travel-hoists) and good range of
services.

Soper’s Hole / West End

This anchorage at the SW end of Tortola
(West End) is very well sheltered.

Most of the bay has considerable depths. Yachts
usually anchor in the ENE corner of Soper’s Hole

Soper’s Hole Marina

On the W shore of Frenchman’s Cay you’ll see the pontoons of this marina (VHF 16) with some 50 berths with water and electricity as well as a fuel dock.

Ashore The complex on the quay houses
the marina office, some bare-boat charter
set-ups, several shops, a well stocked
supermarket and a dive centre.

The
general atmosphere of the Creole style
cottages is given an extra boost in tone
by the balustraded decorum of Pusser’s
Landing, with its terraced restaurant
overlooking the marina.

SE COAST

Maya Cove (Hodges Creek)
Coming to Maya Cove from the E you must give a good wide berth to the S of Buck Island, the end of the dangers S of which is none too obvious. Most of the latter belong to the charter company, whose boats also take up most of the berths in Hodge Creek Marina (VHF 16).
For more details on these moorings, and other shelters of Tortola and neighbouring islands

- Virgin Gorda
- Anegada
- Just Van Dyck
- Peter and Norman Islands etc...