Coast and anchorages
Yachtsmen probably like Virgin Gorda
more than any of the other islands in the
archipelago. If sometimes the W coast
anchorages are a bit uncomfortable
because of swell, Gorda Sound’s vast
reaches, which take up all of the N coast,
offer a splendid variety of anchorages
protected by its islets and reefs.

St Thomas Bay (Virgin Gorda Yacht
Harbour)
Caution Coming from the N be sure to
give Colison Pt a wide berth, there are
reefs awash up to 100m off the coast, in
theory marked by a buoy.
In good weather you can anchor in the
lee of Colison Pt provided you leave the
access channel clear for ferries to dock at
the pier in the NE corner of the bay.
To reach the Virgin Gorda Yacht
Harbour Marina (VHF 16/11) follow the
dredged channel through the barrier reef
that comes from the bay’s S point most of
the way across the bay. Come in from
due W aiming for the first of the buoys
marking the beginning of the buoyed
channel.
Caution The channel isn’t very wide
(especially for multihulls) and has two
doglegs.
The channel leads to the marina
between two breakwaters (3m). Once
inside three pontoons house 120 berths,
all with water and electricity in depths of
3–5m. The fuel dock is to starboard
beside the marina office.
Ashore The customs and immigration
office for clearance is now at the end of
the town dock (Little Dix Jetty). You can
get there by tender from the anchorage,
or from the marina by a footpath of a
few hundred metres. The marina is
attractively integrated in a garden setting
and excellently maintained. There’s a
shopping centre with minimarkets,
various shops, a dive centre, banks and
several restaurants and bars. The menus
are pretty varied even if you’re not
exactly getting great value for money, a
point that applies equally well to the cost
of stores. By way of compensation, the
busy atmosphere all this gives is
stimulating without destroying the
generally relaxed feeling of this quality
location or the warmth of your welcome. The channel isn’t very wide
(especially for multihulls) and has two
doglegs.
The channel leads to the marina
between two breakwaters (3m). Once
inside three pontoons house 120 berths,
all with water and electricity in depths of
3–5m. The fuel dock is to starboard
beside the marina office.
Ashore The customs and immigration
office for clearance is now at the end of
the town dock (Little Dix Jetty). You can
get there by tender from the anchorage,
or from the marina by a footpath of a
few hundred metres. The marina is
attractively integrated in a garden setting
and excellently maintained. There’s a
shopping centre with minimarkets,
various shops, a dive centre, banks and
several restaurants and bars. The menus
are pretty varied even if you’re not
exactly getting great value for money, a
point that applies equally well to the cost
of stores. By way of compensation, the
busy atmosphere all this gives is
stimulating without destroying the
generally relaxed feeling of this quality
location or the warmth of your welcome.

Savannah Bay, Pond Bay & Tetor Bay
There’s a long barrier reef protecting
these anchorages to seaward and it’s
sufficiently clear of the coast for there to
be fair temporary anchorage behind it in
settled, quiet weather. You need good
visibility to go through the pass.
Caution The coral barrier is broken here
and there and only partly shelters the bay
from the N swell, which makes the
anchorage uncomfortable and can make
it dangerous.
The entrance is close to the Blowing Pt
end of the bay. It’s clear water apart from
a few patches close to the point. The best
tip is for you to aim on about 135° for a
small rocky headland on the W end of
the beach. When you’ve got Blowing Pt
on 270°, alter steadily till you’re headed
roughly E. You’ll have the barrier reef to
port and the big reefs off the beach to
starboard. There are big openings in the
reef off the beach. You can keep nosing
in with the greatest care until you’re in 3–
4m, sand. The anchorage is often empty
and has a splendid beach.
It’s possible to push on more to the NE
into Pond Bay by heading on about 045°
towards the Kattiche Pt headland with a conspic building on top. The best
anchorage hereabouts is just below the
point, but holding well clear of the shoal
ground off the dinghy dock of Giorgio’s
Restaurant. For a sailing boat it’s
advisable not to push too far to the N.
For all that there is a winding passage
through, the area isn’t perfectly surveyed.
You can use your tender to go for a
snorkel over the coral.
Ashore Giorgio’s Table Restaurant is
tucked into the foot of the cliff and has a
menu of local and Italian dishes. The
décor is elegant with a fine view over the
bay and the prices reflect this. On the top
of the headland an upmarket real estate
development has hung its villas and their
swimming pools between the sea and the
sky. The view is terrific, especially when
the sun’s at the right angle and brings out
the palette of blues of the lagoon below.

For more details on this island and it's shores