Catamary

THE MILK RUN

Compass

The BVI: A Crowded Paradise

It is the easiest cruising ground in the world. Line-of-sight navigation, predictable trades, and a bar in every bay. But you will fight 300 other boats for a mooring ball every afternoon.

The Mooring Ball Monopoly

Anchoring is largely banned or impractical in the best bays due to coral protection and sheer crowding. You must use mooring balls.

  • BoatyBall: A private app that allows you to reserve a mooring in advance. It costs ~$45/night. The inventory releases at 7:00 AM AST. By 7:01 AM, they are sold out.
  • First Come, First Served (FCFS): The white balls. These cost ~$30-$40/night collected by a local in a dinghy. If you are not in the bay by 1:00 PM in high season, you will not get one.
  • National Parks Trust: You must buy a permit ($16/person) to use the daytime red balls at the Baths or the Indians.

The Itinerary Trap

Do not try to circumnavigate Tortola and hit Anegada in 5 days. You will spend your entire trip motoring.

A Realistic 7-Day Pace:

  1. Norman Island (The Bight)
  2. Cooper Island
  3. Virgin Gorda (North Sound)
  4. Anegada (Weather permitting)
  5. Jost Van Dyke (Great Harbour)
  6. Peter Island
  7. Return to Base

BVI Transit Time Calculator

Estimate motoring time between popular BVI anchorages at 6 knots.

Common Mistakes

Mistake The Reality
Arriving at The Baths at Noon The red balls will be full, and the swell will be brutal. Go at 8 AM.
Skipping the briefing The base will tell you which bays are currently restricted due to swell. Listen to them.

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