Grand Turk (Cockburn Town) - Docking
There are no marinas dedicated for private yachts and boats on Grand Turk, so anchoring is the only option.
Anchoring:
It is possible to anchor off the Cockburn Town Beach in about 2.8m of water on shallow sand over rock but the holding is not the best according to a recent cruiser report.
Large yachts may be able to tie up to the commercial dock, however, it is not advisable as the dock is very high with rusty bollards (widely spaced), overhangs and rough surface and dirty tires. Anchor in the anchorage at the south end of the island, near the cruise ship terminal and commute ashore by dinghy.
To visit the town it is best to ask one of the officials to order a taxi.
If you stay anchored in the government harbor too long, your boat may be boarded by the “Police”, who will do a brief inspection. Grand Turk is now visited regularly by cruise ships, who take preference at the main anchorage.
There is a hurricane hole in the vicinity of Cockburn Town, at North Creek or Columbus Sound, but access is restricted to shallow draft boats.
Hawk’s Nest Anchorage, south of Cockburn Town, provides good shelter but can only be accessed in good light as the entrance is encumbered with reefs.
South of Grand Turk, on the west side of an island called “The Creek”, is a good sandy anchorage sheltered from easterly winds. Get quite close in, in 3-4m. A very pleasant quiet deserted island.
Dinghy Docks:
There is a small public dock at Cockburn Town for the landing of dinghies.
Last updated: January 2023
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A few notes about clearing in on Grand Turk. The Harbor Master does not always monitor VHF 16 – we just showed up at the office and they were fine – it was a cruise ship day. Only the skipper needs to go ashore. The 7-day cruising permit cost $50. Unfortunately, the 8-90 day permit is still an additional $300. Also, you are charged $10 an hour in addition if you state your arrival time was before or after hours – it does not matter what time you actually show up at Customs. Not sure how they would be able to verify your arrival time on busy cruise ship days…
I would recommend doing what you can to anchor in the (crowded) harbor near customs instead of pulling up to the dock.
It is a giant, 6-foot high concrete monstrosity with some widely-spaced rusty bollards and rubber tyres — just like Aruba’s custom dock. There are moorings there, but many are private and you can’t tell which is which. If you hang out in the government harbor too long your boat may be boarded by the “Police,” not customs or the Coast Guard.
They did not inspect for food, animals, or closed through hulls, but rather went through our passports and were quite pleasant. I don’t think this is a required boarding and may be random as the Harbor Master did not mention it as a requirement.