Charlotte Amalie - Docking
Anchorages:
If you plan to anchor in a designated anchorage for 14 days or more in a six month period you’ll need an anchoring permit from the DPNR office. Alternatively moving to a new bay or harbor restarts the 14 days count. See the US VI Formalities/restrictions section.
It is possible to anchor in the harbor and usually, there is plenty of room in the various anchorages. There are lots of shops and restaurants right across the street from the sea wall.
This area can be very rolly if strong winds with any southerly component—and there are frequent wakes.
Seaplanes land in the harbor near Frenchtown, and taking off down the main channel.
Pacquereau Bay:
Located on the east side of St. Thomas Harbor as you head into the harbor, Pacquereau Bay is a reasonably well-protected anchorage. Because you are further out of the main harbor you will find it less noisy and cleaner.
Long Bay:
This popular anchorage is usually crowded and there is frequent traffic heading in and out of the 300-slip Grand Haven Marina. Do not anchor southwest of the buoys as they mark the area in which cruise ships move and turn.
Lindberg Bay:
This quiet anchorage is on the east side of the airport. The holding is good.
Brewers Bay:
This is not a designated anchorage.
Water Island:
This small island is located in the middle of Charlotte Amalie/St Thomas harbor and is a short dinghy or ferry ride from the main part of town. It has two main beaches, Limestone and Honeymoon, a few restaurants and designated anchorages in Elephant Bay, Flamingo Bay, and Honeymoon Bay.
Honeymoon Bay / Druif Bay:
Can be rolly even in E wind. Anchor outside moored boats
Flamingo Bay:
Anchor in muddy sand in 12-20 feet with good holding. Give room on the south side for dinghy traffic going in and out of the inner lagoon. Some of the long-term boats use stern anchors, watch your swinging room.
Elephant Bay:
At 0.5 nm from Crown Bay Marina, this is the preferred anchorage at this time as they are fewer sunken vessels from hurricanes here. There are usually a large number of anchored yachts here. In almost all areas there are sunken objects scattered in the deeper areas, some marked by private markers.
Note: during peak cruise ship season as many as six cruise ships can visit this harbor. During these visits, boat owners anchored in the inner harbor of St. Thomas are asked to move their vessels or be subject to fines and vessel arrest. Alerts are issued by the Virgin Islands Port Authority.
Security:
Be aware of dinghy security. Unsecured dinghies/outboards are prime targets for theft from yachts at anchor and also from dinghy docks. Locations where thefts have occurred include Elephant Bay, the Water Island dinghy dock, and the waterfront dock near the Coast Guard Station in Charlotte Amalie and yachts at anchor in Pacquereau Bay.
It is advisable to lift and lock dinghies and outboards and do not leave items visible for potential thieves.
Dinghy Docks:
The dinghy docks at Yacht Haven Grande and Crown Bay can be crowded. You can also tie up to downtown behind the break wall at the Coast Guard station. Other alternatives are found in French Town where you can tie up at local restaurants. There is also a dinghy dock at the inner bay at Flamingo on Water Island.
Marinas:
Yacht Haven Grande and Crown Bay are the only marinas located in Charlotte Amalie with Crown Bay located in the west and Crown Bay in the east. Additional marinas are located on the eastern end of the island with the greatest concentration located 6 nm away in Brenner Bay—this is where marinas including Independent Boat Yard and Marina, Compass Point Marina as well as Budget Marine and the Food Center are located.
Last updated: December 2023
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Related to following destinations: Charlotte Amalie (St Thomas), St. Thomas, US Virgin Islands
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Update on the anchorage situation in the
USVI
Friday we have been boarded by 3 officers of DPNR in Brewer’s Bay. We are on a Canadian sailboat in transit. The officers gave us a Notice of violation. On the notation, we were asked to leave Brewer’s Bay because we exceeded the 14 days. And we MUST contact DPNR for an anchoring permit.
Monday the 11 March 2019 we had a meeting with the Director of DPNR
Howard Forbes. I have insisted on the miss information on this regulation.
After the meeting, we can stay in Brewer’s Bay without passing the 14 days.
If you visit the USVI
.. IF YOU STAY OVER 14 DAYS IN ANY Anchorage IN A 6 MONTH PERIOD IN ST THOMAS you NEED an anchoring permit in a DESIGNATED area.
IF YOU LEAVE USVI FOR A DAY AND COME BACK THE COUNT RESTARTS.
You can anchor in Brewer’s Bay but you must respect the 14 DAYS. For the anchorage permit, you must get a permit at DPNR office. Charles W. Turnbull Regional Library second flood. 84R6+86 Anna’s Retreat, St Thomas, Îles Vierges des États-Unis tel. 340 773 5774
S/V Eaudree96
Again… Elephant Bay:
DATE: 2018-12-21 01:30
Country Name: USVI
Location Detail: St. Thomas Elephant Bay
EVENT: Theft
HAND: 2
Stolen Items: dinghy/outboard
SECURED: Not Locked
DETAILS: Overnight an in-the-water, not locked dinghy/outboard were stolen from an occupied yacht moored in the bay. This is 3rd unsecured dinghy stolen in this bay this month. Reported to the USCG and DPNR.
Subsequent theft report by CSSN for Elephant Bay:
DATE: 2018-12-15 01:00
Country Name: USVI
Location Detail: St. Thomas Elephant Bay
EVENT: Theft
HAND: 2
Stolen Items: dinghy/outbound
SECURED: Not Locked
DETAILS: Overnight an in-the-water and not locked dinghy was stolen from a yacht anchored in Elephant Bay
Reported by the Caribbean Security & Safety Net:
DATE: 2018-12-05 02:00
Country Name: USVI
Location Detail: St. Thomas Elephant Bay
EVENT: Theft
HAND: 3
Stolen Items: 10′ Folding boat with 18 HP Tohatsu outboard
SECURED: Not Locked
DETAILS: Overnight, a not locked in-the-water 10′ flex boat with 18 HP outboard was stolen from a yacht anchored in Elephant Bay. It is not known if a police report was made .
Update from Joan Conover (SSCA) – SY Growl Tiger – just arrived in the VIs.
St. Thomas is open for business..you just don’t want to DRIVE anywhere..recommend taking a tour bus or taxi.
Crown Bay Marina is up and running since the storm, we have a slip with water..electric still being connected. The restaurant is open, laundry is open, free wifi thanks to VIYA and good grocery store here for provisioning (Publix). Good fuel as well.
Charlotte Amalie, all tourist shops (Gucci) are open, there is a museum display on hurricane damages(20.00 bucks entry!!) and three cruise ships in port, two in Charlotte Amalie, and one at Crown Bay.
USCG has cleared the channels but the main harbour has lots of white moorings/buoys which we can’t tell what they are for (sunken boats or a new mooring field?). Damaged vessels line the western side of the harbor..and on the Water Island side near Crown Bay, boats are grounded – two or three on the eastern side and several on the northern Water Island side.
There is a great unsung hero on Water Island..a lady (Marion?) who flew back to the USA on at her own cost and came back with 20K worth of supplies and gensets for the island. Will try and find her.
Boat Taxis actively running from Crown Bay. The airport is open. American flying as well as a puddle jumper to San Juan then onto the USA from there. People are needing work..one dock worker is washing cars to put food on the table.
Posted on behalf of Joan (SV Growltiger):
Just got off the phone with Lisa Lord(Crown Bay Marina/St. Thomas), she says the fuel dock is open, has been open for weeks. D Dock is available for up to 45 ft vessels, just no electric, water only, and they have a T-head for over 45ft to 100 ft vessels.
Tickles is open, laundry is open, the pet store is open, and the PriceMart behind the marina is open as is Home Depot, Lowes, and Kmarts! So recovery in St. Thomas is ongoing, but vessels can get fuel and slippage for resting up from passages there.
In the wake of Hurricane Irma and Maria, the IGY Marina at Yacht Haven Grande is currently under repair.
The customs office where yachts are to check in is the ferry terminal, you will see ferry boats parked there, called Edward Wilmoth Blyden Marine Terminal but the address is 3400 Veterans Drive not 5500 Veterans drive which is the administrative office.
The clearance office at Yacht Haven Marina is by appointment only and at the present time only for vessels berthed at the marina.
The harbour in May had plenty of space and was pleasant to anchor. there are lots of shops and restaurants right across the street from the sea wall.