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The Virgin Islands is considered one of the finest sailing grounds in the world. The location offers sunny weather, dependable trade winds, beautiful scenery, protected anchorages and short passages between islands. From local pleasure boat owners to those who enjoy cruising on their yachts through the Virgin Islands, there is unanimous agreement that the Virgin Islands are a boater's dream come true.
Vessels entering the US Virgin Islands should proceed directly to a port of entry for clearance. Passengers and crew are not allowed to go ashore until properly cleared. All passengers must present themselves and their documents to US Customs and Border Protection. For clearance it is necessary to present not only documentation of nationality for each passenger but also the ship's documents, identification for all crew members and clearance from the last port of call. Penalties are given per passenger for those that do not have documentation and per ship for failure to clear.
There are marinas on St. Thomas and St. Croix with facilities to accommodate long term regulars, transients, mega-yachts and live-aboards. St. John and Water Island do not have any marinas. There are designated anchorage sites and moorings around all four islands. Both St. Thomas and St. Croix have active yacht clubs.
Below you will find a list of marinas and areas designated for anchoring and mooring. Brief information is presented for each marina. Please contact the marinas directly for; prices, closest customs and immigration offices, arrival procedures, reservations, marina rules and other specific information.
(All marinas listed below have water and electricity. Restaurants and shops are either on the premises or nearby.)
| Name of Marina | # of Slips | Max Size | Dock Side Depth | Pump Out | Fuel |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
American Yacht Harbor |
106 |
110' |
- |
- |
yes |
|
Boater's Haven Marina |
86 |
60' |
6.5' |
yes |
no |
|
Crown Bay Marina |
99 |
200' |
20' |
yes |
yes |
|
Fish Hawk Marina |
4 |
50' |
6' |
no |
yes |
|
Independent Boatyard |
80 |
50' |
7' |
no |
no |
Pirate's Cove Marina |
30 | 55' | - | no | yes |
|
Sapphire Beach Marina |
67 |
65' |
10' |
no |
yes |
Yacht Haven Marina |
160 |
400' |
- |
yes |
yes |
| Name of Marina | # of Slips | Max Size | Dock Side Depth | Pump Out | Fuel |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Green Cay Marina |
150 |
200' |
8' |
yes |
yes |
Salt River Marina |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
|
St. Croix Marina |
60 |
200' |
12' |
yes |
yes |
| Designated Mooring and Anchoring Areas | |||
|---|---|---|---|
|
St. Thomas:
|
Water
Island: |
St. John:
(Read Note on National Park Below) |
St.
Croix: (Read Note on National Park Below) |
|
Source: Rules and Regulations for Mooring and Anchoring Vessels in the USVI by Dept. of Planning and Natural Resources |
|||
There are restrictions on vessels traveling through and anchoring in National Park waters around St. John and St. Croix. Please contact the National Park Service for details on their regulations; (340) 776-6201 for St. John and (340) 773-1460 for St. Croix.
The Friends of the National Park organization have set up about 210 moorings in National Park waters around St. John in an effort to protect coral reefs and marine habitats from damage caused by anchors.
The Reef Ecology Foundation of St. Thomas and St. John have set up 45 moorings for public use. This organization was set up to help protect coral reefs around the islands. The moorings set up by the Reef Ecology Foundation use special easy-to-see blue striped buoys. Use is free but restricted to boats under 60' long. The sites include; Thatch Cay, Grass Cay, Congo Cay, Carvel Rock, Great St. James, Little St. James, Cow and Calf, Capella Island, Flat Cay and Saba Island for St. Thomas/St. John and Long Reef, Salt River, Cane Bay, Davis Bay and Annaly Bay on St. Croix. For more information on sites and regulations contact (340) 775-0097.
There are no required cruising permits in USVI waters. If a vessel remains in the USVI for 6 months or more the vessel must be registered with the Department of Planning and Natural Resources (DPNR).
Mooring permits are not required for any public moorings or National Park moorings and day use is free. Public moorings are not intended for overnight use and the National Park has a fee for night use. Mooring permits are issued to an owner of a registered vessel. In order to obtain a permit for anchoring or mooring an applicant is required to apply in person, through a resident agent or through any representative duly authorized to complete application procedures in the owner's behalf. A first time applicant is required to submit with the application a current colored photograph of the vessel and an affidavit executed by the applicant fully setting forth the facts to support the applicants claim of ownership. Source: Section 405-1 Application Instructions and Procedures for Mooring.
St. Thomas Yacht Club (340) 775-6320
St. Croix Yacht Club (340) 773-9531
On anchorage and mooring sites, mooring permits, registration and other like information and regulations contact the Department of Planning and Natural Resources: (340) 774-3320 or (340) 775-6762 for St. Thomas/St. John and (340) 772-1955 for St. Croix.
