# BVI Beef Island Anchorage



## GeorgeB (Dec 30, 2004)

I will be a first time BVI charterer next year. I'd like some info on Trellis Bay/ Beef Island. How easy is the airport access? How close is it to Virgin Gorda? Is it a one day sail from the Bitter End? Or should I be closer in (one day out)? What is the noise level from the airport and is it easy to pick up/ drop off passengers at the airport?


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## CLOSECALL (Dec 11, 2012)

If it were me, I would have my guests take a taxi to the beach at Trellis Bay and meet them with the dinghy.

Nothing is more than a daysail away in the BVI.

Airport noise quiets down at night. It won't bother you.


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## SVAuspicious (Oct 31, 2006)

GeorgeB said:


> I will be a first time BVI charterer next year. I'd like some info on Trellis Bay/ Beef Island. How easy is the airport access? How close is it to Virgin Gorda? Is it a one day sail from the Bitter End? Or should I be closer in (one day out)? What is the noise level from the airport and is it easy to pick up/ drop off passengers at the airport?


Have a great time George.

Airport is an easy walk even with luggage - three maybe four minutes walk. Paved to the ferry dock, lots of beach space south of the dock.

Two or three hours from BEYC to Trellis Bay, including getting out of North Sound and grabbing a ball in Trellis Bay. Anchoring in there is tight.

A little noisy under the runway during the day but there is no traffic at night.

Easy.

Watch the reef around Bellamy Cay. Most of it is so shallow even a dinghy can't cross over. Your charter boat will probably come with a Dodge guide and the BVI Anchorages picture book so you can see where the reef is.


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## MarkofSeaLife (Nov 7, 2010)

Trellis bay is a bit hard to find a park because of the moorings but squeeze in because your gursts will love walking out the airport door onto the sand and into the dinghy. Its a truly tropical experience. Ok its a few meters walk but not far.


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## Minnewaska (Feb 21, 2010)

Easy as others have explained. Your guest will love it. I encourage you to get to the bay as early as you can to maximize your odds of finding an empty mooring. My rule of thumb was also before 2pm in the BVIs. As crowds build, it can get earlier and earlier. Noon should be very safe and very doable from BEYC.


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## luv4sailin (Jul 3, 2006)

Minnewaska said:


> Easy as others have explained. Your guest will love it. I encourage you to get to the bay as early as you can to maximize your odds of finding an empty mooring. My rule of thumb was also before 2pm in the BVIs. As crowds build, it can get earlier and earlier. Noon should be very safe and very doable from BEYC.


Ditto on leaving where you are early and arriving to your next destination early. You'll enjoy the afternoon in your new location and not have the drama of trying to find a mooring at the new anchorage lat in the day. For some unexplained reason, I have never chartered a boat in the BVI's that had the anchor chain marked, so you'll be trying to figure out how much scope you have.

Have a great trip. I envy you!


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## TQA (Apr 4, 2009)

Try and schedule your visit to Trellis Bay to coincide with the full moon.

They have a legendary party then.


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## Minnewaska (Feb 21, 2010)

TQA said:


> Try and schedule your visit to Trellis Bay to coincide with the full moon.
> 
> They have a legendary party then.


True, but it's also not everyone's cup of tea.


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## FarCry (Apr 21, 2007)

If going there for the full moon party be sure to arrive very early in the day. Moorings fill up fast!!! It's doubtful the OP will be there on a full moon. Just to add a little; Do NOT pass between the boats moored closest to Bellamy Cay and the Cay itself. I've seen countless big boats, and dinghies too, hit the coral there!!! 

Ditto on the info given by others.


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## BoxedUp (Nov 22, 2006)

Minnewaska said:


> Easy as others have explained. Your guest will love it. I encourage you to get to the bay as early as you can to maximize your odds of finding an empty mooring. My rule of thumb was also before 2pm in the BVIs. As crowds build, it can get earlier and earlier. Noon should be very safe and very doable from BEYC.


Really depends if you're chartering in low or high season. In low season, there's usually overnight mooring balls available even after 3PM. My only recommendation is if you're planning to visit the Baths on Virgin Gorda, these day moorings fill up fast all year round and it's best to arrive as early as possible, even before 8AM. Rouse your crew up early (or even just motor and let them sleep), get underway and have breakfast after you grab a mooring @ the Baths. An overnight in either Trellis Bay or Cooper Island makes a quick passage to the Baths.

Have fun planning your itinerary. Not soon after your first charter in the BVI, you'll be planning for your second!


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## ccriders (Jul 8, 2006)

I found the best way to see the baths was to take a slip in Virgin Gorda and take a taxi to the baths. Plan your visit for mid tour and you will be ready for good showers, re provisioning and fine dining.
We were in Trellis for the full moon party and found moorings very limited the day before in May!
John


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## Minnewaska (Feb 21, 2010)

I might try the baths by taxi someday. Even a mooring at BEYC, dingy in and taxi over would work. Don't need a slip to pull it off. 

I've snorkeled to shore each time. It's pretty easy, as long as the seas aren't boiling and they usually aren't. However, you then have your fins, etc to drag around with you and can't easily bring a towel either.


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## GeorgeB (Dec 30, 2004)

Thanks for all the great tips! We are doing a two week charter at the end of January/ beginning of February. This should give us enough time to do the islands, including Anegada with a good weather window. My niece was thinking of flying down for a long weekend and stay with us and I’m trying to work that into the mix. I’m thinking after picking her up to go to Camanoe/ Guana or somewhere on the north side of Tortola. Then on to Jost Van Dyke and Foxy’s. Then staging the boat for our check-out. I’m a total BVI Newbie so I welcome all advice and comments.


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## MarkofSeaLife (Nov 7, 2010)

If you neice is a bit younger than us lot then Foxys is great.
The BBQ is terrific but its $50 per head... And its tourist central city but, hey, its the BVIs!

Theres a road on the left side of the beach that goes up the hill and theres superb views. Its a bit of a walk up the top but well worth it.

The other road to the left along (hard left) goes over to White Bay and thats a pretty walk and rum to finish it off.


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## TakeFive (Oct 22, 2009)

After taking a mooring ball in Great Harbour, we dinghied over to White Bay and the Soggy Dollar Bar. That beach is one of the most gorgeous anywhere!



Minnewaska said:


> I might try the baths by taxi someday. Even a mooring at BEYC, dingy in and taxi over would work. Don't need a slip to pull it off.


We did a mooring at BEYC, but next time will consider taking a mooring at Saba Rock instead. I heard that they offer free water top-offs to those who rent their mooring balls, and with the high cost of water there, that's a nice extra. Only thing I don't know is whether Saba Rock's mooring balls are too unprotected.

Regardless of where you do your mooring ball in Virgin Gorda, Saba Rock is definitely worth a dinghy ride for happy hour, and Fat Virgin's is worth a dinghy ride for dinner.


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## Minnewaska (Feb 21, 2010)

TakeFive said:


> ......We did a mooring at BEYC, but next time will consider taking a mooring at Saba Rock instead. I heard that they offer free water top-offs to those who rent their mooring balls, and with the high cost of water there, that's a nice extra. Only thing I don't know is whether Saba Rock's mooring balls are too unprotected.
> 
> Regardless of where you do your mooring ball in Virgin Gorda, Saba Rock is definitely worth a dinghy ride for happy hour, and Fat Virgin's is worth a dinghy ride for dinner.


Saba Rock is an excellent place to moor. We even anchored between their mooring field and BEYC beach once. Not sure there is enough room now. Not only can you top water (up to a limit), but you get a free bag of ice too!! There are some wind directions that might get a bit more rolly. I love Saba and have one of my fav BVI pics at their bar, with a marine VHF radio among the bar back. I believe one of the mechanics for the charter companies is stationed there too.

Fat Virgins is also good, but typical of the "made to look island" modern development in the BVI. My wife and I actually sat there having a meal and talked about some of the real island shacks we've eaten at over the years. There was one on North Andros island in the Bahamas that was just a cinder block building, with openings to enter and for windows, but no actual door or glass. No table had the same style chairs around it. They had electricity and a beer cooler. They cooked on a bbq made from cutting a 55gal drum in half. That was it. Food was great! Lobster dinner was $15 each. We drank $100 in beer. 

The most memorable part of the story was that we borrowed bicycles to get there, about 2 miles away. When we returned after night fall, we had no flash lights, there was no moon and, of course, there were no street lights or lit buildings. And we were drunk.


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## SVAuspicious (Oct 31, 2006)

TakeFive said:


> After taking a mooring ball in Great Harbour, we dinghied over to White Bay and the Soggy Dollar Bar. That beach is one of the most gorgeous anywhere!


I've made that dinghy run before. It is a fun adventure. Watch the weather - if the wind backs and is strong the swell wraps around JVD and the ride home will be really unpleasant. Personally I would not take kids or newbies.



TakeFive said:


> We did a mooring at BEYC, but next time will consider taking a mooring at Saba Rock instead. I heard that they offer free water top-offs to those who rent their mooring balls, and with the high cost of water there, that's a nice extra. Only thing I don't know is whether Saba Rock's mooring balls are too unprotected.


I've never had an issue with the moorings at Saba. The BEYC and Saba balls are intermixed at the boundary so make sure you get what you think you have.

Saba Rock offers up to 100 gallons of water and a bag of ice with a mooring ball. Leverick Bay at the West end of North Sound makes the same offer.



TakeFive said:


> Regardless of where you do your mooring ball in Virgin Gorda, Saba Rock is definitely worth a dinghy ride for happy hour, and Fat Virgin's is worth a dinghy ride for dinner.


We usually eat dinner aboard in North Sound, although the Restaurant at Leverick sometimes draws. We like eating at the bar at Saba for lunch and sometimes at Jumbies at Leverick. When it is open we very much like the Sand Box on Prickley Pear. Most of the boats anchored off the beach there are long-term liveaboard cruisers. Last I check Anouk, the lady that sells t-shirts and jewelry from her dinghy, lived aboard there.



Minnewaska said:


> I believe one of the mechanics for the charter companies is stationed there too.


Yes. The Moorings has kept a mechanic there for a long time. He now services Moorings, SunSail, and Footloose boats in North Sound.


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## BoxedUp (Nov 22, 2006)

Minnewaska said:


> Saba Rock is an excellent place to moor.


+1

We always make Saba Rock one of our destinations. As mentioned, the free water and ice well make up for the cost of the overnight mooring fee. If you eat at the restaurant, the regular menu is on the pricey side but request the pub menu. Good food at reasonable prices for the BVI.


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## Zanshin (Aug 27, 2006)

I've been going to Saba for years, and the Pub Menu is a good one (although this past season they dropped my favorite snack of beef tacos). The happy hours deals are great and the Tarpon feeding is worth watching at least once.
They do offer free water and a bag of ice included in the price of a mooring, but another option is to anchor between Prickly Pear island and the mooring field and then spend the money saved on a mooring at the bar! The free Saba Rock ferry runs around the North Sound and is a great alternative to a long dinghy ride.

Say 'hi' to Josie and Jemma from me.


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## ccriders (Jul 8, 2006)

And if you grow tired of bars and restaurants as your scenery, take a mooring ball in Muskmellon Bay on the north east side of Guana Island. We had it to ourselves last May.
John


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## kozyboat (Sep 27, 2015)

How was you trip??


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## kozyboat (Sep 27, 2015)

We keep a nonsuch 30 in Trellis Bay....
Great Place! Great restaurants/bars!
Let me know if you need more info
Timbo


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