# Mooring Flotilla-04/20/2008



## cgamble (Oct 30, 2007)

My wife and I are going on the Moorings April 20th 2008 Flotilla. Anyone else out there doing this same trip?


----------



## FarCry (Apr 21, 2007)

*More info?*

Welcome to Sailnet cgamble.

I will not be in the Flotilla but it might be helpful if you were to indicate where this event is taking place and what the itinerary is. That way if it is in my area, I can avoid all of you.


----------



## cgamble (Oct 30, 2007)

The Flotilla is in the BVI's starting in Road Town. Stops at Norman Island, the Baths, North Sound, Anegada, JVD.


----------



## cgamble (Oct 30, 2007)

Sunday – Sail to Marina Cay 
Monday – Marina Cay to North Sound, Virgin Gorda. 
Tuesday – Virgin Gorda to Anegada. 
Wednesday – Anegada to Great Harbour Jost Van Dyke. 
Thursday – Jost Van Dyke to Cane Garden Bay. 
Friday – Cane Garden Bay to Norman Island. 
Saturday – Back to The Moorings base, Road Town.


----------



## speciald (Mar 27, 2007)

A flotilla in the BVI's? That is like getting a police escort to cross the street.


----------



## FarCry (Apr 21, 2007)

Have a great time. If you are flying through St Thomas on the 28th we will be having our annual Carnival. Loud music, much alcohol and lots of dancing in the streets. It is something to experience at least once in your life. Not to mention the traffic jams of epic proportions.


----------



## XTR (Feb 28, 2007)

Pay attention going into Anegada. Knowing the approach will be useful another day.


----------



## hphoen (Apr 3, 2003)

FarCry said:


> Have a great time. If you are flying through St Thomas on the 28th we will be having our annual Carnival. Loud music, much alcohol and lots of dancing in the streets. It is something to experience at least once in your life. Not to mention the traffic jams of epic proportions.


Gawd! I was in St Thomas in Crown Bay Marina, trying to get something fixed on my boat. It was Carnival week. NOTHING was open! EVERYBODY was partying. Called one place, and was told everybody had called in sick! You guys know how to have a good time!


----------



## Zanshin (Aug 27, 2006)

XTR said:


> Pay attention going into Anegada. Knowing the approach will be useful another day.


 Apart from the partying, the Anegada passage is the main reason for a flotilla. But nowadays it is almost like a highway out there and all you need to do is follow another boat with ample distance to stop if they manage to hit a reef on the way in or out


----------



## cgamble (Oct 30, 2007)

Thanks for the advice/suggestion on anegada.


----------



## XTR (Feb 28, 2007)

Try to remember the landmarks going into Anegada. (buildings and their color, clumps of trees, etc.) You can find instructions for the approach on the interweb anytime, but it is really helpful if you can visualize what they are talking about.

I went there 2 yrs ago, I skipped it last week because of the wind and swell, (didn't want to beat into 15-22ft swells all day, they serve lobster in other places) but from what the people who have been in there multiple times tell me there is always at least one of the channel markers missing so it is nice to have first hand knowledge of the approach.


----------



## Zanshin (Aug 27, 2006)

Watching the regattas come in at Great Harbour is entertaining. I admit that I have put out fenders during this event and watched as boats dragged (I don't know if that is the right term, since their anchors weren't even touching the bottom) towards mine. Or set the anchor in different sections of the anchorage several times (sort of like casting a lure). Luckily the flotilla lead boats have 2 dinghies and the Cap'ns are zooming around assisting people to anchor.
Re Anegada - there is a bit too much hype about entering there. The directions on the chart and in the guide books is excellent and even with the missing buouys you can motor in slowly with someone on the bow to ensure that you remain in the channel. The simplest method is to follow another boat in (particularly one with more draft than yours) and not to cut the corner. Last month the final inner (green) buouy was still missing.


----------



## XTR (Feb 28, 2007)

Zanshin said:


> The simplest method is to follow another boat in (particularly one with more draft than yours) and not to cut the corner. Last month the final inner (green) buouy was still missing.


HAR, that's the one you really don't want to miss. 

I was anchored in Great Harbor on the east side near the mouth Wednesday.

Place was pretty rolly that night, boats do seem to swing a lot in there.


----------



## Zanshin (Aug 27, 2006)

Since I didn't have a spotter at Anegada that missing buouy worried me, but I always anchor somewhere that far out anyway so I found some obvious sand and dropped the hook with just a couple of feet of water below my keel. I stay out that far both because of my draft and because the mosquitoes usually don't make it that far or gorge themselves on hapless sailor closer in. But the d**m ferry pushes up a nasty wake!

Great Harbour, east side? That is quite a ways out. I usually sneak and anchor far in, close to the ferry dock but still on the "safe" side of the reef. The ferry doesn't make too much of a wake but I hate it when they toot their horn every time. I've always found Great Harbour to be nice and still - so if it was rolly last week imagine what it would have been had you opted for Cane Garden Bay


----------



## FarCry (Apr 21, 2007)

Hud sorry to hear you were here actually trying to do something during Carnival other than drink and dance. It is like a weeklong party that never seems to end. 

If you pass through again and need anything, let me know I would be glad to help if I can. There is a knack to getting things done here, probably much like Nevis.


----------



## FarCry (Apr 21, 2007)

I second anchoring on the east side of Great Harbour. Up close to shore between two boats that are usually moored there. A 25'-30' powerboat and about a 35' classic looking sailboat is a beautiful patch of sand about 14' deep. Great holding, short scope and still a short dingy ride to beach, everything I like in an anchorage.

Great Harbor charter boat anchoring should really be broadcast live with a webcam. Have watched literally dozens of failed attempts with about a 1.5/1 scope followed up by an agressive attempt to back down on the anchor to set it. Favorite was two Moorings cats one backing upwind and running out a mile of rode who of course swung around and bashed into another cat breaking it free from its anchor. Somehow they manged to get their anchor lines wrapped around eachother. AMAZING!!!!!


----------

