Best value / security St Thomas / St John Marinas

[SweetSerenity]

Looking for advice for the best values overall for marinas in St. Thomas /St John- we are having a boat delivered here and will need a few days before taking off...

also advice on the pros and cons of anchoring in the area

[s/v Moondancer]

Crown Bay Marina the finest USVI yacht facility - St. Thomas Marina and full service yacht facility

IGY American Yacht Harbor » An Island Global Yachting Marina


You can anchor in the main harbor and leave the dinghy at the city wall near the Coast Guard station or at American yacht harbor.

In St John you can use the National Park Service moorings.

[zboss]

Be sure to call WELL ahead of time... these marinas get full in season very very fast.

[Rubikoop]

Originally Posted by s/v Moondancer

Crown Bay Marina the finest USVI yacht facility - St. Thomas Marina and full service yacht facility

IGY American Yacht Harbor » An Island Global Yachting Marina


You can anchor in the main harbor and leave the dinghy at the city wall near the Coast Guard station or at American yacht harbor.

In St John you can use the National Park Service moorings.

+1
Agree exactly with these comments. AYH will be closer to more shore attractions. Crown Bay is closer to the airport and downtown. Both marinas are very safe. A third option if you can't find room at the others would be http://www.yachthavengrande.com
Feel free to PM if you need anything while here.


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[mtarcher]

It's getting tougher to find an anchorage close to Crown Bay...more and more private mooring balls going in, plus there are restrictions near Water Island due to cruise ship activity. The area near Yacht Haven Grande is also overrun with mooring balls, but more opportunity for anchoring. Both places are getting really difficult to find space for your dinghy at their respective dinghy docks. If you desire to anchor out in a more private area, you might try other places near Water Island, such as Honeymoon Bay (also a lot of mooring balls) Farther out, is Buck Island. Closer to the airport are Lindbergh Bay and Brewers Bay...both nice anchorages with no large mooring areas.

[Rubikoop]

Good suggestions and comments by Mtarcher except for Buck Island. That is a park or wildlife refuge (can't recall which) and it is for day time use only. There are free mooring balls installed to protect the coral. There is NO sand to anchor in and I'd guess it would take little time for one of the daysail boats to suggest you pick up your anchor as they take your photo and threaten to call the DPNR. Just a couple miles east of there is Great St James which also has free mooring balls to encourage people not to anchor there. That is ok for overnight up to 7 days but unfortunately there are some boats there that haven't moved in many months...


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[mtarcher]

Hi Rubikoop,

I knew that the moorings were for day use only...and I was thinking on the south side of Buck Island for an anchorage...been there/done that. Is the whole island a Nat'l Park? Will have to look into that...

Sandy