Hi All,
Love this forum... though I do more reading than posting.
I am planning a 3 week trip through USVI, SVI, and BVI in early May. I read on the forum that the SVI the anchorages are busy during weekends. From your past experiences: Will the anchorages be busy in May? or is that typically outside of the busy season for those 3 areas?
Ideas on bays to avoid (due to volume) would be appreciated.
My past experience is all from sailing in the Grenadines in Jan, Feb, June, September months if you wish to use comparators.
Many thanks
Ian

Busy is a relative thing.
The SVI anchorages are not busy at all as compared to USVI and BVI anchorages, no matter what day of the week it is.
Also, the SVI anchorages see a lot of day-trip motor-boat activity from Del Rey, and they usually depart about 4pm. We use that opportunity to pick up a ball closer to the beach.

We've seen Salt Whistle Bay so packed in May that you can't even get in... I've never seen an SVI anchorage that way.

Twanger: We were at Culebrita and Culebra last Easter weekend. I thought everyone went to the BVI for Easter. Evidently not. It was packed solid. <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Yikes.gif" alt="" />

Nutmeg, Semana Santa (holy week) is the craziest week of the year on Culebra. It is mostly PR Navy and Fajardo ferry daytrippers. UPR students fill the campground at Flamenco and no one sleeps! Next craziest is the Christmas-Three Kings stretch. That is a different demographic.

Doug

Wow! Crazy. We've been to the SVI mostly in the summer months and have seen nothing remotely like that.
Last August we were anchored in Bayo Tortugas and there were only 4 boats there after 4pm. The trip before we spent the night alone there!

Thanks to all for responding. It is as I expected... Difficult to make a call.
Cheers
Ian

We've been twice, May and June. Over the 3 day weekend for Memorial day in May there were a lot of boats rafted up but we still had plenty of room to anchor. In June much less crowded. Due to the PR economy many have mentioned that there seems to be fewer of the large motor yachts out and about. Unless you hit a popular place on a popular holiday you'll be fine. We spent most of our time at anchor alone in most places. A few places you can learn just how good a sound system can be but those are the day trippers. Late afternoon they all go away and it's been my experience the big boats usually have grandma, the parents and the kids aboard and it's lights out pretty early.