TravelTalkOnline Forums Travel and Vacation Forums British Virgin Islands Mooring Ball in Great Harbour?

Since the Willy T is heading to Great Harbour at Peter Island....are there any mooring balls in place? Or should I just be happy that the Willy T. has a new home?

Lots of mooring balls in place. They looked to be in good shape a few months ago.

We were just in Great Harbor on Peter Island last night and the mooring balls are good.

Roughly how many mooring balls are presently available? I’ve been seeing a fairly wide range of estimates since the Willy T news broke (Everything from about a dozen to 75). We depart next Saturday & I’m trying to get an update from someone who has been there recently, so we can plan accordingly.

They were likely a few dozen when I was there in February.

Just remember you only need one...

I doubt the total is more than 20. Probably closer to 15. Be careful where you anchor. Some spots have coral.
G

If you take a quick count of mooring balls at any anchorage you are visiting and post as a comment to the BVI Mariner web site, reference pages will be updated for the benefit of all. You can also just send an email to bvimariner@gmail.com if easier. Thanks - Mark

A friend of mine was there three days ago and he reported to me that he counted 40 mooring balls.

In early December I counted exactly 34 mooring balls in Great Harbour, stretching from the western shore to the eastern shore by Oceans 7. Sounds like a few that disappeared during the storms were since replaced and we're now at 40.

Thanks burge & Baardj! The Peter Island, Great Harbour page (link) on BVI Mariner has been updated to reflect 34-40 mooring balls at this anchorage. In comparison, I counted 60 balls (plus 5 at Kelly's Cove) at The Bight (link) pre-Irma. Thanks again!

Hmmm. On our recent April trip to the Spanish Virgins, we saw no more than 6 balls in those anchorages that even had moorings, and usually less than half of those were in use overnight. No "BVI race for a ball." Definitely a different experience!

Thanks all! We're headed there June 29th. Looking forward to the Willy T in its NEW home.

On the BVI mariner site, under Cooper Island, it says there are 10 private moorings (BUT AVAILABLE FOR USE). Can someone explain what exactly the rules are for that?? I have never picked up a private mooring in BVI (except once off Guana when I had engine trouble and needed to change the fuel filter but they got off the mooring).

It's been a couple of years, but it's my recollection that while the majority of the balls are owned, and rent collected, by CIBC, the 10 closest to Cistern Point are owned, and rent collected by, someone else. All are available for transients. The balls closest to Cistern Point are nice because you can easily snorkle to point right from your boat.

Aarpskier is correct about the balls near Cistern Point. They don't seem to be maintained quite as well as CIBC balls, so be sure to check them for holding.

And since he brought up snorkeling at Cistern Point, we had a somewhat scary experience there last May. We'd snorkeled there several times in the past from our moored boat and had no problem. But in May we did the same, and found the current overwhelmed our swimming ability. It was easy to snorkel around shore out to the point (way too easy I should have realized); when we tried to turn around and go back there was no way we could fight the current.

Fortunately there was a boat moored to the one dive ball at the very end of the point. We swam (let the current take us) to that boat and they were nice enough to motor us back to our boat.

Lesson learned...pay attention to the current even when snorkeling!

Good point. We have snorkeled Waterlemon Cay, Leinster Bay, St John twice. The first time, with 6 seniors, no problem circumnavigating the cay. The second time, with several small grandchildren, we had to get assistance from one of our crew in a dinghy. Different time of day, tides and currents. It's easy to get lulled into a sense of complacency, and a good idea to frequently turn around and check one's ability to return to one's starting point.

General rule is that the first part of the swim needs to be into the current. Then when it’s time to go back, you have the easy swim with the current.

The 30 mooring balls in Manchioneel Bay to the North are maintained by Moor-Secure, the other 10 are not. Per the 2017-18 Guide to Cruising the Virgin Islands (page 203), "The other 10 most southerly moorings near Cistern Point are privately owned, and a dinghy will come to collect the fee". Thanks - Mark

Those 10 balls were owned by James Leonard, who had an accident and passed away last May. Since his death, I'm not sure if anyone is maintaining or collecting on his behalf.

That's why we should test the mooring by backing down as recommended by some charter companies

Is James the fellow that sold lobsters on the dock. I think his mom ran a great roti place on tortolla. He was a very nice chap.

Yes, that was James.

Three points
So sad Great Harbor, a beautiful natural harbor will be hosting the Willie T. Not sure how the developer of an Eco resort can justify sending a fleet of boats here.

There are not enough balls in the harbor currently to support the number of boats who will descend on the Willie T.

We are here tonight and watched them site the anchor spots for the Willie T. On the shore opposite the barge.

My heart is breaking.

Finally, a voice of reason.

GH is one of the last relatively pristine deep harbors in the VI. So much fragile marine life, which will undoubtedly be chased away. And the coral! Very much alive and resplendent, which will also be destroyed.

And the history....ruins of the old coaling station which will no doubt be pilfered. And the very secret ruins of a Great House on the hill. (I spent scores of hours sitting with Conrad over the span of 40 years, before his passing. He finally gave me directions to the house that I knew existed, but could never find. And then I did.)

And even though the fishing operation is only conducted occasionally these days, it will be impossible to do so with the Willy-T traffic. (The entire area close to the beach is a BVI Protected Marine Area. HA! What were they thinking?!)

Now, the peace and tranquility of the bay will be replaced with gurgling generators, drunken aging frat-pirates bellowing Jimmy Buffett songs,
and a floating Senor Frog's.

I remember the days when Great Harbor was redlined by the bareboat companies because it was too deep to anchor, and there were no mooring balls. It was a favorite of those of us running crewed charter boats. Now it will be the bright porch light attracting all kinds of insects. And the lack of mooring balls?! That can and will be remedied in just a few days. Where there's a buck at stake, there's a way.

I join you in your heartache for Great Harbor.