TravelTalkOnline Forums Travel and Vacation Forums British Virgin Islands Northern Swell??

Noticed there is a bit of a swell going on now. What's considered significant in terms of choosing mooring location? (ie Cooper, Norman or CGB) I know I can always tuck under the point at CGB, but expected swell is 1-2ft. Seems mild.

Thanks.

CGB is not your best north swell location. Don't even think about bringing a dinghy in. Norman is well protected.

This swell is only a couple of feet..I'm sure CGB would be fine unless it keeps building..

rule of thumb, 1m or less might be rolly.
over that the decision process should kick in.

My picture I was finally able to post on bubble pool is a 2.5m swell...yikes!
6-8 foot waves were at CGB that trip.

Hard core last week, but wind and swell started calming down on Monday and were great on Tuesday this week.

We saw no boats in CGB last week with breaking waves due to big NE swell and winds. Norman was good as was Little Harbor on Peter Island, Cooper was very rolly, but there were boats there. We see wind and swell direction and intensity being key factors. Last week wind and swell were both from the NE and the wind-driven swell had a different period than the north swell. The north sides were getting beat up. Quite bumpy, rainy too.

If it had not been an upwind slog, I would have holed up in North Sound. Instead, after Norman, we hit Diamond Cay and Great Harbor for two nights and then moved to the USVI to Christmas Cove, Brewers Bay on St. Thomas, Honeymoon Beach on Water Island and Lameshur Bay on St. John.

Cheers, RickG

I don't see any north swell today. It's dead calm.

I'm in Diamond Cay and can see the north swell (less than 1m) breaking on the other side of the reef and there's only a very slight rolling noticeable in the anchorage. I left CGB last night because of the weather reports of a north swell, but I gather it was calm there last night as well. But as of tomorrow the waves pick up a bit, the period lengthens and the wind is up a bit too; so I'd expect CGB to be uncomfortable.
Here's a picture of me leaving CGB at first light after I missed the weather report and a north swell set in during the night. I had surfers going past me in the other direction as I left...

I don't want to hijack the thread but how is north swell in early part of January usually?

no clear cut answer. if we are having a Nor'easter in the states. Or a significant storm going offshore. Or a latent hurricane, Or....

It is all about energy and direction. It can happen anytime. The only really good use is keeping abreast of the weather, and understanding the signatures.

The last two years, we saw north swell in weeks 2/3 of January. Last year, January week 2 we had 25+ kt winds and north swell; week 3 we had no wind and flat water. This year, we had swell both weeks and more reasonable winds.

Cheers, RickG

I'm a relative newbie to what the north swell is. I am looking at a January 2017 trip. If there is a north swell on that trip will it be miserable all over the BVIs? Or will there be spots that are calm? Will there be more rough spots then calm ones?

We like to go in January because it is quieter than December or February with the same conditions. The water was warmer this January than this week in March. To be honest, any winter months have a risk of north swell. You just set your itinerary based on the the weather, like any other month. We're planning on two weeks in January 2017, just like the last four years.

Cheers, RickG

There are plenty of options if a north Swell is running. Your trip will be still be great. You are really only kept out of a handful of anchorages. The Swell presents no issues sailing from place to place. It becomes a factor only in anchorages when it meets shallow water.
The Christmas winds can be a much greater factor that time of year. 4 or 5 days of 20 to 25 knot winds gets fatiguing and the wind driven chop is no fun at all if your going up wind as it makes for a nasty ride.
G

I am debating going later in the year. Will potentially be going with 2 other couples that have never been to BVIs. Don't want it to be miserable for them.

You can get bad weather any time of the year. Winter is the high season and there is a reason for it. Great temps with not much rain.
G

The north swell forecast is pretty accurate. Keep an eye on WindGuru on your trip and use that info to help select your anchorages. Currently WindGuru shows the current small north swell ending Sunday evening.