Navigation assistance-North Sound

We have been to Oil Nut Bay several times, taking the ferry from Gun Creek. Outbound we made the pass between Virgin Gorda and Saba with BEYC to starboard. Travel in this area was always discouraged for charter vessels so i was surprised to find the route was so clear, well marked and seemingly safe as many other passages we have made in 20+ visits to the BVI. So we will likely make the run next month, foregoing the water taxi. Also curious about exiting the reef just north of Oil Nut Bay resort. Can any one speak to their experiences with travel to/from ONB???

Its well marked, at least is was last time I was there (July). I can't recall if the north exit through the is marked but I believe it is.

ONB has an overview marine map of the passages to the marina.

https://oilnutbay.com/north-sound-marina-yacht-moorings/

They show a minimum depth of 2.2 meter at the north entrance and 2.3 meter coming via North Sound. Matches my experience. Coming via North Sound, watch out for the shallow spot as you pass north of BEYC.

We did this in July in a mono that drew 5'9" and never saw less than 2 feet of clearance beneath the keel. The channel was very well marked during our transit.

Our main issue was our marina slip had us pointing directly into a fairly strong ENE wind which made docking a bit challenging. The shore folks were very helpful with the docking.

Thanks for the replies! Yes, ONB has a great water depth chart. Cheers!

Hey everyone. My name is Alexander Dobbs and I work up here at Oil Nut Bay! Happy to help answer this question.

First off - I support everything, everyone above has said. And I have attached our Oil Nut Bay - Approach Map to this post for easy reference.

Secondly, we have spent a lot of time and effort to ensure the channel up to us between Saba Rock and BEYC is very well marked and safe. We maintain the channel ourselves (with the help of our fabulous North Sound based friends Sunchaser Scuba) and are able to reassure you that any yacht with a draft of 6' or less is 100% safe to use this channel to visit our Marina. Essentially, all catamarans and the majority of monohulls will have no problem visiting us by this route.

Additionally, the channel is well marked all the way up to the Oil Nut Bay Resort and Arrival Dock at which point you will find our deep water channel (referred to in the original post as "exiting the reef just North of Oil Nut Bay resort") through Eustatia Reef. This channel is additionally well marked and is also safe for yachts with a draft of 6' or less. This route offers beautiful views of the Oil Nut Bay development as well as a great angle for a sail over to Anegada.

Hello Alexander, I called about friends using my boat the next 10 days to see if you still offered a deal for charterboats and we’re waiving the resort fee. I was told you are not. Is that correct?
Thanks!

Hi George, that is correct. As of last week, Oil Nut Bay is officially no longer offering Day Passes to our Beach Club. We are honoring previously booked and paid for Day Pass reservations, but will not be accepting any new reservations moving forward.

This decision is not made lightly and we were thrilled we were able to share our Beach Club with so many. However, due to some situations which occurred last summer we did elect to prioritize our Homeowner experience and make Beach Club access exclusive for Oil Nut Bay owners and resort guests. I do apologize for any inconveniences this causes to any TTOLer plans or itineraries.

With that being said, we have made some significant improvements to our Marina Village. We are thrilled to announce the reopening of our entire Marina Village and signature over-the-water restaurant Nova, seven days a week from November 6th! With boutique shops, a brand new watersports center offering kiteboarding and wing lessons, chic al fresco restaurant, oceanside lounging, and a day spa opening in April of 2022 - Oil Nut Bay's Marina Village is open to all guests from both near and far.

While disappointed, I understand and respect your decision as it applies to any private property outside the marina village. My question however is with respect to the beach itself - I would assume the beach remains public like all BVi beaches (so long as one arrives say via a dingy etc or does not venture beyond to the resort)???

Alexander - a bit off topic of the channel discussion will you be having Sunday brunch entertainment this coming February? Our last trip in 2020 we absolutely enjoyed the saxophone player entertainment!

Of course!

We do! Every Sunday from 10:30 to 3:00pm we have our Sunday Brunch with live music, drink and food specials