Anchoring in Lindbergh Bay?

We're thinking of anchoring in Lindbergh Bay on our last night, since we're returning from the SVI and heading back to CYOA in Frenchtown (CA/STT).

The last time we did this trip we stopped at Honeymoon Bay (Druif) on Water Island. Nice, but jammed full of boats.

I've only seen Lindbergh from the beach (Best Western Emerald Beach).

There are typically few if any sailboats anchored there.

I see that there are what looks like submarine cables in the east side of the bay.

Has anyone anchored in Lindbergh? Any tips? Any other good alternatives we're overlooking?

Seems like Brewers is another option.

BTW, we'll be aboard a Lavezzi 40 cat, so a slightly rolly anchorage is not a big 'ting.

Thanks in advance!

We're planning to stay on a ball in Christmas Cove.

I love Christmas Cove. We usually end every USVI->BVI->USVI trip with a stay there for the night.

However, it would take us 3-4 hours out of our way when returning from the SVI.

We've stayed in Lindbergh many times over night because of pickups and drop offs. We hear from others that they think it's rolly (we're on a monohull), but we've never encountered that. You could fit a lot of boats in there and we've seen them all over. I can't remember where the submerged cable is (maybe on the Emerald Beach side?) We've seen dolphins while in there and lots of turtles. It's pretty noisy with the airplanes, so we probably wouldn't stay there if we didn't have passengers for the airport, but it's good holding. We've always wanted to stay in Brewers, but it's not convenient for passenger pick up/drop off. Let us know if you stay in Brewers.
Lann

We have anchored in Lindburg and Brewers. We usually only use the Lindburg anchorage as a pick up spot. It can be rolly in Lindburg. Brewers is beautiful, very calm as the only exposure is to the west. There are dining options at Lindburg, not so much at UVI.

Thanks Tim, Evan and Lann!
We'll let you know how it turns out.

Other comments welcome of course!

I also would vote for John Brewer's, but I heard recently that they aren't allowing anchoring there. This was second hand information, though. The bay is under serious investigation by UVI. They have been mapping it and counting wildlife, etc.

I swim at Lindberg usually 4 or 5 days a week all year -- there are not a lot of days that I see the anchored boats rolling - if the wind is due South it can have a swell though, which you will already know from the SVI sail back. During the busier months there are often 4-6 boats there overnight - the SE cove is the calmest spot but does get backwinded from the hill. There was a sloop anchored there for almost 3 months this winter and I spoke with the young couple often, gave them a ride to town on occasion and they felt it was very calm most days and good holding.
Brewers is certainly a calmer, flatter anchorage, I haven't heard of any restrictions except for boats that look to stay there permanently and try mooring. The food/drink trucks there do have daytime service - it is not very convenient to the airport for a pickup except by taxi or rental car. It probably would only add 20 min. or so over Lindberg for a morning motor back to Frenchtown.

" I haven't heard of any restrictions except for boats that look to stay there permanently and try mooring."

Come to think of it, I think that is what they were talking about... <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Blush.gif" alt="" />

Thanks again, all. I appreciate the advice!

For long term sailboats in Brewers the DPNR will come out and explain FAA restrictions and tell you to move along. The permanent moorings are for UVI power vessels and a couple of grandfathered in commercial fishing vessels. For a few nights I'm not aware of any unwanted attention from the authorities. Please do aim for the obvious sandy areas in about 20' of water and try to avoid the healthy coral out from the UVI Marine Science dock (good snorkeling there).

Isn't there something about dredge spoils in Lindberg? (doubt this would effect holding, just sayin')

Holy crap!!!! Just noticed I had a complete brain fart!!! I was answering about Brewers even though I wrote Lindbergh. Reboot now....

I've seen boats anchored for weeks in Lindbergh, only moving when a swell would come in making it too rolly for comfort.

At one time it was discussed that dredge material from the Havensite dock area would be dumped there. That project never happened. Some material was dredged from Lindbergh and was used as fill for the airport expansion decades ago. Holding is excellent in deep sand.

Back to paying attention before typing!!!

No worries.

The info about both is great.
Thanks for posting!

It's 2pm and we're currently anchored in sand in Brewers. 19 foot water depth.
Very calm and beautiful. Only one other boat here.

Airliners are bringing loads of tourists in and out. Not too loud at all.
Fun to watch them come in and land.

Last night on the boat tonight and feeling melancholy.
Had a great trip exploring the SVI.

Will provide some details after we return to the states.

sorry we missed you Walt, We are across the street at BW Emerald. We love Brewers, very peaceful and pretty cool watching the planes come in. Dinner at Protabello tonight and a 9 am flight.

Dang Evan - we'll just miss you!
We're checking into BWEB tomorrow afternoon.

Had a nice spaghetti and meat sauce with garlic bread and BBC's for dinner tonight on the boat.

I stayed in Lindbergh Bay mid july on a fifty monohull last night before returning to CYOA. Very rolly! And short period.
We had pulled into Honeymoon first. It was pretty full but we did find a spot to anchor. The place was party central with piles of people coming and going and loud music. Not my kind of place so we moved on. I heard from cptn Jay the the next day that this only happens about twice a year and in any case the place goes dead by seven.

If it were me
I would try Honeymoon. And if that doesnt work I would use a mooring ball at CYOA before I would choose Lindbergh but of course a cat might be just fine there. There is another option that capt
Jay told me about - there is a bay tucked icreated/sheltered by the runway. From what he said its pretty well protected. Check with Jay.

You may have been a victim of the day.

It was flat calm in there for us last night.

There was some kinda music ashore and people dancing on the beach until about 5pm.
Then it got really quiet.

It was REALLY rolly in Flamenco Bay, Culebra the night before.
I suspect swells coming in from the remnants of Dorian.
It's open to the North.
I pointed this out as a possibility, but the crew was willing to deal with it.
It was not bad in a cat, but a monohull would have been miserable.

agrimsrud, honeymoon, STJ?

Twanger,

Glad to hear it worked out for you.



Huh?

Agrimsrud was anchored off Honeymoon on Water Island (not STJ) for awhile. I saw him there from my vantage point on shore where the loud music was originating from. <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Banana.gif" alt="" /> He then moved to Lindbergh which can be rolly under certain conditions. The bay that Jay and I would have told him about as another option is indeed Brewers, next to the airport. I typically only suggest Brewers for people heading to or returning from the SVI during chart briefings.

It was great to finally meet you in person!! Are you sure you were anchored in 19' of water? In an earlier post I put in my description as anchor in 20' of water over sand. Maybe it was high tide. <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/jester.gif" alt="" /> <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/jester.gif" alt="" /> Teasing of course. Glad you had a good time.

Kyle - nice meeting you too!
Well, the bottom is pretty darned variable in there I must say.
We went over a bar that was maybe 16-17 feet and then the depth ran back down to 27 or so, then back quickly into the teens. The deeper channel is evident in the chart. Out past the bar it falls quickly off to 60 feet while you are still well inside the end of the runway. Private mooring balls on the south side of the anchorage make it a little tighter than it otherwise looks. Five boats in there would be pushing it.