Anchorage· St Barthelemy· Leeward Islands
Anse du Colombier Moorings
17° 55.4′ N · 62° 52.3′ W · approximate
St Barth's road-free bay at the north-west tip, inside the marine reserve: a white beach under scrubby hills, turtles grazing the seagrass under the boat and sunsets over Ile Fourchue. The one overnight anchorage on the island most sailors rate above Gustavia.
Practical
Position is the middle of the mooring area, derived from the OpenStreetMap bay position and coastline (approx). About 40 ecological reserve moorings are shared between Colombier and Fourchue; Colombier has many more than Fourchue. Rules: one boat per buoy, boats to 25 m and 20 t, maximum 96 consecutive hours, then 96 hours out of the reserve; anchoring only in the marked zone inside the bay outside the mooring area (some boats anchor on the shallower sand patches) - never on seagrass. Vessels over 25 m are excluded. First-come, first-served; free according to most cruiser reports (Sail Magazine, noforeignland), but noforeignland reviewers also say fees vary with length of stay - verify at the capitainerie. Reported 5-12 m on sand. Sheltered from NE, E and SE trade winds and from the swell on the west side of the island; the outermost buoys catch surf in a northerly ground swell - avoid them. Day-charter boats crowd in around lunchtime; arrive early afternoon. Land the dinghy on the beach (no dock) and watch the surf. No services ashore and weak mobile reception on some networks. Remember you must clear in at Gustavia (4 km by dinghy, wet against the waves).
Best for
Overnight in the reserve with turtles and a beach walk
Season
Nov-Jun; uncomfortable in northerly ground swell
Itineraries that stop here
Nearby
- Northerly Swell Season (St Barth)Right here
- Colombier Turtle Snorkel0.1 NM away
- Anse du Colombier Beach0.2 NM away
- Pointe a Colombier Dive Sites0.2 NM away
- Colombier Trail0.4 NM away
- Petite Anse Snorkel0.5 NM away
- Anse des Flamands Anchorage0.8 NM away
- La Langouste (Hotel Baie des Anges, Flamands)0.9 NM away