Tour· Barbuda· Leeward Islands
George Jeffery's Tours (Codrington Lagoon Water Taxi)
17° 38.5′ N · 61° 49.7′ W · approximate
Codrington-born fisherman and guide George Jeffery runs his speedboat across Codrington Lagoon to the frigatebird colony, collecting yacht crews from the Low Bay beach. He is the guide Chris Doyle's cruising guide names, and he fills the trip with island history, lobster pots and the upside-down jellyfish of the mangroves.
Practical
Coordinate approx: the Codrington Lagoon Fisheries wharf, where lagoon boats work from. Pickups are by arrangement. A 2012 crew was collected by boat from their Low Bay anchorage and returned to the beach; other crews dinghy ashore and meet him. Phone +1 268 788 7067 (published January 2024). Cell signal on Barbuda is poor, so call or message a day ahead. The frigatebird sanctuary can be visited only with a licensed guide. In 2012 the boat cost US$50, a fixed rate set by the authorities, plus a visitor tax paid in Codrington (verify both locally). The name is spelled Jeffery, Jefferies, Jeffries and Jefferey in cruiser blogs, and Barbudaful's profile uses George Sylvester Jeffery. Typical trip: across the lagoon to the mangrove colony at the north end, with males inflating red throat pouches in the mating season (roughly Sept–Apr), chicks at every stage, juvenile frigatebirds fed tossed fish, and sometimes a stop at his lobster pots. A 2014 crew estimated the colony at about 20,000 birds. Keep a respectful distance and do not land in the mangroves. Bring water, a hat and cash US$.
Best for
Frigatebird sanctuary trip arranged straight from a Low Bay anchorage
Season
Year-round; courtship display best Sept–Apr