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Anchorage· St Croix· Virgin Islands (BVI, USVI and Spanish Virgins)

Christiansted Harbor Anchorage

17° 45.0′ N · 64° 42.3′ W · approximate

The main yacht anchorage of St Croix, tucked behind Protestant Cay a few hundred yards off the Christiansted boardwalk, with the yellow walls of Fort Christiansvaern and the Danish town as a backdrop. Reef-protected, walkable to everything, and the natural first stop after the crossing from St Thomas.

British Virgin IslandsUS Virgin IslandsSpanish Virgins

Practical

Position is approximate: on the west side of Protestant Cay, where the Coast Pilot places the Port Authority yacht anchorage and Noonsite places the primary anchorage, placed from the OSM outline of the cay (17.7496 N, 64.7027 W) so it stays in the water. Noonsite (updated April 2025): about 10 ft, good holding in sand in clear water, protected from swell by the reef; when it is crowded, anchor on the east side of the harbor, which is rolly in a northerly swell. The Coast Pilot adds that ships anchor east-northeast of Protestant Cay in 9 to 30 ft on hard ground (set the anchor carefully against dragging), and that the harbor outside the buoyed channel is under 6 ft with visible wrecks and submerged obstructions along the east side. A cruiser's 2017 log notes you can anchor anywhere except the seaplane landing area and that there are reef heads in the anchorage: snorkel or watch your swing. Free public day moorings (white, yellow or orange) are for boats under 60 ft, daytime only, 3-hour limit; other moorings need a DPNR permit. DPNR also requires an anchoring permit for recreational vessels anchoring in USVI waters without a mooring permit (apply at my.onlinemooring.com/VI; DPNR Environmental Enforcement 340-773-5774). Dinghies tie along the boardwalk. Security: Noonsite and CSSN report three dinghy thefts in one night here in December 2023, so lift and lock the dinghy and outboard every night. Enter only in daylight (see Christiansted Harbor Channel).

Best for

Base for Christiansted, clearing in and a day sail to Buck Island

Season

Year-round; Gallows Bay is the harbor's hurricane anchorage (Coast Pilot); hurricane season June 1 to November 30

Nearby