CC BY 2.0, Wikimedia Commons (Clinton & Charles Robertson)Anchorage· Great St James· Virgin Islands (BVI, USVI and Spanish Virgins)
Christmas Cove (Great St James)
18° 18.6′ N · 64° 50.0′ W · approximate
The sheltered cove on Great St. James's west side, between the island and little Fish Cay, part of the St. Thomas East End Reserve: turtles over the seagrass, good snorkeling on the cay, and Pizza Pi's floating pizzeria anchored in the middle.
Practical
Position approximate: in the cove between Great St. James and Fish Cay (OpenStreetMap), checked to be in the water. Coast Pilot: St. James Bay, between Great St. James and the east end of St. Thomas, provides secure anchorage in 21 to 50 ft except in hurricanes; small craft anchor securely in Christmas Cove north or south of the small cay 300 yards offshore. Moorings: DPNR Fish and Wildlife installed 12 overnight moorings on the north side in April 2010 and 10 more in December 2010, to protect seagrass and turtle habitat; at the time use was free (a fee was possible later), boats had to be under 65 ft and stays were limited to 10 days (St. Thomas Source, 2010). Wikipedia (2026) says 22 overnight balls exist but are not regularly maintained: inspect before trusting one, and verify current fees locally. Anchor only on sand, never on seagrass or coral. Approach from the south past Cow and Calf rocks (Cow 7 ft, Calf 2 ft) or from Pillsbury Sound through Current Cut, which runs to 3 knots. The island is privately owned (bought in 2023 with Little St. James by Stephen Deckoff, per Wikipedia); shoreline access is public but stay off private land.
Best for
Snorkel-and-pizza overnight close to Red Hook
Itineraries that stop here
Nearby
- Pizza Pi (Christmas Cove)Right here
- Stragglers Reef0.5 NM away
- Cowpet Bay Anchorage & St. Thomas Yacht Club0.6 NM away
- St. Thomas International Regatta (STIR)0.6 NM away
- St. Thomas Yacht Club0.7 NM away
- Cow and Calf Rocks0.8 NM away
- Little St James (Private Island)0.8 NM away
- Ledges of Little St James0.9 NM away