Anchorage· Tobago· Windward Islands
Great Courland Bay Anchorage (Plymouth)
11° 12.9′ N · 60° 46.9′ W · approximate
The long bay in front of Turtle Beach and Plymouth, Tobago's first European settlement, with the 1650 Fort James on the point and leatherback turtles nesting on the sand from March to August.
Practical
Position is a point about 330 m off the beach, derived from OpenStreetMap's Great Courland Bay and coastline (approx). No cruising-guide depth or holding figures were found; the beach shelves steeply with large waves (Rough Guides), so expect roll in any north swell and anchor well off. Plymouth is the dividing line for clearance: Charlotteville's permit covers Castara Bay to Prince's Bay, and Noonsite says that to anchor at Plymouth from Charlotteville you must clear out and clear in again at Scarborough. Plymouth has a jetty and a gas station (OpenStreetMap). The April 26, 2024 bull-shark attack happened about 10 m off Turtle Beach; all coastal waters from Plymouth to Store Bay were closed for a week. Leatherback nesting March-August: keep lights off the beach.
Best for
History, turtles and a quiet stop between Store Bay and Castara
Season
Best Mar-Oct in settled weather
Nearby
- Great Courland Bay Beach (Turtle Beach)0.2 NM away
- Turtle Beach Leatherback Nesting0.2 NM away
- Fort James (Plymouth)0.3 NM away
- Fort Bennett (Black Rock)0.5 NM away
- Grafton Caledonia Bird Sanctuary0.7 NM away
- Seahorse Inn (Grafton Beach)0.7 NM away
- Waves Restaurant (Stonehaven Bay)0.7 NM away
- Stonehaven Bay Anchorage (Grafton Beach)0.9 NM away