BVI: Anegada Island

24-28 Jan 2017

"The island Anagada was named by Columbus and mean the “drowned land”. It is only 28 feet above sea level at its highest point. This is the only coral Island in the BVI and geologically in sharp contrast to the other more mountainous islands.

The sparsely populated island is ringed by a swathe of white sand, and is almost completely surrounded by the Horseshoe Reef. The water depth on the outside of this reef drops on the outside to more than a thousand meters in a relatively short distance. This reef is one of the world’s largest and combined with the islands elevation responsible for over 300 shipwrecks.

A desert type island measuring only 11 by 3 miles, it is quiet and laid back with a handful of beach bars and restaurants.”

The Island is situated on the Northern end of the BVI and approximately 14 mm North of the Northern tip of Virgin Gorda. With the Southerly blowing we used the downwind opportunity to raise the asymmetrical spinnaker on our way to Anegada.

The Anegada “Harbour” is crowded with about 60 boats on mooring balls and on anchor in 2 to 4m water.

Vagabund is anchored close to the jetty of the Anegada Reef Hotel at Setting Point

We rented a car for the day and explored all the beaches on the shoreline. Our first stop was Pomato Point where the stretched out beaches starts.

We drove further and come to a signboard: Cow Wreck Beach (a cow’s skull is attached to a weathered wooden board).

“Cow Wreck Beach named for the cow bones – especially skulls – that washed ashore from wrecks of ships carrying them to be ground up into bone meal for fertilizer.”

A smile on our faces for this so called hurricane evacuation plan: Grab a beer and run….

(With an island this low above sea level there is nowhere to run!)

We enjoyed a drink and lobster fritters at the Cow Wreck Beach Bar and Grill.

Much of the island’s interior is made up of salt ponds, the largest of which is Flamingo Pond. The salt ponds are the perfect habitat for roseate flamingos.

We reach Loblolly Bay, a picture postcard beach. As soon as my head was under the water the real beauty of the underwater unfold. Swimming over the first reef we disturbed a ray. The ray slowly made his way back and buried himself again in the sand.

The reef formation is rouged with deep crevasses. The waves will roll in over the shallow reefs and sucking back in these crevasses. This turned out to be one of our best snorkeling excursions. The water was clear with rocks, tunnels, cliffs, stunning coral of all types and colorful fishes swimming around.

Exquisite ferns sway to the rhythm of the water.

It is a wonderful freedom to swim in the ocean only hearing your own breath and the click click of the corals.The rest of the world seems a million miles away as we surrender to the undisturbed charm of the so called “Drowned Island” for the few days.

Anegada Flats 

The inside of the reef is shallow and offers a great opportunity for bone fishing. Zack managed to improve his personal best bonefish

Eye to Eye

Fish in the bag

Released for another day.

Met this friendly local the next day

He was keen to pose for a photo and send his regards to the fly fishermen back at home.