18:28.89N  64:23.42W

 

Distance Run  10 nm

 

Saturday 11 April 2015

 

The wind had moderated a little so we sailed upwind across Francis Drake Channel to the east side of Virgin Gorda.  This was the first sail since completing the barnacle removal and what a difference!  Boat speed was up to normal having lost 1 to 2 knots previously.

 

Savannah Bay is nearly a mile long with little along the shore except sandy beaches.  There has now been some discrete development at the northern end but it’s not unpleasant.  The bay is protected by a long reef and a yacht can only get in through a gap at the southern end.  There are no marker buoys which, together with the reef, has made it off limits for most charter boat companies.  So Savannah Bay is doubly attractive to us.

 

The pilot book gives good navigation guidance and as long as you recognise the differences in colour between navigable water (deep blue or turquoise) vs shallow water over coral or rock (brown) and a few other colours in between then it is safe to enter.  The sun must be high in the sky so that the colours are clear.  A low sun or a sun which is behind you causes too much reflection and masks the colours and is not recommended. 

 

One catamaran was in the south part of the bay when we arrived but we favour the northern end where there is a deeper pool to anchor in.  This entails passing between the outer protective reef and an inner one that has navigable water over it for half a mile or so but the rewards are worth it when you reach Pond Bay by Katitche Point.

 

 

 

Looking out to sea towards Great Dog, a small island cum rock.  The reef is visible as a brownish strip running across the picture.  This is more obvious to the eye wearing polarised glasses:-

 

 

 

 

Part of the bay.  The slightly darker blue water is coral with a navigable depth of water over it.  The motor boat left soon after we arrived:-

 

 

 

 

Ashore in the dinghy.  Nobody on the beach that way:-

 

 

 

 

Or the other.  Some development in the background:-

 

 

 

 

One of the holiday resorts but located above rocks.  No development seems to have been allowed behind the beach:-

 

 

 

 

Just around a small headland into Tretor Bay there are more resorts but they are nicely done.  There is so much shallow reef here (dark water in the picture) that it’s difficult to access even by dinghy:-

 

 

 

 

The expensive end of Tretor Bay:-

 

 

 

As if to remind us that others are allowed into Savannah Bay two French yachts came into the anchorage.  Defying everything I have just written about approaching reefs only in good sunlight it was nearly dusk when they arrived.  They were definite about where they were going and with no hesitation anchored in good spots so we assume they are regulars.  A particular bonus was that they did not anchor right on top of us which any UK sailors reading this will recognise as a national trait (compared to the greater distances we tend to prefer in the UK).

 

We had a quiet and restful night at anchor in one of our favourite spots.