Anchorage

Leinster Bay

Shelter: NE, E, SW, S, SE
Seabed: sand, rock
Anchoring: Forbidden

Mooring field in Leinster Bay on the north shore of St. John, within Virgin Islands National Park, off Waterlemon Cay and below the ruins of the Annaberg sugar plantation.

Mooring buoys
Visitor buoys
Beach

Guide

Approach and anchoring

Sheltered from north-east round through south to south-west, open to the west and north-west. Sand and rock bottom. Anchoring is prohibited: in Virgin Islands National Park it is only allowed in the two designated anchorages, offshore Francis Bay and off Lind Point.

Practical

16 NPS moorings, white with blue stripes, for boats up to 60 feet, about 18 metres. Overnight use from 5 pm to 7 am costs USD 26 a night, paid before the night at the floating fee station in the bay, with no more than 7 consecutive nights in one bay and 30 nights a year. Two orange buoys linked by a float line off Waterlemon Cay serve as a dinghy tether for tenders of 16 feet or less.

Ashore

The Leinster Bay Trail follows the shore to a narrow strip of sand where snorkellers enter the water opposite Waterlemon Cay. The windmill and animal mill of the Annaberg plantation are a short walk from the bay.

Key facts

Type: Anchorage
Coordinates: 18.36428, -64.72262 (18°21.86'N 64°43.36'W)
Country: U.S. Virgin Islands
Shelter: Sheltered from north-east, east, south-west, south, south-east winds
Seabed: sand, rock
Anchoring: Forbidden
Maximum length: 59 ft
Fees: Paid
VHF channel: 16
Services: Mooring buoys, Visitor buoys, Beach
Boaters' rating: 4.4/5
Updated: October 14, 2026