Saba Rock, Virgin Gorda

This little rock has a lot to offer the traveling sailor, or even the non-sailing traveler who wants a unique water location to chill. This place packs a lot of stuff into a very small, well kept, well run operation.

Approach:

Come to Saba from the North Sound by weaving your way through the buoys for the Bitter End and Saba itself, there isn’t much of an open channel here, but the gaps between balls line up okay SW to NE. Go slow with no wake. If approaching from Eustatia Sound, the channel on the east side of Saba is deep but relatively narrow. The end of the T dock on the west side of the rock is available for side ties and to pick up water and ice, but you should radio in on 16 beforehand to check for traffic. Otherwise pick up one of their 12 moorings and settle in.

Anchoring/Mooring:

As mentioned above, Saba has 12 of their own buoys, a bit dwarfed by the enormous spread of balls put out by neighboring Bitter End Yacht Club. All are $25, but Saba includes 250 gallons of good quality fresh water and a bag of ice. Not a bad deal. This area allows great access to shoreside fun, with water shuttles running constantly. But we hope you weren’t planning on being alone…

Ashore:

You will find a charming and well kept hotel/apartment resort with stunning views, a friendly high-service staff and a laid back restaurant. The grounds are surprisingly diverse for such a small island, with little hideaway pockets with hammocks in the shade for naps. The rooms are spacious and well appointed, with free Wi Fi internet access (with a good signal out among the mooring balls too) and satellite TV. Special rates for boaters.

Don’t Miss:

Leave the dinghy tied up at Saba Rock and travel in style. The North Sound Water Taxi is operated by Saba Rock, and is free to guests. Hail them on VHF 16 or call 495-9966, 7am to well after dark. They will be happy to take you to and from any dock in the North Sound (but they don’t pick you up at your boat). Head over to Leverick Bay for ice cream and a grocery run, or show up for dinner dry for once. What a treat!