“Sail away to Anegada in the British Virgin Islands. Here you’ll find beach bars, fresh seafood, wildlife, and miles of white sand beaches”
Anegada, British Virgin Islands is the only coral-formed island in the Virgin Islands’ volcanic chain. Anegada is situated 13 nautical miles northeast of Virgin Gorda’s North Sound. Sailing to this flat and nearly unseen island, is a journey for the seekers. After a 2-3 hour voyage throughout the golden morning, the palmetto trees emerge from the horizon like a mirage. The highest point above sea level is only about 28 feet, earning the island its name, which is the Spanish term for flooded land, “tierra anegada.”
Anegada is the Second Largest Island in the British Territory, yet the Most Sparsely Populated
A headcount of less than 300 on Anegada allows trees and foliage to thrive, including frangipani, loblolly, turpentine, and stunning sea lavender. The unique combination of wildlife includes rare rock iguanas native to the island, a flamboyance of flamingos nestled in the salt pond, and of course the cute and more commonly seen – island goats and cows. While snorkelers love the healthy coral reef rich in needlefish, parrotfish, stingrays, conch, and Caribbean spiny lobster, sport fishermen experience reeling in bonefish (often on the fly) just off of the beautiful flats surrounding the island.
Anegada is home to some of the cleanest wind for kitesurfing in the entire archipelago. Kiters enjoy world-class conditions off the north shore in front of Anegada Beach Club. If you are keen on a lesson, we’ll set you up with the British Virgin Island’s premier kiting school, Tommy Gaunt Kitesurfing, offering a range of lessons for every skill level from beginner to advanced.
Tour around the 14 square miles by scooter, dirt bike, a pickup truck with bench seating in the rear, or by our personal favorite – Moke! From British classic to Caribbean icon, Moke (rhymes with bloke) has become a symbol of fun in the sun. They are perfect for getting around the sandy island of Anegada. We will reserve a couple of these fun hogs for you when you book your private sailing yacht.
Explore Anegada
Start your day on the east shore beaching at Flash of Beauty. Look out on the vast horizon and know there is nothing but ocean that stands between you and Africa. From here, head past the mountain of conch shells just off the southern point that locals call Conch Island. Legend says local fishermen have been discarding shells onto this pile as far back as the 13th century. The living conch will move away from the empty shells of their ancestors, so fishermen pile the empties up all in one place. It’s only here that visitors get a glimpse of what the BVI looked like before Christopher Columbus arrived on his second voyage to the Americas. According to BVI-based historian Mitch Kent, it’s only the vast pile of shells that proves people called the Virgin Islands home long before him.
Head through The Settlement to see the history of the island entwined in stone walls. Then spend the afternoon beach-combing from Cow Wreck down to Anegada Ann’s new hangout, Tipsy. Why the name Cow Wreck? In 1929, a 380ft freighter called the Rocus heading from Trinidad to Baltimore with a cargo full of cow bones to be ground into fertilizer made an unexpected and final stop on the southern tip of Anegada’s treacherous Horseshoe Reef. Since the wreck, the ocean floor has remained eerily scattered with cow bones. As for the freighter, it is still lodged on its starboard side just beneath the surface. This is just one of over 300 shipwrecks surrounding Horseshoe Reef and Anegada.
Authentic Sea to Table Dining Experience
Fishing remains an integral part of Anegadean life, deeper than the rest of the BVI. Anegada fishermen provide most of the territory’s lobster and conch. The careful approach they take to fishing ensures the populations remain stable. Captains radio in dinner orders hours before table seatings, allowing the local fishermen time to fulfill requests. After the day’s escapade leaving you famished, indulge in the Anegada Lobster Thermidor at The Wonky Dog. Go ahead and leave your shoes on the boat; Desne will mix up a Caribbean concoction while you dine with your feet in the sand.
From there, traipse on down to bend your luck in the limbo competition at Potters by the Sea. You may wake up in the morning feeling a tinge in your heart (or lower back) yearning for more. With the realization that you, too, have been captured by the hazardous magnetism of Anegada…you may decide to stay one more day.
Sara Nelson, Contributing Writer and Co-Founder of Uncharted
