US VIRGIN ISLANDS (ST. THOMAS, ST. JOHN, CHARLOTTE AMALIE, RED HOOK, CRUZ BAY, VIRGIN ISLANDS NATIONAL PARK)

St. Thomas and St. John: boating safety

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St. Thomas and St. John are the main US Virgin Islands for yacht charter, with bases around Charlotte Amalie and Red Hook on St. Thomas. Most of St. John and its surrounding waters are Virgin Islands National Park, where boats use park moorings, and the British Virgin Islands are a short sail away.

LIFE IN DANGER AT SEA
Call 911
Call Coast Guard Sector San Juan on 911. On the radio: MAYDAY on VHF 16, or DSC on channel 70.

On the rescue map → Print an emergency card →

Weather

The National Weather Service in San Juan forecasts the waters around St. John and east of Puerto Rico as zone AMZ726, and the waters north of the islands as AMZ716.

National Weather Service · National Weather Service ▾
weather.gov (2026-10-14): “AMZ726: Coastal Waters east of Puerto Rico and Vieques, and around and just north of Culebra and Saint John”
weather.gov (2026-10-14): “AMZ716: Coastal Waters from Cabo San Juan to the waters between Anegada Island and Virgin Gorda and north 10 NM”

Local rules

In Virgin Islands National Park, boats of 60 ft or less may not anchor and must use the park moorings (white with a blue stripe). If those in Caneel or Francis/Maho Bay are full, use the Lind Point or Francis/Maho anchorages. Anchoring in Cruz Bay Creek is limited to 3 hours, 6 am to 6 pm.

National Park Service, Virgin Islands NP Superintendent's Compendium · National Park Service, Virgin Islands NP Superintendent's Compendium · National Park Service, Virgin Islands NP Superintendent's Compendium ▾
nps.gov (2026-10-14): “Vessels with an LOA of 60 feet or less are prohibited from anchoring and must use established moorings (white with blue stripe). When all of the applicable moorings in Caneel bay or Francis/Maho bay are occupied, this size vessel may utilize the Lind Point or Francis/Maho anchorages.”
nps.gov (2026-10-14): “Vessels with an LOA of 60 feet or less are allowed to anchor in Cruz Bay Creek, adjacent to the NPS boat ramp for no longer than three hours.”
nps.gov (2026-10-14): “Hours of authorized anchoring are from 6:00 AM to 6:00 PM.”

Overnight park moorings cost $26 a night and must be paid before the night, at pay stations (Cruz Bay Finger Pier, Caneel, Francis, Leinster, Saltpond and Great Lameshur Bays) or with the recreation.gov app. Stays are limited to 7 nights per bay and 30 nights a year.

National Park Service, Virgin Islands NP · National Park Service, Virgin Islands NP ▾
nps.gov (2026-10-14): “Overnight mooring fees must be paid prior to spending the night. Mooring fee payments should be made on a night-by-night basis. Overnight stays are limited to 7 nights per bay and no more than 30 nights per year.”
nps.gov (2026-10-14): “grants half-off $26.00 overnight mooring fees”

Keep out of swim and boat exclusion areas, marked with white oblong "NO BOATS" buoys, and do not anchor in beach access channels marked with red and green buoys.

National Park Service, Virgin Islands NP Superintendent's Compendium · National Park Service, Virgin Islands NP Superintendent's Compendium ▾
nps.gov (2026-10-14): “Boat Exclusion Area – Area designated with white oblong buoys marked with "NO BOATS" and/or the international “boats keep out" symbol - an orange diamond with a cross in it.”
nps.gov (2026-10-14): “Anchoring is prohibited within beach access channels marked by red and green buoys.”

Anchoring is banned in the Coral Reef National Monument (Hurricane Hole). In hurricane season it is allowed only with a free Hurricane Hole storm-berth permit, and only once the park has opened the area before a storm.

National Park Service, Virgin Islands NP Superintendent's Compendium · National Park Service, Virgin Islands NP Superintendent's Compendium ▾
nps.gov (2026-10-14): “Anchoring in VICR is prohibited; however, to assist vessel owners in hurricane season, anchoring is authorized in association with a (free) Hurricane Hole storm berth mooring permit.”
nps.gov (2026-10-14): “Mariners using Hurricane Hole may do so only when the area has been opened by the Park superintendent prior to a storm”

In USVI waters, children aged 17 and under must wear a life jacket at all times.

USVI Department of Planning and Natural Resources ▾
dpnr.vi.gov (2026-10-14): “Children 17 & under must wear a Personal Flotation Device (life jacket) at all times”

Arriving from abroad

Boats arriving from the BVI or abroad must report to CBP by phone immediately on arrival or with the CBP ROAM app, then follow its instructions. Inspection sites are the Edward Wilmoth Blyden Marine Terminal in Charlotte Amalie and the CBP terminal in Cruz Bay, St. John.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection · U.S. Customs and Border Protection · U.S. Customs and Border Protection ▾
cbp.gov (2026-10-14): “The Master of the vessel must report arrival via telephone immediately upon arrival to a designated inspection site within the jurisdiction of Puerto Rico (including Vieques and Culebra) and the US Virgin Islands.”
cbp.gov (2026-10-14): “The CBP ROAM app is a free mobile application that provides an option for pleasure boaters to report their U.S. entry to CBP”
cbp.gov (2026-10-14): “Designated Sites for Inspection in USVI Port of St. Thomas Edward Wilmoth Blyden Marine Terminal 1 877 305-8774 Port of St. John Cruz Bay CBP Terminal 1 877 305-8775”

Frequently asked

Who do I call in an emergency at sea near St. Thomas and St. John?

Call Coast Guard Sector San Juan on 911. On the radio: MAYDAY on VHF channel 16, or a DSC distress alert on channel 70.

Where do I get the marine forecast for St. Thomas and St. John?

The National Weather Service in San Juan forecasts the waters around St. John and east of Puerto Rico as zone AMZ726, and the waters north of the islands as AMZ716.

Read before you sail

Thunderstorms, lightning and squalls on the water: what to doRan aground? What to doCold water shock and hypothermia: what to doPerson overboard: what to do

Nearby destinations

Tortola 13 nmFajardo 45 nmSint Maarten / Saint-Martin 100 nmAntigua — English Harbour 192 nmGuadeloupe — Pointe-à-Pitre 227 nmMartinique — Le Marin 326 nmSt Lucia — Rodney Bay 338 nmThe Grenadines — Bequia / Union Island 380 nm

Local rules change. Spotted something out of date? support@vesselsos.com