Beach & island
On the water
Captain's briefing
Water quality advisory — Coki Beach and Maho Bay. Post-rain runoff. Avoid swimming near storm drains.
WAPA outage — Coral Bay area since 6am. Call ahead before heading east for dinner.
STT: No FAA delays. Customs wait approx. 25 min — busier than usual today.
Weather overview
Island showers
Brief passing showers expected mid-afternoon — typical island pattern. Clears in 15–20 minutes. No impact on beach or boating plans. Squall line possible 1:30–2:30pm with short-duration gusts.
Cruise ship crowd wave — St. Thomas today
Estimated cruise guests ashore by hour (24,753 total · 3 ships)
High impact (>15,000)
Moderate (8,000–15,000)
Low (<8,000)
Best window for cruise-impacted beaches: before 9am or after 3pm. Trunk Bay, Magens Bay, and Coki peak 10am–2pm.
Beaches — St. John
Trunk Bay Crowded
Crowds: Very high 9am–3pm
Generally calm conditions
Cinnamon Bay Moderate
Generally calm conditions
Maho Bay Advisory
Use caution — water advisory
Francis Bay Good
Generally calm conditions
Salt Pond Best pick
Generally calm conditions
Lameshur Bay Best pick
Generally calm conditions
Beaches — St. Thomas / Water Island
Magens Bay Crowded
Crowds: Very high all day
Generally calm conditions
Coki Beach Advisory
Not recommended — check conditions
Honeymoon Beach Good
Generally calm conditions
Secret Harbour Good
Generally calm conditions
Beaches — BVI
The Baths Green flag
Generally calm conditions
White Bay JVD Best pick
Generally calm conditions
Brewers Bay Good
Generally calm conditions
Leverick Bay Good
Generally calm conditions
Airport & arrivals
STT — Cyril E. King No delays
FAA statusNormal operations
Ground delayNone
Customs wait~25 min today
Customs noteBusier — peak arrival day
EIS — Beef Island No live feed
StatusNo automated data
Customs wait~35 min (reported)
TipAllow extra time Saturdays
STT delay status via FAA API — automated. Customs wait times manually reported when available. EIS has no public data feed — community reported only.
Squall track — today
Squall line tracking WNW across area
Expected passage: 1:30–2:30pm
Source: NOAA radar. Brief squall — 20–30kt gusts during passage, visibility under 1nm. Duration 45–60 min. Clear by 3pm. Not a reason to stay in — reef before Drake crossing if departing after 1100.
Marine conditions — NOAA buoy 41052 + Windy
Wind
Speed12 kt ENE
Gusts18 kt
DirectionENE 070°
Forecast shiftBacking to E by 4pm
VHF forecastWX-1 · 7am & 4pm
Swell & sea state
Swell height2.5 ft
Swell period11 sec — comfortable
Swell directionE — following on BVI run
Wave height1.8 ft
Sea stateSlight — 0–1.25m
Atmosphere & water
Pressure1015 hPa
TrendSteady — rising
Water temp82°F
Visibility10+ nm
Humidity74%
Current & tides
Surface current0.4 kt W
High tide6:14am — 1.4ft
Low tide12:31pm — 0.1ft
High tide6:48pm — 1.2ft
Current CutBest after 1pm
Tide curve — today
Water height in feet — key for anchorage timing and dinghy landings
Low tide 12:31pm — plan shallow anchorage entries and dinghy beach landings before 11am or after 3pm.
Conditions by waypoint — Windy forecast
Drake Channel Good
Wind12–15kt ENE
Gusts18kt
Waves2–3ft
Swell period11 sec
Point of sailBeam reach W
Pillsbury Sound Calm
Wind10kt ENE
Gusts14kt
Waves1–2ft
Swell period10 sec
CrossingEasy all day
Norman Island Sheltered
Wind8kt ENE
Swell wrapMinimal
Roll factorLow
Dinghy landingEasy
Willy TOpen — calm
JVD approach Good
Wind12kt E
Waves2ft
White Bay entryEasy
AnchorageCalm
Dinghy landingEasy
The Baths Good
Wind10kt ENE
Swell2ft — manageable
FlagGreen — swim in ok
Dinghy landingGood
Visibility60ft
The Indians Exceptional
Wind10kt ENE
SwellCalm — 1ft
Visibility80ft
Mooring ballsAvailable
Dive conditionsExceptional
Anchorages
Norman Island / Willy T Good
Willy T: Open — calm conditions
Swell wrap: Minimal today
Mooring balls: Available 6:30am
Cooper Island Good
Mooring balls: Available 6:30am
Great Harbour JVD Good
Mooring balls: Available 6:30am
BVI customs: Open 8am–4pm
Leverick Bay Good
Mooring balls: Available 6:30am
Coral Bay STJ Check power
Mooring balls: Available 6:30am
Muddy bottom — set carefully
Mooring ball status reported as of 6:30am. Availability changes throughout the day — arrival before noon recommended in peak season. Heavy rain yesterday — expect softer holding at muddy bottom anchorages. Set anchor carefully and confirm hold.
Fuel — as of this week weekly
Road Town dock
Diesel$5.80/gal
Gasoline$5.10/gal
AvailabilityAvailable
Soper's Hole
Diesel$5.85/gal
Gasoline$5.15/gal
AvailabilityAvailable
Fuel pricing and availability confirmed weekly via DLCA survey and marina contact. Prices subject to change — call ahead on Saturdays during charter turnover. * Diesel prices significantly elevated due to current global energy market conditions.
BVI entry requirements weekly confirmed
Current
No requirement changes
8am–4pm
Spanish Town hours
Valid passport + HIKCR form + cruising permit required. Requirements confirmed weekly — check CBP board before departing USVI waters.
Sunrise sail to The Baths
Leave Cruz Bay by 5:45am · arrive at sunrise 6:34am · 8nm at 5–6kt
Charter fleet congestion
Wednesday
Mid-week — moderate fleet
Road Town
Normal charter traffic
Saturday congestion alert auto-generates on Fridays and Saturdays when charter company turnover peaks at Road Town, Nanny Cay, and Scrub Island.
Observed data — NOAA buoy 41052 (0600 AST)
Barometric pressure — 24hr trend
hPa — rising trend indicates stable conditions
Pressure steady-to-rising over 24 hours. No frontal system indicated. Trade wind pattern expected to hold through Thursday. Diurnal pressure oscillation normal — disregard 0.5–1.0 hPa swings.
GFS model forecast — next 24hr
Wind forecast
0600–120010–12kt ENE
1200–180012–18kt ENE + squall
Squall gusts20–30kt · 1330–1430
1800–00008–12kt ENE
Wind shiftBacking E by 1600
Sea state forecast
Swell height2.0–2.5ft
Swell period10–12 sec
Wind wave0.5–1.0ft
Combined seas2.5–3.5ft
24hr trendEasing overnight
Navigation
Visibility10+ nm
During squall<1nm · 45–60min
Surface current0.4kt W
Magnetic var.13°W
Sunrise / set0634 / 1821
Tides & current
HW 10614 · 1.4ft
LW1231 · 0.1ft
HW 21848 · 1.2ft
Tidal range1.3ft
Current CutE-bound: avoid 0900–1300
Passage routing
STJ → BVI (Drake)
Beam reach ENE. 2–3ft / 11sec — comfortable motorsail or sail. Reef before departure if after 1100 — squall risk 1330–1430. ETA Norman ~2hr from Cruz Bay at 6kt. Wind backing E by 1600 — consider on return timing.
Current Cut
LW 1231. Eastbound: avoid 0900–1300 when flood current runs against. Transit windows: 0600–0830 or after 1400. Spring range 1.3ft today. Depths adequate throughout — timing is about current, not draft.
JVD overnight
Great Harbour holding good. ENE swell not wrapping significantly into anchorage. No surge forecast. White Bay mooring field stable. Overnight conditions: light ENE 8–10kt, flat. Good anchorage night.
Watch items today
1.Squall line 1330–1430 — gusts 20–30kt, visibility under 1nm. Reef before Drake crossing if departing after 1100. Consider anchoring early if caught out.
2.Current Cut eastbound — avoid 0900–1300. Flood current running against. Transit window after 1400 recommended.
3.Muddy bottom at Coral Bay and Bight following yesterday's rain — confirm anchor set and check hold before leaving boat unattended.
4.WAPA outage Coral Bay — fuel and provisions at Road Town preferred today. Call ahead if stopping east side STJ.
5.Wind backing E by 1600 — adjust heading for return Drake crossing. Starboard tack favored on return from BVI this afternoon.
VHF & communications
WX-1
NOAA wx · 0700 & 1600
Infrastructure — daily confirmed
Power (WAPA)
Outage — Coral Bay area since 6am · ongoing
Ferry — Cruz Bay to Red Hook
On schedule
Today's picks & avoid
Salt Pond or Lameshur — STJ
Excellent visibility, no crowds, calm conditions all day. Best snorkeling on island today.
Trunk Bay before 2pm
25,000 cruise guests. At capacity by 9:30am. Return after 3pm.
White Bay, Jost Van Dyke
Low crowds, calm conditions. Worth the crossing today.
Coki Beach — water advisory
Post-rain runoff. Not recommended for swimming or kids today.
Capt Dave's note
"Today is a tale of two islands. Nearly 25,000 cruise guests hit St. Thomas starting at 8am — the crowd wave peaks hard between 10am and 2pm, which means Trunk Bay, Magens Bay, and Coki are no-go zones during that window. If you have kids, Coki is off the list entirely today — water quality advisory is in effect after yesterday's heavy rain. Expect island showers mid-afternoon — the usual 20-minute tropical kind that everyone ignores. Head south instead: Salt Pond and Lameshur are gorgeous, calm, and calm and family-friendly, and you'll practically have them to yourselves all day. Coral Bay dinner — call ahead, WAPA has been out since this morning. Fair winds out there."
Infrastructure — daily confirmed
Power (WAPA)
Outage — Coral Bay area since 6am · ongoing
Ferry — Cruz Bay to Red Hook
On schedule
Today's picks & avoid
The Indians — dive/snorkel
80ft visibility. Best dive conditions in weeks. Mooring balls available.
Drake crossing after 1100
Squall line expected 1330–1430. Reef before departure if not clear by noon.
White Bay — anchorage and beach
Calm conditions, easy dinghy landing. Great day to cross to JVD.
Current Cut 0900–1300
Flood current running against eastbound traffic. Transit after 1400.
Norman Island — Willy T
Calm anchorage, minimal swell wrap. Willy T open and conditions flat.
Coral Bay fuel and provisioning
WAPA out since 6am. Use Road Town dock today.
Capt Dave's note
"One of the better crossing days we've had this week. Drake Channel is running light at 2–3 feet on an 11-second period — comfortable motorsail or sail, beam reach westbound on port tack. The Indians are showing 80ft visibility, best in weeks — if you have divers aboard, make that your first stop. Time Current Cut after 1pm for a clean eastbound run. One thing to plan around: squall line expected around 1:30pm with short-duration gusts to 28 knots. If you're not clear of Drake by noon, reef before you go. It'll pass in under an hour and conditions return to normal by 3pm. Coral Bay — WAPA has been out since morning. Fuel and provisioning at Road Town today. Mooring balls confirmed available at Norman, Cooper, and JVD as of 6:30am — get there before noon in peak season."
Infrastructure — daily confirmed
Power (WAPA)
Outage — Coral Bay area since 6am · ongoing
Ferry — Cruz Bay to Red Hook
On schedule
Captain's technical summary
ENE 12kt obs / 18kt gusts, 070°. Swell 2.5ft at 11sec, direction 082° — comfortable Drake crossing, beam reach westbound port tack. Squall line tracking WNW, estimated passage 1330–1430, gusts 20–30kt, visibility under 1nm, duration 45–60 min. Reef before departure if not clear of Drake by 1200. Pressure 1015.2 hPa steady-to-rising — no frontal activity indicated through Thursday. Diurnal oscillation normal, disregard sub-1 hPa swings. Current Cut: LW 1231, eastbound transit window 0600–0830 or post-1400 — flood current running against mid-period. Post-rain holding degraded at mud-bottom anchorages including Bight and Coral Bay — set anchor watch or use mooring balls. Wind backing ENE to E by 1600, easing 8–12kt overnight — adjust heading for return Drake crossing, starboard tack favored on afternoon return from BVI. WAPA outage Coral Bay — avoid for fuel and provisioning, use Road Town dock. VHF WX-1 at 0700 and 1600. No Coast Guard notices to mariners in effect for this area.
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The Paradise Brief is for informational purposes only. Conditions data is sourced from third-party providers including NOAA, NWS, and poweroutage.us and is not guaranteed to be accurate or complete. Always exercise your own judgment and verify conditions before making decisions about water activities or travel. Capt Dave's Paradise Brief is not responsible for decisions made based on this report.
