Nevis and Saba anchorages/mooring balls

[ArgleBargle]

Hi

Doing a one way antigua - st martin charter in late march/april on 40' bavaria.

planning to stop at nevis and saba and respectfully and hopefully requesting any information/advice someone might have on anchorages and mooring balls at these islands. specifically are any anchorages especially recommended, are the mooring balls extant/well maintained?

(I have read the doyle guides and web site and the pavlidis book)

cheers!!

[latestcaper]

We stayed on the mooring balls at Saba 2 years ago. Swell came up in the middle of the night and we rolled rail to rail. The next day we tied our stearn to the ball next to us so that our bow was into the swell. Great diving!!! Last year we stayed on a ball in Nevis, no problems. Stacia is worth a stop. Great easy hiking, good scuba diving, mellow low key, needed to use a stearn anchor to keep the bow into the swell.
Doyle guides are great.

[ArgleBargle]

latestcaper

thanks. were the mooring balls in good conditin? what time of year did you go?

[hphoen]

Hello, ArgleBargle.

The mooring balls on Nevis are only a little over a year old and were installed for the government by the MooreSecure people who do most of the balls in the BVI. Top quality, and much cheaper here on Nevis. One week for a 38' boat is only US$20. Three days for US$15. Yep, you heard me right! The best spot in Nevis is just off the Double Deuce restaurant/beach bar at the very southern end of Pinneys Beach. All the sailors hang out at the DD.

The Saba balls look to be pretty good, too, the last time I was there.