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The Paradise Brief — Virgin Islands · Daily USVI/BVI ConditionsGet the daily brief →
🚢 Zero cruise ships in port today — St. Thomas and Road Town BVI both clear. No cruise crowds island-wide. Magens, Coki, and Sapphire are open all day. Road Town BVI is also empty — The Baths uncrowded (verify the flag on arrival). Next STT arrival: Sunday, July 12.
⚠️ Small Craft Advisory in effect through Friday evening. AMZ711 — E winds 15–20 kt, gusts to 30 kt, seas 5–6 ft, occasionally to 8 ft. All BVI ferry crossings will be rough — confirm every BVI departure directly with your operator before driving to the dock.
🌬 Breezy and hazy — Saharan dust through the weekend. East wind ~22 mph, gusts to 28 mph. Widespread haze and reduced visibility. Isolated showers after midnight (10%). High 89°F.
The
Paradise Brief
VIRGIN ISLANDS · FRIDAY, JULY 10, 2026 · Updated 6:00 AM AST
6.8/ 10
Zero-ship day / SCA + haze
Top pick: Magens Bay — wide open
Beach & island
On the water
Captain's briefing
✈️ Travel out
⛴️ Ferries
Weather overview
89 / 80°F
Hi/Lo forecast
E 22 mph
Wind — gusts 28
5–6 ft
Open seas (SCA)
5:49 AM
Sunrise
7:01 PM
Sunset
🌬 Hazy & breezy
Mostly sunny but hazy — widespread Saharan dust with reduced visibility through the weekend. East wind around 22 mph, gusts to 28 mph; breezy overnight to 25 gusting 31. Warm and humid, high near 89°F, low around 80°F. Isolated showers possible after midnight tonight (10% chance). Saturday outlook: isolated showers before noon, haze continuing, high near 89°F, winds easing slightly.
Cruise ship crowd wave — St. Thomas today
🟢
No ships in port today — Clear
Zero cruise ships scheduled at St. Thomas (WICO · Crown Bay · Anchorage). No cruise-driven crowd wave.
Total today: 0 passengers — no ships scheduled. Every beach open all day with no cruise-driven crowd wave. Next STT arrival: Sunday, July 12 — Rhapsody of the Seas (08:00–18:00). Source: WICO STT schedule (FY26) + PAX lookup table.
Beaches — St. Thomas
Magens Bay Best pick
Water: Calm — north-facing, sheltered from E
Crowds: None — no ships 🟢
Surf: 1–2 ft
Sargassum: North-facing — lower risk
Wide open on a zero-ship day — calm and uncrowded
Sapphire Beach Caution
Water: Choppy — exposed to E wind & swell
Crowds: None — no ships 🟢
Surf: 2–3 ft
Sargassum: East-facing — elevated risk
Empty but choppy — chop + sargassum on the E shore
Coki Point Caution
Water: Partially protected NE cove
Crowds: None — no ships 🟢
Surf: 1–2 ft
Sargassum: East-facing — elevated risk
Uncrowded today — verify sargassum on arrival
Lindquist Beach Caution
Water: Choppy — east-facing ESE exposure
Crowds: None — no ships 🟢
Surf: 2 ft
Sargassum: East-facing — elevated risk
Early AM best — verify sargassum on arrival
Brewers Bay STT Good
Water: Calm — west-facing, fully sheltered
Crowds: None — no ships 🟢
Surf: 1 ft
Sargassum: West-facing — lower risk
Flat and quiet — calm all day
Secret Harbour Good
Water: Calm — south-facing, sheltered
Crowds: None — no ships 🟢
Surf: 1 ft
Sargassum: South-facing — lower risk
Calm snorkel — good all day
Honeymoon Beach Good
Water: Calm — protected west cove
Crowds: None — no ships 🟢
Surf: 1 ft
Rip current: Low
Easy, calm cove — good pick
Hull Bay Caution
Water: Rougher — north-facing with E swell wrap
Crowds: None — no ships 🟢
Surf: 2–3 ft — surf break active
Sargassum: North-facing — lower risk
Surfers fine — swimmers use caution
Beaches — St. John
Trunk Bay Good
Water: Moderate — north-facing, some E wrap
Crowds: None — no ships 🟢
Surf: 1–2 ft
Sargassum: North-facing — lower risk
Postcard beach with no cruise spillover today
Cinnamon Bay Good
Water: Calm — north bay
Crowds: None — no ships 🟢
Surf: 1 ft
Rip current: Low
Long calm beach — quiet today
Hawksnest Good
Water: Calm — partially sheltered north
Crowds: None — no ships 🟢
Surf: 1 ft
Sargassum: North-facing — lower risk
Easy snorkel close to Cruz Bay
Maho Bay Good
Water: Calm — headland shelter
Crowds: None — no ships 🟢
Surf: 1 ft
Rip current: Low
Turtles often feeding — excellent spot
Salt Pond Good
Water: Clear — south shore
Crowds: None — no ships 🟢
Surf: 1 ft
Sargassum: South-facing — lower risk
Remote, calm, uncrowded
Lameshur Bay Good
Water: Clear — south-facing
Crowds: None — no ships 🟢
Surf: 1 ft
Rip current: Low
Quiet south-shore snorkel
Beaches — BVI
The Baths Yellow flag
Flag: Yellow — default (BVI DDM not confirmed today)
Crowds: Light — no ships in Road Town 🟢
Surf: 2–3 ft on south approach (E swell)
Verify physical flag at Spring Bay on arrival
Cane Garden Bay Caution
Water: N/NW bay — some E swell wrap possible
Crowds: Light — no ships 🟢
Surf: 1–2 ft
Sargassum: North-facing — lower risk
Quiet — confirm bar access before going
Jost Van Dyke Caution
Water: E swell reaching White Bay
Crowds: Light — no ships in JVD 🟢
Surf: 2 ft — Soggy Dollar approach manageable
SCA in effect — confirm crossing conditions first
Beaches — Anegada
Anegada, BVI — zero cruise ships (permanent baseline)
Sargassum status Standing seasonal · permanent source
2026 record sargassum season — advisory active. East-facing shores across USVI, BVI, and Anegada at elevated risk. Water entry through sargassum mats is not harmful, but jellyfish live in the mats — watch for stings. Verify on arrival at any east-facing beach.
Elevated risk E-facing: Sapphire, Coki, Lindquist (STT) Friis Bay, Drunk Bay (STJ) Keel Point, East End (Anegada)
Lower risk N/S/W: Magens, Brewers, Secret Harbour (STT) Trunk, Salt Pond, Lameshur (STJ) Loblolly, Cow Wreck, Setting Point (Anegada)
Today's picks & avoid
Magens Bay — wide open on a zero-ship day
North-facing and sheltered from the E trade, with no cruise crowds anywhere on the island. The beach that's usually jammed on a ship day is calm and quiet. Go here today.
Secret Harbour & Brewers — flat all day
South- and west-facing, fully sheltered from the E wind. Calm snorkel water while the east shore is choppy. Both excellent with no crowds.
East-facing beaches — choppy + sargassum
Sapphire, Coki, and Lindquist face the E wind (15–20 kt, gusts 30) and the 2026 sargassum season. Empty of crowds, but the water and weed stack against them. Early AM only.
SCA active — stay near shore
Small Craft Advisory through Friday evening, seas 5–6 ft occ. 8 in the open. Beach days are fine on sheltered shores; skip exposed swims and long open-water paddles.
Capt's Read — Friday, July 10
Rare treat today — zero cruise ships at St. Thomas and none at Road Town either, so the whole island is wide open. Magens, Coki, and Sapphire, normally jammed on a ship day, have no cruise crowds at all. The catch is the wind: a strong Atlantic high has the trades up at E 15–20 kt gusting 30, and there's a Small Craft Advisory running through Friday evening — seas 5–6 ft, occasionally 8, out in the open. That makes the east-facing beaches (Sapphire, Coki, Lindquist) choppy, and it stacks with the 2026 sargassum season on those same east shores. Steer toward the north and south: Magens is sheltered and empty, Secret Harbour and Brewers flat all day. On top of that, widespread Saharan haze is cutting visibility through the weekend — not dangerous, just milky skies and hazy sunsets. BVI ferry crossings will be rough today; confirm before you drive to the dock. No local intel today.
Marine conditions — Small Craft Advisory in effectNDBC FZCA52 · issued 4:23 PM AST Thu Jul 9
Wind
SpeedE 15–20 kt
Guststo 30 kt
METAR obsTIST: E 14 kt @ 0053Z Jul 10 (confirmed)
NWS forecastE 22 mph, gusts 28 mph Fri
Swell & sea state
Open seas5–6 ft, occ. 8 ft (AMZ711)
Wave detailE 6 ft at 7 sec (Friday)
Sheltered waters1–2 ft (est)
Advisory⚠️ Small Craft Advisory active
Navigation
Visibility6 sm — haze (TAF)
Saharan dustModerate–high — reduced horizon
Surface current~0.3 kt W (est)
Magnetic var.13°W
Sunrise / set0549 / 1901
Tides & current — Charlotte Amalie
HW early AM12:40 AM · 0.52 ft
LW daytime8:50 AM · 0.00 ft
HW evening5:30 PM · 0.72 ft
DatumMLLW · NOAA 9751639
Tide curve — Charlotte Amalie NOAA 9751639 via fishingreminder · confirmed live
LW 8:50 AM (0.00 ft) — very low morning tide. Current Cut ebb peaks ~7–9 AM. E-bound transits: before 6:30 AM or hold until ~11 AM flood. HW evening 5:30 PM (0.72 ft).
Source: NOAA 9751639 via fishingreminder.com · Setting Point (Anegada) harmonic +50 min: LW ~9:40 AM · HW ~6:20 PM
BVI entry requirements weekly confirmed · July 10, 2026
Current
No requirement changes
8am–4pm
JVD customs hours
8am–4pm
Spanish Town / Road Town
Valid passport + HIKCR form + cruising permit required. Complete BVI passages before 1600 to clear customs with margin. No cruise ships at Road Town today — clearance uncongested. West End / Spanish Town remain good alternatives.
Passage routing
STT → STJ (Pillsbury Sound)
Sheltered from E — 1–2 ft seas. LW 8:50 AM at Current Cut. E-bound: before 6:30 AM or hold until ~11 AM flood. W-bound favorable all morning.
STJ → BVI (Drake)
SCA active — E 15–20 kt, 5–6 ft seas, occ. 8 ft. Committed passage only. Well-found vessels, depart early, clear customs before 1600. Road Town uncongested today.
Saturday outlook
Winds similar — E 18–20 mph, gusts 25, high 89°F. Isolated showers before noon. Saharan haze continuing. Seas 5–6 ft — SCA likely persists.
Today's picks & avoid — on the water
Pillsbury Sound — best local cruising
Protected from the E trade. Island geometry keeps it under 2 ft. Best option for any size vessel today.
Current Cut — avoid E-bound 6:30–11 AM
LW 8:50 AM (0.00 ft) drives a strong ebb through mid-morning. E-bound: before 6:30 AM or after the flood establishes ~11 AM. W-bound favorable early.
Open Atlantic / Anegada Passage — not today
SCA active, 5–6 ft seas occ. 8 ft. Horseshoe Reef approach not recommended. Hold until seas subside.
Saharan haze — reduced visibility
Visibility down to ~6 sm. Keep AIS and radar up — the horizon and landmarks are washed out. Watch for traffic you can't yet see.
On the Water — Friday, July 10
The SCA is the story on the water today — FZCA52 out of San Juan puts AMZ711 at 5–6 ft, occasionally 8, with E swell at 6 ft on a short 7-second period, and it runs through Friday evening. That's a firm chop on anything exposed. TIST METAR confirmed E 14 kt at 0053Z overnight; the TAF has the wind backing to 130° gusting 27 midday before returning east — strong Atlantic high, tight gradient, no relief until the weekend. Pillsbury Sound is the call for local work: sheltered and smooth regardless of what the open Atlantic is doing. Current Cut hits a very low LW at 8:50 AM (0.00 ft) — the ebb is aggressive through mid-morning, so be done E-bound before 6:30 or wait for the flood to establish around 11. BVI work is a committed passage today. Horseshoe Reef is off the table — 5–6 ft in the Anegada Passage makes the Setting Point channel unreadable; hold at Virgin Gorda if you're Anegada-bound. One extra to plan for: widespread Saharan haze is cutting visibility to around 6 miles — keep AIS and radar up, especially with the reduced horizon. No local intel today.
TIST METAR @ 0053Z Jul 10: E 14 kt, 10SM SCT030, 29.4°C/84.9°F, altimeter 30.10"Hg, SLP 1019.4 mb. Pressure confirmed. AMZ711 SCA in effect through Friday evening — strong Atlantic high maintaining a tight gradient across the NE Caribbean.
NWS forecast — Friday + outlook
Wind forecast
AM (TAF)E 14 kt → 130° 17G27 midday
PM (NWS)E 22 mph, gusts 28 mph
Friday nightE 21–24 mph, gusts 30
SaturdayE 18–20 mph, gusts 25
Sea state forecast
Open seas5–6 ft, occ. 8 ft
Wave detailE 6 ft at 7 sec
Advisory⚠️ SCA — AMZ711 thru Fri eve
TrendPersisting into Saturday
Navigation
Visibility6 sm — haze (TAF)
Saharan dustModerate–high thru weekend
Surface current~0.3 kt W (est)
Magnetic var.13°W
Sunrise / set0549 / 1901
Tides — Charlotte Amalie (NOAA 9751639)
HW early AM12:40 AM · 0.52 ft
LW daytime8:50 AM · 0.00 ft
HW evening5:30 PM · 0.72 ft
Setting Point +50 minLW ~9:40 AM · HW ~6:20 PM
NWS AFD synopsis FZCA52 · issued 4:23 PM AST Thu Jul 9 · confirmed current at build time
⚠️ Small Craft Advisory active — AMZ711 through Friday evening. A strong surface high over the Atlantic continues to support moderate to fresh easterly winds, occasionally strong, across the regional waters through at least late Friday. Choppy to hazardous seas, wave heights generally 6–7 ft over the offshore Atlantic waters, Caribbean waters, and the Mona Passage. A drier air mass combined with moderate to high concentrations of Saharan dust will persist through the weekend, promoting hazy skies and periods of reduced visibility. Verify on VHF WX-1 (0500/1100/1700/2300 broadcasts) before passage decisions.
TIST confirmed SLP 1019.4 mb at 0053Z Jul 10 (up from 1018.7 mb three hours earlier). Strong Atlantic high — NWS AFD confirms a tight gradient persisting through Friday, with the dust-laden air mass through the weekend. High, steady pressure.
Source: TIST METAR via aviationweather.gov + NWS AFD trend (FZCA52 TJSJ). Strong Atlantic high holding a tight gradient; Saharan air mass through the weekend.
Watch items today
1❌ Horseshoe Reef, Anegada — approach not recommended today. AMZ711 seas 5–6 ft, occ. 8 ft. Marked Setting Point channel difficult to read safely in this chop. Hold at Virgin Gorda or postpone passage to Anegada. Contact: Anegada Reef Hotel VHF 16.
2⚠️ Small Craft Advisory active — AMZ711 through Friday evening. All open-water passages treated as committed passage today. E 15–20 kt, gusts 30, seas 5–6 ft occ. 8 ft. Verify on WX-1 before departure — 0500/1100/1700/2300 broadcasts.
3Current Cut ebb — LW 8:50 AM Charlotte Amalie at 0.00 ft, one of the lowest tides of the cycle. Strong ebb peak ~7–9 AM. E-bound: before 0630 or hold until ~1100 as the flood establishes. Setting Point (Anegada) harmonic LW ~9:40 AM.
4Saharan dust — moderate to high concentrations through the weekend. Visibility reduced to ~6 sm. Keep AIS and radar active; horizon and landmark visibility degraded. Monitor for haze-related navigation impact on longer passages.
5BVI passage timing — Road Town dock and customs uncongested today, clearance straightforward. Complete BVI passages before 1600. West End / Spanish Town / Road Town customs open 8am–4pm.
6Sargassum fouling risk elevated — 2026 record season. East-facing anchorages: set scope deep, use mooring balls where available. Check prop wash before engaging in shallow east-facing approaches. Monitor overnight.
VHF & communications
Ch 16
Hailing / distress
WX-1
NOAA wx · 0500/1100/1700/2300
Ch 68
BVI marina working
USCG District 7 — Safety & Navigation
No active USCG notices affecting USVI/BVI waters confirmed at build time
Clear
Sea turtle boater protocol NOAA STAR / DPNR
🐢 Nesting season active (May–October). Slow to idle in shallows. Do not anchor on sea grass. If you strike or entangle a turtle: stop engines immediately, do not remove gear, call the STAR hotline: 1-888-774-STAR (7827). Night: no white lights on beach — red lights only if necessary.
Captain's Briefing — Friday, July 10
Pressure sits high at 1019.4 mb — the Atlantic high is firmly in control, exactly as the NWS AFD reads it, holding a tight gradient across the northeastern Caribbean. The SCA numbers are real: E 5–6 ft, occasionally 8, at a short 7-second period, which makes for a stacked, uncomfortable chop on exposed water. METAR confirmed E 14 kt overnight and the TAF backs the wind to 130 gusting 27 midday before returning east — no meaningful break today, and it carries into Saturday. Horseshoe Reef is Watch Item 1 and a hard no: 5–6 ft in the Anegada Passage makes the Setting Point channel unreadable. Anyone Anegada-bound holds at Virgin Gorda and reassesses over the weekend. Current Cut runs a very low LW at 8:50 AM, 0.00 ft — aggressive ebb through mid-morning, so clear E-bound before 6:30 or wait for the late-morning flood. The wrinkle today is Saharan dust: moderate to high concentrations through the weekend, cutting visibility to about 6 miles. It's not hazardous on its own, but keep AIS and radar up and don't lean on the horizon. No ships at Charlotte Amalie or Road Town today, so harbor and customs are quiet — a rare easy day at the docks. No local intel.
STT Cyril E. King — Check-In & Customs Delay · Friday, July 10
Today's Customs Load
🔴 Heavy — severe seat load
Est. 45–60 min peak wait
Friday is a peak departure day at STT, and today's board is unusually full: ~2,138 departing seats across 14 mainline flights, clustered 11:39 AM–4:51 PM. Seat-derived load (AeroDataBox live) = Severe. CBP AWT live data unavailable — seat count is the primary driver today.
Arrive at Airport
Plan 2.5–3 hours before departure today.
Departures bunch tightly in the early afternoon — nine flights between 1:20 and 4:51 PM. No cruise traffic in Charlotte Amalie today, so roads are clear. No confirmed road closures.
Weekly customs load — STT
Su
Heavy
Mo
Mod
Tu
Light
We
Light
Th
Mod
Fr
Mod-Hvy
Sa
Heavy
Friday highlighted · Peak departure day · today's live seat load is severe (14 flights / ~2,138 seats)
AeroDataBox live data — 14 scheduled mainline departures, ~2,138 estimated seats. Confirm with your airline. FAA NAS status: no confirmed ground stops (feed parse issue — day-of-week matrix holds). MPC app available at STT — download before leaving for the airport (not in the parking lot).
EIS — Beef Island, BVI
StatusNormal operations (est)
Customs wait~30 min typical
NoteConfirm schedule with airline directly
Infrastructure — daily confirmed
Power (WAPA) No confirmed district-wide outage today. Routine monitoring ongoing.
No advisory
Ferry — Cruz Bay to Red Hook
On schedule
USVI ↔ BVI ferries Small Craft Advisory active — confirm before driving to dock
⚠️ Rough — confirm first
Tropical activity No tropical systems active. Hurricane season underway — standard monitoring.
Clear
Events today
No major events or closures reported today. Standard summer Friday.
Today's picks & avoid — travel
Friday customs — heavy, severe seat load
~2,138 departing seats across 14 flights, clustered 11:39 AM–4:51 PM (nine between 1:20 and 4:51). Estimated 45–60 min peak wait. Arrive 2.5–3 hours early.
Charlotte Amalie clear — zero cruise ships
No ships in port means quiet roads and waterfront. Standard airport routing, no cruise-driven congestion to plan around.
BVI ferries — rough crossings today
SCA active. All BVI ferry crossings will be rough — confirm with operator before driving to the dock. Do not assume a normal schedule.
Saharan haze — milky skies
Reduced visibility through the weekend. Flights generally unaffected, but check status if you have a tight connection. Hazy but not a grounding event.
Ferry conditions — Friday, July 10
🔵 STT / STJ ↔ Cruz Bay — On schedule
Red Hook ↔ Cruz Bay ($8.15/pp · 20 min): Departures roughly every 30–60 min through the day (Varlack Ventures / TSSJ published timetable). Pillsbury Sound sheltered from the E trade — flat crossing today.
Charlotte Amalie ↔ Cruz Bay ($13/pp · 45 min): Less frequent — see posted schedule at terminal.
STJ crossings smooth today — Pillsbury Sound protected from the E trade.
🔴 BVI Crossings — Small Craft Advisory in effect
Charlotte Amalie ↔ Road Town (~45 min · $60/pp): Road Town Fast Ferry · Native Son · Smith's Ferry. Seas 5–6 ft — expect a very rough crossing. Not suitable for those prone to seasickness or with young children.
Red Hook ↔ West End (~30 min · $65/pp): Road Town Fast Ferry · Aquatic Rentals. Confirm with operator — SCA active.
Red Hook ↔ Jost Van Dyke (~35 min · $100/pp): Inter Island Boat Services. Confirm directly — rough passage.
Red Hook ↔ Virgin Gorda (~90 min · $130/pp): Inter Island Boat Services. Confirm directly.
⚠️ Confirm ALL BVI departures directly with operator before driving to dock. Do not assume normal schedule. SCA remains in effect.
Know before you board
🎒 Luggage: Most ferries allow bags — large bags go on deck or bow.
💳 Payment: Cash preferred. Bring $20 bills — some docks don't take cards.
🌊 Today's conditions: E 15–20 kt, seas 5–6 ft open water (SCA active). BVI crossings very rough — not a flat day. STJ ferries smooth in sheltered water.
⛴️ Road Town today: No cruise ships in port — docks quiet, clearance uncongested. West End and Spanish Town are good alternatives.
🛂 BVI customs hours: West End, Road Town, Spanish Town open 8am–4pm. Do not arrive after 4pm. Passport required.
⚠️ All schedules are typical patterns — always confirm at the dock. Paradise Brief is not responsible for missed ferries.
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The Paradise Brief is for informational purposes only. Conditions data sourced from NOAA, NWS, USCG Navigation Center, and other public sources — not guaranteed accurate or complete. Always exercise your own judgment and verify conditions before making decisions about water activities or travel.