Surf in the British Virgin Islands
The surf season in the BVI runs from November through April giving an approximate 180 day season. Tortola has different breaks for all levels and there is a few breaks off Tortola, but these are generally only for advanced reef riders.
Apple Bay
Minimum level: Intermediate
Type of break: Reef break
Direction: Right and left
Size: Up to 7 feet, usually 4-5 feet
Type of wave: Short, clean wave
Number of people: 15-30. This break has a fair bit of surf tourism as you will frequently find a large crowd there (by Caribbean standards)
How often it breaks per season: 60% so about 120 days per year
Type of break: Reef break
Direction: Right and left
Size: Up to 7 feet, usually 4-5 feet
Type of wave: Short, clean wave
Number of people: 15-30. This break has a fair bit of surf tourism as you will frequently find a large crowd there (by Caribbean standards)
How often it breaks per season: 60% so about 120 days per year
Cooten Bay
Minimum level: Advanced
Type of break: Reef break
Direction: Left
Size: Up to 8 feet, usually 3-5 feet
Type of wave: Long left
Number of people: Usually nobody, sometimes a few
How often it breaks per season: 75% so expect about 130 - 140 days per year
Type of break: Reef break
Direction: Left
Size: Up to 8 feet, usually 3-5 feet
Type of wave: Long left
Number of people: Usually nobody, sometimes a few
How often it breaks per season: 75% so expect about 130 - 140 days per year
Rogues Bay (Lavaflow)
Minimum level: Intermediate
Type of break: Sand break, shallow water
Direction: Left and right
Size: Up to 7 feet, usually 3-5 feet
Type of wave: Short wave, really heavy hollow barrels
Number of people: Usually nobody, sometimes a couple
How often it breaks per season: 75% so expect about 130 - 140 days per year
Type of break: Sand break, shallow water
Direction: Left and right
Size: Up to 7 feet, usually 3-5 feet
Type of wave: Short wave, really heavy hollow barrels
Number of people: Usually nobody, sometimes a couple
How often it breaks per season: 75% so expect about 130 - 140 days per year
Josiah's Bay
Minimum level: Beginner
Type of break: Sand break
Direction: Left and right
Size: Up to 6 feet, usually 2-4 feet
Type of wave: Slow easy to ride wave
Number of people: 5-20
How often it breaks per season: 85% so expect 150 to 160 days per year
There is a surf school at Josiah’s Bay beach. There are a couple of beach bars and some wooden umbrellas for shade.
http://www.surfschoolbvi.com/
Type of break: Sand break
Direction: Left and right
Size: Up to 6 feet, usually 2-4 feet
Type of wave: Slow easy to ride wave
Number of people: 5-20
How often it breaks per season: 85% so expect 150 to 160 days per year
There is a surf school at Josiah’s Bay beach. There are a couple of beach bars and some wooden umbrellas for shade.
http://www.surfschoolbvi.com/
Cane Garden Bay
Minimum level: Advanced
Type of break: Point break on a reef
Direction: Right
Size: Up to 12 feet, usually 5-7 feet
Type of wave: extremely consistent and smooth, every wave the same, one of the best breaks in the Caribbean
Number of people: 1 - 70. This is a very popular spot on the few occasions it does break. However if you catch it before word spreads that it's firing you could get to surf it alone. We have.
How often it breaks per season: 10% so don't expect it to break more than 20 days per year
Type of break: Point break on a reef
Direction: Right
Size: Up to 12 feet, usually 5-7 feet
Type of wave: extremely consistent and smooth, every wave the same, one of the best breaks in the Caribbean
Number of people: 1 - 70. This is a very popular spot on the few occasions it does break. However if you catch it before word spreads that it's firing you could get to surf it alone. We have.
How often it breaks per season: 10% so don't expect it to break more than 20 days per year