ISLA BEATA—–AT THE COAST GUARD STATION

17°36.512 N71°31.886W ( anchorage)

In the northwestern corner of this island one can anchor in twelve feet.The bottom is hard sand with rocky patches; make sure you lay out plenty of scope in case the wind comes up. Position yourself in view of the Marina de Guerra post (look for the DR flag), midway along the sandy beach. The land and the reefs on the other side of the island moderate the seas coming from the east; the land, although low, gives protection from the easterly wind.One of the nicest parts of this anchorage, is the clear water and beautiful skies. It is so easy to anchor here, and once here you will be able to think about all the great stops you have ahead of you along the south coast of the DR. Along the palm fringed beach are fishermen’s houses and many small fishing boats anchored off the steep shoreline. This is a comfortable anchorage and perhaps a place to enjoy walks along the beach, swimming and relaxing in the warm Caribbean air. Totally quiet at night one can stare upward and count the stars.

WHEN YOU ARE READY TO LEAVE ISLA BEATA,
you have a choice of either passing south of the island OR going through the BEATA CANAL (which separates Isla Beata from the mainland). The canal has 9 foot of water at the west end and 24’ at the east end. I spent a few hours poking around but could find no underwater obstacles that are not shown on the chart. However,
whether you will pass through the canal and save some time. will depend largely on tide and wind. I would not attempt the canal if the wind is very strong out of the East to South East, and there are also times when the current, if it is adverse, can cancel out any benefit you may hope to achieve. The insert following of the canal is shown in meters. (It is for reference only and should not be used for navigation.)

Related posts:

1. Saona Island (National Park)
2. South Coast Summary
3. Catalina Island