151 charted lights mark the water from Culebra to Anegada and around St. Croix, each flashing its own rhythm. Here they are on tonight’s sky, with the horizon a boat sees: tap the water anywhere and see which lights are in sight from there and which the islands hide.
151 lights mark the water from Culebra to Anegada and around St. Croix, flashing in 35 different rhythms. The farthest-reaching is Pajaros Point Light on Virgin Gorda, three white flashes every 15 seconds, seen for 16 nautical miles; the highest is Ginger Island Light, 498 feet above the sea. St. Croix has 80 of them, most marking the channels into Christiansted and the south-shore harbours.
Every light on the chart flashes on its published character, the pattern a navigator uses to tell one light from another in the dark. The horizon under the chart is what you would see from a cockpit three metres above the water: the islands in silhouette from NOAA’s elevation model, and only the lights that are inside their range and not hidden behind land. Tap the water to move the boat.
The lighthouses and the lights on the rocks and points, the ones you steer by. The rest mark harbour channels, swim areas and moorings.
| Light | Character | In words | Reach | Height | Where |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pajaros Point Light (Virgin Gorda) | Fl (3)W 15s | three white flashes every 15 seconds | 16 nm | 200 ft | British Virgin Islands |
| Ginger Island Light | Fl W 5s | one white flash every 5 seconds | 14 nm | 498 ft | British Virgin Islands |
| Hams Bluff Light | Fl (2)W 30s | two white flashes every 30 seconds | 14 nm | 394 ft | St. Croix |
| Isla Culebrita Light | Fl W 10s | one white flash every 10 seconds | 14 nm | 305 ft | Culebra & Savana Island |
| Salt Island Light | Fl W 10s | one white flash every 10 seconds | 14 nm | 175 ft | British Virgin Islands |
| Punta Este Light | Fl W 6s | one white flash every 6 seconds | 9 nm | 43 ft | Culebra & Savana Island |
| Buck Island Light (St Thomas) | Fl W 4s | one white flash every 4 seconds | 8 nm | 139 ft | St. Thomas |
| Current Rock Light | Fl W 6s | one white flash every 6 seconds | 7 nm | 20 ft | St. Thomas |
| Southwest Cape Light | Fl W 6s | one white flash every 6 seconds | 7 nm | 45 ft | St. Croix |
| Stevens Cay Light | Fl W 4s | one white flash every 4 seconds | 7 nm | 14 ft | St. John |
| Two Brothers Light | Fl W 6s | one white flash every 6 seconds | 7 nm | 23 ft | St. Thomas |
| Buck Island Light (St Croix) | Fl W 4s | one white flash every 4 seconds | 5 nm | 339 ft | St. Croix |
| Cruz Bay Light | Fl W 4s | one white flash every 4 seconds | 5 nm | 12 ft | St. John |
| Fat Hogs Bay Light | Fl (2)W 5s | two white flashes every 5 seconds | 5 nm | 25 ft | British Virgin Islands |
| Punta Del Soldado Light | Fl W 2.5s | one white flash every 2.5 seconds | 5 nm | 65 ft | Culebra & Savana Island |
| Savana Island Light | Fl W 4s | one white flash every 4 seconds | 5 nm | 300 ft | Culebra & Savana Island |
| Bellamy Cay Light | F W | steady white, never flashing | — | — | British Virgin Islands |
| Light | Character | In words | Reach | Height | On |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Buck Island Light (St Thomas) | Fl W 4s | one white flash every 4 seconds | 8 nm | 139 ft | On skeleton tower |
| Current Rock Light | Fl W 6s | one white flash every 6 seconds | 7 nm | 20 ft | On a skeleton tower. Higher intensity beams toward Buck Island and Two Brothers |
| Two Brothers Light | Fl W 6s | one white flash every 6 seconds | 7 nm | 23 ft | On a skeleton tower |
| Cabrita Point Lighted Buoy 1 | Fl G 4s | one green flash every 4 seconds | 5 nm | — | Green buoy |
| East Gregerie Channel Lighted Buoy 2 | Fl R 2.5s | one red flash every 2.5 seconds | 5 nm | — | Red buoy |
| East Gregerie Channel Lighted Buoy 3 | Fl G 4s | one green flash every 4 seconds | 5 nm | — | Green buoy |
| Red Point Lighted Buoy 1 | Fl G 4s | one green flash every 4 seconds | 5 nm | — | Green buoy |
| St Thomas Harbor Entrance Lighted Buoy 2 | Fl R 6s | one red flash every 6 seconds | 5 nm | — | Red buoy |
| St Thomas Harbor Lighted Buoy 3 | Fl G 4s | one green flash every 4 seconds | 5 nm | — | Green buoy |
| St Thomas Harbor Lighted Buoy 4 | Fl R 4s | one red flash every 4 seconds | 5 nm | — | Red buoy |
| St Thomas Harbor Lighted Buoy 6 | Fl R 4s | one red flash every 4 seconds | 5 nm | — | Red buoy |
| West Gregerie Channel Lighted Buoy 2 | Fl R 4s | one red flash every 4 seconds | 5 nm | — | Red buoy |
| West Gregerie Channel Lighted Buoy 3 | Fl G 2.5s | one green flash every 2.5 seconds | 5 nm | — | Green buoy |
| West Gregerie Channel Lighted Buoy 4 | Fl R 2.5s | one red flash every 2.5 seconds | 5 nm | — | Red buoy |
| West Gregerie Channel Lighted Buoy 5 | Fl G 4s | one green flash every 4 seconds | 5 nm | — | Green buoy |
| Christmas Cove Lighted Buoy A | Fl W 4s | one white flash every 4 seconds | 4 nm | — | Lighted regulatory sign on buoy |
| Christmas Cove Lighted Buoy B | Fl W 4s | one white flash every 4 seconds | 4 nm | — | Lighted regulatory sign on buoy |
| Christmas Cove Lighted Buoy C | Fl W 4s | one white flash every 4 seconds | 4 nm | — | Lighted regulatory sign on buoy |
| East Gregerie Channel Lighted Buoy WR1 | QG | quick green, sixty flashes a minute | 4 nm | — | Green buoy |
| Gregerie Junction Channel Lighted Buoy GC | Fl (2+1)R 6s | two red flashes, a pause, then one more, every 6 seconds | 4 nm | — | — |
| Water Island Channel Lighted Buoy 1 | Fl G 4s | one green flash every 4 seconds | 3 nm | — | Green buoy |
| Water Island Channel Lighted Buoy 2 | Fl R 2.5s | one red flash every 2.5 seconds | 3 nm | — | Red buoy |
| Water Island Channel Lighted Buoy 3 | Fl G 2.5s | one green flash every 2.5 seconds | 3 nm | — | Green buoy |
| Coral World Lighted Buoy A | Fl Y 4s | one yellow flash every 4 seconds | 2 nm | — | Yellow buoy |
| Coral World Lighted Buoy B | Fl Y 2.5s | one yellow flash every 2.5 seconds | 2 nm | — | Yellow buoy |
| Coral World Lighted Buoy C | Fl Y 6s | one yellow flash every 6 seconds | 2 nm | — | Yellow buoy |
| Coral World Lighted Buoy D | Fl Y 2.5s | one yellow flash every 2.5 seconds | 2 nm | — | Yellow buoy |
| Redhook Bay Lighted Buoy 1 | Fl G 6s | one green flash every 6 seconds | 2 nm | — | Green buoy |
| Benner Bay Lighted Buoy 1 | Fl G 2s | one green flash every 2 seconds | — | — | Green buoy |
| Benner Bay Lighted Buoy 2 | Fl R 2s | one red flash every 2 seconds | — | — | Red buoy |
| Benner Bay Lighted Buoy 3 | Fl G 2s | one green flash every 2 seconds | — | — | Green buoy |
| Benner Bay Lighted Buoy 4 | Fl R 2s | one red flash every 2 seconds | — | — | Red buoy |
| Benner Bay Lighted Buoy 5 | Fl G 2s | one green flash every 2 seconds | — | — | Green buoy |
| Berg Hill Range Front Light | Fl G 2.5s | one green flash every 2.5 seconds | — | — | On skeleton tower. Visible 1.5° each side of rangeline. Lighted throughout 24 hours |
| Berg Hill Range Rear Light | Iso G 6s | green, on and off in equal halves every 6 seconds | — | 299 ft | On skeleton tower. Visible 1.5° each side of rangeline. Lighted throughout 24 hours |
| Crown Bay Mooring Cell Light | QW | quick white, sixty flashes a minute | — | — | On dolphin |
| Krum Bay North Mooring Dolphin Obstruction Light | QW | quick white, sixty flashes a minute | — | — | On dolphin. Synchronized with Krum Bay Pipeway Obstruction Light |
| Krum Bay Pier Obstruction Light | QW | quick white, sixty flashes a minute | — | — | On end of pier. Synchronized with Krum Bay North Mooring Dolphin Obstruction Light |
| Krum Bay Pipeway Obstruction Light | QW | quick white, sixty flashes a minute | — | — | On end of pipeway. Synchronized with Krum Bay Pier Obstruction Light |
| Krum Bay South Dolphin Obstruction Light | QG | quick green, sixty flashes a minute | — | — | On dolphin. Synchronized with Krum Bay Pier Obstruction Light |
| North St Thomas Lighted Buoy H | Fl Y 4s | one yellow flash every 4 seconds | — | — | Yellow sphere |
| USVI Lighted Data Buoy A | Fl Y 4s | one yellow flash every 4 seconds | — | — | Yellow buoy |
| West Indian Dock Light | FR | steady red, never flashing | — | — | On dock |
| Light | Character | In words | Reach | Height | On |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stevens Cay Light | Fl W 4s | one white flash every 4 seconds | 7 nm | 14 ft | On a skeleton tower |
| Cruz Bay Light | Fl W 4s | one white flash every 4 seconds | 5 nm | 12 ft | On a pile |
| Johnson Reef Lighted Buoy 1JR | Fl G 4s | one green flash every 4 seconds | 5 nm | — | Green buoy |
| Mingo Rock Lighted Buoy 2 | Fl R 4s | one red flash every 4 seconds | 5 nm | — | Red buoy |
| Johnson Reef Lighted Buoy JB | Fl Y 6s | one yellow flash every 6 seconds | — | — | Yellow buoy |
| Johnson Reef Lighted Buoy JD | Fl Y 2.5s | one yellow flash every 2.5 seconds | — | — | Yellow buoy |
| Virgin Islands National Park Lighted Buoy B | Fl Y 4s | one yellow flash every 4 seconds | — | — | Yellow buoy |
| Virgin Islands National Park Lighted Buoy D | Fl Y 4s | one yellow flash every 4 seconds | — | — | Yellow buoy |
| Light | Character | In words | Reach | Height | On |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pajaros Point Light (Virgin Gorda) | Fl (3)W 15s | three white flashes every 15 seconds | 16 nm | 200 ft | — |
| Ginger Island Light | Fl W 5s | one white flash every 5 seconds | 14 nm | 498 ft | Yellow tower; 13 |
| Salt Island Light | Fl W 10s | one white flash every 10 seconds | 14 nm | 175 ft | — |
| Fat Hogs Bay Light | Fl (2)W 5s | two white flashes every 5 seconds | 5 nm | 25 ft | — |
| Bellamy Cay Light | F W | steady white, never flashing | — | — | White mast |
| Road Town Range Front Light | F R | steady red, never flashing | 3 nm | 37 ft | Administration building |
| Road Town Range Rear Light | F R | steady red, never flashing | 3 nm | 52 ft | Administration building |
| Road Harbour Breakwater Light | Fl Y 4s | one yellow flash every 4 seconds | — | — | — |
| Road Town Cruise Ship Dock Light | Fl W 3s | one white flash every 3 seconds | — | — | Dolphin |
| Soper's Hole Ferry Terminal Light | F R | steady red, never flashing | — | 16 ft | — |
| Light | Character | In words | Reach | Height | On |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hams Bluff Light | Fl (2)W 30s | two white flashes every 30 seconds | 14 nm | 394 ft | White cylindrical tower. Visible from 053° to 265° partially obscured from 053° to 062° |
| Southwest Cape Light | Fl W 6s | one white flash every 6 seconds | 7 nm | 45 ft | Gray skeleton tower |
| Buck Island Light (St Croix) | Fl W 4s | one white flash every 4 seconds | 5 nm | 339 ft | Red pyramidal skeleton tower |
| Christiansted Harbor Channel Light 10 | Fl R 2.5s | one red flash every 2.5 seconds | 5 nm | 12 ft | Red triangle daymark on a dolphin |
| Christiansted Harbor Channel Light 13 | Fl G 4s | one green flash every 4 seconds | 5 nm | 12 ft | Green square daymark on a dolphin |
| Christiansted Harbor Channel Light 7 | Fl G 4s | one green flash every 4 seconds | 5 nm | 12 ft | Green square daymark on a dolphin |
| Christiansted Harbor Channel Light 9 | Fl G 2.5s | one green flash every 2.5 seconds | 5 nm | 12 ft | Green square daymark on a dolphin |
| Christiansted Harbor Channel Lighted Buoy 1 | Fl G 2.5s | one green flash every 2.5 seconds | 5 nm | — | Green buoy |
| Christiansted Harbor Channel Lighted Buoy 12 | Fl R 4s | one red flash every 4 seconds | 5 nm | — | Red buoy |
| Christiansted Harbor Channel Lighted Buoy 14 | Fl R 6s | one red flash every 6 seconds | 5 nm | — | Red buoy |
| Christiansted Harbor Channel Lighted Buoy 3 | Fl G 4s | one green flash every 4 seconds | 5 nm | — | Green buoy |
| Christiansted Harbor Channel Lighted Buoy 4 | Fl R 4s | one red flash every 4 seconds | 5 nm | — | Red buoy |
| Coakley Bay Light 1 | Fl G 4s | one green flash every 4 seconds | 5 nm | 12 ft | Green square daymark on a dolphin |
| Round Reef Northeast Junction Lighted Buoy RR | Fl (2+1)G 6s | two green flashes, a pause, then one more, every 6 seconds | 5 nm | — | Green and red bands |
| Christiansted Harbor Channel Light 11 | QG | quick green, sixty flashes a minute | 4 nm | 12 ft | Green square daymark on a dolphin |
| Christiansted Harbor Channel Lighted Buoy 6 | QR | quick red, sixty flashes a minute | 4 nm | — | Red buoy |
| Coral Reef Obstruction Light | Fl W 4s | one white flash every 4 seconds | 3 nm | — | — |
| Christiansted Harbor Channel Entrance Range Front Light | QG | quick green, sixty flashes a minute | — | — | Range daymark on a skeleton tower |
| Christiansted Harbor Channel Entrance Range Rear Light | Iso G 6s | green, on and off in equal halves every 6 seconds | — | 93 ft | Range daymark on a skeleton tower |
| Christiansted Harbor Wharf North Light | FW | steady white, never flashing | — | — | — |
| Christiansted Schooner Channel Lighted Buoy 10 | Fl R 4s | one red flash every 4 seconds | — | — | Red buoy |
| Christiansted Schooner Channel Lighted Buoy 5 | QG | quick green, sixty flashes a minute | — | 45 ft | Green buoy |
| Christiansted Schooner Channel Lighted Buoy 6 | QR | quick red, sixty flashes a minute | — | — | Red buoy |
| Christiansted Schooner Channel Lighted Buoy 7 | QG | quick green, sixty flashes a minute | — | — | Green buoy |
| Christiansted Schooner Channel Lighted Buoy 8 | QR | quick red, sixty flashes a minute | — | — | Red buoy |
| Christiansted Schooner Channel Lighted Buoy 9 | Fl G 4s | one green flash every 4 seconds | — | — | Green buoy |
| Christiansted Schooner Lighted Buoy 11 | Fl G 4s | one green flash every 4 seconds | — | — | Green buoy |
| Christiansted Water Intake Light | FW | steady white, never flashing | — | — | On pile |
| Christiansted Water Intake South Light | FW | steady white, never flashing | — | — | On piles |
| Frederiksted Mooring Light | Fl W 4s | one white flash every 4 seconds | — | 16 ft | On dolphin |
| Grass Point Fad Lighted Buoy P | Fl Y 4s | one yellow flash every 4 seconds | — | — | Yellow buoy |
| Hams Bluff Fad Lighted Buoy S | Fl Y 4s | one yellow flash every 4 seconds | — | — | Yellow buoy |
| Krause Lagoon Channel East Dolphin 6 Light | Fl R 5s | one red flash every 5 seconds | — | — | On dolphin |
| Krause Lagoon Channel Entrance Lighted Buoy 1 | Fl G 4s | one green flash every 4 seconds | — | — | Green buoy |
| Krause Lagoon Channel Entrance Lighted Buoy 2 | Fl R 6s | one red flash every 6 seconds | — | — | Red buoy |
| Krause Lagoon Channel Light 10 | Fl R 2.5s | one red flash every 2.5 seconds | — | — | Red triangle daymark on a pile |
| Krause Lagoon Channel Light 11 | Fl G 4s | one green flash every 4 seconds | — | — | Green square daymark on a pile |
| Krause Lagoon Channel Light 12 | Fl R 2.5s | one red flash every 2.5 seconds | — | — | Red triangle daymark on a pile |
| Krause Lagoon Channel Light 13 | Fl G 4s | one green flash every 4 seconds | — | — | Green square daymark on a pile |
| Krause Lagoon Channel Light 14 | Fl R 2.5s | one red flash every 2.5 seconds | — | — | Red triangle daymark on a pile |
| Krause Lagoon Channel Light 16 | Fl R 2.5s | one red flash every 2.5 seconds | — | — | Red triangle daymark on a pile |
| Krause Lagoon Channel Light 17 | Fl G 4s | one green flash every 4 seconds | — | — | Green square daymark on a pile |
| Krause Lagoon Channel Light 4 | Fl R 4s | one red flash every 4 seconds | — | 18 ft | Red triangle daymark on a pile |
| Krause Lagoon Channel Light 5 | QG | quick green, sixty flashes a minute | — | — | Green square daymark on a pile. On same structure as Krause |
| Krause Lagoon Channel Light 6 | QR | quick red, sixty flashes a minute | — | — | Red triangle daymark on a pile |
| Krause Lagoon Channel Light 7 | Fl G 4s | one green flash every 4 seconds | — | — | Green square daymark on a pile |
| Krause Lagoon Channel Light 8 | Fl R 2.5s | one red flash every 2.5 seconds | — | — | Red triangle daymark on a pile |
| Krause Lagoon Channel Light 9 | Fl G 4s | one green flash every 4 seconds | — | — | Green square daymark on a pile |
| Krause Lagoon Channel Lighted Buoy 3 | Fl G 4s | one green flash every 4 seconds | — | — | Green buoy |
| Krause Lagoon Channel Lighted Buoy 4A | QR | quick red, sixty flashes a minute | — | — | Red buoy |
| Krause Lagoon Cross Channel Light 2 | Fl R 4s | one red flash every 4 seconds | — | — | Red triangle daymark on a pile. Obscured from 260° to 350° |
| Krause Lagoon Cross Channel Light 3 | Fl G 2.5s | one green flash every 2.5 seconds | — | — | Green square daymark on a pile |
| Krause Lagoon Cross Channel Light 4 | Fl R 2.5s | one red flash every 2.5 seconds | — | — | Red triangle daymark on a pile. Obscured from 288° to 018° |
| Krause Lagoon Cross Channel Lighted Buoy 1 | Fl G 4s | one green flash every 4 seconds | — | — | Green buoy |
| Krause Lagoon Cross Channel Lighted Buoy 5 | QG | quick green, sixty flashes a minute | — | — | Green buoy |
| Krause Lagoon Cross Channel Range Front Light | QG | quick green, sixty flashes a minute | — | — | KWB on pile. On same structure as |
| Krause Lagoon Cross Channel Range Rear Light | Oc G 4s | green, dark for a moment every 4 seconds | — | — | KWB on pile |
| Krause Lagoon West Dolphin Light | Fl W 5s | one white flash every 5 seconds | — | — | On dolphin |
| Lime Tree Bay Channel E Range Front Light | FR | steady red, never flashing | — | — | Black and yellow bands; pole. Visible 4° each side of rangeline |
| Lime Tree Bay Channel E Range Rear Light | FR | steady red, never flashing | — | — | Black and yellow bands; pole. Visible 4° each side of rangeline |
| Lime Tree Bay Channel Junction Light Lk | Fl (2+1)G 6s | two green flashes, a pause, then one more, every 6 seconds | — | — | Junction daymark on a pile. Obscured from 296° to 026° |
| Lime Tree Bay Channel Light 11 | Fl G 2.5s | one green flash every 2.5 seconds | — | — | Green square daymark on a pile |
| Lime Tree Bay Channel Light 5 | Fl G 4s | one green flash every 4 seconds | — | 14 ft | Green square daymark on a pile |
| Lime Tree Bay Channel Light 7 | Fl G 2.5s | one green flash every 2.5 seconds | — | — | Green square daymark on a pile |
| Lime Tree Bay Channel Light 8 | Fl R 2.5s | one red flash every 2.5 seconds | — | — | Red triangle daymark on a pile |
| Lime Tree Bay Channel Light 9 | Fl G 2.5s | one green flash every 2.5 seconds | — | — | Green square daymark on a pile |
| Lime Tree Bay Channel Lighted Buoy 1 | QG | quick green, sixty flashes a minute | — | — | Green. Spar station buoy |
| Lime Tree Bay Channel Lighted Buoy 2 | QR | quick red, sixty flashes a minute | — | — | Red. Spar station buoy |
| Lime Tree Bay Channel Lighted Buoy 3 | Fl G 5s | one green flash every 5 seconds | — | — | Green buoy |
| Lime Tree Bay Channel Lighted Buoy 4 | Fl R 5s | one red flash every 5 seconds | — | — | Red buoy |
| Lime Tree Bay Channel Lighted Buoy 6 | Fl R 4s | one red flash every 4 seconds | — | — | Red buoy |
| Lime Tree Bay Channel Range Front Light | FG | steady green, never flashing | — | — | Range daymark on a skeleton tower. Visible 4° each side of rangeline |
| Lime Tree Bay Channel Range Rear Light | FG | steady green, never flashing | — | — | Range daymark on a skeleton tower. Visible 4° each side of rangeline |
| Lime Tree Bay Port Basin Light 13 | Fl G 5s | one green flash every 5 seconds | — | — | Green square daymark on a pile |
| Lime Tree Bay Port Basin Light 15 | Fl G 4s | one green flash every 4 seconds | — | — | Green square daymark on a pile |
| Lime Tree Bay Port Basin Light 17 | Fl G 2.5s | one green flash every 2.5 seconds | — | — | Green square daymark on a pile |
| NOAA Undersea Habitat Light | QW | quick white, sixty flashes a minute | — | — | Large white hull lettered NOAA. Maintained by NOAA |
| North Lang Bank Fad Lighted Buoy B | Fl Y 4s | one yellow flash every 4 seconds | — | — | Yellow buoy |
| South Lang Bank Fad Lighted Buoy D | Fl Y 4s | one yellow flash every 4 seconds | — | — | Yellow buoy |
| USACOE CDIP Wave Buoy A | Fl (5)Y 20s | five yellow flashes every 20 seconds | — | — | Yellow. Aid maintained by US ACOE |
| Light | Character | In words | Reach | Height | On |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Isla Culebrita Light | Fl W 10s | one white flash every 10 seconds | 14 nm | 305 ft | Stone-colored cylindrical tower with red Obscured by N.E. Cay from 125° to 142° |
| Punta Este Light | Fl W 6s | one white flash every 6 seconds | 9 nm | 43 ft | — |
| Punta Del Soldado Light | Fl W 2.5s | one white flash every 2.5 seconds | 5 nm | 65 ft | On a tower |
| Savana Island Light | Fl W 4s | one white flash every 4 seconds | 5 nm | 300 ft | White tower |
| Bajo Amarillo Lighted Buoy 2 | Fl R 4s | one red flash every 4 seconds | 5 nm | — | Red buoy |
| Bajos Grampus South Lighted Buoy 2 | Fl R 4s | one red flash every 4 seconds | 5 nm | — | Red buoy |
| Cabezas Crespas Lighted Buoy 3 | Fl G 4s | one green flash every 4 seconds | 5 nm | — | Green buoy |
| Punta Colorada Lighted Buoy 9 | Fl G 4s | one green flash every 4 seconds | 5 nm | — | Green buoy |
| Sail Rock Lighted Buoy 1 | Fl G 6s | one green flash every 6 seconds | 5 nm | — | Green buoy |
| Bajo Snapper Lighted Buoy 8 | QR | quick red, sixty flashes a minute | 4 nm | — | Red buoy |
Hams Bluff Light, on the island's north-west point. It shows two white flashes every 30 seconds from 394 feet above the sea and reaches 14 nautical miles. Southwest Cape and the light on Buck Island are the island's other two major lights.
Ginger Island in the BVI, 498 feet above the water, one white flash every 5 seconds, seen for 14 nautical miles across the Sir Francis Drake Channel. The farthest-reaching is Pajaros Point on Virgin Gorda, three white flashes every 15 seconds, 16 nautical miles.
Most BVI charter companies do not allow their boats to move after dark, and the BVI's channel buoys are mostly unlit. The major lights on this page are there for ships and for passages made by experienced crews; on a charter, plan to be on a mooring by sunset.
The Virgin Islands use IALA Region B, the American system: red on your right returning from sea, green on your left. Yellow lights mark special areas such as the swim zones off Coral World and the national park buoys off St. John.
It is how the light identifies itself: Fl is flashing, (2) means the flashes come in groups of two, W is white and 30s is the length of one full cycle. Q is a quick light (sixty flashes a minute), Iso is equal light and dark, and F is a fixed light that never flashes.
From the south coast, Buck Island (St. Thomas) and the Current Rock and Two Brothers lights mark the way to St. John; from the west end, Savana Island (one white flash every 4 seconds) and, on a clear night, Isla Culebrita off Culebra. The horizon on this page shows what is in sight from anywhere on the water.
The lights are the Coast Guard’s Light List (2025 edition) for the U.S. Virgin Islands and the waters off Culebra, and NGA’s List of Lights for the British Virgin Islands, which carries the BVI’s major lights only; the BVI’s channel buoys are in no public list, so they are not drawn. Each light flashes on its published character, with NGA’s flash and eclipse timings where it gives them and the Coast Guard’s standard timings otherwise. Real lights on shore are not synchronised with each other, so the chart shows each one’s rhythm, not its flash at this second. The lights switch on around tonight’s sunset at St. Thomas; the moon is tonight’s.
The horizon ray-marches NOAA’s elevation grid (about 220 m) out from the boat, with the curve of the earth and normal refraction, and draws the islands three times their height so they read. A light is in sight when it is inside its nominal range, which is its reach in clear weather, and nothing stands higher between it and the boat. Haze, rain and the glow of town are not modelled. This is a picture of the islands at night, not a chart to navigate by.