Virgin Islands Search & Rescue

Boating Safety

Virgin Islands Search and Rescue (VISAR) is a voluntary organisation dedicated to saving life at sea. It is the officially recognised search and rescue service in the British Virgin Islands, where it provides 24-hour cover every day of the year in close co-operation with the Royal British Virgin Islands police, fire and ambulance services.

Navigation

In the BVI we use the US lateral buoyage system of "red-right-returning". As a general rule there are few hazards to navigation and those that do exist are generally well marked on the charts.

Sailing in the BVI benefits from a negligible tidal range and negligible surface currents. The prevailing winds are generally easterlies with fluctuations through around 90 degrees depending upon the time of year and the influence of major weather systems. It is the consistency of sea and weather conditions, along with the close proximity of the islands in this archipelago that is such a lure for yachtsmen.

There can be localised weather systems which render what would normally be safe windward anchorages, such as the Baths on Virgin Gorda, untenable and dangerous. You should seek local advice when selecting an anchorage. Due to the popularity of the BVI's anchorages, it is recommended that you get to your night-time anchorage relatively early in the afternoon and at least an hour before sunset.

First Aid

All VISAR crew members are trained Emergency First Responders. Our main priority is to get our casualties to medical care as quickly as possible.

Should you feel that you or one of your crew need medical attention, you should call us and make sure that the appropriate travel documents, any prescribed medications and a change of clothing for the casualty is put into a small bag ready to be transported with the casualty. The medical facilities in the BVI can cope with a wide range of emergency situations, but it may be necessary either for an overnight stay or possibly medical evacuation to another island or the United States.

Early treatment of medical emergencies is often crucial to the health of the patient and treatment should start as soon as possible – even before we have arrived on scene. There are a range of medical emergencies that are common to our area which, with nothing more sophisticated than cooking ingredients found in any yacht’s galley, can be treated quickly and effectively. The first aid tips we offer here may enable you to cope with the initial treatment of the type of accidents that frequently occur until either you receive assistance from VISAR or can get into one of the many clinics in the Territory for further treatment.