Anegada is the northern most island in the British Virgin group, and the only real coral island (all others are of volcanic origin and composited of lava). Anegada is a flat island, about 13 miles from wets to east and about 3 miles wide. There is no point higher than 30 feet, all over the island. Anegada lies with its eastern most point Pelican Point on 18N41 and 64W18.

Anegada is parted in the eastern section, inhabited by about 400 people, and the western section, a well known bird sanctuary and a restricted nature reserve, owned by the Anegada Wildlife Found. Both parts are partly well vegetated by trees and bushwork and als by grass and scrub. The eastern part is well cultivated and a small settlement is situated close to the Lower Bay. In the vicinity to that settlement is a small airfield, useable by small crafts.

One of the atractions on that island are the several shallow lagoons in the western part. The largest, open to the sea by a small channel is The Sea, a wide swampy and mangrove cowered sea with hudrets of small coral cays on it. In the vicinity of the entrace to the lagoon is a permanent inhabited coast guard station.

Within the last 15 years Anegada Island became a well known tourist centre and the Anegada Coral Hotel is a well known tourist place. One of the most known is the surrounding Horseshoe Reef, a fronting reef round the island with some entrances. Horseshoe Reef is known for about 200 historical wrecks located here. The best known wrecks are the Spain 'La Victoria', sunken in 1738, the HMS Perseverance, sunken in 1769 and the a group of Spain war ships, dated to 1699. One of the last wrecks is the HMS Onedin, wrecked in October 1979, located near Pelican Point.

A Light, constructed an built in the early 1900's stands near the West End Point on a position of 18N44.8' and 64W24.7'. It is a 10 meter high tower standing on a sanddune, situated about 2 cables inland.

History of Anegada Island

There is only very little known about the histroy of the island. It must be discovered in the year 1501 by the Spain midshipsman Alvarez de Gonzalo, one of the Columbus sailors. It was reported in 1505 that the island was uninhabited. In 1614 the island was shown on a Dutch map with his present name. In the early 18th century it became the nome of the pirates Kirke and Bone and also of Glover, who named the island Drowned Island. In 1798 British troups were sent to the island to clear it from the desperados. Short time later the first settlement was founded.