How to Use the St. John National Park Service Mooring System

In support of the cruising, the National Park Services maintains over two hundred mooring buoys in the bays around St. John. These moorings are safe and easy to use. They also eliminate the need to anchor. The mooring are free during the day, however, a self-registration fee of $15 per night is required. National Park Golden Age holders pay half price. All overnight stays must be paid prior to spending the night.

The boating seasons, peak visitation months are November through July. During these months, a Bay Host will be available to answer questions and provide assistance. A green flag with a National Park Service Arrowhead Logo can identify the Bay Host boat.

There are three types of visitor mooring buoys within the National Park Service Mooring system. These are round with blue reflective bands around the center. The white buoys are for day and overnight use. If the white buoy is for day use only, it will have a "Day Use Only" Sticker around the top of the buoy. The orange buoys are for Scuba Diving mooring only and not for overnight use. Blue buoys are for commercial boats only.

1. Approach the mooring painter line by heading into the wind or current at a very slow speed. Shift engine into neutral before reach the mooring. The painter line is the line with a small surface float.

2. Pick up the eye of the mooring painter with your boat hook.

3. Thread your bowline through the eye-splice of the painter line twice or thimble once, to prevent chafing. Do not tie off eye at the boat stern.

4. Bring your line back to the bat and cleat it off on the same side. Do not put the painter line eye over your bow cleat.

5. When leaving a mooring, back away with the wind after casting off the painter line.

6. Do not use your anchor while moored.

7. Do not raft with other boats in the National Park Service mooring area