Going outside of BVIs

[andrewhopkins]

Going on a 2 week flotilla holiday in the British Virigin Islands this xmas which sounds fun.

We get some free sailing time to go exploring but rather than stay in the BVIs, where else can I go to ?

I've been told by people that the US Virign Islands are rubbish and not to bother.

What about Puorto Rico ? Is that feasible ? Is it friendly or will I be shot as I approach!?

Suggestions please

 

[Guest]

Hi. We went to bvi last year, and off this year too, er over xmas. Small world eh? If you on flotilla holiday it may be with moorings (pricey but well equipped) or sunsail (not quite so pricey or so well equipped). or another?

Fraid the sunsail gang are somewhat cautious, and they sucky teeth even at the suggestion of going to er Andr..da (forgotten the exact name of the flat island at the north end 20 or so miles out) except as part of a group. I am not at all sure that you will be allowed to go outside proscribed area to the USVI nort elsewhere (insurance, booking boat in/out, getting it impiunded risk blah blah) tho I don't agree with their wimpish outlook, nor with their supercillious attitude they thay know all about sailing and nobody else knows anything. A bad case is an engineer name of Hugh, who need a poke in the eye with a sharp stick prior to sacking if as threatened he turns up in bvi this winter.

The flotilla leaders decide where they will go. Sometimes it's not far like ten miles, and sometimes it's even less far than that. A reasonable speed the target destination will take only about twice as long (or less) as the interminable briefings, held by sailors with limited horizons who have decided that the easiest (but not best) way to get your hands on a nice boat is to be a sailing bum, instead of get a proper job. They may know about sailng, buty you will have to help them with things such as praps not holding the blimmin briefing (assumes you don't use chart, eyes, or pilot) underneath a tall coconut tree with coconuts on it. And so on.

Ooh I am a cynic aren't I?

Anyway, if you plan long iternerary, and esp if miles away trip, its a fair distance.

1. The people on site have not muchpowwer or discretion not intelligence other than to fix boat.

2. Callem beforehand if very keen to go outside bvi. I wd bet that they'll say no, and cite insurance: and of course not having helicopters or planes (just a dinghy) they won't be able to get to you if things go wrong so will want you within 20 miles, and you'll be in an unknown boat *just* good enough for cruising, not mega-spec.

3. The bvi's a very nice indeed. Spanish Town is a dump, to be avoided except for fuelling and water. Saba Rock area v pretty. Peter and Norman islands, snorkelling (make sure you get a good set) all fabulous, like jumping in an aquarium. Still gives a fairly decent sailing area. And it's all quite a blinking disrtance, tho small on the chart. Plenty to do in the bvi's in two weeks.

I posted on the motor forum about a sailing hol in Ionian recently.

 

[andrewhopkins]

Cheap booze ?

Im going with sunsail on boxing day for 2 weeks.

Where would you recommend getting booze supplied for the boat ? I've pre-ordered a couple of crates to tide us over the first few days but after that ?

Also, any bars/restuarants you'd recommend as good value ? I understand a lot of it is expensive so i'm keen to find any better value places early on!!

 

[davel]

If on flotilla, the amount of free sailing time will limit the options available to you. I suspect you'll have only a few days in which case the USVIs are the only islands you could get to.

These are very close to the BVIs but have a different feel and culture to them. They're NOT rubbish, but they ARE different. The BVIs are very laid back, sometimes to the point of infuriation (is that a real word?). The USVI's are much more American in their outlook (ie service is great, but it's got a more regimented feel). Both sets of islands are beautiful but the major ports in the US are more commercialised and the smaller ports tend to be a bit more restrictive in Anchoring etc.

I've been twice to both sets of Islands and found the contrast refreshing. As we also had teenagers on board, the US trip was an opportunity for them to reconnect with their own vision of civilisation (Hard Rock cafe and good quality shopping etc in St Thomas). The provisioning in the USVIs is also a vast improvement on the BVIs (but both are very expensive).

If you do make the trip to the US islands, I'd recommend a bar called "Skinny Legs" in Coral Bay on St Johns. It's a bit bohemian, but I found it fantastically relaxing and chilled out with the coldest beer I came across. Of course they have a web site (www.skinnylegs.com) !

One point to note. You'll need a visa to gain entry. The arrangements are complex depending on how you're getting there. If you're entering from sea (as I guess you will be) the Visa Exemption Scheme for UK residents doesn't apply and you'll need a proper visa from the US embassy ahead of your arrival. Your tour company should be able to fill you in on the details, otherwise check out the US Embassy web site.

Enjoy !

 

[Guest]

Re: full sp

Don't bother with the pre-provisioning thing, massive shop fore proviisoning loads of choice. With pre-prov they half deliver, then some of it turns up day before plonked in hot boat, but some of it missing but maybe not some of it missing but in fridge but fridge not on, ooh no here it is etc etc. Well, that's wot happened to us. Best to choose the stuff u like next morning. Shop is close by, pre-prov not needed, just the shop (not ssail) making sure you don't run off to another shop up the road, praps.

Do Do take some food and drinkies in handbaggae for transfer from plane to sailboat base: transfer by taxi, boat all bit haphazardly organized and can take 2-3 hours. Think plane lands St Johns then immigration to US, then cabs, then boat, then immigration out of US to BVI (!) then another boat.

Beers, booze, "liquor" mixers (there's rum punch mixer somewhere, ask atthe shop how to makem wot is needed etc) all at the shop in sunsail base, beleievd all fairly cheapish, can't remeber feeling ouch.

Nice bars etc.
Bar on Norman island at head of bay (this is reputedly "tresure Island") good fun
Foxy's also good, barbecue, can't remeber the name of the island ,the one in the northwest,
Next door white sand bay one of top 10 beached so they say in the world, go by yerself unlikely by flotilla as offshore reef or can dinghy from foxys's bay
Saba rock most all ok too. On the way in there's a bar where you can drink run punches with feet in blue sea.
Cooper island ok too.
....in fact, spanish town on virgin gorda is the only dump. Quite awful in fact. The marina is nice, everywhere outside marina, horrid.

BUT. all of the places the food is all american flown-in gear so not gourmet food. Its steaks, burgers and chips. Poss chicken too. And it is all done by lazy snoozy underpaid carbbean types so not much cop, and slow service often but not always.

On last day git to brekki dead early cos entire fleetload of returning crews turn up for brekkie at sunsail base but still only one staff member.
Same on first evening upon landing at boats - if restaurant still open dump bags and go straight to restaurant not unpacking ooh this is nice, else last in q and wait an hour. Praps send crew up to order for you while u find out how the lights werk, and ask for a 12v dangly cockpit light cos otherwise all v dark.
ooh, a cooler sleev wd be a good idea, It's always always warm all nite, can sleep up top, so constant searching for ice etc.

No sure if I know any more tips. Have a great time. On vhf we would answer to "Diana of Capetown" on whatever their flotilla calling channel uses. Short people with us are boys 9 and 13.

 

[lezgar]

We went last year to a flotilla in the BVI and it was a very nice holidays.
My advise is provisioning the first o second day in Road Town and avoid to buy in the very espensive shops in the marinas.
You have to pay for the buoys but if you anchor is free.
We went in our free sailing to the North of Tortola because there was not in the itinerary of the flotilla (1 day free sailing).
You need a proper visa for the USVI.
Best places Cane Garden Bay, Brewers Bay, Norman I., Marina Cay, the Baths, Biras Creek, Peter I. and Anegada
Enjoy your holidays

 

[AndrewB]

USVI?

This is the obvious place. St John's is very nice, and very similar to BVI but with a subtle culture difference to make it interesting. St Thomas is not quite so attractive, Charlotte Amelie is run down, but its a good place to buy cut-price jewellery, cameras, food and booze.

The Spanish Virgins to the east of Puerto Rico are very attractive and relatively unspoilt, Culebra particularly. But don't forget its a long beat back. St Martin's to the east is also very attractive and at a similar range - at least the beat is on the way out.

Personally, I wouldn't bother with St Croix and Puerto Rico is too far.

The visa situation is a little complicated. Visa exemption applies if you have a short-dated return air-line ticket home. Last year we found that US immigration in Washington (NW USA) were happy to accept a return ticket from Vancouver (Canada). But whether immigration in USVI would accept a return ticket from BVI, you would have to ask. (In normal times the US embassy in London is very helpful). Otherwise you have to have a visa - costs about £30. If you arrive without one, they will hold your passport for several days and issue one costing about £100. Incidentally, even if travelling from USVI, you still have to check in again at Puerto Rico/Spanish Virgins, so the same question may arise.

In practice most charterers do not permit their yachts to be taken that far - some do not even allow USVI.

 

[Guest]

Re: USVI?

I forgot to thank you for your kind response last year. We had a great time. Sunsail certainly don't want people going to USVI, and discourage even Anegada alone.

 

[ArthurWood]

I would definitely visit St John and St Thomas, but not Puerto Rico or St Croix, the latter having the world's largest oil refinery, or it did when the USVI were part of my sales territory. Parts of PR are nice, eg the old fort and the San Juan Hotel, but the rest is so-so and there is a lot of crime. St J and St T have some of the world's most beautiful beaches. eg Magan's bay on St T is among the top 10. Caneel Bay on St J is is spectacular. If you only have time to visit one USVI, visit St John - the smallest and prettiest. There was a Hyatt Hotel on ST J where you could almost anchor in the restaurant, but I think it now belongs to another hotel chain. I agree with what has been said about the differences between USVI and BVI, but you'll love both.

 

[ArthurWood]

Re: Cheap booze ?

The Bitter End, Tortola - they used to give you a large bottle of Pusser's Rum if you bought dinner for two - but that was years ago!

 

[davel]

Re: USVI?

Disagree with your comments about Sunsail and USVI.
I've chartered from them in the BVI twice and been to USVI on both occassions with no problems and lots of help and advice. Agree with you re Anegada though, they do discourage unaccompanied visits there (and to be fair the entrance is tricky).

Only other observation on USVI is if you have a problem with your boat (as we did) in US waters. It makes it difficult for Charter companies engineers to get out with a spare part since they need to clear customs.

 

[tony_brighton]

flat island = Anegada

You are right about the Sunsail briefing/cautions being too long. Sunsail's 'experience requirement' when booking is one of their highest; wasn't necessarily evident when sailing this time last year. I guess they need to get the bums on seats.

Anyway - you wont be able to go to the USVIs from within a flotilla. You might if you bareboat; but you will need to take all the boat's papaers and go through the customs etc. Hardly worth it for Charlotte Amelie.