BVI Cruising week of Oct 13

[jmrwd3]

Hi all! I'm new to this sight, and am so impressed with the amount of great information on here - I've learned quite a bit from you all!

Next week, my family and I will be cruising the BVI's in a Leopard 44, and considering the recent change in weather, I'm trying to re-plan our itinerary to provide the most comfortable ride.... Winds will be high out of the east (over 30 knots Monday night) until Invest 90L passes through, which from what I've been able to gather might not be until late Tuesday... We were originally going to start the trip in Trellis Bay to pick up additional passengers on Monday night, then head down towards Scrub island on Tuesday, but I'm wondering if it might be best to go somewhere protected on Tuesday, such as the North Sound of Virgin Gorda - any suggestions? Based on the weather, does anyone have a recommended itinerary? We're unfortunately only in the area until Saturday, but we return to the Sunsail base Friday evening. This will be my second trip to BVIs, and our first experience sailing a Cat.

Here was my original itinerary:
Monday night - Trellis Bay - overnight in Marina Cay
Tuesday - Scrub Island, transition to Cane Garden Bay via little Camanoe passage, afternoon sail to Jost Van Dyke and overnight there
Wednesday Tortola, visit Sopers Hole, transition to Norman Island and overnight at the Bight
Thursday - Caves, snorkeling at the Indians, Peter Island, sail to Virgin Gorda and overnight
Friday - the Baths, sail down towards Roadtown for 5pm arrival.

Thanks all,
- Jason

[Zanshin]

When I last looked, Invest 90L will be passing close by but to the north of the BVI, which would mean that the winds are going to be all over the place in addition to the rain squalls.

I would recommend weathering the height of the weather system in the North Sound of Virgin Gorda as the biggest and safest location which also offers you lot of potential activities (plus several notable shoreside attractions). You would be protected from all sides, but I would forego the mooring field or docks at Leverick due to both the fetch of the Sound and the potential for swell coming in from a northerly direction through the entrance to the Sound. Anchoring or mooring tight in at the Sand Box or closer to Saba Rock would protect you even if the wind should come at you from all points of the compass.

Trellis is quite protected with varying winds and waves, but it might be crowded.

I think it might be best to keep your plans fluid until you know when and where the system will pass.

[Zanshin]

Several hours after the first post I realized that the O.P. is probably already in the BVI and that the storm is now tracking less northerly and that they might get to see an eye of a tropical storm ... hopefully from the relative safety of the North Sound.

[Dave Lochner]

Welcome Gonzalo!

Tropical Storm GONZALO Public Advisory

There's a reason charters are less expensive in October.

At this point I doubt the charter company is going to let the boat out of its sight.

Hope all turns out well. At least the OP will have a good story to tell.

[Zanshin]

My browser home page is NOAA's hurricane page during the hurricane season, since my boat is on the hard at Nanny Cay in the BVI, and Gonzalo has formed pretty quickly indeed and is heading right through there. It now looks like the eye of the TRS will go south of the BVI so despite the high winds they will at least come from one general direction.
I think that the OP is going to end up in a hotel, since as Dave Lochner posted it is not likely that the charter company is going to let boats out and is probably busy getting those still out back into the anchorages.

[onefastdaddy]

O.P. is probably back out having fun. Currently beautiful here at Virgin Gorda (Leverick's Bay).

I know first hand if you chartered with Voyage Charters you were well cared for and put up in a nice hotel and returned to your boat the next day. After bringing one of their cats over from Norman they called a hotel for us and a cab. We were not even customers, they are just that considerate to help us out.

I am sure Moorings did the same. By the next day the channel out there was filled with boats.

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