Upcoming BVI Trip - Any Recommendations ?

[maytrix]

I've got a 10 day charter in the BVI's coming up in a few weeks and while I have put together a rough itinerary of our trip, I wanted to see if anyone had any recommendations on must see spots, must dive dives..etc.

We went last year and hit most of the well known spots and this year are adding Anegada.

[Zanshin]

The BVI offers too many different types of locations for anyone to give you a good itinerary suggestions.

By the time you get to Anegada there will hopefully be dinghy docks (there aren't any left there right now).

[maytrix]

Having been there, I realize there are many places to visit. I'm wondering if there are any lesser known places that really should be seen or any particular dive sites that are much better then others.

We've been to the popular spots - The Indians, Caves, Bath's, Foxy's..etc. We also dove the Rhone and a few other spots. I'm just looking for any spots anyone has been to that may not be on the majority of lists but is a spot they think is a must See/dive

[capt_douglas]

Loblolly Bay for diving and beachcombing
Cow Wreck Bay for the ride to the bar and watching whales broach offshore
a nice reef just off the entrance to Norman Island
Cockroach and the Dogs for diving
The Rhone or Rhone Anchor for diving

Fallen Jerusalem for an overnight anchorage
Guana Point for an overnight and great fishing
Bomba Shack for the Full Moon party
Salt Island for the old, and still active, process of getting salt from seawater
Cooper Island for the conch fritters
Great Bay on Peter Island for snorkeling and an overnight

[maytrix]

Thanks for the tips capt douglas. The Full Moon Party is definetely on our list already. I was very happy to see we'd be there at the same time this year.

I'll have to see what else we can fit in. I'm definetely going to consider Fall Jerusalem for an overnight anchorage. That's something I never thought of. Where would you anchor there? One of the tiny bays on the west side?

[NW Craig]

We like Little Harbor on Jost and love Sydney's. Sydney passed away earlier this year but I feel certain his family will keep up the place and tradition of the serve yourself -- honor bar.

[nautical62]

Some places easy to miss that I love:

Snorkeling in the north end of Savannah Bay is fantastic. It's also close to the Baths so it's easy to beat the morning crowds.

Trunk bay on the north shore of Tortola has a beautiful, rarely used beach. In some conditions it has great body surfing. I personally would not anchor over night there.

Great Camanoe: The bay north of Lee Bay. I've stayed there probably 15 nights or so now and only had another boat once. The middle of the bay is all coral, but there's good sand to anchor in close to shore back in the corners. There are swarms of minnows like I've never seen, which the storks love to pick off. Goats wander the steep hill side. The largest fish and most plentiful turtles there as well. There is a cave at the point between that bay and Lee Bay to the south, that just blows away anything at "The Caves".

Sandy Spit - busy during the day, but often quiet at night. If you are a good snorker, snorkel around Green Cay and the Sandy Spit or on the back side of Little Jost Vandyke. I've snorkeled around little Jost Vandyke, but had to walk some of the cut between Jost and Little Jost as it's very shallow, so most often I just snorkel half way around and back.

Key Bay, by Key Rock on the south west side of Peter is another spot I've often had to myself.

The Rhone is a deep, but fun short snorkel stop. My guess is the prop is about 25 feet. More popular with divers.

[osirissail]

The new places I have found, or at least some favorites are Cane Garden Bay; Salt Island Bay - hike to other side of the island; and Eustatia Sound, Virgin Gorda.

[Fullmoon]

Give us a shout when you get down here. We are living on our boat in the BVI and have permission to stay until mid January when we will have to re-apply. We often go to the USVI to provision at St. Thomas and hang out at St. Johns. If we have to leave for awhile we may be down in the Leewards or somewhere in the USVI. It is best to contact us direct at williams.jeffery66@yahoo.com because I don't spend a lot of time on the forum.
Jeff
Full Moon

[maytrix]

Jeff, I'll do that. I know we'll be taking a loop around Tortola during our week, so hopefully we can bump into you at some point.

I'd actually love to see your boat as my searches have come up with a lot of Hunter's that I've liked. Never seen one in person though.

[mtarcher]

If you'll be in the BVI December 31st or later, you can't miss the free Michael Bean's pirate show. This year he's moved his show to Leverick Bay. It truely is a great time! Wear your pirate cloths and get free rum. We'll be back in the BVI for winter starting October 27th. Oh, and check out the new Scrub Island. Pretty fantastic!

[Cotemar]

Maytrix,

Here are a couple of maps from our BVI trip.
Will be back in late Feb. 2011 with the kids. Just the best.

Mark

[capt_douglas]

Originally Posted by maytrix

Thanks for the tips capt douglas. The Full Moon Party is definetely on our list already. I was very happy to see we'd be there at the same time this year.

I'll have to see what else we can fit in. I'm definetely going to consider Fall Jerusalem for an overnight anchorage. That's something I never thought of. Where would you anchor there? One of the tiny bays on the west side?

IIRC, there are two moorings there, so you don't need to anchor; and with only 2 moorings it's a great spot (imagine the Bath's rocks with only 2 boats, a nice small secluded beach, and the ocean a few hundred feet away) and fairly smooth water. The bay's too small to anchor so I'd suggest keeping an eye on it as you pass it. If one's open grab it and take the tender to the Baths or Spanish Town.

Monkey Point at the south end of Guana Island is another great spot. It has 4-6 moorings and you get a nice view of the north side of Tortola and St. Thomas. I had guests there one day when the tarpon (guests said they were as big as bumpers off a Buick) were feeding on the hatchlings. We snorkeled and swam through the huge clouds of sliver fish, coming nose to nose with the tarpon. As we watched the sunset and watched the fish still feeding, it was a tough act to follow.

Fortunately the next night was Bomba Shack. We took the taxi from the anchorage in Tortola over the mountain to the party. The party was wild and the ride back over the mountain, singing Buffet songs, and swaying in the back of a pickup was stellar.

Then there was Anegada, then Virgin Gorda Sound, then Foxy's, then...

The Virgin Islands are hard to beat. Have a great time.

[sailing2fast]

A couple of our favorite dive sites include:
Ginger Steps (beautiful elkhorn coral)
Airplane wreck off Great Dog (fun novice dive)
Wreck of the Chikuzen

The Chikuzen is a 246' sunken refrigeration ship 12 nm in the middle of nowhere on the way to Anegada from Virgin Gorda. There is usually a dive bouy, but you'll only find it with GPS coordinates. We have seen incredible growth on this sunken ship over the past 10 years. There are usually giant fish balls with barracuda looking for a snack and a huge Goliath Grouper. The holds are open and you can carefully view them. This dive is for experienced divers as the wreck starts at 75' and angles down to 110'.

On both Ginger Steps and Chikuzen there are often 5' swells, so life on board is pretty bumpy while waiting for divers.

We love to visit Potters and Anegada Reef Hotel for dining on bbq lobster. A visit to Lobllolly Beach is a great reward for visiting the island. Be sure to take your time following directions to anchor. There are lots of coral heads and often one (or more) of the bouys may be missing.

Of course, you can't visit Jost Van Dyke without eating and drinking Painkillers at Soggy Dollar Bar. It is a great place to enjoy a lazy afternoon. Be sure to wander down the beach to Seti's One Love bar. If Seti is around he does fun magic and card tricks and the food is always good.

[maytrix]

Thanks everyone! Great tips and info!

Only thing I need to know now is how to jump ahead in time 2 weeks