Start Cruising in BVI September 18th

[pilotlawyer]

Hey guys, we are on almost the same track! We have two boys 8 and 9, have started home schooling them this month and we shove off for the Caribbean in two weeks ( we are currently in Tarpon Springs, FL) we are going to work our way south via the Bahamas, Turks and Caicos, DR and Puerto Rico before arriving in the BVI in the early part of next year. Much will change and we all will learn a lot between now and 2015 but we would love to share the experience with you. Hopefully our paths will cross. Good luck and welcome to our cruising community.


Sent from my iPad using Cruisers Sailing Forum

[pilotlawyer]

Are you utilizing any of the structured home schooling curriculums for the kids, if so which one and what do you think of it? We are just getting started with Calvert; seems well thought out.

pilotsdiscretion.com


Sent from my iPad using Cruisers Sailing Forum

[biker6977]

Fastdaddy- you're at count down- leaving tomorrow? Did you get an address to ship your belongings to? I wish you luck.
Do you have a blog we can follow your adventures on?

[onefastdaddy]

Hello,

We are here in Tortola. What a trip. Not bad, just long, very long to get from Northern Calif to Tortola BVI.

First morning here and we are all a bit bleary eyed still. We did see our boat and it looks great. Better than I even imagined it. New sails, new lines, new bimini cover, new gauges, new or reconditioned things make it look like it's ready to charter.

Moorings needs a couple extra days to finish some things so they put us up on a Leopard 39 in the meantime. We are at the dock at Mariner's Inn and Marina and extremely comfortable. This place is so nice. If you want to come here and feel right at home stay in this spot. Coffee shop, restaurant and bar a few feet from the docks. Nice.

Today we need to find a dinghy. Crossing our fingers we can find a good deal from the dinghy guys here.

About the homeschooling. Yes we have been homeschooling the girls for a couple of years now with a program from iLearnAcademy in Meadow Vista. Our coordinator is a Mom who is an ex-cruiser with her family. Small World isn't it? So she's been helping us to prepare for this for the past year. Make sure when you enter the BVI you have a letter stating you home school along with curriculum documents to show. It appears there is a law here about all kids being enrolled in school even if you home school in your country.

[Rubikoop]

Welcome to the "neighborhood". Glad you made it safely. Enjoy your adventure.


Sent from my iPhone using Cruisers Sailing Forum

[monte]

Congrats mate. Chat to mooring about a dinghy, someone on here mentioned he got a ripper deal on a dinghy from them

[onefastdaddy]

Originally Posted by monte

Congrats mate. Chat to mooring about a dinghy, someone on here mentioned he got a ripper deal on a dinghy from them

I saw that, the post about the great deal from Moorings. Unfortunately for us we are not as lucky. Word so far is the Dinghy operation is a separate thing and we have to speak with them directly. Even then only the most used of them would be available for sale.

They want us to do a test sail over the weekend of our boat but without a dinghy I'm not happy about the idea. I would prefer to go drop anchor somewhere and dinghy to shore or around vs go find a dock at night.

So we will continue our search. I'm sure the right dinghy is out there even if it's a new one in St. Martin or maybe it's here and we just haven't found it yet.

[onefastdaddy]

Originally Posted by pilotlawyer

Are you utilizing any of the structured home schooling curriculums for the kids, if so which one and what do you think of it? We are just getting started with Calvert; seems well thought out.

pilotsdiscretion.com


Sent from my iPad using Cruisers Sailing Forum

Hello,

Here is a link to the iLearn Academy we are using: PCOE - Students and Parents - iLearn Academy

Hope to meet you and your family when you get out here.
Cheers,

[Got2Crew]

How exciting - congrats!

We ran charter cats for 3 years in the BVI and spent a lot of time between charters in St Thomas to provision and get stuff for the boat - many things there come at a better price (and more selection) than you would get in Tortola - There is a Cost U Less, Sam's Club and a KMart for starters. Red Hook Mail center is easy to access from the marina/anchorage and is a place to get things shipped to. Zip car rentals is cheap and easy - don't expect a luxury car but it is an economical way to run around St Thomas - also, they have the dollar bus (technically, it's $2 to ride) which are safari buses that run a loop around much of the island.

If you haven't been, check out Water Island - Mondays are movie night on the beach at Honeymoon Bay.

[pilotlawyer]

Thanks for the tip regarding documentation of enrollment in homeschooling. We had not heard of that requirement in the BVI before you mentioned it. We are 4 days away from our date to get underway and cannot wait. Hopefully we will catch up with you in early 2015. Sounds like you are off to a great, good luck and enjoy.


Sent from my iPad using Cruisers Sailing Forum
www.pilotsdiscretion.com

[onefastdaddy]

Hello everyone,
Whew, where to start...been a head spinning week.
When we got here Moorings asked us to please go out and sail and try everything. Even "Try and find broken things". After some delays on their side getting this and that we did. 3 days later we came back and we did find things. They have been good getting to them but I think they hoped we would have found smaller quicker fix things than what we found. Just if you buy ex charter from Moorings be very open minded and realize they will get to things but you really best find all you can right up front and not let it drag on. We keep finding this and that (which the surveyor missed) and have to then bring it to them and do the dance of how to get it taken care of.
Head's up. I know you probably heard but yes this is the most expensive place (it seems) to buy anything for a boat (maybe anything period). I needed two 30' lengths of dock line to make up a bridle for moorings. The black rope (cut from a reel) was 3.00 a foot. So the 60' was 180.00! Chain was around 9.00 a foot for about the size it looks like came with the boat. We have only 100' of chain and a 44lb anchor. We realize now that's way insufficient unless we anchor in 10-15' of water.
Anyhow, none of this is really a bad thing. Just I feel everyone here is trying hard to make our family of 4 comfortable and get things done but as time goes on it's clearly a burden for them as they are in the business of making money off tourists chartering now hosting families for extended periods. We go to the store (about 10min walk) to buy food instead of going to the 40.00/plate restaurant.
But I need to say no one (except the dock master) is anything but super friendly. Somehow I think the dock master is upset with us. No idea why but he won't make eye contact with me and if I say good morning he just stares silently. Everyone else is super friendly for the most part. Also, heads up, the locals are all super friendly. We are so happy to find how nice people are. They are a bit rough looking on the outside but inside everyone is super polite and friendly. Do not be afraid to just be nice and find it returns back.
Our plans now. Well, we can't afford anchors, chain, rope etc here. We have no cell phone or Internet or anything outside this Marina so I feel this push to go to USVI now. Hopefully find a Budget Marine and get these things. Looks like there is one in St. Thomas. Also FWIW the Budget Marine listed here is not an official one I hear. There is also a 20pct tax on all imports. In about the next 1 maybe 2 days Moorings will have sorted us out and we will be off. This will be a big relief and a big weight. We will listen to VHF and radio stations for weather but no one here has offered (even when asked) help if a storm comes. I just get told essentially "talk to others around you".
Is there anyone else around me now? We are in the Moorings base in Road Town Harbor. We will likely soon head out and would really appreciate any sort of help with getting sorted out as far as the stations to listen to on the Radio. Where to get Internet (wifi passwords I suppose I'm asking and where). PM me if you need the one for here. Just not really sailing advice I just need what you need to know if you're in the BVI or USVI advice. Even better if you're here let's meet up. Here can be like over here in this anchorage around here. We will in the next day be renamed "TRAVELLER".
Please if you're sitting at home somewhere and once came though here please don't start a reply with old experiences. I really need current right now info and a buddy boat I suppose to just brainstorm with. Even better if you have kids as our kids would love someone to play games with and swim with. Our 7 and 9 year old have become quite good swimmers suddenly and can snorkel about now on top of the water.
Well, list of things to get to ATM so time to leave this nice air conditioned coffee shop (Ginger's) here. Looking forward to hearing from you if you're also around here. Hear about your plans. Also ask us anything you like about our last week here.
Oh, speaking of that, before heading out last week I needed to get the "cruising permit". Moorings told us since we now owned the boat we had to go to customs and get the permit or possibly face a fine if caught around here without it. Turns out after taking a dinghy over there (quite an experience there as it's rough water to get there and far), I find if you are on your own boat and just sailing around you do not need a "cruising permit". You simply need a National Parks permit. We paid 25.00/week for 2 weeks (50.00 total). I also paid .50 for a form that will be the form we clear out with. No passports were shown or anything asked to get the permit.

-Dave


Sent from my iPad using Cruisers Sailing Forum

[Rubikoop]

Current info is that there's a Budget Marine, a couple of Island Marine stores and a few specialty places that can beat their prices on specific items. Oh, and that is "current" info. :-)
PM if you have specific questions.


Sent from my iPhone using Cruisers Sailing Forum

[mtarcher]

If you will be in the BVI for more than 30 days, you need a "temporary import" for $201. One year we were late paying it. The customs guys were out and about checking boats to make sure they have their "import". We got checked when in Little Harbor, Peter Island. They made us pick up anchor immediately and go to Road Town to pay it plus a fine. The fine was $1000 but we were able to talk them down to $200 fine plus the $201 permit. Another time, we were at Norman island and got checked again. But that time we had our "import" paid.

So maybe you are confusing the "permit" with the "temporary import". Also, you did not need to take your dinghy through the rough water. If you were at Moorings, just take your dinghy across to Village Cay and tie up, then walk to customs. Very short, nice walk, but very long ride if you take dinghy. Well, we too had to learn this stuff. Been in the BVI 5 years!

See you in November.

[onefastdaddy]

Originally Posted by mtarcher

If you will be in the BVI for more than 30 days, you need a "temporary import" for $201. One year we were late paying it. The customs guys were out and about checking boats to make sure they have their "import". We got checked when in Little Harbor, Peter Island. They made us pick up anchor immediately and go to Road Town to pay it plus a fine. The fine was $1000 but we were able to talk them down to $200 fine plus the $201 permit. Another time, we were at Norman island and got checked again. But that time we had our "import" paid.

So maybe you are confusing the "permit" with the "temporary import". Also, you did not need to take your dinghy through the rough water. If you were at Moorings, just take your dinghy across to Village Cay and tie up, then walk to customs. Very short, nice walk, but very long ride if you take dinghy. Well, we too had to learn this stuff. Been in the BVI 5 years!

See you in November.

Hello,

No, no confusion, if you use a mooring ball you need the Park Permit. We were told, by the "experts" here, that it's not just for mooring in a state park but you may be checked anytime here for the Nat Parks permit.

Yes, indeed, we plan to go get the temp import before the 30 days is out. A few other paperwork things going on. We are renaming the boat so I'd like to do the temp import as the new name not the old. We are also registering it with the USCG as the new name and so on.

Thank you though for the clarification on that and the extra info. GTK they do actually check.

Yep, we will be in Trellis Bay Nov 3rd to pick up a friend coming to visit for 8 days. So convenient with the airport right there.

-David
sv-Traveller


Sent from my iPad using Cruisers Sailing Forum

[onefastdaddy]

Originally Posted by Rubikoop

Current info is that there's a Budget Marine, a couple of Island Marine stores and a few specialty places that can beat their prices on specific items. Oh, and that is "current" info. :-)
PM if you have specific questions.


Sent from my iPhone using Cruisers Sailing Forum

Hmm, do not take this wrong but how helpful is just knowing there is something without any more information that you gave. I know a guy in San Diego who can do window tinting for less than the other guys who do it (example of info but not enough for you to actually get tint from this guy).

I need info I can act on not start asking around to more people if they know of this place a guy on a forum talked about. That's not much better than the info I have now which is that the Discount Marine on Nanny Cay is not really an "Authorized" outlet. Also I have no car and only a dinghy to get to said place.

Just for the very helpful who mean well with their posts think about your post just a bit. Are you giving someone who will read your post enough information to act on it and make use of that info? That is all I meant by my "current info" statement. Nothing personal just wanted to get actionable info to get me out of here. If it's a taxi ride away the taxi ride may cost me more than the discount as well.

Again, don't take it personal I hope if you re-read your post you'll see you meant well (I am assuming) but failed to clarify enough for me to do something with the info (no names, location/address, telephone...)

-David


Sent from my iPad using Cruisers Sailing Forum