BVI 5 day itinerary

[Carib61]

Thanks bvisailing32! Yes, I opted for the early evening boarding, so those are great recommendations. I didn't expect such detailed comments from everyone, you guys definitely are making this much less stressful to me and my gal on our first outing.

[Cool Hand Luke]

Here was my itinerary from a couple years back:

[Carib61]

We are finally ready to go and I think I have a solid planned itinerary. Here it is... Day 1, Cooper island, Day 2, Marina Cay, Day 3, Cane Garden Bay, Day 4, Jost Van Dykes Great Harbour, Day 5, The Bight at Norman Island, we need to be back at Road Town by noon on Day 6. I would love to hear anyone's thoughts if they see something that would give us trouble for a couple of first timers. I think since we only have 5 nights it would be hard to hit Virgin Gorda.

[Stu Jackson]

Originally Posted by Carib61

We are finally ready to go and I think I have a solid planned itinerary. Here it is... Day 1, Cooper island, Day 2, Marina Cay, Day 3, Cane Garden Bay, Day 4, Jost Van Dykes Great Harbour, Day 5, The Bight at Norman Island, we need to be back at Road Town by noon on Day 6. I would love to hear anyone's thoughts if they see something that would give us trouble for a couple of first timers. I think since we only have 5 nights it would be hard to hit Virgin Gorda.

Skip Marina Cay and go to Virgin Gorda - Leverick Bay or the Bitter End. It's a great sail from Cooper (great choice!) to VG and from VG to Cane Garden.

[bvisailing32]

Caribe 61

Good plan for getting the most out of your short 5 days. I have an idea that you will return to the BVI and expand your sailing adventures. Next visit add in Virgin Gorda Sound, Leverick, Bitter End, Saba Rock, and Vixen Point. Plus the other islands. Maybe plan on two weeks.

We would also have our last night, at the Bight on Norman, partying on the Willy T, and stop at the Indians and Pelican for snorkeling the day before. Excellent snorkeling with a few national park moorings. Also, some snorkeling at the Caves, at treasure point, at the entrance to the Bight, on Norman.

As first timers, with your itinerary , you really should not have any problems, and have fun and easy sails.

Also, leaving Marina Cay, in the morning, you can motor 30 minutes thru the Camanoe Passage, and pick up a national park mooring at Monkey Point at the southern tip of Guana Island.......really nice snorkeling at monkey point. We like to fix breakfast on board, And then cruise along Tortola under sail to Cane Garden Bay.

You have planned and researched well, with no long passages, that works well with your limited time. Also, you have mixed and matched some fun places, with other anchorages that are beautiful and kick back, as well as fun.

Our next BVI trip will be # 15. We absolutely love sailing the BVI, and believe that you will as well.

Denny and Erica

[Carib61]

Thanks everyone for the great responses. We definitely feel more relaxed and prepared for our trip from the great suggestions. Reading only gets you so far, hearing from real experiences is always the best.

[chuckr]

If you had time it would be a great learning experience if you are planning to go cruising for the long term some day. Get a cruising guide and sit down and look at anchorages and distances and wind protection from predominate winds and fall backs - also what to see and what to avoid

Problem is more to see than there is time - so you would need to prioritize - what is really important and what can be skipped. what are the anchorages like -

taking other peoples options is they may like some things and not others - what we like and maybe spend a day at you may not like at all -

But alas you do not have time to do that -- as info we spend weeks planning our sailing trips - going over cruising guides looking at anchorages and harbors and what there is to do and see and then adjust once underway -- a lot of fun in the planning

OHHHH - have you started charting the weather and the forecast for the area?? if not why not - we start looking a charting weather a week before we leaving so we know what we will get and what kind of sailing we will have and what kind of anchorages we need for protection -- it changes a lot but it gives us an idea -

Have fun and enjoy