Provisioning in Tortola for 7 days

[Pallykin]

Hi -

We're looking over the provisioning lists from a couple of supermarkets and thinking about what to bring for our 7 days on a Lagoon 420 charter this March. Breakfast items, lunch items, and ingredients for three dinners? Too much?

Is there anything we should bring from home? I was thinking some spices, particularly anything that's an ingredient in something we plan to make.

Thoughts?

Thanks!

[Multihull]

I would bring nothing.
You can buy almost anything on Tortola. Both US and UK brands. It is a little more expensive but on a 7 day trip I would not nother.

[Vasco]

Originally Posted by Multihull

I would bring nothing.
You can buy almost anything on Tortola. Both US and UK brands. It is a little more expensive but on a 7 day trip I would not nother.

Good advice. In the good old days we used to take an extra piece of luggage and fill it with happy hour munchies. That stuff is quite a bit more in Tortola but the way air travel is now I would not bother.

[Cotemar]

Very good stores in Tortola, so we just buy what we need the night before we leave the dock.

[Teknav]

When at a local supermarket, lighten up on meats, fish and poultry. Stock up on cheese, crackers, fresh fruits, vegetables, dried fruits, peanut butter, jelly and bread. Carrots, oranges, dry roasted peanuts and apples make good snacks. Dried milk, coffee and tea for your morning breakfast, with a fruit and/or yogurt. Your lunch menu would include a sandwich, a salad and a fruit. Your dinner menu should be heavy on veggie and fruit salads with a small portion of protein. Unless you're going to BBQ, I've seen many eggs, meats and poultry being thrown overboard; not many people want to cook during a short sailing adventure. (You might have noticed that I did not mention anything about alcohol; I only drink ice cold freshly squeezed lemonade.) You may opt for a 2 or 3 dinner trips ashore, during the week; expect very pricey dinners, and very small portions. (Never mix apples with bananas. Apples release a "ripening gas", that will shorten the life of your bananas. Place an apple with green bananas, to speedily ripen them.) Happy holidays!

[Teknav]

Bring from home, suntan lotion; not less than 30 SPF, preferably 50+ SPF. Don't forget your sun glasses! Sand fleas are abundant in the BVI. When ashore, have plenty of DEET on hand. Also bring with you a flashlight with a spare set of batteries; batteries are obscenely expensive. Lived through a few hurricanes, while in the USVI and the BVI.

[MarkJ]

Moorings/Sunsail are at 18° 25.583'N 64° 36.874'W

Supermarket is 18° 25.798'N 64° 36.742'W

Plot them on Google Earth. Thats less than 500 meters with a Deli.. DeliFrance on the way

[Pallykin]

So... when you're out and about in the BVIs on your boat, is there much in the way of bakeries? I've also read about some delicious sounding West Indian food in the BVIs... true?

[Pallykin]

Originally Posted by Cotemar

Very good stores in Tortola, so we just buy what we need the night before we leave the dock.

How much do you buy - enough for the whole week, or are there decent options in other islands?

[KDH]

If you are chartering through Moorings in Road Town Tortola, MarkJ is correct. Riteway is just up the road well within walking distance and then you can take a taxi back with the groceries. There is also a warehouse type store where you don't need a membership, right next door. DeliFrance is on the way to the Riteway, if you walk through the complex outside of moorings and is a bakery/deli. Very good food. They also do lunches and sell wine. Just across the street (not the main road) is a liquor store, also sells beer. There is a nice, small grocery store with a deli at the marina in Leverick Bay. That is a good place to restock bread and lunchmeat and they also have some higher end meat at a price. If you are chartering through the company at Nanny Cay just take a taxi to Road Town to the Riteway. Bobbie's is ok but Riteway is much cleaner and the prices were better.

[KDH]

Originally Posted by Pallykin

How much do you buy - enough for the whole week, or are there decent options in other islands?

Forgot to say, stock up for the whole week if you have room, especially snack foods and pop. The other places have smaller stores and some places, like the store at the Bitter End, and the little grocerie in Trellis Bay were very expensive. Plus, if you are only there 7 days why waste time shopping?

[Pallykin]

Originally Posted by Cotemar

Very good stores in Tortola, so we just buy what we need the night before we leave the dock.

That was the plan. Both Bobby's and Riteway have provisioning lists, though Bobby's is an excel spreadsheet that has prices last updated in 2010. Riteway has a page on their website with 1000s of items with pictures. They seem to be more serious about being in the provisioning business.

Is fish available for purchase in smaller places away from Road Town? As in can you buy fish from a fisherman?

The advice to stick mostly to fruit, veggies and snacks sounds good. Personally, I'n a fan of eating the local cuisine, which conflicts with dining on the boat, particularly the evening meal. I can definitely imagine being places at lunchtime where there are great options for snorkeling and not for eating. And breakfast underway on a catamaran is a no brainer.

Thanks for all the ideas.

[tamicatana]

You won't be doing big meals on a charter, especially as short as yours is. Just think of it as a long weekend jaunt. Some sort of breakfasts and lots of heavy hors d'oeuvres/nibbles for lunch/suppers. You'll do dinners onshore unless you're not wanting to spend the money.

Shopping there is just like shopping in the States, only the selection will likely be different than you're used to (unless you're from Louisiana) and prices somewhat higher. Booze is cheaper than colas.

Eating out: the Bath and Turtle on Gorda (near Spanish Town Yacht Harbor) is a good local joint. Daily specials are pretty good, goat curry was excellent. At Road Town has the Roti Palace (upstairs tiny little place. Roti RULES! try whelk roti...)
Roti palace Roti Palace on Tortola - Ultimate BVI

Don't do the usual touristy places you've heard of. Go to the little joints - better food, better prices

Baked goods: there used to be this little old lady with a TV tray full of baked goods there near the B&T, right there in the market on the sidewalk. On Jost on the east side on the path between Foxy's Taboo and the Bubbly Pool there was this little shack with yet another little old lady selling awesome baked goods... look for those ammas, that's the good baked goods... Coconut tarts, coconut bake, breads, yum!

[MarkJ]

Originally Posted by Pallykin

.

Is fish available for purchase in smaller places away from Road Town? As in can you buy fish from a fisherman?

.

Lol fishermen in the BVIs? Lol no, there's none.
Off Tortola there's nothing really that you can depend on unless you know it, and how could you?

Bread is woeful. On Jost Van Dyke there is a house that bakes bread... Note I didn't call it a bakery, and their miniature loaves are priced extortionately.

Really, I would do all my shopping at Riteway.

Some people arrive in the BVIs the day before their charter so they can do the provisioning, then stay the night at the accommodation in Moorings.

All the islands you will go to have small restaurants that can be good value if they are for locals ... And you can pick a good one in the touristy areas too.

At the end of your charter all the excess food and alcohol are normally left on the boat to go, I suppose, to the dock crew. If you see a cruiser on your last day you could, of course, help the needy with leftovers

[WebWench]

We came in the day before and stayed at a lovely B&B walking distance from Moorings. With a list in hand we went to both supermarkets , the French Deli ( wonderful lunch meat for sandwiches, bread and breakfast pastries). And of course the Liqueur store.
The easiest is continental breakfasts with yogurt , cereal, pâté, and great cheeses.
Lunches were sandwiches and wraps.
The dinners on board....cook on the BBQ....skewer shrimp or chunks of steak and veggies if you must cook. We ate out most of the time.
Spices actually came on the boat as did some paper goods. Ask what comes with your boat. Make sure to buy enough drinking water!
I agree with the poster who said get all seven days worth....don't want to waste time shopping when you can be snorkeling or exploring or better yet....sailing! Have fun!