A friend is sailing to the BVI and asked for my recommendations on what to…

A friend is sailing to the BVI and asked for my recommendations on what to do/see. Since the BVI is one of my favorite places in the world I was happy to drop everything for about an hour and crank out an updated Life at 5 Knots cruising guide. I figured I’d post it here so next time someone asks I can just share a link.

(They are on their own boat and are planning on two weeks in the BVI, this is tailored to that)

I’ll break this down by island. I’ll also attach some of the guides I wrote for charter courses, some if it may be relevant to you. Note: I am usually there on a vacation for a week so we eat out EVERY night, as a cruiser I assume you won’t but there are 1-2 restaurants you should hit.

Anchoring & Mooring in the BVI: Hardly any charter guests anchor any more, as such they have added a lot of balls to most popular anchorages so finding a spot can be hard. Also there is an app you use to reserve the orange balls called boaty ball. Reservations for the evening open every morning at 7am, you have to be right on it at 7 to get anything usually.

All that said I typically just anchor, except for Norman’s as it’s too deep, and at national parks and snorkeling spots (The Baths, The Indians, etc)

Mooring Ball Colors: Standard White w/ blue stripe- Regular First Come First Serve, usually about $50 a night, someone will come by and collect money

Orange with blue markings and number: BoatyBall, use the app to reserve

White with yellow stripe- Day use moorings, these are in national parks and are for day use (2 hours is usually the max to be courteous to others) Fee to use is included in your cruising permit

Yellow: Specific for commercial dive boats tours, etc

Blue: dinghy use ONLY

I’m going to put these in the order I usually go, but you can go whichever order you want!

Tortola (Road Harbor) Main port, cruise ships, charter guests, etc. Diesel, Water, Scuba fills here. Can be nuts, but lots of bars, restaurants, Chandlery (ship store), grocery, etc. I like One Mart and Riteway for provisions. If you grab a night in a marina on Tortola rite way will send a free van to pick you up complete with Rum shots.

Tortola (Nanny Cay) Quieter than Road Town, big charter base. LAUNDRY! Cheapest drop off wash and fold I’ve found anywhere. Omar’s has good food. Marina has gas, diesel, water, scuba fills. Also a pool available to use if you use marina. Also home to another chandlery and scuba shop. Riteway will send a van or deliver to here. Boat yard here with haul out capabilities.

Cooper Island: The typical “first night” stop for most charter guests. I probably wouldn’t stay here for the night if I was you, but Cooper Island Beach Club is nice spot for lunch and a drink during the day. Most of these balls are boaty balls. I usually skip this on a 7 day trip, but maybe worth a stop if you are there for two weeks

Peter Island: I believe there is a new resort/steakhouse that has opened since my last trip, I heard good things. This is a less popular island with the charter crowd so it’s a good place to escape on anchor for a bit. But it is a private island so I don’t know if you can hike it.

Norman Island (The Bight): Home of the infamous Willie T floating bar (I’ve seen many a good drunk bar fight here), also home to a decent restaurant The Pirates Bight. Also there is a dive shop that can fill tanks. This Anchorage is very deep, so you will likely need to grab a ball, or you can go around the corner to one of the other bays (the names escape me) and anchor there. Just outside the bight is a rock formation known as The Indians, Some of the best snorkeling in the BVI. You can’t anchor here you have to grab a ball see above for colors you want white with yellow stripe (or just plain white if the stripe has fallen off 😉 )

Tortola (Sopers Hole) Western end of Tortola, can clear out of customs here on way to USVI. Deep harbor with moorings, there is a Riteway grocery store. Boat yard for haul outs and repairs, and chandlery. Pretty view.

Jost Van Dyke (White Bay) The most popular DAY anchorage, home of the infamous soggy dollar bar. Note there is a poorly marked reef with a cut in the middle to enter. Follow your charts or the markers if they are there. Shallow and good holding but gets crowded. I like to show up around 4pm, it’s already settling down by then, almost NO ONE anchors there overnight, so I always do. It makes for a peaceful evening. Bars: Soggy Dollar Bar (World famous home of the painkiller), Ivan’s (Kenny Chesney’s fave), Hendo’s Hideout (A MUST DO) some of the best dinner you will have in the BVI, they do limited tasting menus so you HAVE to have a reservation. The head waitress Gee is a friend, say hello for me. Dinner here followed by a beautiful night on an empty beach and empty bay is always a special moment. Wake up the next morning and hit the soggy dollar before all the tourists roll in, then bounce to the next spot.

Jost Van Dyke (Great Harbour) Home of Foxy’s Bar, world famous, but IMO isn’t as good as it once was. But they have great merch. Deep harbor will probably need to grab a ball. OR if it is calm you can dinghy over from white bay, OR grab a cab over from white bay. If you are looking for a full moon party this one is usually pretty good.

Jost Van Dyke (Diamond Cay) Quieter than great harbor, home to another foxy’s bar (this one is run by Justine, his daughter) also a good spot to dinghy to shore and hike to bubbly pool.

Jost Van Dyke (Bubbly Pool) Cool little beach/tide pool to hike to.

Jost Van Dyke (Sandy Spit) It’s just that. A sandy spit of land. Looks like a windows XP screensaver, used in a corona commercial. Bring your drone

Jost Van Dyke (Sandy Cay) Formerly owned buy the Rockefeller family, a fun spot to stop to make lunch and go for a swim, pick up a day use mooring, dinghy to shore. Great hike as well. You beach the dinghy, go right along the shore and you’ll find the trail a ways down.

Tortola (Cane Garden Bay) One of my favorite anchorages, I think it’s beautiful when all the lights on the houses up in the hills come on at night. Lock your dinghy to the dock, and the gas can, I’ve had a gas can stolen here before. Several good restaurants and bars. Quitos, Paradise club is a fun bar late at night. Paradise club also has a great I ❤ BVI sign worth taking a pic with. Can be a tourist spot during the day when the fudgies from the cruise ship show up. There is a fuel dock that also has water and ice here as well on the north east side of the bay, looks sketch but it’s plenty deep for a cat. There is a grocery store a short walk from Paradise club. I think it’s called Bobby’s.

Scrub Island Cool resort island with a marina. Great pool and spa. If you are looking to this is the place. I usually skip the marina and anchor off Marina Cay and dinghy in.

Marina Cay Used to be home to a Pussers, I think its empty now

Trellis Bay Walking distance to airport terminal, great to pickup and drop off guests. Trellis Bay market has provisions. Home of a great full moon party.

Virgin Gorda (North Sound) North side of VG, home of the infamous Bitter End Yacht Club. Cool resort. There is a guy in a dinghy with a dog that sells frozen drinks in the anchorage off BEYC, Called Rum Runner BVI, worth the novelty. Bitter End Yacht Club - pricey but iconic Saba Rock - pricey but great food and cool vibe. Millionaire playground with a helipad Scrub Island resort - I wasn’t impressed but haven’t been back since they first opened in 2018 so maybe worth checking out Trellis Bay Resort And Marina - Restaurant, gift shop, small provision shop, gas and diesel. Nightly pirate shanty show.

Virgin Gorda (Spanish Town) Marina, mooring/anchorage outside. Gas Diesel Water, scuba tank fills. You come here for one reason. The best restaurant in the BVI. Coco Maya you CAN NOT MISS THIS. Vibes are 11/10. I think I’m getting married here. There is a “secret anchorage” closer to the restaurant so you can dinghy in.

Virgin Gorda (The Baths) Iconic BVI photo op. Pick up a day ball, then dinghy into the dinghy tie off line and swim in. Take your dinghy kill lanyard with so so dumb charter guests don’t take it by accident. Entry fee is sometimes charged, sometimes not. It’s like $5. Bring your camera in a waterproof bag.

Anegada Plan for two days here. The anchorage is tight, and the path in changes FOLLOW BUOYS NOT YOUR CHART. Plenty deep for a cat. I definitely grounded a monohull here in 2019 shh dont tell anyone. I like to wake up with the sun in North Gorda sound, raise the sails on the hook, sail off the anchor without starting the motor, and sip my coffee as everyone else is still asleep and I set a course for Anegada. Pure bliss. Arrive by 10-11a and you can snag a great spot to anchor in front of all the moorings. Things to Do: Restaurants (Traditionally this is THE island to get a lobster on) Potters by the sea is where the party is after dinner, but I usually skip them for dinner (See if you can spot a Chicago Sailing t shirt or one of my old license plates) Sam the cook will be hustling people at Limbo after dinner. Usually a good party. Sam will also come by in a dinghy during to take to sell ice and take trash for a fee.

The Lobstah Trap is where I usually go for dinner, when you arrive, call them on the radio vhf 16 and make a reservation, if you don’t they will be sold out for the night by 1pm. Great bar as well.

From here down you will need a rental car, truck, scooter, moke.

Anegada Beach Club: need a vehicle to get here, chill laid back resort with a nice pool and bar. A bar tab grants you access to the pool and beach

Loblolly bay, restaurant and bar, beach for snorkeling, gift shop that is good

Cow Wreck Beach, an old favorite but there is a new one just next to it, called Tipsy by Anegada Ann that we liked more last time.

Flamingo Salt pond in middle of island, has lookouts, can see the flock of flamingos that call Anegada home

Conch shell mounds

Rent a moke or scooter for a fun way to get around, it will be cheaper than a taxi.

Horseback riding on the beach, a beautiful and romantic activity, let me know if you want the phone number

Since you are real proper cruisers I’d look for bays that don’t have balls to escape the crowd. The BVI is a fun place to visit, one of my fave in the world, but can be pricey. It is a GREAT spot to meet other young Crusiers or vacationers. Do you have the SeaPeople app?

I have a list of taxi, car rental, and other contacts, if you need something let me know.

WATER - DIESEL- GAS - SCUBA FILLS

Road Harbor:WDGS Nanny Cay: WDGS Cane Garden Bay: WDG Sopers Hole WDG Scrub Island Marina: WDG Trellis Bay: WDG Spanish Town: WDGS

BEST SNORKEL/DIVE SPOTS The Indians is a snorkel fave, lots of great marine life Caves at norman island Dog Islands The Baths Money Point (Guana Cay) Wreck of the Rhone (better as a dive) Kodiak Queen (sunk ship for diving) The Chimney

If I think of things I missed I’ll email you. Don’t be shy with questions!

HAVE FUN IM JEALOUS!