Sample Charter Itinerary for the British Virgin Islands including Tortola, Virgin Gorda, Norman Island and so much more. Suitable for Sail, Catamarans and Motor Yacht Charters.
Enjoy!!
(Please enquire HERE for ongoing special pricing for selected
yachts and dates.)
(Note: Passports are now required for all US
Citizens of any age to enter and leave the British Virgin Islands.)
Passengers of all nationalities, please
click
HERE for current, up to date
information.
Passports are NOT required if your charter
remains in the USVI waters only such as islands of St Thomas and surrounds and
all the waters of St John, with no travel to the BVI.
Planning where and how you will go is almost as much fun as
actually being aboard! Well, maybe not quite as much. Many of our clients are
“first-timers”, soon to be “second and third-timers”. We’d like to introduce
you to the Virgin Islands so you can explore some of the fascinating places you
will see, if you choose to, on your charter in the beautiful waters of the Virgin
Islands. But remember: This is only a sampler. The beauty of a private yacht
charter is the ability to change everything from day to day. No schedules, no
fixed route.
Flag of the United States Virgin Islands
St Thomas USVI:
You might choose
St Thomas’ Cyril E. King airport (STT). View the airport's
location and history
here.
No customs or immigration is required for US Citizens.
If your charter is scheduled to begin from St Thomas, it
is a short taxi ride to the East End of St Thomas to meet your yacht at the
large marina there. I can help you with taxi arrangements and places to stay if you choose to come in a night before.
Alone, at peace on the sea.
If your charter is scheduled to begin from
Tortola,
BVI (many charters start from there) you can catch one of the frequent fast
ferries (Ferry Schedules are very subject to change) over
to either the West End or Roadtown, BVI ferry terminals there. Ferries run usually
up until 430PM daily, but you
must check the current schedule when close to
your charter departure date. Slip Aweigh
Charters will help you coordinate the transfer. Holidays, Weekends, Off Season
days will often affect the schedule for these ferries.
Flag of the British Virgin Islands
Tortola, BVI: If
you choose to fly into Tortola’s Beef Island Airport (EIS) instead, view the
link
here,
you will enter into the BVI through customs and immigration at the airport.
Please note: No jets fly into Beef Island, only prop-planes. You likely will
fly into San Juan, PR (SJU) to connect with one of the local feeder airlines
such as Cape Air, American Eagle or Liat, among others. Private air charter
transfers can also be arranged. Starting from Tortola allows you to begin your trip
further into the waters of the BVI. The beautiful “drowned island” of
Anegada then becomes more
easily reached. (More about this magical place later)
Special Note: The
British Virgin Islands only accepts US
currency.
Slip Aweigh Charters
is here to help you
plan the most convenient, least expensive and trouble-free way to arrive to meet your chosen
yacht.
Watch a fantastic video HERE from one of my favorite yachts,
Read on for some things to see and do on your British Virgin
Islands’ Cruise
Please understand, this is not a cruise ship itinerary
where you have no freedom to choose. This is a personalized, customized cruise
where you get to make daily changes on where you go and what you do. Basically,
you’re in charge of all the fun!!
(Please note: This
is a sample itinerary only. There are so many places and things to see and do.
Discuss your plan on your first day of charter. However, remember, your professional
captain will determine whether weather and/or sea conditions are right for your
preferred plan. The focus is on your comfort and safety as well as your total
enjoyment.)
Starting from Tortola, British Virgin Islands (BVI)
Day 1 – From Road Town or West End, Tortola to the Bight, Norman Island
Either arrival location in Tortola, BVI from STT offers easy access to The Bight
for the night at Norman Island. There
you will find the “Indians” and the Treasure Caves.
Entrance to Treasure Caves, Norman Island BVI
Both locations offer exquisite
snorkeling and diving opportunities. But that’s not all. Here in this cove and on
this island made famous by Robert Louis Stevenson”s book, “Treasure Island” now
reside modern day pirates. You will find them at Pirate’s Bight Restaurant: http://www.piratesbight.com/
Ye’ll know when happy hour begins as they sound a cannon
from the beach when it’s time.
Kids will LOVE this beach for exploring and digging and
building sand castles or Pirate’s Lairs. Here you’ll
revel in the Pirate lore and dine, if you wish, on local roti (spicy curry
wrapped meat and vegetables) and sunset cocktails. Pirates Bight announces
Happy Hour with a blast from a pirate cannon! Enjoy the sunset and/or their
after dinner wildness.
The Fabled Willie
T Party Boat
There is a ton ‘o fun to be had at the Willie T., a floating bar and restaurant, also a destination for several
of the numerous regattas held in these waters every year.
The Willie T! Bar and restaurant.
Day 2 – Leave
early from the Bight on Norman Island so you can get to the Baths early.
The main
attraction today is the huge rock formation called the Baths, on the south
western tip of Virgin Gorda. Click HERE to view the
Island. We consider it tops on our favorites list.
If going
to the Baths, we strongly recommend getting there early in the morning,
especially when visiting in popular seasons.
It’s
quite possible to leave from the Bight
or from your anchorage in front of Spanishtown and sail up to North Sound,
Virgin Gorda, home to the famous Bitter End Yacht Club anchorage. More on this
location, below.
Option for your Anegada visit while on your one week charter.
Begin to explore HERE.
Anegada’s local name is The Drowned Island.
Your Professional Skipper will guide you and your party safely through the fringing reefs which helped to make this lovely island.
Its highest point
is about 28 feet. You can visit with the re-introduced flock of flamingos,
watch fields full of the beautiful indigenous purple orchids, and in settled
conditions, snorkel on the most beautiful Reef, in my opinion, in all of the
Virgin Islands.
Your Captain will tell you if conditions are right
for making this trip, but if you leave from North Sound, Virgin Gorda, location
of the world famous Bitter End Yacht Club, it’s usually a straight shot usually
on a reach, if sailing. If you have chosen to eat dinner off the yacht, this is
the BEST place to do that. You will never again taste the delicious flesh of
the Caribbean Spiny Lobster prepared the way they do it here. Grilled outdoors, wrapped in foil with seasonings and then slowly
steamed on Manjack branch fires. Oh, it is just so yummy!
Views of North Sound, Bitter End Yacht Club, Saba Rock and Eustatia Reef in the background.
Before
you leave: Things to do while visiting North Sound in Virgin Gorda:
Eustatia
Reef is just to the North of the Cut between
Prickly Pear Island and the North end of Virgin Gorda. A short dinghy ride will
take you there. View unbroken vistas of the Atlantic Ocean while floating over
fields of colorful fish and corals.
Try your skill at windsurfing off a little beach near the
resort. Hike up the goat trail just West of Byras Creek resort. At the top, the
whole Atlantic comes into view. It’s staggeringly beautiful. Imagine the
pirate ships
approaching to plunder the square rigged traders in the Sir Francis Drake
channel. Stroll the whole area
surrounding the Bitter End Yacht Club. It is a truly lovely little hike and
suitable for all ages.
PS: There are NO poisonous snakes on any of these
islands.
If going
to Anegada as described above, your
Captain will direct the right time of day to leave. It is essential that the
sun be at the right angle to watch out for black coral heads in the shallow
water. You can troll for fish on your way over. (Please inquire about BVI
fishing licenses well ahead of your charter. You must have
one to fish anywhere in the BVI waters.)
As you depart North Sound, and clear Prickly Pear Island
on starboard and Mosquito Island to port, be sure to take a long, long look at
Necker Island to starboard.
Sir Richard Branson’s Necker Island
What fun!!! Sir Richard Branson with one of his furry friends!
You might have heard of Sir Richard Branson? This is his
island and it too could be yours for around $27,000 for one week for two. BUT,
this is only for a few special weeks set aside. This island is private,
including the beaches and sparkling celebs have frequently stayed here. Sir
Richard has lemurs on this island, and is busily working to reintroduce Scarlet
Ibis, Flamingos and Roseate Spoonbills. You might see some flying from there.
If not
going to Anegada:
Prepare to slide off the wind west to enter the
backside channel, past Marina Cay, near Great Camanoe, Scrub Island Resort and go
through the cut at Trellis Bay to make a lunch stop at World Famous Monkey Point
on Guana Island. All our charter guests got a special prize when they
could see and guess the reason for the name of this place.
(Map compliments of www.onlinebvi.com)
Next
stop: Diamond Cay, Little Jost Van Dyke
Here you will find the home of Foxy’s Taboo. Take a
look HERE.
Visit Sandy Spit, one of the most beautiful beaches
anywhere on earth. That could be you anchored off there. Just ask!
Green Cay and Sandy Spit, Little Jost Van
Dyke
And what about the now world famous (well,
maybe not the whole world....yet, which is a good thing) Bubbly Pool!! It’s a short walk down a goat trail and is
fabulous when the North Swell is running!! You will be immersed, safely, in
ocean foam from the North Atlantic. Visit this magical place HERE
Here you can spend the night or slide on
down to Great Harbor on Jost Van Dyke, home to so many famous bars and
restaurants.
Foxy’s son, Seddy Callwood, has a great
little bar/restaurant. Visit One Love HERE.
(Named for decades of
sailors who swam shore to get a cold one. Of course, dripping wet)
And Seddy’s brother, Wendell, offers
Wendell’s World. Great fun, and all of this situated on the gorgeous white sand
beach.
Visit Corsairs Bar/Restaurant HERE. Pirates were often
called Corsairs and you’ll be meetin’ Pirates here, matey!
As one local told me:
“It is illegal in the BVI not to try its most famous drink!”
So, you wouldn’t want to violate the
law, right? Try one of these Famous Painkillers!
For now, our little excursion has
ended and I had to stop counting the days for your trip. It’s just so hard to
do and so much is up to you! Come, see for yourself.
Most charters are for 7 nights/8
days from noon to noon. Of course, you could always opt for longer on board.
Why not see more?
__________________________________________________
You can see that we, of Slip
Aweigh Charters Inc. truly love this place. It was hard to leave the charter yachting
business afloat after so many years. But we still can have fun booking your
unforgettable vacation in the BVI. It’s a natural jewel of an island chain
featuring protected waters, delightful snorkeling and diving sites and sunsets
unable to be described. More colors of blue than you ever thought possible.
Don’t you think it’s time you came to visit?
Also, ask me about Land and Sea
charter vacations. I have some great ideas for you.
Give us a call at
866.297.0163 (US Phone/Fax)
Or local: 727.289.4372 Eastern
Time Zone
Oh, and here’s an easy way
to contact us. Fill in this FORM and we’ll set to work creating a
vacation especially for you and unlike any other you’ve ever dreamed of.
Some
links for additional information on the islands...
See
yourselves on the Web.
Yacht
Shots BVI will
shoot action pictures of you on your yacht
available for viewing, sharing and for purchase.
US Virgin Islands Resources
Other Caribbean Resources
Caribbean hotels and tours
Caribbean Hotels offers an
online booking service for hotels in
Caribbean and other Caribbean travel information from our local
team based in Caribbean.
General Virgin Islands
Travel and Information
