BVI Trip Report, October, 2005
A trip report according to the sailing vessel Justice.
Our arrival from St Thomas via the ferry to Road Town was smooth sailing and an ontime
machine. Customs at the Road Town ferry dock and West End ferry dock for that matter are
way laid back compared to the airport. Not to be confused with laxed just appeared to be more
relaxed and not as regimental.
Not knowing exactly where BVI Yacht Charters were located we opted for a cab ride. Well our
2 or 3 hundred yard cab ride was worth it as we carried a large cooler full of meat, otherwise
you could walk it almost as fast as it would take to load up and drive.
BVI Yacht Charters is a small low key charter company right in the heart of Road Town with
outstanding value, customer service and very nice well equipped boats. BVI Yacht Charters
doesn’t have the dock side facilities that you come to expect like other larger charter
companies but the value you get out weighs this minor inconvenience. 3 of 5 boats in our little
Island Bound Regatta were chartered through BVI Yacht Charters. Our boat Justice was a well
equipped 2005 Beneteau 473 with all the bells and whistles. Arriving around 6pm we had a nice
surprise on Justice, DOCK SIDE AIR. We made ourselves at home in the a/c with a few adult
beverages waiting for a few more crew to arrive by plane scheduled around 10pm. Four Play
was a nice, little older Beneteau 502. This boat was also well equipped. Isle Dance, a Beneteau
460 was also a little older but well equipped. All 3 dinks seemed to be new or newer as well as
the motors. Our check out the next day by the BVI crew was a breeze as expected. Kudos to a
very knowledgeable and helpful team.
After most of the crew arrived, we shopped till we dropped. Loaded up with mostly adult
beverages and snacks (hey its still a vacation). We departed for Soppers Hole around 1pm. As
we were casting off the dock one of the BVI Yacht Charter crews said that Justice is a very
fast boat and that we would like how she sails. On this afternoon the wind was out of the
south/southwest around 10 to 15kts. Sailing on a close reach for Soppers Hole we see the
vessel Isle Dance coming on hard. It was obvious she had a fresh hull and boy could she point.
Justice sailing as close to the wind as possible, had to tack several times compared to Isle
Dance. This set in our minds that Justice was more of a boxer then a gray hound. This didn’t
bother us much because were on vacation and we’ll get there when we get there. Once secured
to a mooring in Soppers Hole we headed to the ferry dock to pick up the rest of our crew.
Nothin like being picked up by a dingy to start your vacation. Safe arrival cocktails for
everyone.
The next day after some coffee and breakfast we set sail for the Bight on Norman Island.
Half way to Norman we came in contact with one of the other boats in our 5 boat fleet, Endless
Reach, a 54ft Jeanneau. After a full blown water balloons battle, Endless Reach sailed around
us like we were dragging buckets from the keel. That afternoon we toured Endless Reach and
let me tell ya, this is the nicest charter boat I have ever had the pleasure of standing on. Twin
helm station, bow thrusters, huge, huge cockpit, leather interior with flat screen TV and the
master stateroom! Maybe we should say the master play room. On arrival to the Bight we
found the last boat in our fleet. Riptide, a 45ft cat from Voyage Yacht Charters. This cat was
one cool cat, they called it the cabriolet model. It had a huge cockpit saloon area with a huge
hard top bimini for lounging and jumping off. We were fortunate to have Riptide in early as
this was the destination of the interline regatta. I’m not sure if reserving a mooring with a
dingy is the proper thing to do but when Riptide noticed a big power boat pulling in with at least
25 dingys in tow and securing each dingy to a mooring. They jumped to the task and were kind
to reserve a mooring for our fleet. As soon as we were secure in the Bight it was obvious the
interline regatta party had already started. Adult beverages were flowing like Niagara Falls,
boat party to boat party, water fights like I’ve never seen before, then comes in a huge cat
called Nawty Cat with about 12 people on board and you guessed it, not a stitch of cloths on
anyone. I know ya want to know what airline that was, all I can say is it was a crew with a whole
lot of LUV. By the time our crew settle down a bit we headed over to the Willy T for a few
coldies and some t-shirts for the girls. I would have never guessed the Willy T running out of t-
shirts but it turns out the interline folk had a lot of girls jumping that afternoon. With the
Willy T shutting down by 8pm (no customers), we headed over to Pirates. The P in Pirates is for
Party, this is where the party is tonight. The interline folks know how to party!
Day 3 brings us to the caves at Norman early for breakfast. After a good snorkel and some
chill time we set sail for St John. Our grand plan all along was to sail over to Coral Bay then cab
it to Cruz Bay for entry. With the wind still light out of the south we decided to test the
spinnaker we brought along. After having such a great time with the spinnaker we noticed we
smoked right past Coral Bay, so we decided we had plenty of time to sail to Cruz Bay for check
in then sail back up to Coral Bay to meet the other boats. Customs in St John are very
regimental and strict (as should be I suppose). Not a very pleasant experience but kind of what
I expected. Even the best plans go south sometimes. During our check in, the sky started
getting darker. At this point we changed our plans, headed back to the boat and motored over
to Caneel Bay for the night. It was amazing to us how empty this place was. With not one other
boat in the bay we questioned ourselves if something was wrong with this place. We picked up a
mooring, had a few coldies and talked about what was for dinner. It was unanimous, we were
going to shore for seafood. It was still early so we all made a recon mission to scope out this
nice beach resort. What a great place Caneel Bay Resort is! After a small tour and pictures we
headed back to the boat for more coldies and get cleaned up for dinner. The showers we had
in mind though came from Mother Nature. All clean up with a great plan in motion, Mother
Nature changed our minds. Just as well, we had another great dinner on the boat and we looked
and smelled good.
We woke up the next morning to a bright blue cloudless sky. Our plan on this day is rent a car,
check out Coral Bay, tour the island and eat lunch. After another great breakfast we headed
out in the dingy to see what St John was all about. Our first stop at Caneel Bay Resort started
off with an “excuse me but you can’t park your dingy here”. If your not going to use the resort,
they didn’t want your dingy on there dock. Ok, no problem mon. We dinked the extra mile or so
to Cruz Bay. Car rental companies seem to be on every block and the price of a car for 6 would
be over $100. Back to the cab stand we headed. We negotiated a cab ride to and from Coral
Bay for $8 each, we wanted to check out Skinny Legs. On our way over the cab driver stopped
at all the good sight seeing pullouts. We arrived at Skinny Legs just as the bar was opening
(what a coincidence), we ordered a round of coldies and shopped. Our cab driver patiently
waiting as we lounged around for an hour or so. Our drive back to Cruz Bay took us past
Cinnamon Bay, Peter Bay, Trunk Bay, we didn’t know we were going to get an island tour but our
cabby was great. From high on top of the hills we could see exactly where we wanted to spend
the next night. The girls wanted to stay in Kenny Chesney’s house but the guys voted for
another secluded anchorage. Back in Cruz Bay we had a good lunch, good shopping and a chance
to stock up on a few more supplies. Before we knew it, it was time to head back to the boat and
find another beach to play on. Sailing past all the beautiful beaches and Kenny’s house with
Kenny playing loud in the background, (CD player) made for a most enjoyable afternoon. We
ended up in Linster Bay with just 3 other boats. We made our way up close to the beach with no
one around and picked up a mooring, thinking wow, now this is paradise. It didn’t take a bunch
salty dogs long to figure out why the other boats were as far off the beach as possible. A
whole squadron of skeeters flying formation, some bombers, some fighters, swooping down,
attacking us like we were enemies from the sea. We retreated as fast as we could falling back
to the last mooring ball available preparing for battle with our Off. Lucky for us the squadron
turned back as if to say “stay off our beach”. No problem mon, you over there, us over here,
its all good! Here in Linster Bay we hooked up with Four Play and Riptide. The Riptide crew
invited everyone over for happy hour or maybe I should say happy hours. With a full moon
rising we decided it was time for another great dinner on our boat with a little chill time.
Day 5 we head Justice towards Soppers Hole for BVI check in. The customs folks at West End
are great, good sense of humor and all around nice people. Don’t let anyone tell you different,
checking in and out of the BVI’s is easy and cheap, about $15 total. Well worth the time to visit
St John for a couple of day. After customs and a fresh water fill up we headed over to Green
Cay for some beach time. The crew on Endless Reach played here the day before and reported
the surf was outrageous, even had people surfing. They said you had to act like a navy seal to
beach the dingy. Fortunately for us it was a lot calmer. A few hours playing and touring the
island we loaded up and headed to Cane Garden Bay. Its going to be a full moon tonight and that
can only mean one thing. Bomba’s Shack full moon party. Around 7pm we all headed to Bomba’s
to see the sights. Its been quite awhile since some of the crew had been to Bomba’s, they
changed it up a little bit and you had to buy tickets for adult beverages. We all thought this was
kind of crazy. Why you couldn’t pay for a coldie at the bar is just crazy. The ticket thing didn’t
hold us back much, we had a great time and partied into the night.
The next day we sailed out of Cane Garden Bay toward Monkey Point. Monkey point has a few
moorings, it’s a great place for a lunch stop with a little snorkeling. Our destination for tonight
is the North Sound Virgin Gorda. We had to leave no later then 2pm to make it in the channel
before dark. Would you guess the wind turned on us and now is from the east, just like its
suppose to be most of the time. Beating directly to windward, it didn’t look like we were going
to make the channel before dark unless we lowered the genny, started the motor and
motor/sailed directly for the channel. Just as the sun was setting we made the channel markers
and headed in. It was about this time Isle Dance who was about ½ mile back radioed with the
happy new the diesel just died and would not start. We turned around and headed for them to
assist but we decided it would be best if we made it through the channel and waited for them
on the other side. They were going to have to sail through the narrow cannel and pick up a
mooring in the dark. Lucky for us the channel markers were lit up. When we first started
sailing here, the channel markers were only day markers. This was the first time the crew of
Isle Dance had been to the North Sound, we talked them through the channel while showing our
flashing lights. By this time I’ve talked to the other boats and they were all ready with dinghy’s
in the water prepared to secure Isle dance to a mooring. Once in the sound they lowered the
jib and sailed right up to a mooring. Unfortunately the wind was blowing about 15kts and Isle
Dance drifted away before they had a chance to secure to a mooring. They probably could have
made a ago around but we advised them to lower the main and Justice would pull them to a
mooring. This worked out great! The crew of Isle Dance did great under pressure for a first
time charter. With a lot of nerves to settle, there was no better time to have safe arrival
cocktails.
The plan on day 7 was to sail to Anegada for a couple of days but we didn’t want to leave Isle
Dance. It turns out Isle Dance ran out of fuel. BVI Yacht Charters said the fuel gauge was inop
and that the tank was full. Well with just a little fuel and a few pumps on the primer, the motor
fired right up. With Isle Dance at the dock in Leverick Bay all fueled up and ready to go, we all
decided to head to the Baths for the day. What a great place the Baths are. With the surf up
a little more then usual we didn’t want to risk our cameras as we did the navy seal beach
landing. In pouring down rain we toured the huge rock formations and played like little kids.
After a few hours of rock climbing and beach play it’s a must to follow the trail to the Top of
the Baths for a fresh water pool dip, conch fritters and coldies. Around 3pm we jump back in
the dingy and head for Justice. We want to make sure we have plenty of time to get into
Spanish Town before dark. Virgin Gorda Yacht Harbor is a great place to hang out half way
through your charter. You can do laundry, get money, fill up the water tanks and best of all
hook up the shore power and have a great night’s sleep in the air conditioning.
Day 8 brings us to the North Sound Virgin Gorda again at 09:00 sharp for the start of the
Island Bound Anegada Bygada Poker Run. The race was started at the last buoy out of the
channel to the North Sound. With about 10kts of wind 4 Play was the first one out with lots of
speed, in the channel Isle Dance past Justice like we were running aground. As we watched 4
Play and Isle Dance sail away we thought well this race is over before it started. About ½ mile
off Virgin Gorda the wind picked up to 18kts to 20kts, this was when we found out Justice isn’t
a boxer after all, she just wanted a little more wind to get her going. We quickly sailed past
Isle Dance as they had constant weather helm. Isle Dance had to ease the sheets to keep from
rounding up, Justice held her course just fine with full sails, see ya on the beach Isle Dance.
Chasing down 4 Play was no easy task. With Justice holding a steady course, it appeared to us
that 4 Play’s course was below the lay line and would have to head up wind to make the buoy at
the channel entrance. About 1 mile out we spotted the channel marker dead ahead, right on
course. Knowing 4 play had to sail close hulled or closer to make the marker we had a fighting
chance. 4 Play made the mark about 1 boat length ahead of Justice, what a great race to
Anegada. Secured to another mooring we all headed to shore for some safe arrival cocktails
and a tour of the island.
Off to Cow Wreck beach, this beach was named one of the top 10 beaches in the world
according to one of those expensive travel magazines. After a few games of darts, a swim,
several coldies and conch fritters we made our way to the Big Bamboo. The Big Bamboo is
another great beach bar with several hammocks to chill out in. It was about 5pm by the time we
made it back to the boats. Time for our Halloween dinner party, Justice wore black t-shirts
with masks, 4 Play played Jerry Springer and Isle Dance had a couple of pool boys, Fred and
Wilma, a sexy Laura Croft and a sexy Cat Woman. It was voted by the owner of Potters By The
Sea that Isle Dance win the costume contest. Potters By The Sea is an excellent place for
seafood and lobster not to mention the service. Potter offered the skippers a free meal, 1
round of free drinks for everyone and a big thanks for stopping by his place.
To make the most out of our vacation we all decided to leave Anegada by 9am. At around 6am
the wind started to pick up and woke everyone on the boat. Up on deck ready for action the
wind was blowing around 40kts and it was raining so hard I couldn’t see the other boats around
us. It finally started to slow a bit as did our nerves, we were thinking wow this is going to be a
fun sail back to Tortola. Around 8:30 there was no life on Isle Dance so one of our crew
motored over in the dingy and started pounding on the hull, still no one would get up and moving.
With Justice ready to depart in much calmer winds we fired off several rounds of water
balloons smacking the hull hard, still no one alive on Isle Dance. With 4 Play and Justice casting
off, the skipper of Isle Dance emerged as if to say where ya goin? Within ½ hour all of us
were out of the channel and making way toward Tortola. We knew it was going to be a bumpy
ride back and Mother Ocean didn’t let us down, the seas were at first 4 to 6 then bigger about
½ way across with some growlers reaching maybe 10ft. We sailed on a beam reach, main and
jib reefed with winds steady at 25kts, some gusts to 35kts. Some of the crew on all the boats
had questions but to most of us this was a great sail day with great boat speeds, not much rain
either. We planed on stopping at the dogs for lunch but when we past them it looked way to
bouncy to be hanging out. Justice made plans to sail onto Nanny Cay, 4 Play planed on Road Town
and Isle Dance said heck with this and headed to Spanish Town for the night. As we
approached the Road Town entrance, Justice turned around and headed for 4 Play for one last
balloon battle and to say see ya in the states. (Note to Skipper, pay attention to the weather).
About the same time the last balloon was launched a huge gust of wind along with driving rain
hit us hard on the beam. With the sail going wild as we started reefing, the support rods for
the bimini came unzipped and crashed down on the crew. Mother Ocean wanted our bimini and
wanted it bad, the crew of Justice fought back hard and won this round. With the bimini and
sails secured we decided we better head for Road Town and tuck in for the night. This was a
good move on our part cause the next 2 days it was nasty out there.
This would bring us to the end of another great charter. I hope you enjoyed this long winded
trip report and don’t forget to check out the great photo’s.
Seeyaonthewater
Scott