BVI's without the tacky bar scene?

[mvmojo]

Originally Posted by Davidhoy

Remember what Buckaroo Banzai said, "No matter where you go, there you are"... There's nothing inherently good or bad about any place, it's up to you to enjoy where you end up. Have a good positive attitude, and anywhere is good. If you don't like beach bars, then don't go to them, there are lots of other options in the BVI (or the Bahamas, and everywhere else too). Just go have fun, and don't sweat the small stuff.

We spent 6 years aboard our sailboat cruising all over the Caribbean with many visits to the BVI's. Davidhoy has it exactly right! Sir Francis Drake channel is some of the best day sailing in the world! So, if it's a sailing vacation, you're not going to get any better. Anchorages/moorings are plentiful, sometimes peaceful and sometimes "partyful". Enough good snorkeling spots to be memorable. Not a lot of "culture", but that's not what sailing is all about. As above, just enjoy the good and don't sweat the small stuff that may not be your scene. It's all good!

[LittleWing77]

Originally Posted by Davidhoy

Remember what Buckaroo Banzai said, "No matter where you go, there you are"... There's nothing inherently good or bad about any place, it's up to you to enjoy where you end up.

I loved that movie!
Fair point, DavidA-hoy.
Thanks for the reminder,
LittleWing77

[The Perfessor]

I'd add a vote for Grenada, Tabago Key, and Mustique. Not a lot of cruisers, great sailing. Also, I found the Spanish Virgin Islands to be a new favorite. Easy sails; Vieques was a great island as was Calibrita (one of the best beaches) and I didn't find it too touristy. Plus, it has the brightest bio-luminescent bays in the world which was truly amazing. That was probably the most touristy thing we did, but well worth it. The rest was spent snorkeling and sailing. You leave from Puerto Rico and the Spanish Virgins are part of the US, so no issues with passports, chartering, etc.

[skipmac]

Originally Posted by Lake-Effect

Last year, we did an 8-day bareboat charter in the BVIs in late February. Yes many places have a bar scene, but you don't have to go there. And there were many locations where one could moor or anchor that were "bar-free". I think we only spent one evening ashore, at Anegada; every other evening we were on our boat, and our mooring was far enough out to be quiet. Ok, one 'pirate' afternoon at the bar in Leverick Bay, too. Arrrr.

Most mooring fields were full by end of day, but it seems that the other cruisers wanted quiet too, so we hardly noticed them. There were 6 of us on our boat... maybe we were the noisy ones.

Snorkelling was pretty good - especially The Caves (Norman Is) and the Rhone wreck - and we saw turtles in one bay, but much of the area's coral was damaged or lost in the hurricanes. Perhaps some of it has come back by now.

I regard the BVIs as the Disneyland of cruising: perfect water and wind, line-of-sight navigation between islands, safe locations with mooring balls, many bars and shops if you want them... and pricy. But you can still spend a fun week with lots of nature, scenery, snorkelling, beach time, and quiet evenings aboard, without the bar scene or shops. It was ideal for us as first-timers; more seasoned Caribbean charterers probably find it ho-hum.


[edit - i didn't mention the sailing! it was great, and if everyone's into it, you can put the pedal down, bury the leeward rail and have a few hours of exhilarating sailing every day. So great.]

This pretty much describes my one charter in the BVI. Sure there's a booming bar scene (at least there was a few years ago) but lots and lots of places to go that are well away from the crowds. If you're willing to anchor instead of using a mooring ball every night that will open up a lot of options.

[doublewide]

There are great places to sail, but maybe not this year. St John has it all, plus legal fishing. Or go to Culebra, and Vieques. Or Antigua and Guadeloupe. I put these at the top of the list because they are lovely and have good airports and reasonable flight tariffs. Forget BVI. They aren’t trying to attract discerning people like you. Check Covid quarantine regulations. It may not be possible to sail freely between countries for a few years. (Noonsite.com)

[Gaia]

Interesting no one mentions the western Caribbean. Belize? Cuba? Honduras?

Jim SV Gaia

[MountainKing]

If you think you would like the Exumas, just do the charter as a One-way from Nassau to Georgetown, or vice versa. There's a small upcharge, but it's not much when split among six or whatever, and it's well worth it to not have to spend days retreading the same ground, or have to use a full-day to make a passage back. Compared to that, it's like giving yourself an extra day of snorkeling and beachcombing, for less than the price of a day longer charter. It's a great option for the Grenadines as well, can go one-way from St. Vincent, all the way to Grenada, and not have to worry about rushing back up. You might enjoy that scene more than the BVIs, if it's open by then...

[jim King]

If you haven't sailed the BVI you've missed the number one cruising grounds of the world. I have gone every year for the last ten years and still enjoy the 100 islands included in this fairly close grouped sailing area. you are always within one hour of a new anchorage and snorkeling. I sailed the Grenadines three years ago and it to was also spectacular. I sailed ten days in French Polynesia in February just before the shut down and I'll definitely be back. You can't go wrong with the Bahamas but most of the island groups are heavily populated.
If you want to avoid the crowd in the BVI there are lots of secluded anchorages. My suggestion for getting away from the madding crowd is to head straight to the back side of Peter after leaving Road Town. You can be there in an hour. Anchor in key Bay just off Key Cay. Chances are you will be all alone in this well protected anchorage. Nice for snorkeling as well as a walk along an uninhabited shore. Next head for a snorkel of the wreck of the Rhone off Salt Island. There are mooring balls to tie to while you explore the shallow end of the wreck or if you dive it is one of the more famous wrecks at about 70 feet for intermediate to advanced divers. From here you may want to motor over to Cooper Island to get a mooring ball for the night at the Cooper Island beach club. You'll need to contact them on the internet to make reservation for a mooring ball as most are taken by three o'clock. You can go ashore to the club or stay on board and dingy over to Cistern point for some nice snorkeling. The next morning head for Virgin Gorda and the Bathes for a walk among the huge bolder field. There are many mooring balls to tie up to in this most famous BVI local. Leave the Bathes by 2 PM to head for Little Dixie Bay for a nice protected anchorage in the middle of Virgin Gorda. Next head for the North end of Virgin Gorda to find some spectacular snorkeling in Eustatia sound (east of Eustatia Island) along one mile long reef area. There is great holding in this sandy area at 10 to 15 deepth just off the reef where you are going to be all alone. From here you may want to stay an extra day to explore the reefs or if you want a nice day sail you can head to Anagada for a three hour sail. There are lots of sandy anchorages on the South West end of this 15 mile long island but the snorkeling isn't that spectacular. If you are wanting more snorkeling and less sailing I'd head straight for Monkey point on Guana Island where there is nice snorkeling and mooring balls on the North side of the point. If you want to avoid the crowds and bar scene I'd avoid Jost Van Dyke and head for Great Camanoe Island for a secluded anchorage either in Lee Bay or in Cam Bay. Cam Bay would be my choice as it has nice snorkeling as well as beach hikes but it is not protected from the winds from the East. It does have better holding grounds than the protected east side in Lee Bay. Depending on how much time you have there are many other secluded bays to explore, but you should give your crew the chance to do a spectacular snorkel in the caves off Norman Island as well as around the Indians.
I agree with previous replys on the other great cruising and snorkeling grounds, but the BVI is still the premier sailing grounds and shouldn't be missed.
Jim

[fatherchronica]

I just want to say that Buckaroo Banzai Was my favorite movie for 30 years at least.

[The Traveler]

Thanks all. I need to take some time to study your posts. I'm definitely not afraid of anchoring so it sounds like we could find some nice spots away from the busy areas. Some other charter locations may be worth looking at though.

As someone else said, we can have fun anywhere - heck, sailing here on the Chesapeake makes me happy and it's definitely not the Caribbean - but these trips are on the very high end for us financially so we need to make sure we carefully pick the location. If I just want a Pain Killer at Pusser's I can tie up at the Pusser's here so I'm looking for something different from our Charter.

Thanks for all the responses and suggestions.

[Mad Multi]

Antigua was awesome, loads of little places to poke into. We spent a week and easily could have spent more, the locals are awesome, you can go into town and hang out with them and you will have a good time.

[singlespeed]

There are a lot of secluded anchorage in the BVI's, but most charter companies won't allow you to use them for a variety of reasons. Th Spanish Virgins are really fun, but weekends are fled with the noisy sportfisermans rafting up, right next to the beach. Martinique and Guadeloupe are great, but many anchorage are filled with moorings. The Grenadines from Bequia to Union Island are some of the best ways to get away from all the other boats. Plenty of anchorages off the crowded charter favorites. Snorkelling is very good, night snorkelling is fantastic. Tobago Cays can get crowded, but the if you don't need to be on the moorings, but behind one of the secondary islands, you will find peaceful anchorage. Chatham Bay (west side of Union Island) is large and the southern end is quieter, but the wind shifts coming off canyons are crazy. Frigate Island anchorage is much better, good sand bottom with none of the pavement coral that frequently is under six inches of sand in Chatham Bay and no waterfront bars to play loud annoying music all night. It Canada lot of kite surfers during daytime, but nights are quiet The deep channel on the east side of Mayreau is one of our favorites. Easy dinghy ride to the Tobago Cays, three sets of sandbars/reefs between you and the Cays, keep the wind chop down. You can see the squalls coming, a long way off. Just sneak into the channel from the south and nudge the bow onto the sand, drop the hook and let the wind back you up. Sixty to seventy feet off the bar and the boat is in 20' to 30' of water. None of the boat boys or crowds and no noisy bars.

[Larry Florida]

If you think BVI is an over the top bar scene you have issues. A month in the BVI I don't recall a bar with more than 20 people. Usually 5 to 10 max. Would rate the bar scene in BVI a zero.

[Mithril Bham]

Yes, Guadeloupe. Anyplace French. The best food & music in the Caribbean as far as I'm concerned.
No matter where I go I'm still there.

[The Traveler]

Originally Posted by Larry Florida

If you think BVI is an over the top bar scene you have issues. A month in the BVI I don't recall a bar with more than 20 people. Usually 5 to 10 max. Would rate the bar scene in BVI a zero.

Larry, what time of year where you in the BVI's? I don't think I can find a single article/blog/video about chartering in the BVI's without reference to the hopping beach bar scene. I'm around people all the time...I go sailing to get away.

I don't mind one or two nights of shore excursions if they are an authentic local experience (eg Bloody Mary's and Le Ficus in FP were amazing) but seeing a bunch of bro's acting like they're still in college on a spring break trip doesn't appeal to me. If I'm wrong, please correct me so I don't pass over what could be an amazing location.