TravelTalkOnline Forums Travel and Vacation Forums British Virgin Islands www.BVIMariner.com

TTOL'ers ... After preparing in excess of 250 Float Plans and working with many of you on charters, the Sail-Orion Crew started thinking about what other utilities might be useful to BVI charterers and have compiled our ideas into a new Web site ... www.BVIMariner.com

In addition to providing handy information regarding popular anchorages, the objective of the site is to establish an online community for charterers to assist each other by posting their observations. Please have a look and let us know what you think. We are very interested in hearing your views on the concept, what information is useful (and what is not), and ideas for improvement.

Note, I posted some observations from my trip 2 weeks ago to give a sense of how it works ... you can post comments as a guest and they will be approved by the moderator.

Thanks guys! - Mark

Took a quick look but my battery is dying - from what I could see it was very informative. Met you briefly last year at STT baggage claim the first weekend in March 2016. My husband and I were headed down to scope the BVI scene and you were headed for some owners time with a few big boxes. We are less than two weeks away from our charter with a MM PC and your website will come in handy for sure.

Thank you for sharing

Thanks rigirly ... my wife and I remember meeting you. Please let us know how the site works for you on your upcoming charter and have a great time! - Mark

Mark, this is an excellent resource, thanks for putting this together. A great resource to review before a sail and even better when on the water.

Cheers,

Tony

Very cool and I look forward to using and sharing this.

One thing that struck me: has all the data been verified? I would be very surprised if BEYC really has more mooring balls than the Bight...

Hey Mark, great idea! I'll look at it closer later today, but found something this morning? The "Current Weather and Sea Conditions" info still says Tuesday 7th, it's now 0530 Wednesday 8th.......

Thanks Rick. Weather & Sea Conditions will be updated by 08:00 AST each day. For you early risers, the links to NOAA and Windguru are provided. Hope that helps. Thanks - Mark

MrEZgoin ... Great question. All data on the site has ben extracted from published sources to try and provide an easy reference, but there is no guarantee of it's accuracy as the environment changes frequently. One of the issues we would like to solve with www.BVIMariner.com is that so much of the published BVI information (TTOL excluded) is out-dated ... the thought is that by charterers sharing their observations (via a comment post), we can update the site and provide the most current data to benefit the community.

Additionally, near real-time information could be shared. Imagine your plan for the day is to pickup water at location A on your way to your final destination and a fellow mariner that just visited location A posts to the site that location A's desalination plant is down ... you pick up on this and reroute your plan to hit location B for water instead. It's kinda like the popular Waze app where drivers share real-time traffic and road info, but for the BVI.

Hope that makes sense and hope TTOL'ers will share their experiences by posting comments to BVI Mariner. Thanks - Mark

Great site Mark! Used it on my laptop and on my phone - being able to access the info easily on a phone while underway in the BVI's is great. Found the fuel/water charts very helpful.

Thanks Julie ... glad you find BVI Mariner useful. Had a request from another (power boating)TTOL'er to add fuel prices to the Fuel & Water page so we'll get to work on that. Will want to do this in a way that allows users to easily post prices paid so we can keep it current as (obviously) fuel costs fluctuate frequently. Thanks again! - Mark

<img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Thumbsup.gif" alt="" /> Very cool site. We're planning a return trip in March and I'll plan to use it as we travel. I'll be sure to post when I can. Thank you.

LOVE this site and have bookmarked . Also like the idea of posting fuel and water fees. Maybe add Marinas with phone number links and dockage fees too? VGYH, Scrub, Leverick, Nanny Cay, Etc.

Thanks Kim ... keep the ideas coming! A Marinas section is "in the works". - Mark

Perfect <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Thumbsup.gif" alt="" />

Awesome site! Good on you!

I agree with Kim, it would be great to have mooring fees section. Although it does seem like the chaps collecting the fee might just make it up depending on their mood?! We were charged $40 at BEYC for a ball last month and then when we returned a week later it was $30...same ball! The previous year it was $35...

Thanks for the feedback and enhancement suggestion Christo! This is exactly what we are looking for ... you guys let us know what is useful information, we will build the capability into www.BVIMariner.com and then we can all keep it current by posting observations.

BTW, I paid $35 for Ball #51 at BEYC two weeks ago ... it did have a brand new painter ;-). Their advertised rate is $35, but $40 from 12/20/16 thru 1/10/17.

Thanks again! - Mark

Thanks Mark, good intel on the ball fees and just another reason why your site is going to be such a great resource for all of us part-timers!

Mark,
Great idea. The fuel and water pricing would be great. And hours / or link to their website. Would suggest with pricing the last update. Even outdated (30days or more ), when compared to other marinas gives idea of fuel cost expectations. Perhaps offer marinas email address to "self report" their prices.
Again Great idea

Wes

Thanks Wes! We are on the same page ... I'm searching for an easy way for fuel/water prices to be maintained. I like the idea of having facilities self-report, but not sure how realistic it will be.

For those who suggested a Marinas section would be helpful, we mocked up a couple pages ...

Scrub Island Marina
Peter Island Marina

Is this the type of information and level of detail people find useful?

Appreciate the input gang! - Mark

That's fantastic. In particular I find it helpful to have the slip schematics (like your scrub island page) to review ahead of time to sort of get the lay of the land.

Outstanding resource Mark! I really like buoy 41052, I never looked at that! I see a link to VISAR which is cool, but I've always wondered where all the hospital/clinics were? eyes, ears, dentists? <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/toast.gif" alt="" />

Perfect <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Thumbsup.gif" alt="" />

Yes! Slip schematics are fantastic! I know from boating in the Great Lakes that when heading to a new to us marina, knowing the layout of the docks and slips is really valuable.
Another tip? Maybe some "alterative anchorages" info; say you get to Cooper and all the mooring balls are taken, where do you anchor?

Thanks Julie. We are working on getting marina maps (i.e. slip schematics) for each of the marinas, but difficult to come by for some locations. If they don't exist, we will annotate an aerial image. When the dock master says "lines and fenders on the port side, you are in slip B-3", I like to know exactly where that slip is before making my approach.

If anybody has any materials (e.g. marina maps), please send them ... bvimariner@gmail.com

Thanks again! - Mark

Love the suggestion about medical/dental clinics and support

Another thought....
what about another tab or section about provisioning...or under each anchorage/marina information add links with the main ones listed to take you to their website if they have one or a picture of the store , their location contact info/other details . ...
What an incredible resource this site will be...one stop shop . Thanks so much for asking for our input <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Grin.gif" alt="" />

Thanks Kim ... The collective expertice of TTOL'ers is what will allow us to build a "one-stop-shop" that will be valuable for all. We appreciate you providing input!

Provisioning tab noted ... stay-tuned! :-)

Thanks - Mark

This is going to be a great resource!! thank you for putting it together.

This is amazing! what a great idea!!!!! I will be sure to share on my FB

What a great resource-would have loved to have it last week on our Charter. Hopefully it won't be long before I return and can utilize. Thanks! Already wishing I was heading back.

That's pretty much exactly how I am. I like to know where I'm going beforehand and a lot of marinas don't provide that information for some reason. If you are able to do so it would be an extremely useful feature.

Update ...

We have added a Marinas section to the BVI Mariner site ... see here. There are a few details missing for some of the establishments, but we have requests out to try and collect this info.

The next feature being considered (based on TTOL feedback) is Provisioning. Would appreciate suggestions on what aspects of Provisioning would be most useful ... we are thinking locations, stock levels (basic food, fresh fish/meats, alcohol, etc.) and (of course) links. We want to ensure a Provisioning section will be a valuable quick reference for users and not duplicate the details of what can be found on the store's Web sites.

As always, appreciate your input. Thanks! - Mark

Could you list BVI Park mooring locations and perhaps how many are at each site - will be helpful when planning day stops. I saw them online a few weeks ago but now can't seem to find the link. Thanks for all the great information. We depart in 3 days.

Rigirly

Thanks for the suggestion Rigirly ... we'll work on that next. We've recently improved the way we report Current Weather & Sea Conditions adding NOAA Buoy 41043 as a good indicator of a North swell. Have a great trip and I hope you have the chance to share some of your experiences by posting a comment to BVI Mariner

Thanks again! - Mark

I plan on making some "observations" for your site and hopefully a trip report for TTOL. Husband is hoping to get some drone shots (you gave him some good info).

rigirly

HI Mark, Marina section is awesome.....

the provisioning section...
My thoughts ...location would be really helpful. Leverick for example is kind of hidden. A photo of the store if possible ( I am very visual) I have pictures of,a few I,am sure if you want them.....I take pictures of absolutely everything
.as far as info ..what type of provisions available as you have indicated and web link if they have one....
This is so helpful,and getting better and better <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Grin.gif" alt="" />

Can't wait to use it in less than 2 months

I am bumping this back up and encouraging you all to contribute to the observations section so we can share our up to date
" eyes on the ground." ...or water in this case .. :perspective . <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Grin.gif" alt="" />

there is also a cool " Think you know" feature on the home page testing our knowledge with a picture quiz....and I know how you all love pictures of our favourite places.

I can't wait to contribute to the observation section in ....1 month , 2 weeks and 1 day..... <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/circle.gif" alt="" />

Just a thank you for all your hard work on a comprehensive and incredibly helpful website!

Awesome provisioning section on there now.....getting bigger and better all the time .
Agreed it is a wonderful resource <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Clapping.gif" alt="" />

Great site! Really getting going on planning the fun stuff for out May trip. This will be helpful.
Any thought of ever creating an app for this for phones/tablets?

Awesome site! Any thought of an app for your site?