TravelTalkOnline Forums Travel and Vacation Forums British Virgin Islands Bunch of strange questions

So we are leaving in 2 weeks and my research and planning is going into overdrive! I keep thinking of little questions and thought I'd ask a few now - I'm sure I'll have more soon.

How often do you find you need long pants/sleeves? Is one of each ok? Do we even need them?

What kind of shoes do you wear most of the time? We are flip flop people but I am guessing that is not the best for getting on/off the boat and wandering around on shore. Are the old style Tevas good?

When you go ashore how much stuff do you bring with you? I'm guessing camera, wallet, phone, maybe a towel? Just trying to figure out what size/type of bag to use going from boat to shore.

I know I've seen this on here somewhere but guess I forgot to write it down - about how much cash do you bring? We will have 5 of us (2 adults, 3 kids) and are there for a week.


Thank you!!

no questions are strange, some of these questions are personal choices. Unless we are leaving Colorado in the winter, I do not bring long pants. If a restaurant requires long pants, we'll eat elsewhere. Flip flops or bare feet is mostly how we roll. Again in winter I will wear sneakers on the plane. The only other footwear are my Chacos which I use for hiking. My wallet and my wifes purse are hidden on the boat for the whole trip. All we carry around is cash and one credit card. I have never been asked for ID to use a credit card. Get a dry bag from any outdoor store. We have one big enough for a laptop and a few small ones for camera or cell phone.

Long sleeve/pants: I'm packing one of each (actually wearing on the way down)
Shoes: we're barefoot on the boat, flip flops for going ashore, bringing "tevas" for hiking thru the baths. Target has knock offs for $17 right now. Just ordered them for 2 of our crew.

Thank you - sounds so nice and simple!

We are flying from FL so will just go in warm weather clothes. I will go check Target out now, but 6pm.com also usually has the regular Tevas for about $20. Only problem is if they don't fit you have to pay for return shipping.

We bought a dry bag that is big enough to hold a camera or two, phones, money, etc. Thinking I would put the dry bag in a boat bag where I could throw in a few other things that don't matter if they get wet - towels for the kids, snorkels, etc.

nothing worse then blisters from cheap sandals, ;earned that a long time ago, buy the good ones

We do bring long sleeve lycra shirts for diving and snorkeling.

Long pants? You bet!
Not so much for style, but for resistance to bugs.
There are mosquitos down there and the more you can cover up with cloth, the better.
As you read these forums, you will find that the bugs bother some travellers more than others. (Me for one)

If you're taking snorkel equipment ashore, a mesh bag would be good to have so you don't have to juggle snorkels.

Depending on your use of sunscreen and skin types a light pair of long pants can be a godsend during the day if you have had too much sun and in the evenings if it gets cool - drawstring hospital scrubs are often my go to pants aboard on these winter nights but I live here and anything below 70F is Cold.

We typically wear long pants (jeans) on the flight, my wife brings a light jacket for the flight and some evenings on the boat. Dri fit shirts or swim shirts are much better than cotton once they get wet. Most resturants and stores accept credit cards but you will need cash for taxi, ferry, baggage handler tips, mooring fees. Good water shoes or sandals are a must. We don't usually bring a beach towel to shore. We dry off fairly quickly just with the wind and sun. Our typical shore excursion equipment includes: cash, credit card, camera, flip flops.

relax your from FLA you'll be fine. treat it almost like home flip flops will work if working on the boat then any kind of tennis shoes, boat shoes will be fine and yes when leaving fla only because it is cold in the airport i (girl) wear long pants that can be rolled up and a tank underneath a tshirt and usually the moment you land the tshirt comes off (with the tank underneath) take a breath your there and everything will fall into place have a great time

I usually bring $500 in cash and use credit cards wherever possible. Always go home with several hundred in my pocket. I do carry my license with me and I am frequently asked for id at grocery stores - never anywhere else. But if you are driving, you best have it.
For me, it's tee shirt and bathing suit during the day and polo shirt and shorts at night. Bring less clothing than you plan. There are pleanty of places to do laundry. BVI is very casual.
Like Evan, we avoid places that require long pants 99% of the time. On rare occasions, I will wear long pants for places like Peter Island, Biras and Little Dix. I just wear whatever I wore on the way down. For shoes, one pair of walkers and sandals.

It seems to me that $500 gets used up pretty quickly with mooring balls, departure taxes and taxis.

You are going to buy some t-shirts so pack lightly on those.

In a round about way of answering the cash question, we usually send the Captain out with $1,000 petty cash for a week. Often he returns with some left over but not always. $500 can go quickly for moorings,customs,etc.

Where in FL are you from?

Pamela

There are ATM's..we live 7 months of the year here and keep all our accounts in California and draw out $$$ when needed..as they now charge $5 for the " service" I always pull the maximum of $500. As said..you'll buy T shirts and maybe leave old T shirts hanging in a bar! A promo exec for a record company used to wear a fresh promo T shirt every day..leave it in the hotel room for the maid who got to wear it ( and help promo) and by the end of the trip his bag was empty!

We never wear shoes on the boat, flip flops for most shore trips. If you rinse off your feet when you return to the boat you can reduce the sand and dirt that is tracked into the cabin and beds. Flip flops can slip as you climb in and out of the dingy.

Have a great time <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Clapping.gif" alt="" />

My only one suggestion for sailors is a topsider or the like for onboard. I have been sailing here yearly since 1981 and ofter break this rule but remember when working fast on the boat there are slippery areas and certainly with an unfamiliar boat areas that you don't know well and a broken toe during your trip is not fun. I'm looking at my bare feet onboard right now and laughing at my post but I have seen it happen way to often. Wear your topsiders on the trip and bring only flip flops.

Lands End have great long and short sleeve rash guard zip shirts that have UPF 50. We have a few of those for snorkeling, swimming and wearing when cold.
We have been down there 3 times and have never needed or wanted long pants. We are from Texas and are used to the heat.
I wear a light cotton jacket on the plane in case I need one down there. Invest in some good Keens sandals. We wear them on the plane and when we get off the boat. They protect your toes!! I buy them thru Zappos, 2 day free shipping and free returns

Thanks for all of the tips! I still need to pick shoes for myself and my 14 year old. I forgot my husband and other two kids have these cool shoes called the Warrior Coxswain. Warrior usually makes lacrosse gear and we found these at a display at a lacrosse tournament this summer. They are boat shoe style but made out of a soft, rubbery type material. They are waterproof, they float, they don't leave scuff marks on the boat, they can be washed in the washing machine or dishwasher and the heel crushes down so when kids smoosh their feet in them the way they always do the back doesn't get ruined. I was going to get a pair for myself but they only had whole sizes and I was in between sizes.

Warrior Coxswain

I am from Mass but now live in Boca Raton. I was thinking about bringing old t-shirts for the bars - which bars do the t-shirt thing?

Whitesail, I have to take this statement a little further.

"If you rinse off your feet when you return to the boat you can reduce the sand and dirt that is tracked into the cabin and beds. Flip flops can slip as you climb in and out of the dingy."
To:
After you thoroughly clean the sand of your feet on the transom, you will be permitted to board, there will no sand allowed on the boat. <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Grin.gif" alt="" />

Foxy's..Seddy's One Love..Bomba Shack and literally dozens of other hang old T shirts..

Well said, second that Evan!

I take along a mesh bag with a drawstring at the top. We tie that on the back of the boat, all shoes go into that bag, not onto the boat. Of course they get rinsed before going into the bag.

I bring a bright LED headlamp. It works great for grilling, which invariably happens after dark for us, and is also good in the dingy. We also bring a waterproof flashlight. Often I'll hang the light from the Bimini top to provide light where I need it.

I wear crocks that have non-skid boat-shoe bottoms. They float and are comfortable. The end is closed and saves your toes from unmovable items bolted to the deck. They are also quite easy to rinse off and dry quickly. With sticks and leaves they can be turned into small sailing yachts for use in the Bubbly Pool! <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/jester.gif" alt="" />

I need an led light that's hot enough to cook food. How cool is that.

Anything that looks like a mans shoe will bring sand back to the boat you do not want. I know there are many loyal flip flop/shower shoe loyalist out there. At times there will be traction or other safety issues with the unsecure flip flop. Tiva or better may be the way to go. The tennis shoe will get wet and likely never dry.

Everyone should have secure footwear that that does not retain sand and that dries rapidly that they will actually wear. At some point everyone will hop out onto an uncertain natural bottom... to me nothing is worse that wet tennis shoes filled with sand.

StormJib - is that child labor available Mar 14-22? <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Grin.gif" alt="" />

I have two separate t-shirts hanging in Gertrude's on White Bay, JVD.

I get cold easily so I always bring a pair of sweats, a light weight long sleeve shirt and a windbreaker. I wear the sweats on the plane and in the evenings on the boat.


You want shoes that will stay on in sand and water. On the boat, most people go barefoot, but a few people seem especially prone to stubbed or broken toes and they should wear shoes with covered toes on the boat! (I can show you a good picture of a broken toe.


Camera, kindle, wallet. Snorkel gear. Sometimes a towel or blanket to sit on. Sometimes a small cooler if there's not a beach bar.

Take far fewer clothes than you think! You will probably wear your swim suit and the same tshirt or two and shorts the whole week.

Oh... I never, ever bring long pants.
If a place requires them for dinner, I go elsewhere.

Best shirts to wear down here...by far..are Laura's sailing shirts. I wear them all the time,,

Watch me get flamed here... Big Bags? Beach Towels? That is what comes on and off cruise ships...



My point less is more, secure footwear is valuable, most of us could circle a bunch of stuff you do not need on a sailing trip and will only be a burden to tot, try to keep dry, and clean up after. Who will be the maid on her hands and needs on your boat?



If it looks like it can hold sand or cannot be washed off easily in the salt water off the back of the boat consider leaving it at home... bring a little more easy to carry cash in its place.

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

my new suitcase, hopefully.
Carry-on size is approx. 22" long x 14" wide x 9" on the AA site. Enough room for what I need and a cooler as well.

Ha! I just ordered another Polar Bear 24-can cooler. I use that for my carryon pretty frequently. Its big enough to hold a week's worth of clothes, or two weeks if you love nature!

Cheers, RickG

Ooh - I like that Yeti cooler! No offense at all about the cruise ship people. I don't want to lug a huge beach bag on shore, but I guess it has to be big enough to at least fit snorkel gear and cameras/money/IDs.

I found a pair of comfy, lightweight linen pants that I think will be good if I get cold at night.

Still haven't decided on shoes for me - will figure that out in the next day or two.

Did you find a deal on the Yeti cooler? It's $400+ on Amazon!!! I bet it keeps food cold for a year.

http://amzn.to/18kFFgG

I have a AO Cooler which is similar to the Polar Bear cooler and I it keeps ice longer than any other bag cooler I have ever owned plus it has never leaked. AO or Polar bear coolers = way less than a YETI cooler.

We have two hard yeti coolers on the boat and love them. Not cheap, but pay for themselves in ice cost. Just bought another Polar Bear 24. The old Polar Bear 24 lives on the boat now as the beach cooler.

Cheers, RickG