TravelTalkOnline Forums Travel and Vacation Forums British Virgin Islands New itinerary for April + a few questions

We'll be down the first week of April with two other couples (all newbies). The last 2 trips, we pretty much followed the counter-clockwise route starting with Norman, then Cooper, up to Virgin Gorda, Anegada, CGB, and then Jost. Thought we'd do something different this time, going clockwise with this route:

Day 1: Norman - snorkel the Indians on the way in, grab a ball and then head to the Caves for more snorkeling. Cocktails at Pirates Bight, dinner on the boat, after dinner frivolity at the Willy T
Day 2: Jost - afternoon on White Bay - most likely 1 painkiller at Soggy Dollar just to show our crew, then either head to One Love or Ivan's (sadly we were disappointed with Soggy Dollar last trip) Little Harbour for the evening - maybe dinner at Sydney's. Or Great Harbour – restaurant recs besides Foxy’s?
Day 3: Marina Cay –with a stop on the way at Monkey Point for snorkeling. We've never stayed at Marina Cay and are looking forward to something different.
Day 4: Virgin Gorda - stop at The Baths on the way. We HAVE to figure out a way to avoid the crowds there. Any idea what time in the morning is a good time to go? Moor at Saba/Bitter End. We’d like to try Fat Virgin for lunch - is this a doable dinghy ride from the Saba moorings? Cocktails at Saba to catch the tarpon feeding (missed this last time) and dinner on the boat.
Day 5: Anegada – will rent a car and visit Loblolly for snorkeling. Anyone been to Big Bamboo? We’ve been to Flash of Beauty the last few times, but again, want to try something new. Then to Cow Wreck for the afternoon. My favorite place. Dinner, of course, will be at Wonky Dog.
Day 6: Virgin Gorda – back to the North Sound because there’s so much to do there! We’ll get a slip at Leverick. Hog Heaven for lunch and then maybe hang out at The Sandbox on Prickly Pear. We’ve never done that. Jumbie dancers at Leverick that night!
Day 7: Cooper – Any good snorkeling spots on the way from Virgin Gorda to Cooper? Of course, we’ll snorkel Cistern Point while we’re at Cooper. Love the little rum bar on shore.
Day 8: Back to Nanny Cay!

Any suggestions, ideas or more info? Thanks!
Julie

PS: We’re on a Horizon 48 – not a sailboat – so we’re not sailing this time.

It's been a while since I've been in North Sound but if fat virgin is at Bitter End Yacht Harbor then yes, a dingy trip from Saba should be no issue. Basically if you are moored at Saba you might as well consider yourself moored at BEYH.

With the motorboat at times you will cover the distances much faster. As long as there is no swell you will easily cover 10-12 miles in an hour and most trips will be less than an hour. If the swell is up you will have a very rough go for some of your crew to Anegada. I would play each day by the mood of the new group and the sea state. If Anegada is important to you. I would head directly to Anegada the first good sea state window. Then work your way downhill. You will love the counter space and more on that 48. The other side anytime the sea is up anything left out will be all over the deck. While sailboats can be slow. Those heavy keels have advantages. Enjoy the trip and use the powerboat advantages to add flexibility of choice to each day. Stay in the lee of the islands and stay out of the wave action. You new guests will thank you for it.

You may want to write some of this in the bathroom mirror of the boat driver.

In Great Harbour, you have Corsairs and Ali Baba's, which we like a lot. Urenthia is a great hostess.

No problem taking the dinghy from Saba over to Fat Virgin. Just watch for the Hobie Cats buzzing around.

You can stop at the Dogs on the way to Cooper for some good snorkeling.

“Day 4: Virgin Gorda - stop at The Baths on the way. We HAVE to figure out a way to avoid the crowds there. Any idea what time in the morning is a good time to go?”

Crowed shows up around 10:00 am

“Moor at Saba/Bitter End. We’d like to try Fat Virgin for lunch - is this a doable dinghy ride from the Saba moorings?”

We’ve done the whole N. Sound by dinghy. Sometimes when it’s rough we’ll hug the shoreline and plan on getting wet.

“maybe hang out at The Sandbox on Prickly Pear.”

Great fun there. But if one of those pocket Cruise Ships are using the beach forget it as you’re not welcome.

The Baths if you must go by boat. Use a flat day to go directly there early or if you find another flat day go very late and use the flexibility the 48 gives you to spend the night in North Sound. The Baths, Be there by 8 for or after 2:30 if going by boat. April sunset will be 6:30. If it is rough forget it. That 48 will roll around like a cork.

Good luck at the baths by boat. I don't know how many balls are there but I counted 20 boats there last week in the afternoon. We rented a car at Leverick, stopped at Hog Heaven for lunch & then suffered the crowds at around 2:00. But hundreds were leaving as we arrived, so I'd think 8am would be the only way to avoid crowds.

We plan to take a vehicle to The Baths the end of this month. Is it cruise ship passengers that crowd The Baths? I checked the ship schedule and there will be 2300 passengers docked in Tortola. Are they likely to crowd our time at The Baths?
Deb in ABQ

Thanks everyone!
Personally I'd be happy to skip the Baths. I've done it 3 times in the last year or so. BUT newbies love it (hubby skipped it last time and I drew the short straw as tour operator). We've done it both by boat and taxi.
Will try snorkeling at the Dogs - that will be new for us.
Yes Anegada is a must so we will watch the weather/swells.
It seems to be a catch 22 sometimes -we talk up the highlights of the islands so much that people want to go and we so share the costs. But there are times we selfishly want to do what WE want to do. I know, first world problems right?
Until we win the powerball tonight ..... <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Wink.gif" alt="" />

Cottage girl, we took our first trip alone last February for exactly the same reasons you mentioned. It did cost us a little more, and our boat choice got smaller, but it was nice to make all new stops and not "host"... I highly recommend you do it at least once! Bliss.... <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/circle.gif" alt="" />

Re: The Baths. I have had decent luck departing Marina Cay or Trellis at first light for the Baths. By first light, I mean that I am up before dawn and we are off the mooring ball as soon as we can see. Each time, there were only one or two other boats in the mooring field at the Baths when we arrived (not sure of the exact time, but it was early), and the paths through the boulders were practically deserted. Great, great time to visit.

However, the last time I went, my two crew members had some difficulty swimming in from the dinghy line. I was surprised by this. Lots of chatter on this site about swimming into the Baths. Turns out that it is tougher than it looks for middle-aged men in 'average' shape.

Also the early mornings tend to be tranquil and beautiful, so you'll probably have a spectacular 'sail' over to the Baths.

I would recommend visiting the Baths when you moor/dock at Leverick. They will arrange for a rental vehicle and you will have the flexibility drive to the Baths when they are not crowded and to do additional exploring (Copper Mine, Savannah Bay, etc.). If you're interested in a slip at Leverick remember to ask for the TTOL discount.

Dinner at Sidney's is always delicious! Another thought....Jewel has set up shop on the East End just past Foxy's Taboo on the way to the Bubbly Pool. I believe there are 10 or so balls near Diamond Cay.

We will be down at the same time land based on Jost. Don't be shy if you see us! <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Grin.gif" alt="" />

The swim into the Baths is no small feat. This is how I do it: I float on my back and pull myself along the rope (like an otter) until it runs out then swim the rest of the way - which always seems further than I think it is.
We've rented a car at Leverick before and driven to the Baths - might do that again for this trip.

I am sure I will get flamed on this one. We have decades of kids on boats behind us. 10 or more days on a boat the "rule" every child must have a life jacket on whenever they are out of the cabin can get old or at least tiresome. Not all parents agree on the need or will to have the battles. So we settled on this rule long ago. Until you can readily demonstrate jumping into the water and swimming 360 around the boat without touching or grabbing anything then climb all the way back on deck without any outside assistance you must have a PFD on when you are outside the cabin. The point on this thread maybe some adults should take that test at least before they try to get themselves from the dinghy line to beach. Depending on the bodies in the water we will drop some closer to the beach and not everyone ends up swimming from the dinghy line. We also use Devil's Bay for ingress and egress. Even Better head to Top of the Baths by car and let those that want to do the Baths, do the Baths.

If you have not done it try the 360 swim yourself like you suddenly fell overboard and had to deal with your own survival. Many find it a challenge starting with a sprint to early exhaustion.

If you rent a car, you can check out the Copper Mine, too. It's pretty interesting.

That's a great suggestion. More than 1 person has drowned trying to make that swim into the Baths.

What's the Copper Mine?

If you like that one consider this. Once the boat is truly clear of the harbor on the first day. Toss one of the fenders overboard and have all the males sit down out of the way in the cockpit. Have the combined female resouces on their own motor the boat close enough to the fender for an exhausted swimmer to get to the ladder and get back on board. All the men in silence should time the drill. Then on the first morning time the swim test. As a skipper how long can you tread water in the open sea. How long will it take your given crew to get back to you. We do a fender recovery drill on the first day of every charter. If we have people on the boat who want to learn we will do fender recovery drills each time the boat moves rotating the helm.

The old mine and refinery at the south east end of VG. Cornish miners tunneled more than a mile out under the ocean following seams of malachite copper ore and malibdenite. For mineral hunters, lots of small green samples of chalcoprite and silver molibdenite in the tailings piles.

It's on the SE side of the island.

There's a name for this exercise:
"How To Cause 4 Divorces in One Day with Only One Simple Step"!

It's a great idea but it's also a good way to ruin a vacation. Or lose a good fender... <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Laugh.gif" alt="" /> <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Rofl.gif" alt="" /> <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Rofl.gif" alt="" />

I guess you missed the point about male silence. I have found after you toss the fender over and get it back some ladies really want to learn how to recover what falls overboard. Some not so much. We also do not put four couples on the same boat for any length of time.

Males silently judging the performance of the women in the crew? And not offering advice or criticism or taking over? Yeah. That'll happen. <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Laugh.gif" alt="" /> <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Laugh.gif" alt="" /> <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Rofl.gif" alt="" /> <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Rofl.gif" alt="" />

Fortunately we only have 3 cabins, but LOTS of charters have 8 people or more.

The real lesson learned on some crews is the single dominant male who thinks he knows everything and must do all the driving/bossing may have no one capable of coming back to get him if he falls overboard. No judging on performance. Just recording the time for how long you might have to swim if you fall in without a PFD. Better to lose a fender early than lose a crew on your watch.

Day 2: Jost - afternoon on White Bay - most likely 1 painkiller at Soggy Dollar just to show our crew, then either head to One Love or Ivan's (sadly we were disappointed with Soggy Dollar last trip) Little Harbour for the evening - maybe dinner at Sydney's. Or Great Harbour – restaurant recs besides Foxy’s?

[color:"red"]We ate at Harris' Place. Best meal of the trip.[/color]

Day 3: Marina Cay –with a stop on the way at Monkey Point for snorkeling. We've never stayed at Marina Cay and are looking forward to something different.

[color:"red"]There is some killer snorkeling right near the mooring field at Marina Cay too. Check it out. [/color]

Day 4: Virgin Gorda - stop at The Baths on the way. We HAVE to figure out a way to avoid the crowds there.

[color:"red"]Adjust your itinerary to be there on a day there are no Cruise Ships scheduled to be there. Also, just got back and I have to admit, unless the flag is Green I would just taxi from Leverick, forget that swim! It can be quite dangerous. [/color]

Day 5: Anegada – will rent a car [color:"red"] Rent a Jeep from Dean Wheatly, make sure to ask in advance for the top off. [/color]and visit Loblolly for snorkeling. Anyone been to Big Bamboo? We’ve been to Flash of Beauty the last few times, but again, want to try something new. Then to Cow Wreck for the afternoon. My favorite place. Dinner, of course, will be at Wonky Dog.


Day 7: Cooper – Any good snorkeling spots on the way from Virgin Gorda to Cooper? Of course, we’ll snorkel Cistern Point while we’re at Cooper. Love the little rum bar on shore.

[color:"red"]Aquarium, Fallen Jerusalem, order a copy of Franko's diving map. Has all the good snorkel spots listed. [/color]

I want to offer a couple of thoughts. First every vessel should have a "person in charge" that is a rule not a guideline. Furthermore this rule should prevent the pis$ing match between all the males on board. Next, the person in charge is responsible for the souls on board. If the souls on board happen to be idiots who don't practice safe behavior then the person in charge should kick their butts ashore or resign the responsibility as the person in charge. Lastly, everyone on our trips are told there are two rules on our boat: 1) stay on the boat 2) pee sitting down when sailing.

Just my view.

Like I have said before. Some wives have less interest in learning or even being familiar with the methods to return and get something back that fell overboard.