TravelTalkOnline Forums Travel and Vacation Forums British Virgin Islands July 2024 Charter Trip

We have chartered in the BVI before in May 2018 and now have a 2 week Bare Charter trip booked in July and have a few questions.
What should we expect for weather.
Anything that is a must see or do?
Anything closed that time of year?

July has been our go-to chartering time for the last several trips. Weather was fine. There were a couple of times when a tropical system passed over or nearby but most were tropical waves. Only once did we hunker down (didn't leave Moorings to start our charter for a day) because a tropical storm was projected to hit.

Pretty much everything was open and crowds weren't bad.

If you are a diver July is an excellent month. Outside of a tropical wave winds are light and visibility is excellent.

Christmas in July is when many boats came over from Puerto Rico. At first we were dismayed but came to realize that 1. These were excellent sailors. 2. There were many families, so very few late nights, and 3. They were a lot of fun to be around. There were a few Anchorages, red lined on moorings chart, that they would fill up. They anchored instead of using a mooring, and did raft up. But for the most part they were off very early in the morning. Not sure if Christmas in July still happens, but if you encounter them, don’t worry.

Thanks for the feedback. Any other information that would be helpful would be great too. Boatyball info ??? I hear there are some issues. Which Mooring balls are best to avoid? We don't want to end up like what happened to the Wandering Hillbilly in Jan, 2024. Our hearts are heavy for them. We were hoping to catch Alan and his crew down there while we are there.

He took a private ball on a lee shore in a big North swell. Not to much more he could have done wrong. The overnight public moorings will be fine.

Thanks for the reply. We always try to tie to the more common public overnight balls to minimize our risks.

There is a whole thread on the Hillbilly debrief here:

https://www.traveltalkonline.com/ub...kes-be-careful-out-there.html#Post312360

I think lesson is worry less on publishing social media "content" and more on "captaining"...

What days in July? We arrive in STT on July 4th with a sleep aboard on July 5. We start moving of July 6th for a week out of the Moorings on a 464 PC.

Sleep aboard on 7/13 and return 7/21 to change boats and then depart again 7/22 and return on 7/27 all out of Nanny Key.

He took a private ball on a lee shore in a big North swell. Not to much more he could have done wrong. The overnight public moorings will be fine. [/quote]

Emphasis on the BIG North swell (I came by there at same time and pointed out how big the surf was at Savannah Bay.

I have heard "I was on the same ball a few days before and all was well"..... BUT the conditions were tremendously different (I was on a nearby ball the week before for a lunch stop9with owner of ball permission) and there was no swell and very calm). Places that are perfectly calm one day can be unsafe on another day. Numerous discussions on Cane Garden Bay during a North Swell.

Choosing as safe anchorage for the conditions is basic and very critical decision for any captain.

If we have any left over canned food and other things you may want look for us. We will be on a 464 PC pulling in on the 13th.

Are you returning to Nanny cay????
We will be doing our sleep aboard on a 443 with MarineMax in Nanny Cay on the 13th.

Longshot Steve27 - like the name by the way - but we will be on a Moorings 46PC from June 19th through July 4th. I wonder if you will be getting the boat we will be on since you have a sleep aboard the following night. If so, we try to take excellent care of the boats and always coordinate with Chris when we get back so he knows what needs to be fixed for the next guest. Have a great trip!

Nice! I know our boat is just over a year old. So should be in great shape. Leave a note in the navigation table and I will let you know..LOL

Sorry just noticed you will be on a MarineMax boat. We will be on a Mooring 46PC. Look for our flag. Savannah GhostPirates Hockey Flag.