Bare Boating the BVIs
We just returned from the most fun family vacation bare boating in the British Virgin Islands! While we have been to the BVI's a few times, this was our first time bare boating and it will not be our last! Ready to hear all about it?
My son is a senior in high school, so we wanted a very special family trip that would be relaxing and filled with family adventure at the same time. While we are avid boaters, we are not sailors so we booked a Power Cat but if sailing is your thing, you can definitely go that route as well. There are several charter services in the BVIs and we chose The Moorings. They are a well established charter service and the booking process was simple! We captained the boat ourselves but if you don't feel comfortable doing that or you want full relaxation, you can charter a boat with a captain and mate.
The week of New Year's is the high season so it is the most crowded (and the rates are higher). If you are looking for smaller crowds go in the off season. That being said, we were still able to get mooring balls fairly easily. Some locations have their own mooring balls for reservation (like Bitter End Yacht Club), some mooring balls are first come first serve, and then some are managed by pirvate services like Boaty Ball and Dockwa. Having a tentative yet flexible itinerary is ideal in the event you aren't able to get a mooring at a specific location.
Our itinerary recap:
Day 1: We flew into Tortola, cleared customs, and The Moorings picked us up at the airport to take us to the marina. We arrived late afternoon, got checked in and had a de-brief about the boat. We ate dinner at the marina restaurant (fantastic pizza) and slept on the boat at the marina that night. The next morning I hit the market for a few more provisions I had forgotten to order (you can order provisions ahead of time and they will be on the boat when you arrive).
Day 2: We pulled out of the marina to begin our adventure by 10:00 and cruised for a couple hours and went to Saba Rock for the night. This was a mooring ball we booked on Boaty Ball. Plus, we had a successful first attempt hooking up to the mooring ball! That caused for celebrating with a Rum Punch so we hopped in the dinghy and headed to shore! The food at Saba Rock is fantastic and the atmosphere as well. It was our first time there and it did not disappoint.
Days 3-6: We didn't move far on day 2. We stayed in North Sound and moved the boat over to a mooring at the Bitter End. We have stayed at the Bitter End Yacht Club on a prior vacation and it is a favorite of ours. We decided to stay moored here for a few days. We enjoyed paddle boarding around the sound and floating behind the boat. We took the dinghy around to Oil Nut Bay (we have also stayed here on a prior trip and loved the restaurant Nova) because my boys wanted fish and chips! We did some snorkeling over there as well. A fabulous 5 course meal for New Year's Eve dinner at the Bitter End followed by Richard Branson's fireworks show from his nearby Neckar Island.
Day 7: We headed out early and went for another couple hour cruise en route to Peter Island. We moored up (booked on Dockwa) in the bay and took the dinghy up to the beach. The beach was not crowded at all and we also did some snorkeling here. The water was some of the prettiest we saw the entire trip.
Day 8: We headed out again early and went to Norman Island. The mooring balls are first come first serve here so we didn't want to miss out. We had a packed day with lunch at Pirate's Bight, a cruise around the Willy T then over to The Caves for more snorkeling!
Day 9: All good things must come to an end. It was time to return the boat to The Moorings and fly home. We were greeted by happy, wagging tails when we walked through the door that night!
Places we didn't go (and why):
Cooper Island: We had planned to stay here one night but this was a place we were not able to get a mooring. All the more reason to go back and try again!
The Baths on Virgin Gorda: If you haven't been to the BVIs you want this stop on your list. We have been there each time we have gone to the BVIs prior and given it being the crowded season we decided to pass. Note, cruise ships are now running ferries of people to this spot a few days a week so check ahead and go on a day that will be less crowded.
Leverick Bay: Like Cooper, we were not able to get a spot here so it's on the list for next trip.
Anegada: We have never been to Anegada. It is a much longer cruise than any of the other islands so we decided not to put it on the itinerary (this trip).
Jost Van Dyke: If you haven't been to Soggy Dollar and Foxy's then Jost Van Dyke must be on your list! It is a party spot at New Year's and very crowded. Since we have been a couple times we opted against fighting the crowd.
If snorkeling is your thing, make sure to include:
The Rhone shipwreck at Salt Island (near Peter Island)
The Caves at Normal Island (The Indians are just off Norman Island and another good spot)
Diamond Reef near Scrub Island
Be sure to rent some underwater scooters for your snorkeling adventures!
What to pack:
Several swimsuits (I prefer a one piece when snorkeling like this one)
Cover ups suitable to grab lunch in (I wore this one on repeat)
A packable sun hat (this Squishee is my favorite)
A lightweight sweater or sweatshirt for evening time
Comfy loungewear or athletic wear
Flip flops and non-marring boat shoes
Polarized sunglasses
Snorkel mask (fins were provided on the boat)
A dry bag or case for the dinghy runs to shore
(and what you don't need):
Shoes that are hard to get on and off a boat in like wedges etc
Dressy outfits
Open purses and totes that can easily tip over and lose contents
Jewelry and accessories
Hair dryers, make-up, etc
Bare boating is a laid back and casual vacation. No frills just fun! Have a specific question just shoot me an email at bsp@boothparker.com
HAPPY TRAVELS!!!
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