First, an introduction:

As I'm sure Carol can attest, I'm one of those many people that "lurk a lot, post little". Over the many years on TTOL I've gleaned a significant amount of information from this forum. I post little, but because I have little to add.

My wife and I have owned sailboats for 25+ years. Sailed the Caribbean since the late '90's. Know our way around the back roads and some of the old names and faces: some still here, some not.

Because of a mother nature (lightning strike on our boat) issue, we've been away from the BVI's for a couple of years and are looking to return. We've kept track of the recovery from Hurricane Irma and even donated to the recovery. But, we are ready to visit again.

Yes, we were around when Billy Bones went away (still have the T Shirts, kids remember the crab races out back) and were not a fan of the high-end Pirate's Bight. Stayed at Tamarind Club several times and remember the kids helped shoo away the cows in the evening (and the resident cat that did not like me). Those days ended and it was sad. However, reading through so many posts and current trip reports, our concern about returning is increased with every comment.

This Boaty Ball situation sounds absolutely insane - yet not unexpected for the way the few control the many in the islands.

Arriving. Provisioning. Heading out the first day. All are full of tips/tricks/preferences that can be interesting and fun. But, from then on out having to "adjust to the new way" with BB seems to both bring the stress many of us are trying to leave behind and completely defeat the purpose of the visiting adventure.

The mid-afternoon battle for the last mooring ball is a right of passage and an adventure. People sit on their boats solely for the entertainment. Being able to pick up a ball mid-day to eat lunch or fill tanks and head to the next stop is important. Watching the boat boy come around to grab your soggy dollars (sorry had to do that) and then keeping the receipts, of which we have many, is a joy.

Now? Download an app. Get Wifi. Peck around on your phone and plan. Fight over who gets the ball. And, as the BB people say "accommodate", is insane.

We come to the islands to get away from apps, internet, scheduling, coordinating, fighting....and BB has introduced it to paradise.

Someone convince me that progress like this is good.

-Carib Guy

New swim platform coming next month or so. New food trailer arrived today. Cederic says will serve more upscale food like Papaguyo did. Not time estimate but soon. Progress.

It’s been too long and too many of life’s aggravations have kept us away since a few days before Irma. Alas We are going to correct that next week. This time I really need a private taxi that i can get into an uncrowded end seat. I’ve lost Kevin C’s number. Does he still do the private airport to ferry trips? If not anyone else providing that service? Thanks in advance.

Looks like they are very close to opening in the old Bon Appetite location. Two large suspended umbrellas and outside table and chairs there. Also inside dining area. Heard they will be baking pastries like Bon Appetite did too.

Started of with a double scuba dive, lunch at marys boon, lounging by the pool reading a book, dinner at isola and winning 250.00 playing slots at Hollywood. What a way to spend my 72nd birthday.

Frenchy Ludos, What a delight. Lovely table over the water. Very different food. they call it French Fusion, I would just say presentation and food combinations well executed and Chef certainly knows his stuff. Really delicious potato soup and mahi mahi and also had a superb baked Camembert with potato croquettes cooked in pastry. Champers plus great service..sure we will visit again before we leave. Highly recommended. Oh and they have entertainment most evenings. Have not had one bad meal since arriving and always very good service. Starting to put on weight again though after losing 35 lbs. Worth it though. SXM really has it all and think we are spoilt for choice and certainly not complaining.
Tropicana for Lunch tomorrow as it’s soufflé day and L’Auberge Gourmand in the evening with sunning, swimming and beach in between. Tough life😄

We wanted take-out to enjoy on the boat this evening in Great Harbour, JVD. Foxy's...buffet BBQ only. Corsair's...full capacity until 9pm.

So popped over to Cool Breeze, between the two. Very friendly, very happy to oblige us. And the food was excellent. Really good. And wow...they should charge more, it was cheap! We rate it above both Potter's Anegada and Leverick.

They seem like they don't get so much traffic, so try very hard and asked me to post on tripadvisor...i thought this forum would be one better.

If you're passing through, give them a try. It's a 'yes' from us.

We actually did the same last Jan, when hardly anywhere else was open post-irma and they actually remembered us this year! Perhaps being the only British people in the BVI it's easy to remember us...who knows.

Dave just asked me the following...thought maybe it might be useful info for others chartering in the near future...

"I wanted to see if I could get more detail from you about your visit to the New Oil Nut Bay. We will be in BVI in June via Sunsail. Like you, I think we would prefer to avoid Leverick issues and anchor at Prickly Pear My questions are:

How is Prickly Pear? are they open? food?
Did you dingy over to Oil Nut? Any issues?
Did you go over to Oil Nut for just happy hour?"


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Hi Dave,

Earlier this week we anchored off Prickly Pear, in front of The Sandbox...slightly towards the entrance channel to North Sound. The holding was superb, anchor didn't move an inch. Beautifully flat there, we spent 2 nights...no mooring fees! Anchored in about 12ft of water.

We took dinghy right up to the furthest bit of Oil Nut (by their beach Club) and anchored on the sandbar just behind the reef. Snorkelled from the dinghy...saw 15 Green Turtles, rays...all sorts. Nobody from ONB came to try and chase us away, so all good!

We then backtracked in dinghy to their new Marina Village. Had some lunch, drinks, used their pool...an hour or so was long enough for us. It's really swish and they are super friendly.

Then took dinghy all the way down North Sound to Leverick...ordered takeout to collect later...then back to boat.

Just before sunset we took dinghy back down to Leverick, picked up dinner and returned to enjoy in the cockpit whilst watching the sunset.

We had 12-17 knots of wind during our stay and all of the above was easy, comfortable and a lot of fun.

So much fun...that we did it all again the next day!

Hope that helps! Shout if you had any other questions, happy to help!

Oh and Sandbox on Prickly is shut...half built...I really doubt it will be open in June, nobody was working on it.

I saw on a menu for a Grand Case restaurant that "TGCA not included", or similar words in French. What is that?

We are thinking of sailing ourselves or, more probable, hiring a delivery captain to get our boat to St. Thomas. Are there seasonal slips/moorings say between late Dec. and April? If CYOA had availability that might be perfect. Any suggestions appreciated.