We also have been bare boating the BVI for around 35 years, next sailing vacation will be # 17 in May 2019, Our 3 rd bare boat charter with Conch. The rest were Moorings and Sunsail.

We are flying in to STT.........LAX - MIA -STT. And then ferry over to Road Harbor. We will break up the trip a bit and relax at an inexpensive hotel at St. Thomas and then take the first ferry the next morning, to Road Harbor. Also, we usually spend one or two nights in a hotel on Tortola. This trip will be one night at the Nanny Cay Hotel. We will have an early boarding at Conch at 4:30 pm the day before we depart road harbor for our two week BVI sailing vacation.

Our previous trips, we went thru SJU....the airport terminal and at the airport hotel . What a mess. And probably still are.

Then we flew CAPE AIR from SJU to EIS for a cost of $ 650.00 each. 45 min flight in a twin cessna. Sea Bourne was also expensive , but undependable . We tried a private charter company, to fly from STT to EIS, but no none answered the phone or replied to emails. I have been flying since 1967 to 2005 as a career .

I have flown professionally as a flight instructor , charter pilot, corporate pilot, and fighter pilot instructor for air combat U.S.A ( 5 and 6 g dogfights. ). Total time 6500 hrs,/35 yrs or so. I love flying in general aviation aircraft, and with Cape Air, usually sit up in the right seat with the PIC. (Pilot in Command.) Unfortunately due to cost of $ 1300.00 ( for Erica and I to fly SJU to EIS, Cape Air, who was always on time, and fun. , or with Seaborne, who has terrible reviews, , or a private charter outfit that will not return my calls or email. Plus going thru SJU airport , which bad. Not going to happen .

PLAN B.

This year 2019, we are taking the early ferry STT to Road Harbor, for around $ 60.00. The water taxis are also very high in cost. And as mentioned, we are going to be SAILING the BVI for two weeks, and a private water taxi is a waste of extra dollars for us.

there fore we are gong to keep it simple:

* American Airlines LAX - MIA - STT.

* STT Ferry to Road Harbor. Tortola.

* Taxi to Nanny Cay in a few minutes.

Of course, we are flying across the entire U.S.A., and not everyone headed to the BVI are on the same flight plan. And some are chartering out of STT., USVI. So there itineraries will be different.

We have some wiggle room between arrival at STT, and taking the ferry to Road Town, and checking in to Nanny Cay Hotel for a night and some good time kick back, before our early boarding of the Jeanneau 36i, at Conch Charters, Road Harbor. Keeping life smooth .

The early boarding at 4:30 pm allows us to load and store all of our provisions from Riteway, just a few yards down the road from Conch

And, then, we will be going thru our own personal checks of all of the vessels systems, rigging, and inventory at that time. Sleep on board, We will be ready the next morning early for our chart brief which should be very short, 17th BVI trip, and also the boat system check out. We have sailed the jeanneau 36i, several times with the moorings and sunsail, and conch.

By doing our own pre checks, we have gone thru all of the systems ourselves before the staff briefer, and that saves time, but we have not sailed the jeanneau 36 for a couple of years and need a refresher.

Next stop, sail over Cooper Island, and the adventure is on.

Again, this will be our first ferry trip from STT to Road Harbor, I think Native Son not sure ) and we are looking forward to relaxing and enjoying the ride. The $ 1300.00 savings , not using CAPE AIR, to us is substantial, and will buy a boat load of good times ashore.

That is our plan, only. Others will have totally different ideas, and those will be perfect for them.