StormJib said:
If you can see that flashlight you are killing your night vision. The lights are best left OFF. There is a reason real boats, yachts, and ships do not have headlights.

StormJib said:
Once you learn to use night vision and your ears. You will be safer with those lights off. At night in the anchorage it is always best to stay clear of the other boats using your night vision and your ears. Once anyone turns on a white flashlight you are blind and that is why you are missing the moorings and need the light to try and search for them in the dark. Yes, you can have the light ready to turn on to alert another boat only when you must. Once someone powers up a flashlight it will take you a long time to get any night vision back. The way to go is to keep a proper lookout with the handheld blinding lights off in a dinghy.

psod said:
I'm confident our captain will get us back and forth ok
we were just questioning the logistics for dinner planning
that's why I asked,,,looks like we will have lots of options for eating

psod said:
I was more or less just asking if it was practical to expect to dine ashore most nights,,,that would affect what food we would need to provision for,,,

Eclipse said:
As others have pointed out, pretty easy to dine ashore in Feb in the BVIs. Checking the Virgin Islands Cruising Guide that will be aboard your charter boat will help you determine what dining options exist in the various overnight anchorages that you are planning to stay in.
Note that once you leave Tortola, many of the smaller restaurants require you to make reservations prior to 4pm. Some will also ask that you select your meal options at the time of reservations to ensure that have your preferences on hand for the evening meals. I have seen on occasion that restaurants that have no evening reservations either don't open for dinner or close early.
Reservations can be made by phone, in person or using the VHF.
Enjoy your trip

StormJib said:
Night vision is a learned skill for many. Keep the light off and pay attention. If there is another boat approaching anywhere near your course only them should you briefly signal with a light. Before anyone turns on a light at least the helmsman should close or cover at least one eye. Many believe that is one of the purposes of the old pirate patch. To establish and maintain night vision. Just closing both eye for ten seconds can establish some night vision for some of us. You will never solve this on a keyboard. Each night sky and anchorage are different. I strongly suggest everyone learn to establish night vision and experience what you can actually see once you have your eyes properly adjusted. White lights are the worst robbing everyone on your boat and maybe those around you the ability to see. The danger is all the folks with white lights running around the harbors blind and many times drunk. Pay attention using your night vision and avoid them. Turn a light on only if you must signal them or have proper running lights were none of the lights coming from you boat are visible to the helm and lookout on your boat.

NCSailor said:


Ron,

One of your worst posts ever under your pseudonym Stormjib. Pirates wearing patches to avoid being blinded by flashlights? We should all wander around in the dark at home to get our night vision ready for a dinghy ride without flashlights? The bottom line is a boat under motor power at night is required to display a white light. I would like to see you explain to a jury how you conditioned your night vision in PA before your charter but still got run over by the ferry so it's not your fault you didn't display a light.

snmhanson said:
I won't comment on whether a light is needed or not. All I'll say is that we have unintentionally made more than one dinghy trip back to the boat at night without a flashlight. I wasn't worried much about us seeing things as we could see pretty well and we took it nice and slow. What I was worried about though is people not seeing us - especially the people that feel the need to run their dinghy full speed in the mooring field at night. So, my only advice, presuming you intend to use a light, is to make sure you don't forget it when you come in to shore since it will often be light when you are heading in but will turn dark while you are earring dinner.