I have been looking at the great and thorough lists of after Irma open beach bars, etc ....Excellent

Have some questions about some of the out islands ?.
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NORMAN: : THE CLUB ( owned by the same people that have Pirates Bight ). Has anyone been to Norman island of late and patronized THE CLUB. We were at the Club on our last BVI trip, just before Irma. Both places , Pirates Bight, and the Club ( next door ) were open. Pirates was quite rowdy, and we could hear the screams and shouts and curses , and threats , while we were hiking the back trail , which is some distance away. Our intention was to go to Pirates Bight for late lunch
and drinks, , but when we returned to the beach, the situation at Pirates had pumped up to a near brawl. Pirates was not in an aloha mode.

Several local types were cussing each other out, pushing and shoving, and pretty much out of control I am getting too old for that , and just flat no longer want to be around or in. .

The management apparently did not want to de- escalate the situation at Pirates, that looked looked like a full on bar fight was about to break out among about six or seven stout dudes. Been there and done that . Time for a new plan.

So we turned around, left Pirates and walked over next door to " the Club " . Major difference. Peaceful, Easy, positive vibes , welcoming staff, super friendly and good food, good view. . Excellent.

The reason I am asking, is that in May 2019, , we will be sailing a jeanneau 36i, out of Conch Charters, just Erica and I, and if the Club is open, our first sailing night will be at the Bight, on Norman.....if not, my plan is to head directly to Cooper Island, depending on what time we get out of Road Harbor.
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COOPER ISLAND : I also did not see any posted reports on Cooper , there may be , but I did not see them. So FYI, this is what I have learned.......Cooper Island Beach Club looks really nice, all rebuilt .. The separate Rum Bar will be new to us, and I do believe that we will experience a very special and fun time. There must be a couple hundred different rums on several different shelves available. Dinner and happy hour at the Cooper Island Beach Club Restaurants always been outstanding. After mooring, we will dink over to Cistern Point for snorkeling. then happy hour. . They also had photos of their newly rebuilt hotel rooms.......Fantastic ! I know, we have the boat, but just for reference, I'd stay there in a hot second. Wow !

Checking the website, and their photos. Casual fun and classy .

Any of you sailors that have been there lately, any confirming scoops would be appreciated.
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Promise : Cruising BVI trip report.

When we return home from our 2 week BVI sailing vacation, I will post an up to date trip report on the BVI. from our actual observations...., , that might assist those who are planning on cruising the islands. Want to pass on up to date scoops
on the open bars and restaurants, harbors, marinas, moorings, fresh water availability, provisions, etc . Plus, any navigation info that might be changed , including navaids that are not watching on station, and any tips that might come in handy like shoal waters for deeper draft monohulls. ( like us at 6.5 feet ).

Fair winds and following seas....

Denny and Erica

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Hello,
We were there after Thanksgiving this year. Cooper is up and running and pretty much looks like it did pre-Irma. On Norman, post Irma they first built back Pirates and they did a good job. This trip the other restaurant was open (and it is also very nicely done). When we were there (and it was a very quiet week after the holiday) they did not have both places open. The newer one was open and the other just sat empty. When I asked about plans, no one seemed to have an answer.
Ellen

Ellen

Thank you for your quick reply. appreciate it.

From Road Harbor, our first day, I would prefer to head directly to Cooper, snorkel Cistern Pt. have fun at the rum bar, and then a short happy hour and diner dinner at the Cooper Island Beach Club. The other plus is a much shorter sail the next day up the Sir Francis Drake Channel to Leverick Bay, VG.

We could catch Norman on the last full day of our trip, snorkel the Indians and Pelican, and the caves, and eat ashore at Pirates or The Club , Overnight there at Norman and have an easy sail back Road Harbor.

I will pass your message on to Admiral Erica.

Mahalo nui loa

Denny and Erica

I was there about the same time as Ellen...We went to Pirates on both ends of a 12 day charter. Fully functional both visits. Gift shop open. The Club was vacant, but on one of our visits they were setting up for what looked like a private event. Place looks nice.
Cooper was in full swing. The rum bar moved since my 2016 visit. Lots of sea turtles on our visit. I think we were there twice too. No problem getting ball at around 1:00, but it was Nov. into Dec trip. First week of our trip (start Saturday after Thanksgiving) was pretty quiet. Picked up a little second week. This judgement is based on how many boats I see sailing in the channel on beautiful sailing days.
Not a lot going on at Saba or Bitter End from what we could see. The machinery you see in commonly used photo of Saba didn't look like it had moved much. Long way to go there. It's very odd/sad to look up at the hillside at BE and see no structures. Moorings at Sand Bar were being used. I think Sand Bar was open. Did not visit.
Leverick is fully functional. Hog Heaven was open. Love that place and the people working it.
Lots of stuff open in Great Harbor, JVD.
Trellis is rough to look at, but has a few things open. No de Loose Mongoose. The grocery up by the airport was bustling. Happening place for to go breakfast amongst locals.
Scrub was Scrub...although I don't think they were serving dinner at the outdoor restaurant by the pools yet. Some roof tiles missing. Pool was great. We did the Wednesday beach party buffet. Ambiance is wonderful...food/proteins were mostly overcooked.
Marina Cay mooring collection guy says they have everything available at the dock...water, fuel and ice. Temp restaurant of some kind...ate on the boat that night. Lot of broken, dead coral and sheet metal on the reef. Sad again.
No Christmas winds this visit, which makes my fair weather sailing wife very happy.

We ran into manager/new owners (I wasn't sure of titles or who was who) of Saba at Hog Heaven. I was told Saba plans on reopening December 2019.