We are heading to the BVI for a 9 day charter at the beginning of February. Our last sailing trip there was 22 years ago for 2 weeks in the summer with our 3 young boys. (We had a wonderful trip. Now, 22 years later, I'm looking back thinking, "Were we nuts, or what?") This time we're just a bit older <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Grin.gif" alt="" /> and sailing with another couple. There have been a few changes in the BVI in 22 years, plus we are sailing in the high season. So, I'm seeking advice: 1) Jost Van Dyke will be crowded whenever we go. There are no cruise ships scheduled on Saturdays when we're there, but I understand there's still considerable traffic from STT. Are Saturday, Sunday or Monday the best dates to look at for Jost? 2) We almost always do our own provisioning. Chartering with BVI, and hope to stop at Riteway, Bakery, and TICO with short stops at each. Will taxi drivers wait while we shop, like other parts of the Caribbean, and we pay them extra, or is the meter running at a premium rate the whole time? What works best? 3) We subscribe to the "flexibility is key" sailing motto. That being said, with a sleepaboard the night before, is sailing to Jost Van Dyke our first day out of the question? We have lots of options, but that might work best for us.

Thanks in advance for the advice! Your site has been so helpful - we've already got our slip, car, and painkillers ordered at Leverick Bay, (Thanks, Nick!) and we hope to meet some of you on the trip!

Welcome to ttol.
White bay on JVD us often crowded. It's also an unsafe anchorage. Normally lots of space at great Barbour, little harbor and diamond cay. Just don't arrive late in the day or you may need a plan b.
You can ask the taxi what he will charge while you wait?
Where are you chartering out if?

Which boat are you on from BVIYC? We are heading into our 6th charter with them in May.

You can walk to and from Riteway - we always do. Very easy - have them deliver the heavy stuff and the stuff you don't care about picking out yourself.

Where do you plan to go after Jost? If you do your check-out early - and I have never seen anyone at the docks before 8 there - you could make it to Jost on your first day....but the reality is that it's going to be crowded any day you go there during high season so I don't know that it will really matter. I would go the route that offers the best sailing <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Grin.gif" alt="" />. Also -if you do head to JVD -- White Bay is really lovely later in the day so you could head to Great Harbour, get on a mooring ball, go ashore and explore Foxy's, etc. and then dinghy around to White Bay later on.

I would not plan to try for a ball or anchor in White Bay - it is just too cazy now with all of the day boats.

We're chartering "Tootsie" a 41' monohull from BVI. In Minnesota, we have a 32' on Lake Superior, and we're looking forward to chartering where the water is warm, and, at this time of year, not hard. <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Joy.gif" alt="" /> Thanks for the advice on Jost; when we were there last, we anchored in Great Harbor, and my husband met me at the Soggy Dollar via the dinghy with our oldest and youngest son, while the middle son and I walked over the hill. I still remember that 22 years later, as it is steep:) I also remember that after anchoring in Great Harbor, we dropped the 3 boys (age 5,9, and 15) off via dinghy while we relaxed in the quiet aboard the boat for about an hour. We thought they'd hang out together and sight see. Well, about an hour later we headed in to meet up with them. They were all in different places, had met new friends of their own ages, and were playing some kind of game. The oldest was playing basketball, the middle son was playing soccer, and the youngest was playing some kind of hopscotch game. They were all having a great time. Kids have a universal language!

Right now we're leaning to head to Norman's our first night, and end up in Leverick Bay for a couple of nights, and then head to Jost the weekend before we head for home. But, you know what they say, "you can have an itinerary, you can have a time table, or you can sail. Pick any two." We're not in our home sailing grounds, and we want to have a great trip, but a safe one. Flexibility is key.

You will LOVE Tootsie!! she is an absolute BLAST to sail and she can boogie <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Grin.gif" alt="" />. Norman is great for your first night - you'll have a nice first sail over from Port Purcell.

Email Nick at Leverick (nick@surfbvi.com) and get a slip reserved for Leverick so you can take advantage of the shoreside A/C on the boat - you'll have to pay for electric but the slip price itself is the same as a mooring and includes ice and water. The dock hands are fantastic at Leverick.

We are on the Oceanis 38 "Honeymoon Suite" this year as it's just the two of us - hoping we have as much fun sailing her as we did Tootsie!

You will find White Bay much altered since your last trip - with a boat that's as much fun to sail as Tootsie? Pick the direction that's going to give you the most fun!

You could certainly go to Norman and then to Jost but I might rethink that - I would go up the channel after Norman and then hit JVD later - after Leverick (and Anegada if you've got that on the agenda).

Got it - thanks for the tip!! Glad to hear that "Tootsie" is a great choice; we're really excited! We've got a slip reserved at Leverick, as you suggested, and we've got a rental car to get to the Baths both early and late plus some other beaches while we're there. Two weeks from today we'll be starting out. The other couple we're sailing with are just great folks, but they've never spent a night at anchor or on a mooring ball; they've always stayed in a marina at night. That could make things a little more interesting, but I know we'll have a great trip <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Thumbsup.gif" alt="" />

Welcome back to the BVI. I wish I had discovered this little piece of heaven 22 years ago. We started going here in 2007 and we have loved every trip. All the best and enjoy heaven on earth.

Doug - it sounds like they'll be down there at the same time as you guys!!

Thanks Bridget. Gneissgirl, we will be there from February 6 to 15. At this stage we don't have much planned out except we will go to Jost first on the evening of the 6th or morning of the 7th. We keep our boat at Sapphire Beach Marina and Jost is easy to get checked into the BVI. We are looking for a good place there to watch the Super Bowl. We will have another couple with us who have never been to the BVI, it is always so much fun to see people experience it for the first time.

We would like to catch up and meet you folks if our paths can cross. Our boat's name is Dharma. And yes SuburbanDharma is our Admirial.

Sounds like great fun! If we don't head to Jost first, we'll be at Norman on Sunday, the 7th Feb., and then be tied up at Leverick on Thursday and Friday, Feb. 11th and 12th. We'll be looking for you : )