BVI in January

So it looks like we are going to take the plunge and travel to the BVI for 2 weeks in January. The Facebook posts are bringing back too many childhood memories of non-crowded anchorages for me to ignore!

Although we have been traveling to the BVI for years and I grew up in the Caribbean, I have some COVID specific questions for those of you who have already gone...

1. Wifi: We typically unplug when on vacation but with the quarantine and wanting to extend our stay, my husband will need to do some work from the boat. He works for the government so will need to be able to get a VPN connection and attend Microsoft Teams meetings. So my questions in regards to wifi...

Does the Wifi that comes with the boat work at all the quarantine anchorages and is it strong enough for a VPN connection? If it doesn't work at all anchorages, which are best?

If the Wifi isn't strong enough does anyone have experience with an alternative Wifi source?

2. Flying: We are booked through San Juan which we have done a ton of times and typically if we have checked bags we are required to grab our bags upon landing and go out of the secure area, recheck the bags and then go back through security. We will not have a negative COVID test within 72 hours but I have heard that you only need that if you leave the airport. Questions with this...

Has anyone gone through San Juan, flying on Inter Caribbean (I know their reputation but it was the only flight we could get that allowed us not to have to overnight in San Juan) and had checked bags? What was your experience? Did they give you a hard time about the COVID test if you had to exit security and then go back through security?

3. Food Delivery: I have heard of people getting take out food delivered to the boat but then read somewhere that they are no longer allowing this. Any updates about take out food?

4. Quarantine Anchorages: What are your experiences/recommendations with these? Moorings sent us an owners' update that said that you are allowed to go ashore at the quarantine anchorages if they are uninhabited but I have read multiple times that this is not true. Anyone have experience with this? Seems weird that they would let you go ashore but just wanted to see what others' experiences were.

Thanks for your help! I'm sure I will have a ton more questions as it gets closer.

Sue Dressler
s/v Ripple
Leopard 40
Martinique

Did you read this? Even if it was legal per international treaties (and that is a subject of some debate), it was a horrible abuse of power and egregious violation of good will between two nominally friendly countries. I fully respect the rights of the BVI to enforce their borders and I feel for their citizens. However I can't excuse the actions of their officials being so overtly hostile to mariners. Until the crew and guests of S/V Blue Skies have their fines returned, are compensated for their time in confinement, and get a formal apology, I will consider the waters of the BVI to be as safe and friendly of a cruising ground as the Gulf of Guinea. Good yachtsmen have long memories.

https://www.traveltalkonline.com/ubbthreads.php/topics/240275/bvi-impounding-boats.html#Post240275

Sue:
I responded to your question about the mooring/anchoring areas and going ashore on Facebook since I can not post the chart and the poster with the latest government regulations here on TTOL. That information, gathered mostly by Chris Midgley, is the latest from the government.
Eric

Thanks Chris, I got it.

yourcraig,

Yes, I did read that and I have followed the situation as best I can. Although I sympathize with their situation, I can also see both sides. It's their country and they have a right to protect their borders/citizens as they see fit. When we were in the USVI in November we made sure to steer clear of BVI waters as it was very apparent to us what the rules were.

Carib girl: I have flown in and out of SJU twice this past month. As long as you are in transit and will not be leaving the airport you do not need to present Covid test results or complete a form in advance. On Christmas Eve my connection required me to leave the secure area and pass back through security. The need for that was to go through the USDA luggage scanner as I was re-entering the US from foreign soil. Still no requirement for testing or form advance completion as there is for travellers who are leaving the airport.

Just a correction. I believe S/V Blue Skies paid the fine rather than allow themselves and charter guests be detained. It was the Hines couple that was detained. I believe they were on a friend's boat (S/V Marie Elena?).

What about if we are staying overnight at the airport hotel? We get in late from JFK and leave early the next morning?
On our return we will just be connecting to our flight home...jet blue if that makes a difference. We are suppose to go in March.....I know a lot can change by then. Thanks!

Macaroni: That I am not sure about. Potentially you could be OK because they are within the airport but I would call the hotel themselves and be sure. I pulled this phone number from their web site: 787-791-6000.

I have heard others mention that the airport hotel is outside the security boundary of the airport and thus you must abide by the protocol as if visiting PR.

Thank you.....will check as we get closer...

Hi Sue -- I have posted a video overview of my trip to the BVIs in Mid-December. SAILING CHARTER - BVI REOPENING VIDEO DEC 2020

I worked the whole trip. I got a simple Google Fi Sim for $80/month which gave me 23GB of 4G/5G data for my video conference meetings and VPN. I disabled the card when I got home. Also my boat and the other charter vessels at TMM have WiFi onboard which gives 30GB for basic browsing, phone and e-mail (Though in a pinch you can stream on it speed is actually very good). It worked everywhere including Anegada.

Hope this helps!
-Sri

Thanks Sri! I just watched the video and it is great! We actually thought about doing something similar when we went down in order to help everyone out. We will plan to try to video as many of the quarantine anchorages as possible so people can see the different choices.

We have an international plan on our phone that allows us to use our AT&T phone plan (calling, data, etc.) in the BVI unlimited at a cost of $10 per day. Is this basically the same as the Google Fi Sim you got?

When you go back...you definitely need to go to White Bay and Great Harbor on Jost (pronounced Yost) Van Dyke!

Sue

Sue your ATT plan will work fine. Just make sure they don’t block using the phone as a hotspot under the plan. I don’t believe they do anymore so hopefully you can put the phone in hotspot mode and everyone can use it.

Google Fi charges nothing extra for international roaming. We have it now and have used it the last few times we have been to the BVI. I can't vouch for the extent of service because we usually stay on Anegada - it works there. I believe Google Fi roams to whoever is partnered with T-Mobile. I have a Google phone, my wife also uses it from her Apple phone.

Thank you for the pronunciation correction Sue. OMG so embarrassed got it wrong all this time. Google Fi in the US uses T-Mobile, Sprint, and U.S. Cellular, but in BVI pings off almost all local GSM carriers. The same data, talk, and text plan you have in US works down in BVI with no additional fees or limitations!

My other Verizon phone has the same setup, but they charge me $10/day and limit to only 0.5GB to use my plan in BVI.

I've heard native and very-long-time BVI residents say 'Joss' Van Dyke, so I think there's some ambiguity on pronunciation.

And Foxy has a good tune about Just One Dyke

I chartered for many years before I moved to Tortola and always coached my crew to properly pronounce it as 'Yost' Van Dyke. I think that's the correct German/Dutch pronunciation of Joost Van Dyk that the island was named for. Now that I'm here, I see that everyone here pronounces it as 'Jost' or 'Joss'.

Well generally when you pronounce the whole name you would say Jost or Joss Van Dyke locals just say Yost. Went to Yost the other day.

The people I know say Jost or Joss regardless. Almost never Yost. I can't get out of the Yost habit myself....

I use both Yost when communicating with locals and Jost Van Dyke with tourist

LOL, the pronunciation of Jost Van Dyke is becoming like the conversation of bringing coolers of food with you to the BVI!

Just like three is pronounced "tree" where I grew up I guess it depends on the dialect you are speaking with. In my opinion and from my experience, if you are speaking in any dialect besides West Indian you would pronounce Jost...Yost. This is the German/Dutch pronunciation. But...to each his own.

PS. My maiden name is Van Dyke so as a kid I fantasized that my family owned Jost Van Dyke. As an adult reading about Joost Van Dyk I'm not sure I would have wanted to be related to him!