Posted By: Shifty
Short Trip Report - 01/22/2023 05:42 PM
Greetings, All. Back in wintry Indiana after 9 nights aboard Ojala, a 47 ft. FP Tanna chartered through Waypoints (Tortola). First and foremost, I cannot give Anthony and the rest of the Waypoints gang enough praise. After 30+ years of bareboating with CYOA, I'll confess to apprehension about what life after the sale would look like. We were not disappointed. A quick rundown of our adventure:
-Scrub Island / Marina Cay: I was planning to go to Cooper or North Sound on the first night, but we had some late arriving friends, who ferried over to meet us on the boat. Remember when Scrub Island was just a scrub island?
-North Sound (Bitter End): Impressed with the new digs at Bitter End. Didn't strike me as on equal to the glory days, but they're still at it. Great to see them up and running again. Had appetizers and cocktails at Saba. Fabulous wait staff and great experience.
-North Sound (Leverick): Huge gratitude to Leroy, the dock manager. Terrific guy and super accommodating. Took a slip for the night, rented a safari truck and toured the island. Yes, including the Baths. For 20 years, I've said I'm done with the Baths, but there's always a newby on board, so what the heck. Actually, crowds were very light. Nice visit. Took in Michael Beans that night. Super guy. Good show. Pizza for dinner at the poolside restaurant (meh).
-Anegada: 2 nights there. First time up there in over 30 years. Super fun. Really cool to join the am Anegada Regatta for an easy sail. And though the course was very simple and the channel well marked, I'll admit it was nice to follow somebody else in who didn't crash and sink. Dinner at Anegada Reef Hotel on night 1. Lobster. Fine, not great. But a splendid evening with a great view. I almost never complain about anything. But I will say that our server must have been having a bad night. Not great service. Second night . . . Sid's. Outstanding on every level.
-JVD: Wonderful sail from Anegada to JVD. Maybe the best day of the trip. 10-15 knot wind. Sunny skies. Blissful sail. Grabbed a ball in Great Harbor, then took our 6 friends around the corner in the dingy to Soggy. Before you ask if that was a good time, I'll just say the dingy ride back was rather harrowing! Also had to make the obligatory stop at Foxy's. Then had dinner at Ali Baba's. Wasn't even planning to, but what a great call. Some of the most welcoming and friendly people I've ever met in the BVI. Baba sat and talked with us for a long time. Just a memorable night.
-The Bight: Slogged upwind from JVD, hit the caves, consumed painkillers on the beach and, yes, snuck over to the frat party on Willy T. Saw 2 octopi (octopusses?) in the caves. Really cool.
-Cooper Island: Fabulous snorkeling, as always. And a great visit on shore. A little bummed it was the last night, but we were all well satisfied and ready to return to the real world.
Summation: Here's one takeaway for me. First time sailing out of Tortola in many years. Thought we'd give it a try. And it was fine. The travel costs, however, greatly exceeded what we've grown accustomed to when chartering out of St. Thomas (CYOA Frenchtown). Also, I found I really missed St. John. In the past, we'd usually spend 2 or 3 nights there at the tail end (Maho, Leinster, Lameshur or Caneel). But when chartering out of Tortola, that was just not feasible from a customs point of view. We booked transport with Island Time from portal to portal and they were great. But between taxis, customs, customs, customs and water taxis, we did feel nickel and dimed pretty heavily. As for my first trip to Anegada in many years, as I said, we loved it. But I'd probably not prioritize it every year . . . maybe one in three. And a final word to Waypoints. If you are chartering and looking for a top level boat, excellent service and an all-around great experience, go with them (either out of St. Thomas or Tortola). Having been treated to first-rate experience with Captain Jay, Nancy, Marsha and the rest of the crew at the St. Thomas location for so many years, I was exceedingly pleased to meet and work with the staff at Tortola.
-Scrub Island / Marina Cay: I was planning to go to Cooper or North Sound on the first night, but we had some late arriving friends, who ferried over to meet us on the boat. Remember when Scrub Island was just a scrub island?
-North Sound (Bitter End): Impressed with the new digs at Bitter End. Didn't strike me as on equal to the glory days, but they're still at it. Great to see them up and running again. Had appetizers and cocktails at Saba. Fabulous wait staff and great experience.
-North Sound (Leverick): Huge gratitude to Leroy, the dock manager. Terrific guy and super accommodating. Took a slip for the night, rented a safari truck and toured the island. Yes, including the Baths. For 20 years, I've said I'm done with the Baths, but there's always a newby on board, so what the heck. Actually, crowds were very light. Nice visit. Took in Michael Beans that night. Super guy. Good show. Pizza for dinner at the poolside restaurant (meh).
-Anegada: 2 nights there. First time up there in over 30 years. Super fun. Really cool to join the am Anegada Regatta for an easy sail. And though the course was very simple and the channel well marked, I'll admit it was nice to follow somebody else in who didn't crash and sink. Dinner at Anegada Reef Hotel on night 1. Lobster. Fine, not great. But a splendid evening with a great view. I almost never complain about anything. But I will say that our server must have been having a bad night. Not great service. Second night . . . Sid's. Outstanding on every level.
-JVD: Wonderful sail from Anegada to JVD. Maybe the best day of the trip. 10-15 knot wind. Sunny skies. Blissful sail. Grabbed a ball in Great Harbor, then took our 6 friends around the corner in the dingy to Soggy. Before you ask if that was a good time, I'll just say the dingy ride back was rather harrowing! Also had to make the obligatory stop at Foxy's. Then had dinner at Ali Baba's. Wasn't even planning to, but what a great call. Some of the most welcoming and friendly people I've ever met in the BVI. Baba sat and talked with us for a long time. Just a memorable night.
-The Bight: Slogged upwind from JVD, hit the caves, consumed painkillers on the beach and, yes, snuck over to the frat party on Willy T. Saw 2 octopi (octopusses?) in the caves. Really cool.
-Cooper Island: Fabulous snorkeling, as always. And a great visit on shore. A little bummed it was the last night, but we were all well satisfied and ready to return to the real world.
Summation: Here's one takeaway for me. First time sailing out of Tortola in many years. Thought we'd give it a try. And it was fine. The travel costs, however, greatly exceeded what we've grown accustomed to when chartering out of St. Thomas (CYOA Frenchtown). Also, I found I really missed St. John. In the past, we'd usually spend 2 or 3 nights there at the tail end (Maho, Leinster, Lameshur or Caneel). But when chartering out of Tortola, that was just not feasible from a customs point of view. We booked transport with Island Time from portal to portal and they were great. But between taxis, customs, customs, customs and water taxis, we did feel nickel and dimed pretty heavily. As for my first trip to Anegada in many years, as I said, we loved it. But I'd probably not prioritize it every year . . . maybe one in three. And a final word to Waypoints. If you are chartering and looking for a top level boat, excellent service and an all-around great experience, go with them (either out of St. Thomas or Tortola). Having been treated to first-rate experience with Captain Jay, Nancy, Marsha and the rest of the crew at the St. Thomas location for so many years, I was exceedingly pleased to meet and work with the staff at Tortola.