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Re: First charter and visit to BVI
[Re: bernk]
#210671
12/06/2019 02:32 PM
12/06/2019 02:32 PM
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Joined: Dec 2015
Posts: 350 Ottawa, Canada
UncleLuff
Traveler
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Traveler
Joined: Dec 2015
Posts: 350
Ottawa, Canada
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Hey Bernk, Fellow Canadian here. Is there any reason why you choose BVIs? Cause if you are interested in seclusion you may want to consider Spanish Virgin Islands out of Fajardo. I have never been (yet!) but i understand that you will often find yourself completely alone at anchor especially during off season. Not a lot of restaurants and bars and complete opposite to what the BVIs are now. It is also a lot harder to get to the BVIs as Local Sailor mentioned. Depending on what time of the year you go you would find a lot more flights via Toronto direct to San Juan.
Good luck!
Last edited by UncleLuff; 12/06/2019 02:33 PM.
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Re: First charter and visit to BVI
[Re: bernk]
#210681
12/06/2019 05:01 PM
12/06/2019 05:01 PM
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Joined: Dec 2019
Posts: 3
BateauSoleil
Member
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Member
Joined: Dec 2019
Posts: 3
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Hi Bernk,
Nice to hear from another Vancouverite! We have a boat down in the islands and are back and forth to Vancouver several times a year. The connections to the BVI from YVR are challenging to say the least. Delta through Atlanta and United/AC through Chicago (red eyes) seem to be the best, and there are many more options from Vancouver to SJU than STT. If you do that you can then connect to beef island as easily as STT. We will often use InterCaribbean on a separate ticket for the cheapest end-to-end routing, although that can be risky if they have any issues. We have been lucky with them, but others have had challenges. You usually can't find their flights on portals like flights.google.ca so book on their site directly.
We take the ferry about 1/3 of the time, depending on what flight connection we have, but honestly, we prefer the little bit extra cost to save the hassle of the ferry, especially since you will have likely just come off a red-eye and 2-3 flights already!
As for the islands, we are currently in Fajardo, PR after spending the last month in the BVI, USVI and Spanish Virgins (all in November). We still love the BVI and with everything so close, you can see a lot in a week. It is also early in the season, so as mentioned by others, you can still find some peace (except for US Thanksgiving). However, you will have a hard time not finding neighbours in your bay, and some are hard to anchor in because of the quantity of mooring balls (which are generally $30/night).
As mentioned by others, St John has some very quiet bays, especially on the south coast which are beautiful and can be deserted. North coast bays will have more people, but are also beautiful. Probably not going to fill a week, but chartering out of the USVI can work, and then hop over to the BVI. FYI, we use the US CBP App to check-in without having to visit a customs / immigration office in the US. It is available for Canadians and Americans, but I am not sure if you can use it for a charter. Check with your charter company. It saves a ton of time vs. visiting Cruz Bay if coming over from the BVI. You can also use it to check-in to the Spanish Virgins from the USVI. Of course going into the BVI, you still will need to check-in regardless.
Which brings me to the SVI. We just spent the last couple of weeks there, and really loved them. However, the conditions were not ideal with swell and wind direction with the storms in the Atlantic, so more of a crap shoot than the BVI or St John. We anchored in Culebrita, Culebra and on the south coast of Vieques, and all were amazing. Distances between are much longer though (longest sail was 22 nautical miles), so if on a one week schedule, I am not sure you would see as much. Also anchorages are not as empty as I expected. Culebrita was packed (but we were there for Thanksgiving), and Culebra was also busy in the main anchorages. Vieques was much more quiet.
Always happy to answer more specific questions on flight routings we have used!
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Re: First charter and visit to BVI
[Re: bernk]
#210973
12/11/2019 03:40 PM
12/11/2019 03:40 PM
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Joined: Dec 2019
Posts: 72 Vancouver, BC
bernk
OP
Traveler
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OP
Traveler
Joined: Dec 2019
Posts: 72
Vancouver, BC
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I have to admit, the more I read the more I question whether I'm making the right decision by choosing the BVI as our charter destination. It seems like getting there from Vancouver is quite the hassle. This leaves me feeling like a week might not be enough to justify it, and…
The other thing is that my partner and I are both in our 30s, with me being past the hump and her still before it. We live more like we're in our 20s, though. No kids and focused mostly on adventures and good times. I'm starting to wonder if chartering in the BVI is maybe a little too…lazy for us? The thing that appeals to me most about sailing is the freedom. The fact that no infrastructure is needed to move from place to place and explore. I love being out on the water, but I love dropping the hook, swimming ashore and scrambling up a mountain to find a hidden lake with a waterfall all to ourselves even more! I don't think either of us would be content with just sailing from restaurant to bar to restaurant, and I'm kind of getting the impression that this is what the BVI is about. I hope my impression is wrong…is it?
I'd especially be interested to hear more from those familiar with my home area (i.e., the Gulf Islands, Sunshine Coast, Discovery Islands, etc.).
I have until the 20th to pay the deposit on the boat, so I'm starting to freak out a little. Any thoughts?
Last edited by bernk; 12/11/2019 03:43 PM.
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Re: First charter and visit to BVI
[Re: bernk]
#210985
12/11/2019 07:03 PM
12/11/2019 07:03 PM
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Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 647 MD, USA
polaris
Traveler
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Traveler
Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 647
MD, USA
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If you are looking for anchoring and some "remote and secluded" - you are clearly looking in the wrong place. Look at Belize!
Polaris
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Re: First charter and visit to BVI
[Re: bernk]
#211015
12/12/2019 11:14 AM
12/12/2019 11:14 AM
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Joined: Dec 2018
Posts: 216 Dana Point
captdennyj
Traveler
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Traveler
Joined: Dec 2018
Posts: 216
Dana Point
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Burn,
If you are rethinking the BVI.....
You might check into sailing in the pacific area.
* Tahiti....you really need about 10 days....to two weeks , bare boating, Raiatea , Taha'a, Bora Bora, and Huahini.....( lots of peaceful and and beautiful anchorages.) .
The other, for a real getaway, would the the WHITSUNDAY ISLANDS OF AUSTRALIA, 10 DAYS. ( mostly cooked on board as there were very, very few places to eat ashore, no towns, just natural beauty, hiking and killer snorkeling. )
One week barebaoting, , if you are sailing, really goes way too fast . Slow down and enjoy and leave the stress back home. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- .
For Australia ...Too long of an airplane and travel time for just one week. ( Actually spent 30 days when visiting OZ, 10 days sailing, plus 4 day dive boat trips out to the Great Barrier Reef, and Coral Sea, and also land adventures. )
The above suggestions are a couple of our faves, and we find quiet anchorages, great snorkeling and fantastic sailing.....Tahiti ( 4) trips, and the Whitsundays (2) trips. We also love the BVI, but it was not peaceful and quiet in general and we stay clear of the Caribbean during hurricane season or The winter Christmas Winds. ( BVI : we personally prefer late May before hurricane season, and the kids are still in school. Not so crowded. ( two week trips ) .
Just thought that might fit into your requirements.
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Re: First charter and visit to BVI
[Re: bernk]
#211026
12/12/2019 12:46 PM
12/12/2019 12:46 PM
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Joined: Dec 2019
Posts: 3
BateauSoleil
Member
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Member
Joined: Dec 2019
Posts: 3
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Having owned boats in the Gulf Islands and the BVI, they are quite different, but both wonderful. For land facilities, think Saltspring Island, rather than Saturna! But still lots of exploring to be done. The one thing to remember is the sailing is MUCH better in the BVI. You can always sail as much as you want with (usually) robust trade winds compared to the varied winds in the Gulf Islands (that often evaporate in the summer when the weather is nice). The water temperature is also way nicer for that swim ashore, not to mention how much more you can see in the water. Yes, there is definitely a hassle factor getting there from YVR, but that is true of the Eastern Caribbean overall, if you could squeeze in a couple more days it would make all the difference!
Last edited by BateauSoleil; 12/12/2019 12:47 PM.
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