Hey all - just back from a fantastic week in the windy BVI. I took my two kids (age 5 and 9) and 5x adult family members that were charter first-timers. Kids punched their first ticket last year in the Exumas.
This was my first time chartering in more of the high season and wow was it windy and crowded. 20 knots most of the week with two days of 25+. Had to re-work the itinerary a bit so we weren't sailing to Anegada on those windier days. I was determined not to reserve a Boatyball all week, and managed to pull it off. Here's where we ended up each night.
1. Diamond Cay - FCFS ball 2. Benures Bay (Bight was full at 2:30) - FCFS ball 3. BEYC - anchored 4. Leverick - anchored 5. Pomato point - anchored 6. CGB - ball 7. Peter Island - slip
The only anchorage I didn't particularly care for was the one at BEYC since we were in 50 feet and it was pretty crowded at 2:30 when we arrived.
A few firsts...
As I mentioned in another thread, we rented a safari truck and did the Baths via land and it was really enjoyable day. VG has great views and it's really a fun drive. Those views at Hog Heaven alone are worth it.
I've always wanted to try Pomato Point and frankly it's unclear to me if that area is redlined, but I dont see why it should be. With how crowded Setting Point was (~75 boats), there was really no reason to try and get in there and anchor. I've also had a FCFS (non-boaty) ball fail on me in the Setting Point anchorage. The Pomato Point anchorage is easy to approach, has excellent holding, and has a lot of space. There were 6x boats with room for plenty more. We arranged a truck delivery from Dean, and later that evening dined at Sid's which was excellent. Great vibe, friendly staff, and the food was really really good. Downside is it's a beach landing, and we had a little bit of wind swell to deal with. Perhaps others can comment on how this is in different weather conditions. We had east winds of 18-20 knots and it was a little bit rolly.
I reserved a slip at Peter Island a couple weeks before the trip for our last evening. First time ever being on the dock during a charter and we also wanted to check out the new marina facilities. Beautiful setting and the facilities are really well done - perhaps they could use some more seating area at the pool. Crew enjoyed coming and going as they pleased. 30 min motor the next am back to Nanny Cay. We had planned to just grab some pizzas at the Drunken Pelican but I wasn't aware it was bbq buffet night and at $70/pp that added up quickly! A word of advice - be floating outside the channel entrance 20 or so mins before 1:00. I arrived right on time and had to wait for 4x boats which took over an hour and a half to get in.
Matt, Glad the VG Safari truck worked out. Yes, I heard the winds were a blowing. Re Peter Island. Did you get PI day passes for all with the dock space? How much for all?
Where did you fly in/out of? I just heard stories that St. Thomas yesterday, Saturday 21 March, was an absolute zoo with hundreds standing in lines to the top of the hill of the airport entrance. And of course there’s all kinds of national news stories about Houston airport due to the TSA situation.
Forgot to mention - another first...got a knot in our anchor chain on our very first afternoon while trying to anchor on south side of little JVD. A few things compounded - no functioning chain counter, inexperienced crew, and too much chain was let out after the bridle went on. And then, when trying to adjust this, the chain piled up in the locker and dislodged the chain from the windlass sending about 100 feet out...another issue I've never had to deal with. Somehow in those serious of events it knotted itself. The chain piling up was a good lesson learned and something we kept a close eye on the rest of the trip. It was an ordeal, but in order to fix, we were able to first manually pull up most chain slack, secured the anchor, and then grabbed a FCFS ball at Diamond Cay. We pulled the entire chain out of the locker, doing 8 or so loops on one side of the deck. Disconnected the bitter end rope from the chain's other tag end. Then we fed the chain back through the knot laying it down on the other side of the boat. Thankfully only had to do this once.
JP - the day passes are included with the slip fee. For our Lagoon 50, it was $200...so cheaper than getting day passes and a mooring ball, for most crew sizes. Great value IMO and I'd stay at Peter again. Worth doing at least once if you haven't seen it yet.
Yikes re: STT. Worst airport in the country imo. Actually now that you brought it up, this was another first, using the EIS - Miami route. Worked fine on our way down. But then yesterday (not busy at all btw) when leaving, I neglected to check in until we were on the way to the airport, about 1.5 hours before the flight...you know how it is trying to get the boat back, fueled, and disembarked. Just completely forgot. Well I guess that put us at the bottom of the barrel for denied boarding. Of course there were south winds so the plane was weight restricted...We were onboard, they asked for 4x volunteers. Two people took the $1k vouchers. Then they came over to my family of 4 and said two of us had to get off. So my son and I had to get on later flight, but it was delayed, missed connection, overnight in crappy Miami airport hotel, and now we are currently on the flight back to Denver as I write this...Idk if anyone on here has experienced the same. But they handed me vouchers for voluntarily getting off the flight, which I refused. IDK if I'm fighting a losing battle but I've submitted complaints to both AA and the DOT. Gate agent refused to change it and AA customer service hung up on me twice.
The later flight we did take had 13 folks denied boarding. Departed 1.5 hours late because the captain still running the numbers or something...
Miami airport was a mess this morning for general security line. The Pre-check was open and only took us 15 minutes to get through.
In February EIS-MIA - AA pulled four people off the plane and they were NOT happy. Two were traveling with family members. As the crew were getting ready to close the door, the remaining family members demanded to get off the plane as well.
Hi Matt - Thanks for posting. Your report on weather and crowds was spot on from what I've heard from others. We've anchored at Pomato Pt several times and have similar thoughts on it.....can be rolly as the swells wrap around the point, easy approach and anchoring as long as one watches the depth...beach landing for dinghies can be interesting if there are any waves.....nice and quiet (most times I've been there we were the only boat). I've not been there in a ground swell...I would think it might be a little too exposed to the north and swell would wrap the point at West End. Glad to hear Peter Island Resort is back up and running at 100%.
Trying to kill some time on this flight, so here's one more. I went into White Bay early on Sunday morning. Probably 5 or 6 boats that overnighted there which surprised me. Plan was for a painkiller or two, lunch, and then hightail it before it got too crowded. Had 15-20 knots, increasing during the morning, gusting higher. Well, I probably missed that window to depart by about 30 mins. As I was sitting at Hendo's, a day boat went stern to right over my anchor chain. He knew he shouldn't have been there because he hailed us once when we got back aboard. His plan was to dive under his boat, manually pick up our chain, and place it where we could pick it up. I told him no chance and that he needed to move. He tried it anyway and found out how heavy a 50 ft cat's anchor and chain is. While attempting to move, difficult in that cross wind, he wrapped a smaller boats chain in his prop. A few good samaritans helped and finally got him untangled so he could move away. We were able to motor forward, pick up our anchor, and get out of there without incident. But definitely not the stress one goes searching for! I heard a power cat did the opposite a couple days later and fowled a stern to anchor. It's one thing if it's crowded and blowing 10 knots. A lot different in there at 20.
We always fly through Beef Island, haven't had an issue. We generally avoid weekends, but my niece left on the early flight two weeks ago today, no problem. We would definitely consider a $1k voucher offer. Our house would still be open, and that would be another trip paid for!
Planes are taking off to the west today, so they may be weight restricted. One option would be to ask American to pay for a flight to San Juan and get you home from there.
You may have seen the photos of STT yesterday - the TSA line wound several blocks outside the terminal. Not for me!
Son and family, 5 total, departed STT yesterday, Sunday. Said it was a zoo, apparently much like Saturday. But, thanks to the sage advice from his father, who learned it right here on TTOL, he flagged a RED CAP and flashed $60 Made it through curb to gate in 45 minutes, he said:” People in regular line had been outside in line for 2 hours+ even before getting let inside!! ” Thanks TTOL!
Good tip..travel; is going to be a mess around the world til the TSA nightmare is sorted out..and not by sending in the ICEers.I'm waiting to book my trip back til at least something is settled there. But I will be on Tortola from mid /late May til the end of July if anyone is around..
I know we have one or two TTOL airline experts and wonder where one can find actual stats on the AA MIA-EIS-MIA route.
I'm in Ratsman's camp having had great experience (at least a dozen trips down and back) on that route since AA started it a couple years ago. The STT/Ferry route is fine if one has some timing flexibility. And its usually quite a bit less expensive. I always have trouble getting my flights reasonably aligned with the ferry schedule.
We once, pre hurricanes, nosed in to the Peter Island harbor in a monohull. I got nervous about the depth and we anchored out. Is the marina deep enough for a monohull?
We've docked at the Peter Island marina many times in monohulls, with no problem. But one time we tried for a mooring ball further back in the bay, and our keel touched bottom. That was quite a few years ago, so I don't know if anything, such as the locations of the balls, might have changed.
BTW - I submitted complaints to both AA and the DOT about our denied boarding. While we were already offered the $1k credit each, I wanted cash compensation. Apparently not worth pursuing, see AA's response below. So my advice if this happens to you - go ahead and try to re-book for a flight that's convenient. If your flight was weight-restricted, there's a good chance all of the flights that day will be as well. I would rather have went to a hotel and flown out the next morning vs sitting around the EIS terminal all day with the risk of getting bumped again.
"I do want to clarify again that under U.S. Department of Transportation guidelines, denied boarding on flights departing from an international airport do not qualify for mandatory compensation. Because of this, the Trip Credits you received were not issued as required compensation, but rather in line with American Airlines policy as a goodwill gesture for denied boarding in this situation."
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