Just returned from our first adventure with CYOA charters. I have to report that our experience and the company were top notch. From the moment we arrived we were treated very well and the boat was in excellent condition (first year we didn't have to fix or replace something during our trip!) <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Clapping.gif" alt="" />. Although this was our 14th year chartering, we were required to do a short check out sail since it was our first trip with CYOA. This was a refreshing experience as it reflects on the companies desire to maintain the fleet and protect the owners interest in the yachts. The boat was superbly stocked and clean. We would absolutely consider CYOA for next years charter!

On another note we were able to spend some time at the B-line on little jost and fell in love with the place. If you would like a break from the crowds at white bay shoot over to B-line!

P.S. if anybody is chartering "Flying Moose" sometime soon we left some bundeze around the boat!

Great to hear B-line is open!! I'm assuming there are no mooring balls there - only anchorage? Did you fund the holding easy/good?

You can anchor or get a ball at Diamond Cay.

We grabbed a ball @ diamond cay. There were a few boats anchored out front

Bundeze, were you guys at Caneel Bay on Sunday? We moored next to Flying Moose when we were checking back into the USVI. <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Smile.gif" alt="" />

We also just did our first charter with CYOA. Agree with all already said. All the staff were super nice. We were on JustKat with no issues with the boat at all. We did a sleep aboard and was off the dock in time to make Sopers Hole the first day.

Thanks for the posting, bundeze. We're also considering chartering with CYOA on our next trip. For those who charter from CYOA and head in the direction of St. John or BVI's, what time do you usually get off the dock and where is your typical first-night stop? Are you typically motoring into the wind that first day to get there asap or do you have time to make a longer tack under sail? (didn't break out the chart before typing this). Thanks.

To answer TrackingAg- These guys and gals rock. I was with bundeze and we did a sleep aboard. We were off the dock 1st thing in the morning.
As far as making St. John the first night, that would of course depend on the winds. We pretty much sailed with an ENE, furled thru Current Cut and motored to Sopers.
There is a Great brick fired Pizza place 5 min. from CYOA’s dock along with Hook, Line and Sinker right there. CYOA is a win-win in all ways.

TackingAg, we do sleep aboard and we've made the point of asking to get going first thing in the morning. The guys that do checkout and sail check have been happy to get an early start. We get the inventory done on arrival day, really more of a "where is everything" exercise.

We usually stop at one of St. John's north shore or south shore bays. If its south shore, we put the sails up and head towards the south drop and get fishing lines in the water. If we're headed to the north shore or Jost we sail to Current Cut if we can, otherwise the sails go up after Current Cut.

The sail from Current Cut to Jost is usually just awesome, a single tack through the gap between Lovango and Rata Cays. Maho Bay and Leinster Bay St. John require a tack head around Johnson Reef.

Just describing it gets me excited. We're back in 18 days.

Cheers, RickG

First night, without question, Christmas Cove. Yesterday I saw an octopus, a spotted eel, a family of squid, and more other assorted fish than we saw anywhere else. And the PIZZA, omg the pizza from Pizza Pi is to die for.

I almost didn't want to post this for fear the place gets too popular, but it's too good to keep to myself. We go there on every trip- 4x so far this winter & it's been better every time!

Christmas Cove's snorkeling is always excellent. Do a semi circle around to the shallows and back.

Where else can you take a dink thru a "Drive Thru" ?

We always make our first stop Christmas Cove as well, and agree the snorkeling is great. The first time we went, our 6 year old woke us all up with delighted screams at the fish he was seeing and there was an impromptu 5am snorkeling trip.

There's a concern I have when I think about chartering out of St. Thomas. I'm kinda susceptible to motion sickness, as are others in my crew. We've never had a big problem in the SFD channel, but I wonder if the sailing can get a lot livelier on the eastbound trip out of Charlotte Amalie. We've had some pretty rough ferry rides.

Any thoughts?

Dan <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Cheers.gif" alt="" />

They don't call it Puke Alley for nothing. Sometimes it's pancake flat, while other times... not so much. <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Crazy.gif" alt="" />

Christmas Cove is our definite last night for all the reasons Suburban Dharma mentioned. BE CAREFUL: SOME OF THE CHRISTMAS COVE MOOINGS ARE ON THEIR LAST THREAD.

Echo what RickG said also...Love the North shore of St John or directly to Jost. We sleep aboard the night prior and have the check out down to a science.

It's typically the roughest part of the trip.
However, the rough part only lasts for about an hour, and then you duck behind GSJ & into Pillsbury sound and it's all smooth sailing after that. Those susceptible to sea-sickness should probably take a Dramamine that morning.

We were down there one week when the weather was bad - it rained every day, a lot. The last day we decided to do the shortest route possible from Norman to Charlotte Amalie and spend the night at CYOA instead of Christmas Cove to get more protection. We went around the south side of St John. It was the roughest sailing - well motoring - we've had in the BVI. Huge waves, strong winds, little visibility, pouring rain. Definitely made us aware that we were in a "small craft". (We did not have any trouble and no one felt sick, but it was not your normal BVI cruising.)

Great feedback, everyone. Thanks (and keep it coming)!!

[quote]stormster said:
The last day we decided to do the shortest route possible from Norman to Charlotte Amalie and spend the night at CYOA instead of Christmas Cove to get more protection. We went around the south side of St John. [quote]

If you skipped Cruz Bay on that route how was the reception and also the formalities of clearing in at the C&I offices in Charlotte Amalie?

I lost my breakfast on the ride from CYOA to the north shore of St John in December <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Sad.gif" alt="" /> <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Sad.gif" alt="" /> It's the only time I have been sea sick while sailing.

You are allowed to check in at the C&I offices at Charlotte Amalie if that's your first point of contact in the USVI. You actually take the boat into CYOA and then make the 5 minute walk over to C&I with everyone and their passports.

You can't however spend the night in Christmas cove on your last day and then check in. You need to hit Cruz bay first if you want to do that.
G

I understand that - I was just wondering how the C&I office in town there was during your visit -- Easy? friendly? hassle free [ as far as possible]?

We just did our first charter with CYOA a month ago and I will say they are top notch. We were stranded in the islands during the big east coast storm and we were able to stay on the boat in the marina for a small fee. I will be using them again in the future. You don't have to rush to a ferry.

Easy and hassle free!

I do strongly encourage all my crew to take a (fill in the blank) motion sickness pill the first morning. 1. It is the first morning "at sea". 2. We will be crossing the Pillsbury Sound, and that can be rough. Those that heed the Capt's advice generally have no issues other than needing an afternoon nap upon arrival at St John or Jost. :-)

Maybe we're outliers, but we enjoy the 20 minute roller coaster ride in the Pillsbury Sound. We start newbies on Bonine the night before and give them a dose each morning. Literally never a problem. Works for hangovers too. Its even more fun going east to west in Pillsbury Sound and you can surf them rollers on a monohull.

Generic Rugby brand Meclizine is $6.49 for ninety pills from Amazon.

Cheers, RickG