I've been a member of this board since my first bareboat charter in 2005. The people here have always been friendly and helpful. The site has slowed down in recent years, presumably having lost viewers to the Facebook BVI chat. I have to say people on that other chat tend to be vicious and horrible to each other! We need to get the good people back here! Let's get the secret TTOL handshake going again!
Web sites like this work and succeed on the people who post..give (good) advice)..tell (tall?) tales etc. That is what has slipped away. Too many lurkers and not enough (informed) posters..
"Too many lurkers and not enough posters", TRUTH. It's a problem not specific to just this travel site.
When I put together trip reports for TTOL or elsewhere, it's time consuming, but I used to enjoy it. I liked when there's interaction, positive and negative comments are welcome, even "hijacking a thread" was a fun moment. But strangely comments are extremely rare.
I didn't even finish my last report, stopped at part 5....figured that was a fine spot to stop.
I wish this forum had been around for my first charter. In February of 1978 I chartered a Pearson 365 from St. Tropez Charters on St. Thomas for a cost of $994. We (2 couples) knew nothing about provisioning but learned there was a food market a few blocks from the harbor. We filled two shopping carts there and as we exited the market there was a young man whose job was to help load groceries into customer's cars. We gave him a very nice tip and he walked the carts with us right onto the pier and handed the groceries onto the boat. I had purchased some actual charts (from the original Lands End, which at that time was a small chandlery with a side room of nautical clothes located on the North Branch of the Chicago River) but at the chart briefing he had two place-map sized laminated charts of the USVI and BVI and that is what we used the entire trip - think about that as we now use our GPS based chart plotters, etc.
We cleared into BVI at West End and that receipt shows $.92 for Clearing, $2.06 for Overtime, $5 for Harbour Dues and $.60 Misc. We made it to BEYC and STILL have the T-shirt. On the run from North Sound to JVD the other guy wanted to nap and as we were making too much noise he decided to try to nap in the dinghy we were towing. He actually fell asleep so I tied ALL the dock lines end to end then to the dinghy and let it go probably 100 feet behind us. When he woke up he looked around and thought he was adrift in the ocean. That night we ate, drank and danced at Foxy's. It was one of those nights when everybody was dancing with everybody and a local gentleman had several dances with my wife. At the end of the evening he approached me and made it clear he expected me to tip him - for dancing with my wife! During the party my friend needed another nap and used a hammock outside Foxy's. The next day he was covered with red bites from the bugs living in that hammock.
After numerous charters in the BVI, USVI/Spanish VI, Grenadines, St. Martin, Belize (which I highly recommend), long distance trips on Jeannius, etc., I developed my own lists for provisioning, packing, boat inspection, chart briefing, etc.
Now all my sailing is vicarious. After 60 years of racing and cruising my doctor not-too-gently advised me to stay on dry land. So, this forum is greatly appreciated as one way of the ways to stay connected.
I really miss the days when so many ttol people would have a ttol flag in the sand at club o. That was a starter for so many conversations that became friendships. What we most enjoyed were the ttol “parties “ at various restaurants and bars. We met so many people e parties that Sheila (she14)arranged. Not only did she put on great times in Sxm,but she ran annual parties in R.I. that brought many of us from New England and NY together. Those were truly the days.
Lots of options out there but there is only one TTOL.
Have you done a you tube search for "BVI" recently. Tons of amazing stuff.
Every Tom, Dick and Harry with a drone and a waterproof gopro and editing skills has posted a BVI video. Some of its amazing stuff. How many times have I walked thru the Baths, let me count the ways.
My Sunday morning ritual has become, check out the soggy dollar cam, and look for the latest BVI flicks. This is all very "entertaining".
However, I am getting ready for my 18th+ trip to the BVI since 1990 and for "real/current information from people I trust" and to prep for my upcoming trip, there is only one place I count/rely on............. TTOL (BVI)!
I was 36 when I first experienced the BVI and now 72. Have I changed? Not a bit. Has TTOL changed. Yep. All for the better.
See you all soon. ( and I will be flying my TTOL flag )
Manpot, I was around on this board for years as a lurker before even registering as a user. I am guilty, still, of posting infrequently. Thank you for the reminder to pay-it-forward by attempting to contribute more. My experience in the BVI over the last 15+ years has been greatly impacted by those who contribute here.
I’ve been MIA for quite sometime, but still see many friends made here on TTOL. The days of Saildoggie were legendary. The infamous “DAWG ROCK” marker is behind Alibabas on JVD. Stop by and take a photo. IYKYK.
As a side note,for those who are on Facebook, please look into the charity funding project started by Dirk and Sandy on Le Reve and Jason Helmbrecht(rip) wife Tiffany. Something we can all get behind. Look for “Treasure the BVI” on FB and follow and share it if you can. Once a website is created I’ll add that link.
What great times we had on Jeannius..what friends we made for life as we sailed down to Mustique and back..nothing can erase those memories.."Unchain my yacht and set me free!!"
That takes me back Fred. Don't think I've seen that photo before. The other two are, I think, Polaris' (Nolan) sons. Here's a video (low resolution but it is 20 years old!!!!) from the 'Redonda' trip with enough wind to need a reef and the lovely Laura on the bow...
Yes, Mal, we have a TTOL flag (somewhere??) from one of those parties on Little Bay, with a bunch of signatures on it. Will need to look to see if I can find it.
