Allow me to introduce myself!

Hello All,

Long time lurker here, finally took the time and figured out how to register. I have learned a ton from reading the TTOL/BVI forum so I am very grateful and happy to be able to participate now.

I am booking (hopefully today) a trip for June 2016. This will be my 2nd time cruising the BVIs but first time bare boating. After a ton of research and talking to booking agents I think we have settled on a Footloose 4600 with 8 people for 5 nights. I Know...not long enough, but all I could get people to commit to for our first trip. They are running great specials on the 4600 right now FYI.

I can get into detail on why we are choosing this boat but mostly it comes down to having a very green crew, only one of the guys coming with me has sailed BVI before. I want to make sure it is as comfortable as possible (I want this to be an "every couple of years" trip in the future) so we need A/C and generator. I know some of you are very passionate about the smaller charter companies and I totally respect that. For my first trip as captain I want to be in a familiar place and work with a familiar company so I think we are pretty set on Moorings/Footloose.

Most of the crew will be travelling from Charlotte, NC on 6/12 and we'll be on the boat Tuesday to Saturday.

I look forward to sharing much more about our plans and getting feedback from the great community here, but I want to keep this first post short so it will get read

I don't know how I'm going to wait 6 months!

So.... thoughts/comments/questions?
<img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/dine.gif" alt="" /> <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/dine.gif" alt="" />

Welcome to TTOL, glad to have you <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Clapping.gif" alt="" />

I mostly lurk here myself and have gotten a wealth of info from the folks here.

We're less than 3 weeks to our land & sea trip <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/circle.gif" alt="" />, I think it's trip #10,,, can't wait to get back.

Are you in Charlotte?

Steve

Welcome Aboard!
As you have already have found, TTOL is a great resource as well as a very diverse & knowledgeable community.
I'm 6 weeks away from my next BVI adventure, counting the days... Good Luck & Cheers!

Welcome, great group of people with sooo much knowledge.

Thanks everyone!

Steve - yes I am in Charlotte. Born and raised!

I wish I was as close paradise to some of you. I may drive my crew nuts with all the talk over the next 6 months

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

WELCOME to this incredible community . We have brought several groups of newbies and will be bringing another couple in March.

June is a great time to go ....we will be there until June 8th , maybe we will see ya round?

Woukd be happy to share any insights or answer any questions if you think I can be of help.

Home from work today because of a huge nor'easter ....BVI dreamin <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Grin.gif" alt="" />

Looking forward to hear about your exploits!

If you take it easy, reef early, and avoid "get-there-itus" you should be fine with a green crew.
It's worth avoiding docks if you REALLY can't trust them.
They can be taught how to pick up a mooring in a day.

Best policy is to follow-up behind them and check every knot.

Have a great time! You'll be wanting to go back for 10 days next trip!

This is my thought process exactly. Thanks Twanger.

My first experience sailing the BVIs was a Moorings crewed trip aboard the Moorings 4800 Knot on Call with Capt. Nohan and Marli who are AWESOME people and were such an amazing crew. It was actually their first charter (Nohan was a delivery captain prior) and I believe they have moved up to a 5800, according to the Moorings site.

Anyway, I grew up around boats and have a passion for the water but learned a great deal sailing with Capt. Nohan last year. He let us get involved in all aspects of planning, navigation, sailing, etc. and we covered a lot of territory so I have a decent idea of the spots I want to hit with my crew next year.

More on that to follow!

Welcome!

There are several NC sailors on the board here

I ran into Suburban Dharma at a music gig one time!

You will have a great time. Only mistake I see is that you are chartering for only 5 days. If it is not too late, try to extend that time. 1 day getting off the dock and 1 day getting back takes a lot of time out of your trip.

One other piece of advice. Don't yell at anyone unless lives are in danger.

We took a large group down this past summer. The AC and generator are indeed a great help. We also rented a router from the Moorings Base. And no matter what people say about it being slow, with 6 children and 2 techie adults on board we never had a problem. And this included the kids downloading a lot of stuff.

have a great trip!

Welcome! Our last trip was our first with A/C and a generator. You (and your crew) will love it.
We've been back from our last trip for 4 weeks now and it's less than 4 months till our next trip. It's addicting!

Yup...and there is no such thing as detox either...it just keeps getting worse

Sigh...isn't that the truth????

Welcome aboard
Looking forward to hearing about
your adventures
So, what about sailing 5 days and extending
the trip land based?
I hate it when I leave too much fun on the table.

Mike

Great suggestion. We have paired some awesome land based stays with sailing vacations

Welcome aboard! We chartered with Footloose a few years ago and had a great experience. The cat we had was 6 years old I think, we had a couple maintenance issues during the trip, the shore power a/c vapor locked (the mechanic showed me how to bleed the lines!) and the pull cord on the dinghy snapped. The good news is that they responded very quickly to fix both issues, once at Saba and once in Diamond Cay, Jost. Have a great trip, I would take 5 nights right now!!! <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/toast.gif" alt="" />

Cruised Barefoot R&C 46' June 2014 with a blue/green crew. My third as captn. Very nice boat without issues. Same Moorings/Sunsail base crew. Good folks and base. Others advice is right-on. Keep reading, keep asking questions. You'll get there.

Slow down, you can't do it all in only 5 days. Big reason to plan the next trip.

So, if you only had 5 days on the water, where would you spend them?
Cooper is very pretty if no swells, where else?
Norman island and the Indians are also very special.

Welcome...
We love the North Sound of Virgin Gorda, could spend all 5 days there!
Try not to do too much, you will go back, we have over 20 times!

The week that you are there will be towards the end of our trip. We will probably be around Jost, Soper's Hole, Norman or Cooper during that time. Hopefully we will run into you someplace. We are on Midnight Song, a 47' mono out of Pro Valor. We'll be flying a TTOL flag on the port spreader. Not to be wishing my life away, but, sure wish it was 6 days away and not 6 months.

I started thinking about this yesterday now that we are actually booked. Would love some help/suggestions. I am certainly weighing showing the crew the highlights versus "get-there-itus".

Here is my FIRST pass at a ROUGH itinerary:

Day 1- somewhere close; thinking Peter or Cooper. (spent night 1 in Peter last time. nice quiet place to get settled in)

Day 2 - stop by the baths, snorkel and maybe have lunch there then onto North Sound for the night (visited Saba, Bitter End and Biras Creek last time so maybe we should check out Leverick?)

Day 3 - this is the "flex" day. We'll be headed back west, and didn't visit Cane Garden Bay last time so I've penciled that in for night 3. Need help here.

Day 4 - visit White Bay, JVD during the morning/lunch and then Great Harbour for the evening- could cab over to bubbly pool (?)

Day 5 - Norman / Willy T (probably stop and snorkel the Indians/Caves. We missed the Indians last time b/c it was rough. We did dinghy over to the caves which was great)

I'm trying to provide a good mix of sight seeing, sailing/boat time, relaxing and partying. And I fully understand that's VERY tough to do in a 5-day trip. There was just no way I could get people to commit to more time, and my work schedule will be tough too. We are all busy working young adults.

Now I'll complicate all of this and say I am expecting a few other groups to join us. So this may all be for sport and we end up rafted up somewhere for 3 days which would be OK...I've seen a lot of the highlights and the #1 priority for me this trip is everyone having a good time. For the record, I wouldn't coordinate multiple boats making that loop I listed above. More of a "here's where we're going, see you there if you can make it" type of thing, if it works out that way.

Day 2: DEFINITELY take a slip at Leverick, rent a jeep thru Nick, go to the Bath's/Snorkle, lunch at Hog Heaven is a must! <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Clapping.gif" alt="" />

Thanks for the suggestions, keep them coming. Should I start another trip planning thread?

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

If I may comment.

If you will have a group of boats I would start at Norman Island. Huge harbor with lots of moorings and a good chance you will all snuggle in together. If looking for quiet first night grab balls farther out. Hit the indians on the way for a high noon snorkel.

Then you can let the wind push your group in a direction.

RE: JVD....have your group take moorings in Great Harbor at JVD and walk to White bay. It is a killer walk (bring water and wear gym shoes) and treat yourself to one of the best views in the islands at the top of the hill. Pub crawl white bay. Taxi to Foxy's taboo....relax for a carib....walk to the bubbly pool...chill out...then taxi back to Great Harbor for Foxy's in the evening.

Leverick is pretty awesome. Mocko Jumbies and BBQ (Fridays I believe) are a real experience...but I would skip the slip. Even though it is the same price....its just not the same experience IMHO. Be sure to take a cruise around the harbor in your dink and glide under the giant Cats and Tri's all lit up at night.

The mistake I made the first time I went was to try to do too much. Everywhere you go will be incredible. Soak it in and worry about tomorrow when you wake up!

Thanks for the advice. Why Norman over Peter night 1? And if we did that are you suggesting we go clockwise? I totally get the point about not trying to do too much but I would like to visit JVD and North Sound.

I like that idea for JVD, sounds like a great day. We didn't get to go to Foxy's last time, we only cruised through Great Harbour. We spent the night over at Foxy's Taboo and did the Bubbly Pool hike and then spent the next morning in White Bay, which was definitely a highlight. Sad to hear Mic is no longer there.

Keep the ideas coming!

Peter Island is more expensive and has fewer mooring options. It is not that protected a harbor from swell and the snorkeling is no where near as good.

I am not suggesting either clockwise or counter clockwise. The sailing distances from Norman to anywhere you want to go are very easy. We left Port Purcell on our last charter and made it all the way to the North Sound at Leverick 1/2 motor (no wind in beginning)...1/2 sail in just under 5 hours (or five caribs)... So, add 30 min to that form Norman. Not appreciably different when on Island time.

Anyway, you really cant go wrong. It is only a difficult decision because every option is awesome!

Keith