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North sound

Posted By: Latadjust

North sound - 12/26/2018 11:02 PM

Greetings fellow bare boat enthusiasts,
Its been awhile since we were last in the BVI, cant wait to get back.
Since the hurricane, we've been following the recovery and trying to anticipate what will be available in the coming months.
The North Sound on Virgin Gorda is always a big part of our stay, BEYC and Saba Rock arent up yet, but I havent heard anything about the little place on the beach on Prickly Pear Is., burgers, drinks, open air....

Also, I miss the trip reports avec photos,

Cheers!
Posted By: Winterstale

Re: North sound - 12/27/2018 02:09 AM

I do not believe Sandbox is open on Prickly Pear — lots to be found at Leverick!
Posted By: Bernard

Re: North sound - 12/27/2018 10:20 AM

We are tied up to a mooring ball at Prickly Pear at the moment. They have started rebuilding the Sandbox restaurant (there was someone working there yesterday) but it looks like it will be a while before it reopens.
Posted By: Latadjust

Re: North sound - 12/27/2018 09:11 PM

Thank you both, much appreciated

I am in a continual battle with my "smart" phone, it thinks its smarter than me but I know better, however my kid could probably figure this out real quick. Are the trip reports photos and all still here somewhere & I'm just not seeing the right place to click?

Cheers
Posted By: captdennyj

Re: North sound - 12/28/2018 12:18 AM

We will be back bareboating a jeanneay 36i, last two weeks of May 2019. This will be BVI sailing vacation # 17 over a about a 36 year period.

Or plan, is that we understand that some of our favorite places in the BVI are no longer there, have changed , or have been nicely rebuilt.

We are going to make the best with what we can enjoy, and not worry about what we cannot return to this year. Also, we are going to visit new places to us, that we have not been to previously, or have changed a bit, that will make it like a new place.

If interested, this is our sailing and land plan.

* We now bareboat charter with Conch, and used to stay at the Fort Burt Hotel, and eat and drink at the very near by restaurants and bars. Well, we are still sailing with Conch, but our first couple of nights ashore after arrival, will be
NANNY CAY HOTEL. Looks great, beach, swimming pool, three or four restaurants and bars and a very short taxi to Conch .

* Rite-way super market next to Conch is open, and we will use one of Conchs dock carts and wheel it over to the market, and stock up our provisions .
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* The Willy T is history and destroyed in the Bight....on Norman, That was always our first destination and then the next morning, SAIL up to Virgin Gorda Sound and Leverick Bay. Not happening
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* This trip, we will leave Conch and sail to Cooper Island, snorkel cistern point, go to the new Rum Bar, and then have dinner at the wonderful and restored COOPER ISLAND BEACH CLUB
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* Cooper to LEVERICK BAY : Shorter sail , reefed down, with a small jib tacking up the Sir Francis Drake Channel to LEVERICK for the Friday Night beach bbq, band, dancing and the mocko jumbies. The party light is lit.
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Gorda ( north sound ) VG:

( After Leverick, We usually would have one night ashore at SABA ROCK....we really liked it there, and happy hour, feeding the tarpon, and relating to the staff and great meals was perfect. That and the BEYC are not in operation. If the Sandbox at ViXEN POINT IS BACK UP IN MAY, we may stop one night there for their fabulous lobsters. toes in the sand, under the night sky. That is not a sure thing at this time...

What else to do up in GORDA SOUND.... we will dink out to Eustacia Sound and spend some time snorkeling. Again , we do the best with what we have, and not worry about what we dont have.. And most likely back to Leverick for a super marvelous
special dinner out at the classy upstairs restaurant.

FRESH BOAT WATER AT LEVERICK BAY MARINA. _______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

The next morning SAILS UP, the iron jenny shut down, We depart Leverick to SCRUB ISLAND RESORT :

Scrub Island Resort. Very new, very nice, great slips, protected by a reef, hiking, sea kayaking, panoramic views from the top of big scrub, swimming pool, beaches and snorkeling. Maybe some stand up paddling, Great restaurants and bars.
This is all brand new to us, and very much looking forward to having a grand new experience. FRESH BOAT WATER AT SCRUB.
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to: MARINA CAY : We know the previous view restaurant , on the beach , is not operating at this time, For years , we spent my birthday here, and dinner and the people and the views were outstanding and we loved Marina Cay.

New place, same place. Now , we will will probably snorkel ashore from the boat, pay for the mooring and make our reservations for the new out door , under tent, on the beach restaurant, and still that great view of the other islands.
Then snorkel back to the boat,. Later we will dink ashore, and we will feel partly new and partly fond memories. if the up the hill view bar is open, good chance for early happy hour, and we will dink in early, and party, and dance to live music. Last trip we met neat folks who were also sailing the BVI, and talked story and all were up dancing together having a super fun time. Then down the short walk to the restaurant, now the tent.

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Then, off to Jost van Dyke with a stop to snorkel at MONKEY POINT . Jost will be : Little Jost and the B-Line Beach Bar,, mooring there for the night. And the next day GREAT HARBOR, and walk over to White Bay. Then back to party at Corsairs and Foxys. Corsairs will also be new to us as will Hendos at White Bay. Our old friend THE SOGGY is generally super mobbed by Day Trippers. They clear out about 3:30 pm, and we can slide up to the bar in relative peace, before walking back over to Great Harbor. New and old all work together. FRESH BOAT WATER AVAILABLE AT GREAT HARBOR.
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Possibly Sail across to CANEGARDEN BAY.

Quitos and Myetts are open and going strong. But, sadly, I have seen photos down on Canegarden Bay, with loads of beach loungers, umbrellas, and water toys. Looked like Coney Island or the Bahamas, and that is not our style. Others will feel differently.

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Pass on SOPERS HOLE , for us this time.

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Sail thru little thatch cut around the West End of Tortola

NANNY CAY, where we will reserve a slip, and sleep on board, and party down on the beach, beach tiki bar, and Peglegs. and top of our FRESH WATER AND FUEL. Fuel is not a problem for us monohulll sailors, we only use 7 to 8 Gallons of fuel in two weeks. Mostly to charge the batteries and pick up moorings.
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Last night will be at PIRATES , at the Bight on NORMAN ISLAND. plus early snorkeling the INDIANS AND PELICAN ISLAND.
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Then , return the jeanneau 36i, to Conch.
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That is our itinerary , but also all the above is weather dependent. For Jost, we need the NE trades, if it switches to the SE , then all harbors on Jost are open to the wind and the sea. Praying for NE winds.

Again, we are very much excited about returning to Sail the BVI, and are looking only at the positive aspects of the islands after Irma and Maria. This next BVI two week sailing vacation is going to be OUTSTANDING.
Posted By: krafty81

Re: North sound - 12/28/2018 01:05 AM

Some corrections, just back two days ago.

- Willy T is at Peter Island going strong. They will be gone I think by the time you arrive.

- Pool and one restaurant at Nanny Cay are nice. The other is a "sports bar" off the water that plays soccer 24/7. Good fuel and water dock.

- There is a restaurant at Marina Cay - under a tent but looks pretty good. Fuel and water dock fully operational. You are right about Scrub Island resort - very nice. One restaurant only is open. Looks like a great trip!
Posted By: captdennyj

Re: North sound - 12/28/2018 05:34 PM

Thank you crafty,

at the end of this, I have a ferry from STT to Road Town, Tortola question or two.



Good to hear that we can get fresh water at Marina Cay . That is excellent. Appreciate those scoops.

As to the Willy T ,, our new first night would have been at the NEW Willy T, Great Harbor , Peter Island, and sad to hear that the powers that be , are giving our first night tradition party on her the boot. Boooooooooo !!

However, we will make our own pirate party, with sea shantys, caribbean , and jimmy buffet music, and open up the liquor locker, well, unscrew the cap of the Dark Rum. After mooring, I will be re'flaking the main, tying off the halyards so they don't clank and ping, making up the sheets and all other lines.

Erica will be down below, constructing our rack...( bed) up in the V-Berth, and building our rum drinks . Then up she pops, drinks in hand, music selected and playing, with a happy 'after passage libation ' in each hand.. We wind up singing along,
and dancing in the cockpit .

.

Thanks again for the updates, the new outdoor restaurant, ( tent ) on Marina Cay, looks very nice from the photos that I have seen.

We booked the boat thru Conch about a year ahead, and in a couple of weeks will be booking the airfare and hotels for our land based situations before and after sailing.

My question .......

Also , new to us, this trip will be the first time that we have not gone thru Puerto Rico, and then flew into Beef Island, airport.

Our plan is to fly LAX - MIA - STT, stay at the Tradewinds hotel in St. Thomas, near the ferry landing. I have some info on NATIVE SON, but are open to any other ferry company ideas . The ferry is new to us, and have read some not so positive reports
on most of them.

Any, up to date ideas or tips on the ferry STT to Road Harbor would be appreciated. Get reservations ?, or just show up, ? Are the ferrys now running on a sked, or still cancelling trips unannounced. Any latest scoops would be greatly appreciated.

We will have some wiggle room built into our pre sailing schedule. . .

Thank you

Denny and Erica
Posted By: JasonHelmbrecht

Re: North sound - 12/28/2018 05:39 PM

Just head to the ferry dock and take the first ferry leaving for Road Town. Don't buy a round trip ticket so you have the option to use any company on the return.

Be sure to grab a beverage for the trip from the Petite Pump Room before boarding.
Posted By: captdennyj

Re: North sound - 12/28/2018 09:48 PM

perfect, jason

We will follow your excellent advice. Aye, and start the day the Irish way , board the ferry and enjoy the passage.

Same plan on the return as to the early ferry.

Denny and Erica
Posted By: henryv

Re: North sound - 12/28/2018 10:34 PM

Don't write off Cane Garden Bay. The line of lounges and umbrellas are normally only there when a cruise ship is shuttling their guests over. They are typically gone and the beach is quiet again by mid afternoon. Also their is a very nice new restaurant called Bananas - reservations a must but worth it
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