Destinations

Jost Van Dyke

A daytrip to this laid-back island with tropical charm and drinks to match is a great way to experience local beach bar flavour. White Bay forms a beautiful palm–lined crescent beach with the pleasant surprise that docking involves doping an anchor overboard and swimming or wading ashore – castaway style. Thus the Soggy Dollar Bar got its name – home of the famous &qout;Painkiller&qout; and always awash with adventurous souls trying one of the beach bar games or enjoying the cool of a hammock. Further down the beach One Love awaits, a glorified surf shack with owner Seddy's magic tricks part of the barbecue luncheon and bar entertainment.

Great Harbor is the island's principal bay and where the ferries dock from Tortola. Charming beachside restaurants and curio shops follow the shoreline ending at Foxy’s –headquarters for the savvy sailor and musical troubadour who hosts some the most well known beach parties in the world. A well–stocked gift shop has a great island wear selection and the Fox brews his own micro beer right on the premises. Corsairs is another eclectic dining spot on the beach with specialty pasta dishes and a varied beer selection. Over the hill to Diamond Cay Foxy' sister restaurant Taboo sits waterside offering lunch and dinner fare and just a short hike to the "bubbly pool" where wave action forms a Jacuzzi bath.

Norman Island

Best known as Robert Lewis Stevenson's literary model for Treasure Island, this rock faced hilly island holds many of the spots named in his famous book including Spy Glass Hill and the Caves. You may not find much gold in these three water–filled enclaves but expect to see schools of small copper sweepers and a variety of fish in the coral canyons That lay in front. Just round the bend in Norman's Bight are two popular lunch spots – one on a well–known party schooner– the Willy T and the other set behind a small strip of beach called Pirate's Bight. Just off the beach and following the shore is another good snorkelling spot known for angelfish.

In view from Norman Island and a quick boat ride away is the Indians– a series of rock peaks jutting from the water that a sailor enjoying his rum too much thought looked like an Indian headdress. The steep rock inclines go down forty feet to the ocean floor and the coral encrusted pinnacles are home to many colourful fish. There are mooring balls to secure the boat while swimming around these rock outcroppings where the seas can occasionally be rough.

Cooper Island

Part of the five major islands that line the Sir Frances Drake Passage to Virgin Gorda – Cooper Island is a fun "we're almost there" stop. A small beach club resort dots the beach with charming wood villas hidden in the palms and an open verandah style restaurant serves up a fine lunch or dinner. Just off the shore to the west – Cistern Point is a known snorkel spot with schools of jacks and yellow tail snappers as well as sea turtles that often graze on sea grass in the shallows before you reach the coral canyons.

This is a popular overnight anchorage for sailboats and is often filled by all manner of vessels by late afternoon. Two docks allow for day boats coming to dine at the restaurant and the islands' dive shop boat. A small boutique gift shop has quality T–shirts and island wear, a good selection of bathing suits as well as island souvenirs. A nice shaded swing on the porch of the shop allows a cool spot to sit while one's mate may be adding to the ship's cargo. The view back to Tortola from here is quite breathtaking and one can get a sense of the largest island in the BVI chain.

Virgin Gorda

Given this Spanish name for the island's resemblance to a rather obese reclining virgin, Virgin Gorda is second to Tortola in size. The most popular site on the southern tip is the Baths – a series of huge boulders that look like they were casually strewn on the beach in a surreal dice game. These rock formations form fascinating underwater pools and on land, caves and tunnels area delight to explore. Snorkeling here is a joy and only interrupted by the amount of visitors – so it is best to arrive before noon or later in the afternoon.

Virgin Gorda Yacht Harbour is midway down the island and borders Spanish Town the largest settlement. The Yacht Harbour has several good dining establishments including the Bath and Turtle and just up the hill by car or taxi, the Mine Shaft Restaurant offers a spectacular panoramic view of the channel and exotic tropical drink specials...Read More

Virgin Gorda

As you follow the western coast the dramatic tapering wood roofs of Little Dix Bay Resort can be seen from the water. As you approach the North Sound Leverick Bay is positioned midway– this fun marina is host to two restaurants with an outdoor bar that features full moon parties. Bitter End Yacht Club and Biras Creek Resort whose stylish bungalows grace the hills are both yacht friendly and encourage day visitors. A more casual restaurant the Fat Virgin is right off the dock and serves great rotis and burgers. Saba Rock Resort is an island cay just off the Bitter End that has a picturesque waterside restaurant offering wonderful views and a menu tailored to yachters.

Anegada

This all coral atoll with a name that means "drowned island" will be self –evident when you cruise up to a land mass no taller than 28 feet at the highest. Surrounded by a large continuous reef in an arc formation that has been the graveyard to many a wondering ship, the harbor at Setting Point is where boats dock. From there the island can be explored by car or taxi to Loblolly Bay – a well known snorkeling beach with a lobster restaurant or Cow Wreck Beach – a casual open air dining establishment with beach cottages. Also home to an indigenous and growing flamingo population that can be viewed by the fortunate few, the island interior on the western end is made up of a series of large salt ponds.

The passage from Tortola by boat is about 18 miles in distance and the seas can be rough in the winter – so this is a day excursion that must be chartered "weather permitting".