Sailing Journal -British Virgin Islands 2011

Holiday details: Harmony 52 on 1 week charter from Hodges Creek Marina,Tortola in British Virgin Islands October 2011.

Saturday 22 October - Saturday 29 October 2011

Supplied by Rio Richardson - aged 17

Day 1 - To Trellis Bay (12nm)

Our adventure began early on Saturday morning when we arrived at Hodges Creek Marina. We took a taxi from our hotel at Long Bay Beach where we had stayed for a few nights before our yacht charter started. Our yacht for the week is a Harmony 52, with 3 double cabins and 2 twin cabins with bunk beds - room for all 10 of us! We left the marina at 1pm and sailed to Ginger Island for lunch and our first swim off the yacht. Then we went to Trellis Bay for dinner in De Loose Mongoose. On most nights dinner cost an average of US$50/person for a starter, main and wine/beer. All overnight moorings were US$25/night and it is so easy to be safely moored up within minutes of entering the bay that we didn't use the anchor much! Some of our friends arrived on the late flight from Antigua so we collected them from the airport, just 5 minutes walk from the jetty in Trellis Bay.

Day 2 - To North Sound, Virgin Gorda (16nm)

The early risers took the dinghy over the supermarket then after breakfast we sailed across to The Baths on Virgin Gorda. One of our friends had rented a fishing rod with fishing permit and on the way he caught a small tuna. At The Baths we took the trail through the massive granite boulders and after a few detours and dead ends we arrived at Devils' Bay where the turquoise sea is perfect for swimming and snorkelling.  In the afternoon we sailed to North Sound on Virgin Gorda and picked up a mooring buoy at Saba Rock ($25 mooring fee included free water and a bag of ice). After an exciting fish feeding display (daily at 5pm) and Happy Hour cocktails, we had a great dinner with a large variety of burgers to choose from.

Day 3 – To Anegada (15nm)

Today we had an early start for the 3 hour sail north to Anegada. It is the only coral island in the BVI and is very flat. There are reefs all around so we had to get to the buoyed channel marking the entrance to the harbour at noon when the sun is high in the sky and visibilty is good. After lunch we took a taxi to Loblolly Bay on the north side of the island with coral sand and a lagoon for snorkelling. The beachbar is covered in driftwood with messages written by visitors. In the evening we had dinner in one of the harbour side restaurants - US$50/person for a whole lobster, salad and dessert.

Day 4 – To Marina Cay (24nm)

We sailed south again, stopping off at Great Dog island for lunch. It had some of the best snorkelling of the week with loads of reef fish and coral gardens. We sailed on to Marina Cay for dinner in Pussers Restaurant. Pussers were the original suppliers of rum to the Navy and I tasted "Grog - the first cocktail served in 1740".

Day 5 – To Jost Van Dyke (16nm)

This morning we sailed downwind to Monkey Point on Guana Island for some more great snorkelling. After lunch we sailed on to White Bay on Jost van Dyke and swam ashore to the Soggy Dollar Bar, where the popular Painkiller cocktail was invented. This bar has become very successful so we walked down the beach to the less commercial Ivan's Stress Free Bar. Then we sailed next door to moor in Great Harbour and went to Foxy's for dinner and dancing under the stars.

Day 6 – To Norman Island (13nm)

Shaking off the effects of last night's party, we sailed to Soper's Hole on Tortola for some shopping - it has the best supermarket in the BVI and some nice souvenir shops. Then on to the Indians for more snorkelling and although it was quite rough I saw some lovely fish on the reef. In the afternoon we moored in The Bight on Norman Island and went for drinks at the Willy T, a bar on a boat! After dinner at the Pirates Restaurant, the party continued back at the Willy T.

Day 7 – To Cooper Island (9nm)

We had arranged a rendezvous dive today so we moored in Deadman Bay on Peter Island and the dive boat from Blue Water Divers came alongside to take the divers to the Wreck of the Rhone, a Royal Mail ship which sank off Salt Island in 1867 in a hurricane. The bow section is still relatively intact, although covered in coral and overrun with thousands of reef fish. The wreck is not a difficult or dangerous dive and the maximum depth is 26 m, but is a fantastic and unusual dive among the shipwreck. The non-divers spend the morning lazing on the beach at Peter Island Resort. In the afternoon we sailed to Manchioneel Bay on Cooper Island where we had our last dinner at Cooper Island Restaurant.

Day 8 – Return home (5nm)

Our final day in Paradise! We packed our bags, ate a breakfast of everything left in the fridge and sailed back to Hodges Creek Marina to arrive before 10am. After a quick shower in the marina we took our taxi to Beef Island airport for the LIAT flight to Antigua. Because we had a 5 hour stop-over we checked our bags in with BA and took a taxi to a beach bar on Dickenson Beach for a relaxed lunch and a final afternoon on the beach. What a really great holiday and I can't wait to return to the BVIs.