Sailing the British Virgin Islands {Part One}

10 friends, a boat and a map

{part one of three}

A few weeks ago, Dan and I went on a trip of a lifetime…. literally I can’t imagine a more amazing trip. I’ve been posting along on insta. We sailed the BVI’s on a 50ft cat with 10 of our best buds. I found myself relaxing in the bow net thinking, “Wow, how are we here right now? How did this happen to us?” I believe my favorite day included scuba diving a 150 year old shipwreck, climbing to the tippytop of our cat’s mast and cracking open fresh coconuts found on shore. We were adventurers, semi-sloppy “wine connoisseurs” and wannabe pirates for 9 beautiful days. We were free as can be! Each night I would watch that sunset and count my lucky stars. Thanks Evan and Mon!

I’ll share my journal with you day-by-day, in a 3 part post and give you all the ins and outs if you want to see the same sights and sail the same route on a trip of your own some day.

– Day One –

We landed in St. Thomas along with our friends and took a cab to Charlotte Amilie’s “Fast Ferry” to catch a boat to Tortola, BVI to pick up our Catamaran from Voyage Charters. Three or so of our friends graduated from Cal Maritime, so no need to hire a captain. Our friend Evan sent in his resume and the company approved him the rental. Yahooo. 10 friends, a map and our own boat!

After an hour or so ferry ride, we arrived in West End Tortola and went though customs. We took a taxi to quaint little Soper’s Hole in Frenchman’s Cay to pick up “Knot Bad”. We ordered our groceries from a market in town and they delivered them to our boat. Well that’s convenient!

It was a beautiful night with big fluffy clouds and a warm breeze. I loved listening to the jazz music playing at the restaurant in the distance as we unpacked all the groceries on the boat. Huge tarpon fish swam below our boat in the glowing blue water. I went to bed with a smile on my face. “We’re actually here!”

-ferry ride to tortola-

-our home for the next 9 days-

-fluffy clouds and tarpon-

-miss mon’s blurry head and a beautiful night sky-

– Day Two-

We departed from Soper’s Hole and sailed to Beef Island to join the Full Moon Party. All the moorings near the island were full so we anchored at Little Camanoe (a deserted island) nearby. We spent the day snorkeling for shells and relaxing on the beach. The boys hooked up a hammock to the boom and we’d take turns lounging in it. Our friend Monica made Painkiller drinks and we all slipped into a state of complete happiness. That night we ate family style – all 10 of us around the dinner table and feasted on BBQed pork, tofu and veggies. After dinner we crammed everyone into our little dinghy and ventured off into the night, crossing the channel to Beef Island. I must admit I was a tad nervous with 10 people in a struggling dinghy motoring further from land than one would want to swim at night. But alas we arrived safely and I learned to trust my seafaring sailors…we made it to the Moon Party.

It was cool…a bit of an older crowd (40-50’s) but still cool. Long Bay on Beef Island is a mile or so stretch of beach with fun bars and hippy-dippy pottery shops. We drank rum punch and danced with Moko Jumbies and fire dancers all night. They even had an aerial silk dancer that hung from a crane!

-coffee and some journaling-

-floating at little camanoe with beef island in the distance-

-diving for shells-

-sandcastle playdate-

-happiness in a hammock-

-fire dancers and beach bonfire-

-moko jumbies-

-my love-

-Day Three-

We sailed to Great Dog and anchored near the Coral Gardens Plane Wreck. Dan and I had never been scuba diving before, but four of our friends were certified and they talked us through the whole process. I had always wanted to learn how to dive! I think I was more nervous about Danny diving than I was. I have a rather vivid imagination and sometimes it gets the best of me. But when would we get a chance like this again? Seize the moment right!? We were in good hands…the best of the best. Danny and I each went with a friend equipped with a dive watch and fancy diving goodies. Wow what a feeling! Breathing underwater is so amazing…it felt like a whole new world was opening up. Now I have dreams about breathing underwater. I’m hooked. I want more! Thanks for taking us Jeff and Cole! You guys are the best!

We had a fun time exploring an Atlantic Air BVI plane that crashed after takeoff in the 90’s (no one was hurt), the plane languished in a hangar for some time prior to being dismantled for scraps. The BVI dive operators were able to persuade the owners to give the fuselage over for use as a dive site. It was sunk in about 45ft of water east of the dive boat moorings on Great Dog Island. It was beautiful and amazing! I even managed to swim inside the cockpit while Cole took a picture! Unreal!

And that was just the morning…after the dive we sailed to Anegada Island and radioed-in a reservation for the Anegada Reef Hotel restaurant. 10 freshly caught lobsters were awaiting us. Sailing was long today about 4 hours between Great Dog and Anegada. It was nice though, most of us took advantage of the time by lying out in the nets or reading and I took to making coconut-iced coffee for everyone. Aww this trip is a dream.

Upon arrival at Anegada we moored the boat and explored Pomato Point – walking along the white sand beach with turquoise water.

That night we bobbed in our floaties, watched the sunset and ate like kings.

-my babe and our morning snorkel at great dog island-