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Good morning everyone.
I am looking for recommendations on a day sail that focuses on sailing - not snorkeling. We would like to depart from STT and sail.....maybe out to Sandy Spit and, if possible, around to the North side of Jost....... but the sailing is more important to us than the destination. Though, personally, would like to get to the bubbly pool on Jost.
Mom and Dad will be along and have done many sailing charters in the Grenadines ovee the last 25 years....but never bareboat. I think dad is hoping to motivate his grandson enough to learn the ropes and, eventually, get us all out on a bareboat adventure. Of course, formal training would be needed, but that takes motivation and desire.
So, if anyone knows of a serious sailing daysail, please pass the info along. Thanks!
Blue: Most sailboats do not go to the BVI on day trips, preferring to stay in the USVI waters. Most of them carry a maximum of 6 people. If your group is close to that size, you might be able to get one to sail all day for you without the requisite stops for snorkeling.
Thanks EE. I guess it is better not to have to waste time clearning customs if we'll just be out in the water anyway. We'll have 5 or 6 in our party.
If you fill the boat, I am pretty sure you can make a deal! 😉
Hi Bluwater,
As you know I was trying to get to the Bubbly Pool for our trip in April. (We never did get there because not enough people signed up for the trip it got canceled- something to do next time) I talked to many of the daysail people and I liked what Josh Darhling with his boat Noshooz suggested. He could sail us to both the Bubbly Pool and Sandy Spit but he preferred to do it with spending one overnight at Jost Van Dyke - I think he meant on the boat.) It was Easter week and he knew customs on STJ would take a while. There was only the two of us going so the private charter was out of our budget or I would have gone with him. We also planned to go snorkeling so if you don't want to snorkel Josh may be your guy to do it in one day. I first found out about the bubbly pool reading his web page - look under Favorite Places. I saw his boat in the harbour of Cruz Bay and it looked very nice. He will pick you up on STT. He was very pleasant to talk to on the phone and seemed to really like going to both of those places. Here is a link to his web page. He used to advertise on the board but I don't see him up there anymore.
Overnight for Bubbly Pool and Sandy Spit? They are like - right there! Thanks for the 411 Kraushaus! I recall you wanting to get there. Sounds like we are in the same "boat".
Fondly,
Bluie: The problem, as you already figured out, is that to SAIL to JVD (maybe 2 hours?), clear customs, go to Sandy Spit/Taboo/Bubbly Pool, and oh, you'll want to see Foxy's and White Bay, sail back, clear US Customs...it's a PITA, not to mention too many things in a day. A sail boat captain that says it really needs an overnight is correct. On a power boat you could probably see two of those, but once everyone settles in to relaxing, they won't want to be herded around!
Sailing is about the process. Be one with the wind...
Yeah, I see EE. I wasn't interested in White Bay and Foxys......we've all been there and done that a number of times and dad isn't keen on Foxy because of something Foxy said to him years ago....which is why I was hoping for a sail around to the other side of JVD....bubbly pool....which isn't a "must do".....just though this seemed like the right opportunity......but it seems not.
I didn't know you sailed!
Thanks again EE. You're always right on time with the correct info.
Why not take the ferry to Tortolla - spend 1 night there if you can't get there early enough - and charter something out of there? We rented a power boat from STT - left at 9:30am from the dock - got thru customs at Sopers Hole - went to Norman Island to snorkle the caves after a stop at the Market in Sopers Hole - went to Taboo for a couple hours - and still made it to White Bay by 5pm. I know we weren't sailing - oh and we stopped at the Willy T for a while.
Anything can be worked out - just do some checking with the Ferry and some of the charters out of Road Town.
Linda, going out of Tortola is an option I hadn't considered. Thanks for that suggestion. I've done a trip similar to yours via a powerboat charter from STT (Nauti Nymph).....and it was definitely the way to go when trying to get to places quickly. We used a heck of a lot of gas (which cost us a fortune), but we FLEW from place to place.
Linda, sailing out of Tortola is an option I hadn't considered. Thanks for that suggestion. I've done a trip similar to yours via a powerboat charter from STT (Nauti Nymph).....and it was definitely the way to go when trying to get to places quickly. We used a heck of a lot of gas (which cost us a fortune), but we FLEW from place to place.
Hello Bluwater,
There are different levels of courses but perhaps a basic sailing class might be something to think about. Here is a link to the section on this site about learning to sail while on St. Thomas https://www.vinow.com/stthomas/SandL/sailing.php.
Enjoy,
--Islander
