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Hello! Just 5 weeks until my group of 3 couples arrives on STJ for our 8 day stay!
Couple 1: - Us - wife and I have been to VI 7 times.
Couple 2 - have been to VI (with us) once before.
Couple 3 - have never been to VI.
We all love to swim and snorkel in the beautiful blue waters.
We're renting a powerboat and captain for the day in order to experience a day on the water and visit some places that the public ferry won't allow us to see. We'll likely go back to JVD via public ferry - so don't need to spend much time there.
So - help me plan our day on the water! From your own experiences, what are the "must do" items that will allow us to take full advantage of the powerboat and captain for the day (don't want to go all the way to Virgin Gorda)?
Send me your ideas and help me plan a great day on the water.
Thanks in advance!
VI Lover
Go around the south side of STJ on the power boat
Customs in the BVI is what stinks going the route so may on the way back to Cruz Bay, but it is a view that many miss.
Snorkeling if there not a bunch of dive boats, we like going to the Indians and drift snorkel
Have the Capt let you off and then ride the current out to the other side. Not much effort, deep water, lots of color, and occasional big fish.
There is a spot on Peter Island that I have wanted to check out but cannot remember the name of it... UMMMM - it is hard getting old
What boat/Capt did you go with?
I like Captain Kevin with Born to Rhumb. What a great guy!. He'll take you wherever you want to go and even some spots you wouldn't have thought of.
We've been out with him twice and it's a great trip. Always gets good reviews and he's very patient with anybody. Believe me, we had 8 twenty somethings and sometimes they can get crazy.
Thanks Connie!
I actually already have the boat and captain arranged. Now I'm looking to put together a list of places we "FOR SURE" want to go. So far I have smorkeling at the caves, sandy spit, and touring the southern coastline of STJ.
Looking for everyone's opinions about what they did that was a "must do" for us!
VI
VI: I think a list of places you'd like to see is a good idea. But be aware that if there are swells or winds, some places are not tenable stops. So, go over your list with your captain. S/he may have some other ideas for the particular day you are out! 😉
The spot on peter Is. may be Deadmans Bay -- drop dead Caribbean gorgeous.
Don't go E up the south side of STJ - rounding Rams Head and beyond is rough and wet and there is no place to clear Customs heading up that way unless you skip over to Roadtown or continue on to VG. Coming back that way is fine.
Peter Island is definately worth the stop if you make it that far.
Jay
Lunch on Cooper Island and snorkeling the Caves at Norman. If you are going through customs on Virgin Gorda I would certianly take a trip to the Bath's
So - are the caves at Norman Island that close to the Baths? Snorkeling the Caves is probably toward the top of our list of "things to do".
Thanks for the great ideas - keep them coming!
We've had lunch at: Marina Cay, Ivan's and Foxy's Taboo. Anyplace else you'd recommend?
VI
Nevermind - I pulled up a map and am much better educated about "where" it all is!
If you are into SCUBA, dive the wreck of the RMS Rhone off of Salt Island, which is very close to Norman Island. It is considered to be a fairly unique dive, as the Rhone was made of iron and is still much intact despite being in ocean for so long. The movie The Deep (Nick Nolte, Jacqueline Bisset and Louis Gossett Jr.) used the Rhone for all of its underwater scenes.
Watch the movie and you will be looking for the eel the whole time...
Nothing is far, but it is that last stretch to VG and the Baths can be rough. Well worth the ride, but definitely leave to the Capt's call - If he/she says it is a bad plan - believe them!
You have lots of great ideas for a day in the BVI waters - enjoy
If you are going to the Caves...stop at the Willie T for drinks and lunch or Pirates...The time will go by quickly...so probably pick a couple must see spots for snorkeling, and somewhere for lunch and then maybe just enjoy cruising around the area and a quick stop at Sandy Spit, etc?? We rented a powerboat from Tortola and went to the Caves, Willie T, Sandy Spit, and cruised past White Bay and that was about all the time we had...and you have to go all the way to St. John and clear customs...Have a great time..I love it!!
I have been up close to that eel, thank you very much =)
The movie was filmed in 1977 and I first dove the wreck in 1981.
There is nothing to worry about diving the VI besides drowning. BREATH. BREATH. first and foremost of diving rules...
Also there was a 300 pound grouper (Jew Fish) that occupied the area - any one else remember this?
Thanks everyone for the ideas! We're going to have a great day on the powerboat. Went once before, and went to the places north of Tortola. Have not been south of there (Norman and Peter Islands). Looking forward to it all.
I really appreciate your positive thoughts!
VI
