I realize that I should probably be explaining this after we’ve actually “been there, done that”, but there are many notions and questions about what kind of sailing we’re about to take on. First off, I will admit that I have limited sailing experience and I was even given ‘stares of disbelief’ when I told the other guys in my sailing courses what we were planning.
The BVIs are said to be some of the best sailing grounds for newbies to raise their sails and tighten their sheets. There are steady trade-winds which come down from the North-East during the winter months and the Sir Frances Drake Channel is fairly sheltered by the surrounding volcanic rocks which compose the BVIs. The swells are small and the waves are tame, which should make for a comfortable voyage as we ‘island-hop’ our way around the country. Every island, save for Anegada, is in-sight and only a few hours sail away. We’ll make-way in the morning, find a calm bay before lunch and set the anchor before exploring the waters, hiking trails and tropical forests throughout the afternoon.
We won’t be doing any ‘open-ocean’ sailing, night-sailing, or long-treacherous legs of nausea inducing swell-riding. It really will be a tame sail from island bar to beach bar =)
That being said, there is Anegada – the incredibly beautiful coral reef that lies 17 nautical miles to the North-East, which we plan on visiting for a few days. It will be our longest sail of the trip and I plan on throwing the lures in the water in hopes of catching some delicious mahi-mahi over the ‘North Drop’ – one of the best fishing grounds in the Caribbean where the depth plummets to thousands of feet and the large trophy fish ascend to feed in the warmer waters.
Aside from that, the most troubling part of the journey will be finding a spot to lay anchor and being confident that it will hold if the tides shift through the night.
The BVIs are also very safe as violent incidents against tourists are very rare and a little commonsense will keep your valuables protected.
We are embarking on a sailing adventure around a relatively small chain of islands in protected waters. The Atlantic crossing will be planned for next year!
Fair winds,
Captain D.
The BVIs are said to be some of the best sailing grounds for newbies to raise their sails and tighten their sheets. There are steady trade-winds which come down from the North-East during the winter months and the Sir Frances Drake Channel is fairly sheltered by the surrounding volcanic rocks which compose the BVIs. The swells are small and the waves are tame, which should make for a comfortable voyage as we ‘island-hop’ our way around the country. Every island, save for Anegada, is in-sight and only a few hours sail away. We’ll make-way in the morning, find a calm bay before lunch and set the anchor before exploring the waters, hiking trails and tropical forests throughout the afternoon.
We won’t be doing any ‘open-ocean’ sailing, night-sailing, or long-treacherous legs of nausea inducing swell-riding. It really will be a tame sail from island bar to beach bar =)
That being said, there is Anegada – the incredibly beautiful coral reef that lies 17 nautical miles to the North-East, which we plan on visiting for a few days. It will be our longest sail of the trip and I plan on throwing the lures in the water in hopes of catching some delicious mahi-mahi over the ‘North Drop’ – one of the best fishing grounds in the Caribbean where the depth plummets to thousands of feet and the large trophy fish ascend to feed in the warmer waters.
Aside from that, the most troubling part of the journey will be finding a spot to lay anchor and being confident that it will hold if the tides shift through the night.
The BVIs are also very safe as violent incidents against tourists are very rare and a little commonsense will keep your valuables protected.
We are embarking on a sailing adventure around a relatively small chain of islands in protected waters. The Atlantic crossing will be planned for next year!
Fair winds,
Captain D.