The British Virgin Islands have become the most popular charter destination in the Caribbean for their incredible beauty and easy, safe sailing. Fly into Tortola airport on Beef Island or the more popular St Thomas Airport and take the Charlotte Amalie ferry across to Tortola. From the ferry dock or airport on Tortola it is a short taxi ride to your yacht and base.
Day 1
Tortola | Norman Island
The first night can be a sleep over in the marina, but if there is time after unpacking and provisioning, sail across Sir Frances Drake Channel to Norman Island. Upon arrival, jump in with mask and snorkel and be formally welcomed to the Virgins by multitudes
of brilliant colorful fish. Swim ashore and explore the famous Norman Island Caves - inspiration of Robert Louis Stevenson's Treasure Island. Celebrate your first night in the tropics with dinner or drinks aboard the fun floating restaurant bar Willy T's,
which is moored in the Bight. Other nearby sites are Pelican Rock and the Indians region, which offer great snorkeling and scuba dive sites with caves, arches, grottoes and a huge variety of coral and tropical marine life. Depths range from 3-30ft so these
sites are great for first time snorkelers.
Day 2
Norman Island | Salt Island, Virgin Gorda
Enjoy breakfast on anchor then sail by Peter Island, Dead Chest Atoll to Salt Island, home of RMS Rhone that sank in 1867 during a hurricane. Listed as one of the world's 10 best scuba dives and featured in the Hollywood movie The Deep, the wreck can be snorkeled
or visited by scuba. A walk ashore to visit the salt ponds is also very interesting. In the afternoon sail to the Baths on Virgin Gorda and see evidence of the island's volcanic past - this is a BVI highlight. Walk the fantastic coastal pathway under huge
granite boulders that form scenic grottoes, set in soft sandy tidal pools. Most of the day is spent at The Baths swimming, snorkeling and exploring the labyrinth of boulders and caves. In the afternoon make way for Virgin Gorda and the Bitter End Yacht Club.
Anchor in the bay, dinghy ashore and enjoy some rum punch then dance to the beat of the Steel Drum Band. Optional daytime stops are Dead Man's Bay, White Bay or Manchioneel Bay located on Cooper Island. Dead Man's Bay is quiet and secluded while the others
are busier with bars and restaurants. Optional night anchorages are St Thomas bay and Spanish Town for more nightlife, or the Dogs and Savannah Bay if peace and quiet is the consensus aboard.
Day 3
Virgin Gorda | Anegada
Sail a spirited 14-mile, two-hour passage to the flat coral atoll island of Anegada. Upon arrival rental cars are available allowing access to the miles of deserted beach on the north coast. Fantastic snorkeling is found off Loblolly Bay followed by a great
fresh lobster lunch or dinner at the beach restaurant. The Anegada Reef Hotel is another good option for an evening meal.
Day 4
Anegada | Marina Cay, Tortola
Sail back to Virgin Gorda stopping for lunch and a snorkel among more granite boulders at Mountain Point. In the afternoon, sail through the Dog Islands where a snorkel stop can be made followed by a one and a half hour sail to Marina Cay - a private, resort
island on eastern Tortola. A vote around the cockpit will decide whether you stay for drinks and entertainment at Dick's Last Resort or you hike for sunset and happy hour at the hilltop bar where entertainers sing rowdy Pirate songs. For a more private anchorages,
sail around the corner to Lee Bay on Great Camino Island or to Monkey Point on Guana Island.
Day 5
Marina Cay | Jost Van Dyke
Visit Monkey Point on Guana Island for breakfast and a short snorkel around unique coral outcroppings. Stay for lunch then sail to the beautiful island of Jost van Dyke -named after a Dutch privateer. Lounge the afternoon away in a hammock under shady palm
trees, walk around the Island in five minutes or snorkel the surrounding coral reef. Spend happy hour and the evening at the world famous Foxy's restaurant bar where you can enjoy a lobster or steak dinner buffet followed by live Caribbean music. Other daytime
options are two little idyllic deserted islands, Sandy Key and Sandy Spit. Lounge around sunbathing on the beach or snorkel on your own private island.
Day 6
Jost Van Dyke
Around the corner from Foxy's is a spectacular strip of white sand known as White Bay. Swim ashore to the Soggy Dollar Bar and try the Virgin's most famous rum drink the Pain Killer - conceived right in White's Bay. Spend a leisurely afternoon then return
to Tortola. In the evening visit famous Soper's Hole. Dine ashore and enjoy a last night of island entertainment.
Day 7
Jost Van Dyke | Tortola
Disembark: 09:00hrs.
This one-week itinerary covers 130 sea miles and highlights some gorgeous beaches, quaint harbor towns and many of the most important natural and historical sites of the French West Indies and Dominica.
Day 1
Le Marin Marina | Petit Anse D'Arlet, Martinique
The first night can be a sleep over in the marina, but if there is time after unpacking and provisioning, sail passed the famous Diamond Rock, commissioned as the English warship HMS Diamond during the Napoleonic Wars. Your first port of call is Petit Anse
D'Arlet where you can anchor and swim and snorkel. In the evening take the dinghy ashore and explore the charming little French Caribbean town. Dine at the superb Le Gormier restaurant that serves exotic Créole meals. A specialty is the exquisite dorado (mahi
mahi or dolphin fish) served in spicy sauce with wonderful local yams, sweet potatoes and plantains. After dinner, gaze up at the Caribbean stars from the bow.
Day 2
Petit Anse D'Arlet | St Pierre, Martinique
Sail north along the coast of Martinique to the famous town of St Pierre. In 1902, Mount Pélé erupted sending a fireball of hot gasses down onto St Pierre. Thirty thousand people were killed in the disaster. Walking through the old town, trace the foundations
of houses destroyed in the eruption. There is a museum, an old fort and a jail featuring artifacts from the time of the disaster, as well as a typical Caribbean open market. For the more adventurous, a hike through Mount Pélé's tropical rain forest will introduce
you to the local exotic plants and wildlife. There is also superb scuba diving on seven shipwrecks that sank in the harbor during the 1902 eruption. For those who just want to relax, you can swim in the bay or sun tan on the volcanic black sand beach. For
dinner, sample more Créole cooking at La Vague restaurant on the waterfront, which features special local seafood dishes.
Day 3
St Pierre, Martinique | Roseau, Dominica
The next morning, follow the coast of Martinique around to La Peric and cross the 26-mile channel to Dominica. This is a spirited sail for at least 4 hours. You will get a feel for the Atlantic swell and the famous trade winds as you are no longer in the lee
of an island. Your destination is Roseau where you can anchor and clear customs. Moor at the Anchorage Hotel where you can decide on an incredible rain forest minibus tour, hiking, and scuba diving or simply relax by the pool. After enjoying some afternoon
activities, enjoy an inexpensive meal at the Anchorage Hotel. Choose one of the boat boys and stick with him, he will help you with docking, get what you need in the way of provisions and land based services, and he will also guard your yacht while you are
gone. It is not very expensive ($5-$10 for help with a mooring) but very important to select one boat-boy, otherwise they will all flock around your yacht. Once they understand that you are doing business with one individual they will all disappear.
Day 4
Roseau | Portsmouth, Dominica
Some of your crew can jump ship at Roseau for a land tour on Dominica and rejoin the yacht at Portsmouth or sail up the coast. The land tour can include a visit to the last existing Carib Indian settlement in the Caribbean, spectacular waterfalls (hot and
cold), the Boiling Lake, Emerald pool and the Syndicate Forest. The rain forests are some of the last in the Leeward Islands and home to the endangered Sisserou and Red-Necked parrots. Full day land tours are around $70 per person and usually include lunch,
a minibus and a government certified guide. The best anchorage at Portsmouth is stern-to at the Portsmouth Beach Hotel or on anchor at the Purple Turtle, two and a half miles across town at the safest weather anchorage in Portsmouth. In Portsmouth, you can
walk around the very well preserved Fort Shirley, a veteran of the Napoleonic wars, then trek through Cabrits National Park. Another unforgettable experience is a dugout canoe trip up the Indian River or snorkel and scuba dive on nearby coral heads.
Day 5
Dominica | Les Iles des Saintes, Guadeloupe
After breakfast, set sail on a beam reach to Les Iles des Saintes (6 hours) where you can drop anchor at Pain de Sucre beach for a swim and then moor for the night at Bourg des Saintes. Bourg des Saintes is a charming little village with sun-bleached red tile
roofs and elegant balconies overlooking the quiet waterfront. The island Terre D'en Haut is small enough to explore by foot and has a number of attractions. Hike up to the well-preserved 1867 Fort Napoleon, where there is museum housing antique furniture and
French naval artifacts. The best view of the island group is from Le Chameau lookout tower, which was built, in Napoleonic times. There are a number of great beaches both large and small scattered around the island. The choice of restaurants for dinner is
almost endless - a mixed grill of seafood and meat along with tropical salad can be had at Restaurant L'Escale. Créole dishes and poached fish are the specialties at Les Amendiers and delicious Caribbean style pizzas are offered at Pizzeria le Genois. These
are but a few of the inexpensive restaurants found in Bourge des Saintes. After dinner sip a rum punch at a waterfront bar or the more adventurous can go on a night scuba dive.
Day 6
Les Iles des Saintes | Guadeloupe
The options are to stay in the splendor of the Saintes for another day or to continue to Base Terre in Guadeloupe. Base Terre is the best location to see more rain forests on Mount Soufrière. Moor stern-to in the marina Rivière Sens and get to town by bus
or taxi. It is a twenty-minute walk for those who like to hike and you can see Fort St Charles, souvenir shops and many restaurants. A minibus can be arranged to get up to mount Soufrière from Base Terre.
Day 7
Base Terre | Pointe à Pitres, Guadeloupe
Sail in the afternoon from the Saintes or Base Terre to Pointe à Pitres. If you are sailing a one-way trip from Martinique to Guadeloupe, your destination is marina Port de Plaisance de Bas du Fort, which is the main marina in Pointe à Pitre. Pointe à Pitre
is the most important town in Guadeloupe and is a twenty-minute walk from the marina. There are excellent shops and fantastic Caribbean architecture with gingerbread looking houses, intriguing archways and overhanging roofs. Dinner can be enjoyed in town or
at the marina.
Day 8
Disembark: 09:00hrs.
The exotic Windward Islands can be cruised in the 7-night itinerary. If a 14-night charter is desired then venture further down the Windward's to the famous spice island of Grenada. The main town of St Georges is very interesting and the island highlights exciting land tours to small villages, plantations, breathtaking waterfalls and lovely beaches.
Day 1
Le Marin, Martinique | Rodney Bay, St Lucia
The first night can be a sleep over in Le Marin marina Martinique. If there is time after unpacking and provisioning sail the open passage between Martinique and St Lucia and moor in Rodney bay. Walk the beach and join the afternoon beach party. Of interest
are Fort Rodney Park and the actual fort, which is perched up on the point overlooking the passage.
Day 2
Rodney Bay | Wallilabou Bay, St Vincent via the Pitons, St Lucia
Sail the calm leeward side of St Lucia to the majestic Piton peaks where you can swim, snorkel or hike to a hot waterfall and enjoy lunch under the well known towering landmarks. Later, sail the channel to the lovely shores of St Vincent and Wallilabou bay
- a small quaint bay and beach with a friendly bar and restaurant ashore.
Day 3
Wallilabou Bay | Admiralty Bay, Bequia Island, St Vincent
Sail early to Bequia island St Vincent, for a dive with a local scuba operator. There are many exceptional scuba diving sites around Bequia for all experience levels. In the evening have an excellent seafood dinner in Admiralty bay and enjoy bar hopping along
the shore of this famous buccaneer bay.
Day 4
Admiralty Bay Bequia | Tobago Cays of the Grenadines
There is time for provisioning at the open market on shore or a morning scuba dive. After an early lunch sail for the highlight of the tour, the Tobago Cays. This is an enchanting anchorage protected by fringing reefs and coral atolls, but it faces the open
Atlantic Ocean. The coral atolls are great for snorkeling and beachcombing and the fabulous azure lagoon setting is paradise. Enjoy grilled lobster aboard from one of the local fishermen or your own catch of the day, as there is good fishing for Bonito tuna
between islands.
Day 5
Grenadines | Petit Byahaut, St Vincent
Sail out early on a north heading arriving at St Vincent in the afternoon. Experience the Bat Cave and do an extraordinary afternoon snorkel or dive (with rental gear) through the cave. Dine aboard.
Day 6
Petit Byahaut, St Vincent | Marigot Bay, St Lucia
Start the day with an early morning snorkel or dive at Byahaut Point then sail all day for Marigot Bay and spend a night exploring the scene ashore.
Day 7
Marigot Bay, St Lucia | St Anne's Bay, Martinique
Swim and bid farewell to the Grenadines and sail for the beautiful beach and enchanting town of St Anne's, Martinique. Spend the evening ashore in a wonderful Créole restaurant.
Day 8
St Annes to Le Marin, Martinique
Disembark: 09:00hrs