Dear Fodor Friends, just a quick note to stay in touch and let everyone know that DH and I are now on sailboat in BVI until June 15th. Today we are at Norman and about to get underway to meet friends at Soper's Hole.

This is my first time on the boat for this long of a period, and I'm wondering how well I'm going to do. Some of you may recall that I am not a huge boat or water fan. Those with experience know that living on a sailboat (even a catamaran) is lots of work and far from glamorous.

Anyway, main purpose of this note: If any of you are out here now or will soon be, maybe we can hook up somewhere for a drink or a meal. Out boat is named Sanctuary, and except for a short jaunt over to the Spanish Islands of Culebra and Vieques, we will be at the usual anchorages in the BVI. Cane Garden Bay seems to be our most frequent stop. Hope everyone is just lymin like us. jg

Have a great time!!
Please let us know about your sail from the VI's over to VQS and CUL. We have heard the passage can be a little rough. I would be very interested in your journey! Do you know whether you plan to moor in Isabelle or Esperanza?

Just returned from epic six-week stay on sail boat in the BVI, with a short trip up to Culebra and Viequez. Any questions? I'm ready to do rants and raves. jg

I have a question - Are you going to post a trip report?

Yes, as soon as I recover and catch up on all the "real-life" business that was neglected while I was away. If you put in my screen name, I'm sure you will find lots of other reports I've posted about sailing and living on a catamaran in the BVI. But I will have more to say about this recent trip, the first one that lasted this long. Views can change when you put in that much time. Thanks for asking. jg

I'm looking forward to reading it.

jgarvey
I would love to hear how the passage from STT to Vqs was...though the islands are not too far from one another, I have heard that the passage can be rough.
I am going on a sailing trip to the BVI's in June with 7 girlfriends from Vieques. This will be a once-in-a-lifetime adventure for us, I think!! I cannot wait!
Any little things that one may not think of, for hints...please pass on!
I will look for links to your other trip reports.

Dear MahoBayGirl, I asked my DH, the captain, to respond to this request. He knows more about the sailing aspect; I just lie down and read during the long passages. My memory, however, is that it really was not bad at all.

More info needed: Are you bare-boating with experienced crew or hiring a captain? What will be your point of departure when you head out for the SVI?

After he gives you sailing info, I will get back on and answer any of your personal questions from a woman's perspective--what to pack or not pack especially. jg

jgarvey, i'm looking forward to your packing tips. We'll be a bunch of gals chartering a sailboat in BVIs just like mahobaygirl. Pls post soon...getting close to take off!

this is for mahobaygirl...as we're preparing for our own BVI boat trip, I've found quite a lot of great advice from experienced BVI boaters on this website forum: www.traveltalkonline.com

thanks guys for the info. we are planning to sail out of tortola, road town i think, to sail the bvi's for a week. two of the girls have a friend who is a capt and is going to come with us for a great price. the boat will be rented from a company in tortola.
since i am up here in maine, and most of the others live onisland full time, they are making all the plans.
wandrlust, look forward to your trip report and jgarvey...the packing tips will be a big help.
as far as the crossing from stt to vqs,my husband has been talking about buying a boat some day and we could island hop...but i have heard that that the passage can be a little rough. i know the waters off the south side of the island of vqs are a little rough sometimes.....

Any or all of you please let us know how we can arrange a one week catamaran around the BVI's sometime next June. We are complete landlubbers, so we would definitely need a captain. We are three couples. If anyone has an inside track on someone we can make arrangements with let me know! I know it's not glamorous jgarvey, but you have me envious nonetheless! Keep us posted and be safe.
Maggi