Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
CHARTERING YOUR OWN
boat
There may be no better way to experi-
ence the Virgin Islands than on the deck
of your own yacht. Impossible? Not
really. No one said you had to
own
the yacht.
Experienced sailors and navigators
with a sea-wise crew might want to rent
a
bareboat charter
—a fully equipped
boat with no captain or crew. You'll have
to prove that you can handle the boat
before you're allowed to set sail; even
then, you may want to take along an
experienced local sailor who's familiar
with the sometimes tricky waters. If
you're not an expert sailor but you still
yearn to hit the high seas, consider a
fully crewed charter,
with a crew that
includes a captain and cook. The cost of
a crewed boat is obviously more than
that of a bareboat, and varies according
to crew size and experience.
Four to six people (and sometimes
more) charter yachts measuring from 50
to 100 feet. Most are rented on a weekly
basis and come with a fully stocked
kitchen (or a barbecue) and bar, fishing
gear, and watersports equipment. More
and more bareboaters are saving money
on charters by buying their own provi-
sions, rather than relying on the charter
company.
The best outfitter in the Virgin Islands
is the
Moorings,
P.O. Box 139, Wick-
ham's Cay, Road Town, Tortola, B.V.I.
(
&
888/952-8420;
www.moorings.
com), which offers both bareboat and
fully crewed charters equipped with a
barbecue, snorkeling gear, a dinghy, and
linens. The company even supplies
windsurfing equipment for free with
crewed boats (and for an extra cost with
bareboats). The experienced staff of
mechanics, electricians, riggers, and
cleaners is extremely helpful, especially
if you're going out on your own. They'll
give you a thorough briefing about
Virgin Islands waters and anchorages.
Seven-night, six-person combined hotel-
and-crewed-yacht packages run $1,750
to $3,500 per person.
2
Islands offering multiple-day sea-kayaking/island-camping excursions, although
numerous outfitters and hotels throughout the chain provide kayaks for day trips. The
vessels with Arawak Expeditions are in two-person fiberglass kayaks, complete with
foot-controlled rudders. The outfit provides all the kayaking gear, healthy meals,
camping equipment, and experienced guides. The cost of a full-day trip is $110, half-
day, $65; you can also book longer expeditions, such as a 5-day excursion costing
$1,195 per person or a 7-day trip going for $2,495 per person.
SNORKELING & SCUBA DIVING
On St. Croix, the best site for both is
Buck
Island,
easily accessible by day sails from the harbor in Christiansted. St. Croix is
also known for its dramatic “drop-offs,” including the famous Puerto Rico Trench.
On St. Thomas, all major hotels rent fins and masks for snorkelers, and most
day-sail charters have equipment on board. Many outfitters, like the
St. Thomas
Diving Club
(
&
340/776-2381;
www.stthomasdivingclub.com), also feature
scuba programs.
As for the British Virgin Islands, the best snorkeling is around the
Baths,
Virgin
Gorda's major attraction.
Anegada Reef,
which lies off Anegada Island, has been a
“burial ground” for ships for centuries; an estimated 300 wrecks, including many
pirate ships, have perished here. The wreckage of the
HMS
Rhone,
near the west-
erly tip of Salt Island, is the most celebrated dive spot in the B.V.I. This ship went
under in 1867 in one of the most disastrous hurricanes ever to hit the Virgin Islands.
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