The U.S. and British Virgin Islands
East of Puerto Rico, in the northern Caribbean, are the Virgin Islands, one of the world’s most compact and stunning cruising areas. Lying along a 45-mile chain, the main islands are mainly mountainous, with a maze of passages between them and are indented every few miles by a tempting cove or bay. The Virgins are set in a region of constant summer, making their pattern of wind and weather very predictable. Aboard PRIMA you will be able to sample the best of the area’s hundreds of world-renowned, sugar-sand beaches and experience its unique island cultures. In addition to offering a host of land-based activities, the Virgin Islands’ warm, crystal-clear waters offer abundant views into the underwater world of multi-colored reefs and tropical marine life for the novice snorkeler and experienced diver alike. If it’s dramatic vistas, azure waters and tropical cuisine you seek, then PRIMA Yacht Charters’ Virgin Island trips are definitely for you!
Suggested Destinations:
Christmas Cove
A quiet beach experience and an opportunity for your first snorkel is a visit to the virtually uninhabited St. Thomas islet of Great St. James Island just off the southeast tip of St. Thomas, in the U.S. Virgin Islands. Overnight anchorage is permitted on the sheltered westward side in Christmas Cove, named in remembrance of large Christmas potluck gatherings of cruising families that took place annually over 30 odd years ago.
Francis Bay
Francis Bay is a beach pn the U.S. Virgin Island of St. John that really invites you to settle down and stay a while. It’s an ideal beach for a picnic. The bay faces west, leeward of the trade winds and tends to be calmer than other north shore beaches. Also, because the beach is so big, it is almost always possible to find a nice private spot. And snorkelers take note: Francis Bay can be crowded – not with people, but with fish and sea birds, so be prepared for a kaleiscope of color and movement! Ashore, you may want to set off for a little exploration on the Francis Bay Trail, part of the over 7000 acres of designated National Park land on the island.
Jost Van Dyke
Just four miles long, this is truly the “barefoot” island known by travelers around the world for its casual lifestyle, protected anchorages, fine beaches and beachfront restaurants and bars, the most famous of which are Foxy’s Tamarind Bar and The Soggy Dollar. Picture-postcard tropical islets, like Green Cay and Sandy Spit, just off Jost send an invitation to a special place accessible only by private boat.
Soper’s Hole, Tortola
Dubbed a “tropical urban gunkhole,” by local cruising sailors, Soper’s Hole retains its quaint charm while being a center of activity on Tortola, the most densely populated of the British Virgin Islands. Surrounded by small mountains, Soper’s Hole features fun, funky shops and restaurants and access to land tours on Tortola.
Norman Island
Reputed to be the inspiration for Robert Louis Stevenson’s pirate novel “Treasure Island,” Norman Island is a well-known destination because of three water-level caves at the base of cliffs just outside the western edge of its anchorage, The Bight, which are ideal for snorkeling. The island has no permanent inhabitants (other than wild goats), but there is a fun, pirate-themed restaurant and bar located in the Bight and also an old barge named the William Thornton (or “Willie T”) which operates as a locally-famous watering hole and restaurant.
Peter Island
Directly across the Sir Francis Drake Channel from Road Town, Peter Island is the home of the luxurious Peter Island Resort. Private and largely undeveloped, Peter Island offers elegant dining, scenic walks to private beaches and dramatic views to outlying islands.
Cooper Island
A tropical island out of a Hollywood script, mostly uninhabited Cooper Island is surrounded by coral reefs with great snorkeling and dive sites. You might see large schools of French grunts, hovering, almost motionless, over and around colorful live coral. Parrotfish and blue tang swim about, grazing on algae. Little damselfish defend their self-proclaimed territories by darting menacingly at intruders that are often much larger than them. Snorkelers may even be fortunate enough to see green sea turtles or graceful rays.
The Baths, Virgin Gorda
The Baths is one of the most well-known and popular landmarks in the British Virgin Islands. Gigantic granite boulders and half-submerged rocks line the southern seashore of Virgin Gorda, creating grottos, tunnels, and arches – a wonderful place to swim, snorkel, and explore. Several small, sandy beaches nearby are lined with coconut palms, adding to the dramatic effect.
Spanish Town, Virgin Gorda
Spanish Town, the island’s only town, is home to the Virgin Gorda Yacht Harbour. Here, visitors can shop for souvenirs or hire one of the islands many open-air taxis for a personalized tour of the island, including a visit to The Coppermine, once worked by Cornish miners. Remains of the mine’s chimney, boiler house, cistern and mine shafts can be seen and its location offers sweeping views out to the surrounding azure waters.
Trellis Bay and Marina Cay
A unique tropical archipelago, this bay is known as an artistic haven. British Virgin Islander artist Aragorn makes copper and steel iconographic sculptures and sells individually designed and woodcut printed T-shirts and canvas bags and hosts a monthly Full Moon Party on the beach featuring flaming fireball metal sculptures. Trellis Bay is also home to The Last Resort, a restaurant with a lively evening show that has been popular with visitors for decades.