Spinnaker Sailing's BVI Sailing Vacation

BVI Sailing Vacation

Itinerary

Depart SFO or SJC Thursday evening, Dec 6.

Click Here for a PDF

Friday Arrive Tortola, 12:49 p.m. after transferring in San Juan. We’ll get checked out and board the boats.

Saturday - Take care of any remaining items having to do with checking out the boats and sail to first night’s anchorage at Marina Cay. There’s great snorkeling across the anchorage at Great Camanoe Island and a nice look-out at the top of the Cay.

Sunday - Get over to The Baths early enough to catch a mooring buoy in the morning. Then sail to Cooper Island for the night. Cooper is a great spot to set up for a dive on The H.M.S. Rhone in the morning. There’s good snorkeling at Cistern Point.

Monday - Scuba divers can dive The Rhone in the morning. Sail to The Bitter End Yacht Club in Gorda Sound in the afternoon. This is a 3+ hour sail.

Tuesday - At BEYC you can rent dinghies and small cats to play with or go on a dive trip in the morning. There are many shops and
boutiques here.

Wednesday - Sail up to Anegada . Anegada has the best lobsters in the Caribbean and a great uncrowded beach at Loblolly Bay.

Thursday - It’s a nice long reach to Cane Garden Bay or Jost Van Dyke for the night. There’s a party at Foxy’s on Thursday night.

Friday - Stop at Soper’s Hole for lunch or at The Indians for snorkeling along the way to Norman Island for the night. Norman Island is the place that inspired Robert Louis Stevenson’s Treasure Island.

Saturday - Return boats to The Moorings by around 11 a.m. Check in the boats. Have lunch. Check in to rooms, hang around or check out Road Town.

Sunday - Depart Tortola in the morning and arrive home in the earnly evening.

Dining

Easy on the Cook

Spinnaker is supplying each boat with an “Easy on the Cook” provisioning package. This will provide food for breakfasts, lunches, and snacks every day and one dinner to be cooked aboard the boat. The food order is customized for each boat. Members will get together before the trip to fill out the order forms to indicate preferences. A transom barbecue as well as a fully equipped galley is provided for cooking aboard although most dinners will be had ashore.

Cruise Meeting

October 6, 2011

Each crew should meet to complete their provision and beverage orders by Oct 1. (There’s nothing like doing a beverage order to help people get to know each other.) A meeting for everyone (all boats) will take place on the evening of the 1st. This big meeting will include slides and lots of travel and cruising advice.

British Virgin Islands Bareboat Flotilla

December 6 - 16, 2012

The unspoiled islands of the British Virgins are renowned as one of the finest cruising locations in the world. Warm moderate trade winds, tranquil bays and beautiful clear water, make the BVI’s an unbelievable sailing destination. There are over 20 islands in the BVI’s. Most of them offer good harbors and anchorages, restaurants and shops, places to visit, great diving and snorkeling, and all are rich with history and friendly people. Sailing in Paradise is a dream of most sailors, yet most never get around to it. Spinnaker not only makes it possible but makes it easy. We take care of all arrangements including, boat charter, transfers, provisions, accommodations and will help with travel arrangements as well. We have been making the dream come true in B.V.I. for almost 30 years. We make it safe, easy, affordable and memorable. Join us as an individual, couple, or cobble together a group of friends or family to fill a boat of your own.

If you have your own group and can act as skipper, you may charter your own boat and join the flotilla instead of joining individually or as a couple. This way you can choose the size of boat, provisioning package and other options. Contact Bob at Spinnaker for information about cost and availability. You can also book your own private bareboat or crewed charter for the time of your choosing through Spinnaker Sailing.

The Boats

Our group will use late model 41’ to 51’ Moorings Beneteau sloops. These yachts are equipped with 3 and 4 double staterooms for up to< 10 passengers. But we’ll limit the number of people to keep it extra comfortable for everybody.

Bareboat Charter Certification

Certification is available to Basic Coastal Cruising graduates who have acted as skipper at least 3 times. It’s important each student gets used to the responsibility of skippering a boat before Bareboat Charter certification is attempted. The cost is $315.00 extra for text book, certification fee, testing and instruction. Bareboat charter graduates can do their own bareboat cruising in the Caribbean and other locations around the world.

Dining in the BVI's

Beautiful diving spots abound in the British Virgin Islands and getting to them couldn’t be easier. The dive store at the Moorings provides rental equipment for those who want to be able to dive all week. Refills are available at many harbors. Dive boats also come out to any location by request.

The most famous diving spot is the wreck of Royal Mail Packet Steamer “Rhone”. It lies in 30 to 80 feet of water after sinking in a hurricane in 1867. This wreck was used in filming “The Deep”. A famous snorkeling spot is at Treasure Point at Norman Island. This place has the submerged caves that inspired Robert Louis Stevenson in writing Treasure Island.

There are many beautiful reefs too, each unique and waiting to be explored. Experienced snorkelers who aren’t certified for diving can take an introductory course. This short course includes instruction and a supervised dive. Although you don’t get regular certification, you can dive at other sites during the remainder of the cruise. Student divers (from home) may do their open water certification during the cruise.

 

Reservation and Payment Information

Cost including hotel and provisions:

$1695/person for couples or singles sleeping in main salon.
$1895/person - singles w/own cabin

Payments:
$100 non refundable deposit
$600 due June 1, 2012.
$600 due Aug. 1, 2012.
Balance due Oct. 1, 2012.

Airfare is not included but we can help you to get the right flights.