Caribbean: Normalisation in the dream destination British Virgin Islands
Andreas Fritsch
· 28.10.2022
The British Virgin Islands (BVIs) have been one of the favourite destinations of German charter crews for many years. The advantage of the islands in the north of the Caribbean is that they form a self-contained area. The distances are super short, the next dream island with a beach and bar under palm trees is never more than an hour or two away. And during the coronavirus restart, the islands had the great advantage of belonging to just one administrative district. There is no need to clear in or out when island hopping. Unlike further south in the Caribbean, where a wide range of coronavirus restrictions deterred many boaters in 2022, the recovery began around Tortola. Only some of the damage caused by the disastrous hurricane "Irma" at the end of 2017 had not yet been repaired everywhere.
Bitter End Yacht Club
But now the BVIs are finally taking off, especially as many iconic addresses that fell victim to "Irma" have been rebuilt. For example, the popular Bitter End Yacht Club was recently reopened, and yachts can also dock at Saba Rock just opposite again. Bitter End shines in new splendour. The small lodges and the main building are designed with lots of wood and an unobtrusive design. The workers were able to recycle some of the building materials from the remains of the old complex. Even some of the furnishings were saved. The "Quarterdecks" restaurant is still being expanded and will feature a rum bar where guests can sample specialities from all over the Caribbean. Pool tables and dart boards are also back. And, as in the past, hobie cats are available for hire. Crews can either moor at the small harbour - book in advance - or moor their ship at one of the mooring buoys.
Saba Rock Resort
Opposite is the island harbour of the Saba Rock Resort within sight. This is another worthwhile stop-off point. The tiny hotel with just nine suites has been rebuilt and, as before, has a great big bar right on the water. This is a favourite with many sailors. A sunset bar has also been added on the first floor. And you can still watch the giant tarpon being fed every day at 5 pm. They live around the rocky island and are tame. There is now live music in the bar on Sundays from 4pm to 7pm. If you look around, you will notice a new red English telephone box with a selfie camera. Many people will recognise it from the islet of Marina Cay.
Marina Cay is one of the two locations that have not yet been rebuilt. You can already use the buoys on the tiny island. However, they are currently managed by the Scrub Island Resort next door. Rumour has it that construction work is set to begin this year. However, the site will still be deserted for the upcoming season. If you miss the "Pusser's Marine Store" that used to be located there, you will have to go to Sopers Hole. A shop has reopened there, and the marina and shops have been completely renovated.
The second island looking forward to its reopening is Peter Island. Construction work is already underway there.
Scrub Island
Scrub Island, on the other hand, has been completely restored. The facility was renovated shortly after Hurricane Irma. The marina there is ideal for crews who want to spend a night on the jetty. A brand new stop in the area is the Oil Nut Bay Marina at the end of Eustatia Sound. The luxurious hotel has ten moorings on mooring buoys and a small marina. However, it is quite expensive at three US dollars per foot. The buoy costs around the BVI standard 30 US dollars.
Many other classics in the region have been back on the water since 2021: the sunken party schooner "Willy T" has been replaced by a new ship and, as always, awaits party-loving crews off Norman Island. We are also pleased that the popular full moon parties with live music and fireball beach sessions in Trellis Bay on Tortola are taking place again. The beach, littered with stranded yachts after the storm, has been cleared. And: travelling to the BVIs is now possible again by changing planes on St. Martin, after there had been hardly any connections by plane to Tortola for a long time.
