·

How are things in BVI?

Moorings in BVS

Jan 10, 2019

Following the harsh impact of Hurricanes Irma and Maria, The British Virgin Islands is making an impressive comeback this winter. Starting this December, Oil Nut Bay will offer Bay Suites, stunning new one-bedroom accommodations with nightly availability in addition to a marina village offering 93 slips allowing yachts up to 40 meters (131 feet).

Looking further into 2019, other popular properties will be returning to their former grandeur as well. Rosewood Little Dix Bay, a luxury resort on Virgin Gorda, is set to reopen in late 2019. Additionally, Bitter End Yacht Club will open its marina in Spring 2019 and its resort in early 2020.

Dream Yacht Charter recently announced it is relocating its BVI to Scrub Island to support its growth and commitment to the region. Dream Yacht Charter founder, Loïc Bonnet explains “For 2019, we’ve expanded all offerings across our bareboat fleet and crewed yachts, as well as increased capacity on our guaranteed departure cabin cruises.”

The best connection for the US to Scrub Island is via Terrance B. Lettsome International Airport (EIS), Beef Island. On arrival, it’s just a short walk or two-minute taxi ride to the Trellis Bay ferry dock where you can catch the regular Scrub Island ferry to the charter base, which takes ten minutes. The ferry is free of charge for customers and runs from Trellis Bay between 6:45am to 10:30pm and from Scrub Island between 6:30am and 10:15pm. Customers coming from St. Thomas, Charlotte Amalie can get the ferry to Tortola and take a 45-minute taxi ride from Road Town Ferry Dock to Trellis Bay to pick up the Scrub Island ferry.

In summary, BVI is back with both sail and increasingly power charters. If you are not familiar with the power side of that experience, take a look at Props to Power Charters in CY here

 

Related Articles

Ride of a Lifetime – Ottawa River

Ride of a Lifetime – Ottawa River

In 1613, Samuel de Champlain made his way up the Ottawa River in a birch bark canoe. To commemorate the 400th anniversary of this historic journey, 14 riders on 11 personal watercraft (PWC) made our own four-day voyage of discovery last summer. We travelled faster and likely had more fun than Champlain, but we shared the spirit of mystique, magic and wonder that the Ottawa River Waterway still invokes for all who adventure there.

Nepean Sailing Club

Nepean Sailing Club

Birth of an Inclusive and Accessible Sailing Club. Once upon a time there was nothing….. an embankment, a dozen or so yards of undeveloped land, and a shoreline of shallow, very exposed water on the Ottawa River. That was the beginning of the Nepean Sailing Club: no breakwater, no docks, no clubhouse, no yacht basin… and this is where the story began. In December of 1978 “three guys from Harlowe Avenue”; Bill Mantle, Jim Leeson, and Keith Cattell, organized a Community Sailing meeting because they were tired of waiting around for the Nepean City Council to develop a marina.

Bay Days

Bay Days

When boaters ventured into Frenchman’s Bay even a couple of decades ago, it was not without some trepidation – the entrance to the harbour was badly marked and was flanked by the remnants of underwater pier footings, the water inside the bay was so shallow running aground was a certainty for any but the shallowest drawing and the docks were slightly wobbly and mosquito populated.   But all that has changed and more transformations are underway even as you read this.

Back to the Channel

Back to the Channel

“So you’re back,” says Canadian Yacht Charters co-proprietor Ken Blodgett as if it hasn’t been a year since we’d last seen him.

“I’m back.” I sit down on a Muskoka chair beside Blodgett just outside their office, snugged down on the shores of Gore Bay on Manitoulin Island’s north shore.

I stare at the waters – dark green and mysterious in the late afternoon.

Highland Yacht Club

Highland Yacht Club

The formation of Glacial Lake Iroquois, at the end of the last ice age, was to have a lasting effect on the boating activity on Lake Ontario. Many years ago, as the lake eroded, it left geological records through alluvial deposits from the Bluffs, which then settled westward to form the Toronto Islands. More recently, the erosion rate picked up quickly in the 1940s when cottages were being built along the bluffs to capitalize on the breathtaking, enticing waterfront view of this “geological wonder” and a unique feature in North America. The result of this consistent and dramatic erosion in the Scarborough Bluffs, has created an impressive portion aptly named Cathedral Bluffs.  The Bluffs were first named by Elizabeth Simcoe, wife of John Graves Simcoe, the first lieutenant governor of Upper Canada, in 1793. She wrote in her diary, “The [eastern] shore is extremely bold, and has the appearance of chalk cliffs, but I believe they are only white sand. They appeared so well that we talked of building a summer residence there and calling it Scarborough.” It runs for 15 kilometres from the Eastern Beaches to West Hill, and soars up to 90 metres at its highest point. A stylized version of The Bluffs appeared prominently on the flag of the former City of Scarborough before it was amalgamated into the City of Toronto. Nestled in the middle and protected on all sides you will find one of the friendliest places on Lake Ontario, Highland Yacht Club.

Video Gallery

New Boats: Beneteau Oceanis 34.1 – A Sleek, Good -Looking Delight To Sail

By Katherine Stone

There is nothing more that I enjoy than being with friends and messing about in boats. Messing about in brand-new boats on a champagne sailing day on Lake Ontario at the beginning of the summer doesn’t get any better. To have the new owner, Helmuth Strobel and Anchor Yachts dealer Pancho Jimenez aboard made it even more special, as they can also speak to what they truly enjoy about the boat. We keep our own boat in a harbour that has a long waiting list for boats over 35 feet, so this little gem would definitely fit the bill and feels like a much bigger boat. True to the spirit of the 7th generation Oceanis line, the 34.1 is built in Poland and replaces the 35.1. It is 1,000 lbs lighter, 14 cm narrower and has 29% more sail area.

Read More

Destinations

Peter Island Resort in the British Virgin Islands has Reopened

Peter Island Resort in the British Virgin Islands has opened its rebuilt and re-envisioned luxury private island in 2024 after the property closures from the Virgin Islands’ 2017 hurricane season. Peter Island Resort has been undergoing its transformation for over six years. Its evolution includes brand new and upgraded accommodations and new state-of-the-art facilities and five stellar beaches amid hundreds of acres of unspoiled tropical island.

Peter Island Yacht Club

The new Yacht Club will be a must on the itineraries of sailors, boaters and yachtsmen with a marina that can accommodate a range of vessels from power boats, sailboats and catamarans, to super yachts of up to 200 feet. Located in Sprat Bay harbor, the Yacht Club will be its own destination with a dedicated swimming pool for Yacht Club guests, Drunken Pelican restaurant and bar, a commissary, Sea Chest Boutique and a sports recreation area with pickleball, basketball and bocce ball courts and a lawn-games area. To protect the coral reef and marine life surrounding the island, moorings will be located in White Bay, Sprat Bay, Deadman’s Bay…

Read More

Lifestyle