Since 2018, we have chartered three times in the British Virgin Islands, an island chain known for its beautiful beaches, local hospitality, and some of the best sailing in the world. The majority of the islands in the BVI can be reached within a few hours, making it easy for day hops, especially if your crew is eager to check out the next island’s beach bar. We have exclusively used BVI Yacht Charts, based out of Road Town, and have had nothing but great experiences with them. They take good care of the boats in their fleet and we’ve never had an issue. (This is not sponsored, we just love using BVI Yacht Charters and are happy to recommend them!) With that said, there are plenty of reputable charter yacht companies. As with anything, do your research and read the reviews.
On two of our charters, we did similar routes, so below you will find the two most different itineraries we did and the pros/cons of each.
ITINERARY 1
Day 1: Leave Road Town, Tortola and arrive at Cooper Island
Day 2: Cooper Island to Bitter End Yacht Club on Virgin Gorda
Day 3: Bitter End Yacht Club on Virgin Gorda to Leverick Bay, Virgin Gorda
Day 4: Leverick Bay, Virgin Gorda to the Bight, Norman Island
Day 5: The Bight, Norman Island to Great Harbour, Jost Van Dyke
Day 6: Great Harbour, Jost Van Dyke to Privateer Bay, Norman Island
Day 7: Privateer Bay, Norman Island to the Bight, Norman Island
Day 8: Return to base in Road Town, Tortola and check out
Pros/Cons:
Leaving Cooper Island to head toward the North Sound was all upwind, so we didn’t get to sail then. However, leaving the North Sound toward Norman and then Jost we could sail because of the prevailing winds.
ITINERARY 2
Day 1: Leave Road Town, Tortola and arrive at the Bight, Norman Island
Day 2: The Bight, Norman Island to Cane Garden Bay, Tortola
Day 3: Cane Garden Bay, Tortola to Little Jost, Jost Van Dyke
Day 4: Little Jost, Jost Van Dyke to Great Harbour, Jost Van Dyke
Day 5: Great Harbour, Jost Van Dyke to Sopers Hole, Tortola to the Bight, Norman Island
Day 6: The Bight, Norman Island to Great Harbour, Peter Island
Day 7: Great Harbour, Peter Island to Cooper Island then return to base in Road Town, Tortola
Day 8: Check out
Pros/Cons:
We wouldn’t opt to bring the boat back again the night before like we did on this charter, unless the weather was going to be bad. By bringing the boat back on check out day, we maximized our time on our island of choice instead of being docked in the charter yacht basin.
Other Tips & Considerations:
1. Be flexible with your day to day itinerary and check the wind/weather forecasts. We knew which islands we wanted to visit, but knew that being too rigid with our plans could make for a not so enjoyable experience if we sailed in bad weather or went upwind the entire trip. You may find yourself on an island that you absolutely love and wish to stay a day longer than you were expecting to…and that’s okay. Chartering is a unique vacation experience and you shouldn’t feel rushed to get to the next island. Take it easy, take it slow. You’re on island time!
2. If possible, ask your charter company if you can stay on the boat the night before your departure. The last thing you want to do is to try to fly in on the day of your charter and rely on flights being on time, then feel rushed to get provisions and off the dock to begin your vacation. We stayed on board the night before each of our three charters, and we will continue to do it as long as it’s an option.
3. Provisioning early is essential. Our first two charters, we picked up food the morning of our departure. We even placed an order in advance on one of those trips, which we wouldn’t do again. Some of the items we ordered were not in stock, so instead of notifying us that they weren’t available, the grocery store just removed the items from the order and we had to go to another grocery store to find what we needed. Our recommendation is to prepare your grocery list in advance, and go ahead and do all of your provisioning the night before your charter begins as soon as you arrive. While it was tiring to fly to the BVI and then do grocery shopping, it made our departure quick and painless in the morning and we got to sit at a beach bar on an island so much faster!
4. Instead of rushing through the day to get back to the charter base the night before checkout, I’m glad we enjoyed our final night on Norman Island (itinerary 1) and returned to the charter base in Tortola the morning of checkout. While the charter base was a little busier the morning of checkout, we felt that we were able to better enjoy our time on our favorite island and have one final dinner together.
Sailing Mystic Hearts 
Leave a comment