BVI Crewed Catamaran 7 Day Itinerary – Day 2 – Norman Island to Peter and Cooper Islands

Day 2 started with a short motor to “the Indians” – a row of rocks protruding out of the water that resemble an indian headdress, then a sail to Peter Island for lunch and watersports in beautiful Deadmans Bay, then a second sail to Cooper Island to spend the night at the Haulover. Here is our track:

Snorkeling at “the Indians”

You can find great snorkeling at the Indians, swimming between the protruding rocks and looking into the depths. It is a very popular destination, with easy access to mooring balls. You are only allowed to stay there for an hour, so that others can partake in the activity. Jump in, swim around, enjoy!

Deadmans Bay, Peter Island

After snorkeling, we raised sails and headed to Peter Island – generally a one tack sail up the Sir Francis Drake channel. Deadmans bay is owned by the Peter Island Resort, but charterers are allowed to use the beach to enjoy it’s beauty. There are also some beautiful hikes with superb views if you are interested in hiking or jogging.

Deadmans Bay is a great place to pull out all the water toys and beach toys. We waterskied, boogy boarded and spent a lot of time paddle boarding. There are sea turtles in the bay, which are fun to spot and follow while on a paddle board.

The beach is one of our favorites – with clean white sand, nice breakers to play in and beautiful views from all angles.

View from Peter Island Resort — View from the road above Peter Island Resort

The view of our catamaran at Deadmans Bay, Peter Island

Cooper Island

We pulled up anchor after a great day of watersports, beach games and hiking the trails of Peter Island, and headed to the Haulover at Cooper Island. If you’re looking for a less remote place to anchor for the night, you may want to anchor at the Cooper Island Resort nearby.

We passed the Wreck of the Rhone, a great diving area, but decided to see it tomorrow as it was getting late!

Sunset from the Haulover, Coopers Island — Sunset from the Haulover, Cooper Island

Screen-Shot-2013-04-20-at-16.19.52 — Approaching the Haulover, Cooper Island

Nearly any anchorage on the southern islands give you an amazing view of the sunset seen through Sir Francis Drake Channel.

Tomorrow – The Wreck of the Rhone then on to Virgin Gorda, The Baths and The Bitter End Resort

Click here to see this BVI itinerary all in one page.

Posted on April 20, 2013 by Tom Virden — No Comments ↓

BVI Crewed Catamaran 7 Day Itinerary – Day 1 – Road Town to the Bight, Norman Island

The traditional first day out in the BVI is the short sail (8 miles/1 hour) to Norman Island to anchor in the Bight, do some snorkeling at “the Caves”, and maybe hit the famous Willy T’s floating bar. Day 1 is a chance to learn the boat, get your sea legs, and get into the BVI rhythm. So we of course did the same thing! Here is our route.

Setting Sail!

The Caves, Norman Island

A great first place to snorkel in the BVI is in “The Caves”, which are directly around the corner from the Bight, so they are the perfect first stop. We set sail around 3 pm and were snorkeling by 4:30. You can go quite deep into the Caves (you’ll need a waterproof flashlight) or just snorkel around the entrances as the fish are colorful and plentiful.

After about 45 minutes of snorkeling, we pulled up anchor and motored around the corner to anchor in the Bight, with about 50 other monohulls and catamarans!

The Bight, Norman Island

The Bight is a large, protected bay on the north side of Norman Island. There are plenty of mooring balls there, so there’s normally no need to drop anchor, and the Bight features two Bar/Restaurants – the Pirates Bight at the end of the Bay, which offers among other things a conch burger, and blows off a cannon daily at the beginning of happy hour. It has recently been remodeled and upgraded, but still has a rustic, eat with you feet in the sand, feel.

The Willy T Floating Bar and Restaurant

Willy T’s is definitely not for children or the light hearted. It’s famous for multiple people doing shooters by tipping up a water ski with 5 shot holders in it, and then dancing until the late hours. Two TV screens on either side of the bar show topless girls doing shooters and jumping off the boat. As mentioned, it’s not for children, but it’s a fun place where you can meet people and enjoy a fun night out from your boat!

Tomorrow – we sail to Peter Island, paddle board with turtles, and Cooper Island!.

Click here to see this BVI itinerary all in one page.

Posted on April 19, 2013 by Tom Virden — No Comments ↓

Day By Day – The ideal BVI Crewed Catamaran Charter Itinerary aboard Soul’s Calling – Lagoon 500

We recently revisited the British Virgin Islands in order to update our itinerary suggestions and report on any interesting changes since our last visit. We can faithfully report that all of the things that make the BVI the leading sailing charter destination in the world are still there – the BVI has a timelessness that makes it a familiar place to come back to, even 25 years after our first visit.

This series of blog posts will take you day-by-day through a typical crewed caramaran charter in the BVI. We retraced our “counter clockwise” itinerary of the islands, starting with Norman, then to Peter, Virgin Gorda, Anegada and Jost Van Dyke, and then back to Norman Island before the final sail back to Road Town. Here is our actual GPS plot of the itinerary.

A typical BVI Sailing Itinerary

Our Catamaran

We were aboard Soul’s Calling, a beautiful Lagoon 500 catamaran, captained by Alex Mulder. Soul’s Calling has 3 cabins, including a spacious Owners suite, and always gets high ratings and excellent testimonials. She has become one of Boatbooking’s favorite catamarans in the BVI.

Souls Calling - Lagoon 500 Crewed Catamaran — *Souls Calling* in Village Cay Port – a Lagoon 500 Crewed Catamaran

We were excited to see Alex again and meet his wife and the boat’s superb cook, Carla!

Arriving and Boarding

While it is possible to fly directly to Tortola, St Thomas in the USVI is often more convenient because it is served by more and larger planes. We took the Road Town Fast Ferry from Charlotte Amalie (the main port on St Thomas) for the scenic 1 hour cruise. The ferry costs $60 round trip per adult, $35 for children.

We began getting excited for our charter as St Johns, Jost Van Dyke and Tortola rolled into view from the deck of the ferry, and then cruised the south coast of Tortola until we pulled into the Ferry Building in Road Town. Warning – the BVI is a different country from the USVI, and there is quite a bit of tedious paperwork to fill out – a small price to pay to enter paradise!

The Road Town Ferry Building — Arriving at the Road Town Ferry Building

Souls Calling was waiting for us just a short walk from the Ferry Building in Village Cay, one of the many marinas in Road Town. Alex welcomed us, introduced us to Carla, and then gave us a safety briefing and discussed the rules of the boat. We were reminded never to bring sand onto the boat – it ruins the floors and scratches the fiberglass. Because of this, the boat is in immaculate condition.

After the briefing, we cracked open a bottle of champagne, unloaded our bags, and quickly departed!

Tomorrow’s post – The Bight, Willy T’s, the Caves and the Indians.

Click here to see this BVI itinerary all in one page.

Posted on April 19, 2013 by Tom Virden — No Comments ↓

Cannes Royal Regatta: Sail or Spectate the Most Prestigious Yachting Event in the Racing Calendar.

This year the prestigious Cannes Royal Regatta runs from the 21st to the 28th of September. Charter a luxury yacht of your choice and be a part of this spectacular event. The Royal Regatta dates back to 1929 when French royals and aristocrats raced amongst one another along the glorious French coastline. Nowadays the race is a much more serious affair.

The Royal Regatta represents one of the most prestigious fixtures on the Panerai Classic Yachts racing calendar.The Regatta is a predominant mix of classic and vintage boats. The combination of magnificent yachts and a picturesque setting provides an impressive spectacle from the Cannes shoreline.

PANTHALASSA is a majestic 56m Perini Navi sailing yacht, built for speed, style and comfort. She boasts six grand staterooms accommodating up to 12 guests. PANTHALASSA oozes elegance and style. The lavish interior with its 6 impressive staterooms, beautifully decorated en suites and extravagant dining area merges seamlessly with the boats immaculate exterior. The well designed rigging system and superbly polished upper deck definitely turns heads. Sprawling sofas, cashmere throws and silk cushions are in abundance. The boats impressive array of on board water toys, make it perfect for large groups or families. Charter this luxury yacht around the French Riviera; you will definitely not be disappointed.

Here at Boatbookings, our dedicated team has intimate knowledge of the French Riviera and the yachts that are available to charter. We can cater to any need and seek to provide guests with the best possible boat to hire. We are an independent charter retail broker, meaning that we are not biased as to which boat we promote for your yacht charter. Clients are therefore more likely to be offered the best yacht available on the whole of the French Riviera!

Posted on April 17, 2013 by admin — No Comments ↓

Discovering the joys of Day Boat Chartering in Cannes.

Now that the weather is finally improving and the French Riviera is heating up – now is the time to start thinking about your day boat charter from Cannes. Cannes positively blooms in the sunshine and with this sunshine comes a special atmosphere fueled by the variety of events and conferences taking place. A day boat charter is the perfect way to make the most out of a visit to the French Riviera. It is a wonderful means of getting away from the hustle and bustle of the crowds and that hated traffic. Why not hire a yacht and speed towards your destination on the open water in style; be it to St Tropez, Monaco or Antibes?

The options are endless, you could start with a cruise around the bay, ghosting past famous hotels such as the Carlton and Martinez before leaving the crowds on the beach and heading to the serene Lerins Islands for a picnic lunch, swim and sightseeing.

Then why not also cruise down toward the gorgeous red rock cliffs of the Esterel, or east past Cap d`Antibes and all the way to Monaco if you choose. Circle back in time for an evening drink and sunset, and you will have experienced a truly memorable day in the South of France.

One such yacht that would surely give guests a charter to remember would be PULSAR. A brand new Sunseeker Predator 64 that has been built to the very highest standards and comes with a crew of 2 to look to guests every need. Sunseekers are always a popular choice, with the Predator range known for its fast acceleration and exquisite styling, and PULSAR is no exception. With her sleek, stylish lines and powerful performance turning heads where ever you go and plenty of space on deck to absorb that all important sun, she is a fantastic yacht for your day boat charter.

Posted on April 16, 2013 by admin — No Comments ↓