Category Type
Practical Training/Assessment Event,
Specialized Endorsement Training,
Skippered/Crewed Charter Vacation,
Sailing Flotilla,
SLC/ICC Training and Licensing Assessments,
Catamaran Endorsement,
Sailing Training Adventure,
Mile/Resume Building Adventure
By the Cabin
Start Location
British Virgin Islands, Road Town, Tortola
Contacts
Jessica Green,
Ph: +1(410) 280-2040,
email: Jessica@jportinc.com
Price
Per cabin: Monohull $4,900 Catamaran $5,400
Greetings Sailor!
Come join JWorld Annapolis and Chesapeake Boating Club for our annual flotilla! This year we will be returning once again to the beautiful British Virgin Islands. Let us take care of the planning and organization while you sit back, relax, and enjoy the trip. Want a more hands-on experience? We are happy to offer NauticEd Bareboat Charter Master/SLC assessment, Catamaran practical assessment, and resume-building experience on both a catamaran and a monohull.
Provisioning / Shared Boat Expenses:
J World will cover Moorings, Fuel, National Parks fees, on base charges: A list of provisions will be sent to you from Bobby's Market, which you can order online or you could use this list to shop at the grocery store about a block away. We may order some provisions online in advance, working together as a boat to accommodate everyone’s needs and preferences. Your skipper/coach will lead this discussion as we get closer to the event. We will shop for anything else we need on Thursday night at the local grocery store. You should bring additional funds for on-shore meals (ie: dinners, etc), shared boat expenses such as ice, wine, or beer, and of course the occasional Painkiller(s) !!
Travel
Plan to arrive no later than Thursday afternoon, February 20, 2025. We will meet at the charter base around 5 pm, and depart on Friday morning. We will all stay on the boats that Thursday evening.
Return flights can be booked after 4 pm on Thursday, February 27th if you are flying out of Beef Island, Tortola. If you are flying out of St. Thomas, plan for enough time to catch the ferry no earlier than noon on that Thursday (that means a flight out of St Thomas after 3:30-4 pm on Thursday).
Airports
Terrance B. Lettsome International Airport (EIS), Beef Island, Tortola – Please note that you will be required to pay a $10 USD tourist tax in cash upon arrival. You will need to keep your receipt for the remainder of your stay. There may also be departure taxes as well, depending on your air carrier. Keep some cash handy!
Cyril E. King International Airport (STT) – You will need to take the Fast Ferry into Roadtown Harbour, Tortola. Please plan your flight with attention to the ferry schedule from St. Thomas to Roadtown. To view the full ferry schedule, google “Charlotte Amalie, USVI to Road Town, BVI ferries” (try to avoid ferries from Red Hook, St Thomas to West End, BVI – this will mean additional taxi rides!). The ferry schedule is designed to accommodate most flight arrival times. When booking your ferry, please ensure that you are allowing yourself enough time to get to the ferry dock from the airport and to get through security and customs (a couple of hours). For a more “chill” experience, you may want to consider traveling on Wednesday and returning on Friday, especially if you haven’t been here before. If you choose to do this then this would require a hotel stay, so please make those arrangements.
Some servicing airlines to consider:
American Airlines
Silver Airways
Liat
InterCaribbean Airways
Seaborn Airlines
Cape Air
Travel Documents
A US passport valid for 6 months after your departure date is required.
If you have a different passport, be sure to check visa requirements for the BVI
No Covid-19 testing is currently required for entry to the BVI.
Language/Currency/Electricity
Official Language is English / Currency is the US Dollar
Credit cards are accepted in most (but not all) locations – some US cash is recommended ($300-$500) for tips, drinks, mooring fees, ice, shared boat expenses, and incidentals
Electricity: Standard US 110-volt service is available in most places (including your boat at the dock, and maybe on a generator at anchor) but be sure to bring USB and DC chargers as well for the boat. Please leave electric shavers and hair dryers at home. You won’t need them!
Cell phones / Wifi
Your phone plan may cover the BVI, or you may need an international plan. Arrange this before leaving the US. WiFi is often available at bars and restaurants ashore, but not always,
Provisioning / Shared Boat Expenses
J World will cover Moorings, Fuel, National Parks fees, on base charges: A list of provisions will be sent to you from Bobby's Market, which you can order online or you could use this list to shop at the grocery store about a block away. We may order some provisions online in advance, working together as a boat to accommodate everyone’s needs and preferences. Your skipper/coach will lead this discussion as we get closer to the event. We will shop for anything else we need on Thursday night at the local grocery store. You should bring additional funds for on-shore meals (ie: dinners, etc), shared boat expenses such as ice, wine, or beer, and of course the occasional Painkiller(s) !!
What to Bring (and not to bring)
Most people bring way too much! Soft luggage is way easier to store on the boat than suitcases. Sheets, blankets, and bath towels are provided.
Bring, shorts, bathing suits, t-shirts, light dresses or cover-ups, flip-flops, boat shoes, a windbreaker, beach towel. Temperature is typically 78-83, 72 at night, water temp. is usually 72ish. There are no “fancy places”…fancy = boat shoes. It usually rains every day for 5-10 minutes, just long enough to wash the salt off the deck.
The sun is INTENSE (18 degrees N latitude, Annapolis is almost 39 N)…. Consider some UV or long-sleeved sun protection. Of course, a hat (w/strap), sunglasses (w/strap), water bottle, and sunscreen are essential. Illicit DRUGS are prohibited, If found the vessel will be confiscated and you may be arrested.
Extra gear available
Snorkel gear (fins, mask, snorkel) will be available on the boat at no extra charge (I usually bring my own mask and snorkel anyway). Paddleboards and kayaks can be arranged through a local vendor, however, there is limited space on the deck for big items. You should work with your coach and crew members to request large items.
Fishing from the boat is not recommended due to the presence of marine diseases (ciguatera) on local reef fish in most of the Caribbean.
Weekly Itinerary / Cruising Guide
You can obtain a copy of the “Cruising Guide to the Virgin Islands” on Amazon or Landfall Navigation, among others. A copy will be on the boat. Since we have been to the BVI many times, we have experience with some of the very best places to visit. The final itinerary will depend on weather and sea conditions, but a typical itinerary is as follows:
Day 0 Arrive, shop, dine out in Road Town
Day 1 Final yacht brief, departure, sail, arrive at Trellis Bay or other
Day 2 Morning sail to the Baths, Virgin Gorda, lunch on shore, sail to North Sound (Bitter End Yacht Club or Leverick Bay)
Day 3 Sail to Anegada, swim on a beach, explore this fantastic coral atoll, eat Anegada lobster
Day 4 Sail to Cane Garden Bay or other location N of Tortola; OR take the entire day off in beautiful Anagada, explore the island, excursion, or swim
Day 5 Sail and anchor at Jost van Dyke; Foxy’s, Soggy Dollar Bar, Bubbly Pool or Sandy Cay
Day 6 Snorkel at the Indians; moor at Norman Island and explore the caves
Day 7 Sail back to Road Town Tortola; arrive at the marina before 11 am
Living Aboard
Although cruising boats are large, they can feel small after a week of sailing and living together. Please be considerate of your shipmates: Keep your personal items in your cabin, not in the salon or galley; take turns cooking and washing up; save tank water (it costs more than rum, and will take 3-4 hours off your vacation to get more); be respectful of sleeping crew members; our dinghy is the boat “taxi”, so share it and first ask others if they would like to go ashore with you. Courtesy goes a long way on a cruising boat!
Charter Base
Our charter company is Conch Charters in Road Town BVI, a family-owned business very similar in style to our own company.
Base Address:
Fort Burt Marina
Roadtown VG1110
Tortola, British Virgin Islands
Prices are by the cabin. Each cabin is limited to maximum two occupants.
Link to more information about this Opportunity.
