Why and how to choose a day sail charter
in the Virgin Islands
So there you
are in your honeymoon hotel, in your villa with friends, or on a cruise ship
with family. It’s the vacation you’ve been waiting for the past several months,
possibly years. You got there, you’ve settled in, you’ve spent a couple days at
the beach, and you look out at the gorgeous Caribbean, and you think: I want
to be on that sailboat I see out there. I need to be on that sailboat out
there. How can I get on that sailboat out there? Who do I call to get on that
sailboat tomorrow? After all, you didn’t go on vacation to stay indoors.
The Caribbean
hosts spectacular sailing due to its consistent Trade Winds. Sailing stateside
can be great as well, but your odds of getting great weather with amazing
scenery in the Caribbean are extra high. Another great thing about sailing in
some parts of the Caribbean is that you can sometimes sail among many islands,
not just out into a vast open sea. For this reason, I have to agree with many
seasoned sailors and travelers that the Virgin Islands are some of the best islands
to sail in the world, particularly if you are looking for a tropical sailing
adventure that isn’t 20,000 miles from home or just want to try it one day
while on vacation. It’s not uncommon to sail from St. Thomas to St. John or
more remote island outposts where the snorkeling is superb—all in a day.
I highly
recommend booking a sailing day charter while visiting any water-oriented city
or island, but I would also highly recommend that you ask the right questions
and know what you want before plunking down $70-200 per person in order to get
out on the water. Ask yourself the following:
Do we want to snorkel? Most Virgin Islands sailing charter
boats will also take you snorkeling, and the gear is included. Keep in mind
that snorkeling is often the highlight of the sailing excursion and takes up
considerable time. If you want the chance to snorkel for a long time or are
trying to see a particular type of sea life (turtles, for example), then book a
full day charter. If snorkeling isn’t your thing, but you’d love the chance to
anchor for a bit and swim, a half day should suffice. Many sailboats offer some
sort of inflatable swim vest or other swim accessories, so don’t be afraid to
ask if this is important to you. Want to bring your noodle? That should be
fine. Just remember your towel and sunscreen as well! If you really just want
to relax, perhaps enjoy a cocktail or two, and stay dry while sailing, by all
means consider a sunset sail. Bring your camera! By the way, diving is a whole
other experience that is best serviced through dive shops and dive operators
that utilize power boats. Most day sailboats do not offer diving as part of
their typical packages.
What do I plan to eat? You can’t forget about food, and you
will get hungry out there with the wind in your hair, so think about whether
you want to bring your own lunch or have the charter boat provide lunch for
you. It is rather convenient to have lunch presented to you after a long bout
in the water, but know that the price of the charter will go up considerably when
meals are provided as part of the package. Nearly all sailboats provide
inclusive alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages, and that’s a welcome
convenience, because you probably don’t want to transport your own ice,
bottles, and so on. Ask if there is a
restaurant or deli nearby if you plan to bring your own food. It shouldn’t be a
problem.
Is going to the British Virgin Islands
a must-have stop on my adventure?
Jost Van Dyke, Norman Island, and Virgin Gorda are just a few of the most sought-after
water-oriented stops Virgin Island travelers long for. Sailing there from the
US Virgin Islands isn’t difficult, but it does take a bit of time to get there
and back, which limits the amount of time you have to spend there. Checking into
the BVIs is required, and so is checking back in to the US Virgin Islands. Like I said, it’s doable, but your trip is
most likely to involve sailing to Jost Van Dyke, checking in, having lunch at
Foxy’s or Soggy Dollar, buying your t-shirt, going back to St. John to check
back in (yes, passports are involved), and
then sailing back to St. Thomas if that’s where you started off. There are a
few fast-ish, large-ish catamarans that do this sort of trip, or you could talk
with a flexible 6-pack captain who is willing to do this, so you’re covered if
you’re set on sailing there. Seriously, though, I think you’re better off
taking a few friends and a power boat because you could get around faster and
conceivably see/do more things such as Sandy Cay, Foxy’s, and the Soggy Dollar. I’ll save other favorite BVI stops for
another blog.
What kind of experience am I looking
for? Some people might want a romantic getaway,
while others prefer a boat that feels like a party. No worries, because you can
have either option or something in between. Most, though not all, boats that
offer low prices can do so only because they take a dozen or so guests at a
time. This is a good option if you are traveling alone or with just one other
person, don’t mind being with a large group of people, and budget is a strong concern.
You might not get to spread out on deck or request a special type of music, but
you might make a few new friends along the way.
Most
sailboats offer to take up to six guests due to the type of license the captain
has. This usually works out well, too, in terms of size because many day sail
boats are not spacious enough to peacefully support more than six guests (plus
captain and crew). By and large, the bigger the boat, the more gentle your sail
will be. I could get into specifics on which sizes and types of sailboats are
more comfortable in my opinion, but that would really just be my own opinion. Much
of what feels comfortable to a person depends on the weather, your own personal
idea of what constitutes enough space, and how the captain chooses to sail. A
good, fair captain will be diligent about watching the weather and not take
guests out in confused seas, extreme wind conditions, or other forms of foreseeable
bad weather. A typical six-pack boat
that offers private or exclusive sails is generally very pleasant with 4-6
guests. It’s also very nice for fewer people, though note that nearly all boats
require a minimum “buyout” rate in order cover the costs of fuel, crew, and so
on.
Also, it’s a
good idea to ask about shade on the boat. A nice big jib (the sail that
stretches from the bow to the top of the main mast) can offer some shade
depending on the time of day and direction you are sailing, but the Caribbean
sun is strong. Ask the person booking
your charter if there is a covered area to escape to in case it rains or you’ve
had enough sun.
When in doubt,
visit the local sailors’ bar and ask who’s good. May you have fair winds and
following seas!
-Mumfy
Disclosure: The
writer is part of a family-operated sailing charter business in the US Virgin
Islands, Sail with Liberty. While Mumfy and Captain Ryan would love to take the
entire world sailing, they would prefer that people make an informed choice as
to which type of sailing charter is best for their particular needs and interest
so that they want to go sailing again and again. Please visit http://www.sailwithliberty.com
