Our first-ever sail in the British Virgin Islands exceeded our expectations. Sharing the stunning natural beauty with my sister and niece, the thrill of navigating the open waters, and the unexpected encounters with fellow travelers made for unforgettable memories. 

Find out about our great adventure in Sailing, Snorkeling & Sunsets: Our Unforgettable BVI Adventure!

In this article, we get into the nitty-gritty–the highlights, the challenges, and insights into how we prepared, and how it impacted our experience, our lessons learned. If you are contemplating or preparing for your own trip, this one’s for you!

1. Trip Summary
2. Detailed Itinerary
3. Highlights
4. Challenges
5. Lessons Learned
6. Our Essential Packing List 
   1. Clothing:
   2. Gear:
   3. Toiletries and Medications:
   4. Miscellaneous
   5. Food We Brought With Us:
   6. Food We Ordered Ahead of Time:
7. Excellent Weather Resource
8. Bonus Recipe

Trip Summary

For a week in October, my husband and I chartered a 2023 Bali Catspace 40 foot Catamaran from Dream Yacht Charters in the British Virgin Islands. We hired a captain to orient us to sailing a catamaran, as we’ve only ever sailed monohulls. We had 2 guests.

Detailed Itinerary

• Saturday

  • Arrival in Tortola and check-in at Dream Yacht Charters.
• Sunday

  • Morning – Afternoon: Catamaran sailing lessons with Captain around Salt Island.
  • Late Afternoon: Arrival at Norman Island’s Bight Bay and securing a mooring ball.
  • Evening: Dinner and drinks at Willie T’s.
• Monday

  • Morning: Snorkeling at the Indians.
  • Afternoon: Fallen Jerusalem Island – We left after lunch because we were too close to the rocks.
  • Late Afternoon: Snorkeling at Great Dog.
  • Evening: Trellis Bay on Beef Island – dinner at the Loose Mongoose.
• Tuesday

  • Morning: Exploration of the Baths.
  • Evening: Snorkeling and dinner at Leverick Bay Resort.
• Wednesday

  • Morning: Departure for White Bay on Jost Van Dyke.
  • Daytime: Seven-hour sailing trip to White Bay.
  • Afternoon: Lunch at Ivan’s Stress-Free Bar and Painkillers at the Soggy Dollar Bar.
• Thursday

  • Morning: Snorkeling at White Bay.
  • Afternoon: Return to the Indians for more snorkeling.
  • Evening: Return to Bight Bay and dinner at Willie T’s.
• Friday

  • Morning: Sailing south around Norman Island.
  • Evening: Arrival at Cooper Island and an exceptional snorkeling experience.
• Saturday

  • Morning: Return of the Virgo Maris to Dream Yacht Charters at Hodges Creek Marina.
  • Afternoon: Disembarkation and preparation for departure.

Highlights

• Sharing the adventure with my sister and niece!
• Captain Houk’s patient and insightful, hands-on instruction!
• Snorkeling! Encountering diverse marine life, and the sea turtle in White Bay!
• Our pigeon passenger!
• The legendary Soggy Dollar Bar and having a Painkiller cocktail!
• The spontaneous party with fellow boaters from Nebraska!
• Stargazing at night!

Challenges

• The cost. Chartering a catamaran is expensive, but we were able to get a discounted price because we went during the hurricane season, knowing there was a chance the trip would have to be postponed. Yacht charter pricing can vary dramatically by season and even week to week. Some experienced charter customers have strong feelings about charter companies, boat makes and models, and other details. Do your research and check around to make the best choice for your charter.
• Our anxiety about learning to sail a catamaran. We were extremely grateful to Captain Houk for imparting his knowledge and wisdom. Hiring him added to the cost of the trip, but it was well worth it. The hands-on learning left us with a little bit of experience before we even started, and the confidence we needed to embark on our journey and really enjoy it.  What we didn’t expect was the sense of self-satisfaction we gained having his stamp of approval on our skills.
• Docking. I suppose this is always a challenge, even for experienced sailors. I tend to look at docking like it’s a singular skill and the only way to acquire it is by doing it. And of course, the thought of it makes me nauseous because of what is at stake – thousands of dollars of equipment that doesn’t even belong to us. However, the reality is, there are opportunities to help yourself, such as: There are lots of techniques and strategies to use docking lines and fenders (and the online resources addressing that topic are plentiful on YouTube!); hiring a captain; and radioing the dock upon your approach to let them know you’d like help. We found the dock hands to be extremely helpful. They appeared to have done it a million times, and that nonchalant attitude made us feel less nervous. They gave very specific instructions, and we followed. I cannot overstate how valuable that was. And, from a worst-case-scenario perspective–our charter price included insurance!
• Limited sailing opportunities due to light wind conditions. We did a lot of motoring. The locals said all of the hurricane activity that was going on surrounding the area was sucking up all the wind. Technically speaking, we were within the hurricane season. Perhaps going outside of that window would have made for a different experience, but in addition to the light winds, the fact is that our destinations were close together. Other than our longest day from Virgin Gorda to Jost Van Dyke, our typical day’s travel was five or six nautical miles, or a little over an hour’s sail in light winds. Putting the motors into gear is much simpler than raising sails on such a large vessel.
• The relentless heat and humidity. Again, the time of year….
• We did not go to Anegada. There was not enough wind and some places on the island were closed. Not so much a challenge, more like a disappointment. Or, something to anticipate for next time, depending on how you look at it!
• No-see-um bites. We were not prepared for this. We got chewed up on the first day, and were scratching for 10 days thereafter.
• The Bali Catspace catamaran was extremely comfortable, but it had a few problems: 
  • The common space between the hulls–it had a huge garage-type door aft of the salon. When opened, the entire space was open to the breeze, which would have been very nice, except that it was soooo hot! We didn’t spend much time in that space and instead, retreated to our cabins. (This would have been a wonderful feature had it been cooler!)
  • The lever door knobs caused problems. There were four cabins. In the two fore cabins, because the door to the head was just inside the door to the cabin, the cabin door got hooked onto the door to the head. I wasn’t able to reach in with my hand to unhook it. The only way to get at it was through the hatch. (Luckily, Mary fit through the hatch!) Once we got in, we looped a backpack over the door handles to prevent it from happening again.
  • The rudder sensor broke as we were coming out of a marina and we lost our steerage. We had to call the charter company for assistance. (We were grateful that they sent mechanics to our boat immediately and fixed it on the spot!)
  • The air conditioning in one of the cabins ran out of freon and quit cooling. Kent and I had situated ourselves in one hull, with our bags in the empty cabin, and sleeping in the other. Maria and Mary were going to each have a cabin in the other hull. But when they boarded, we discovered that the air conditioning unit in one of the cabins was broken and it was too hot to sleep in. So, Mary and Maria moved all of their bags in that cabin, and Mary slept in the cabin with some of our bags.

Lessons Learned

• Hiring a captain was the right move. There is so much to be gained from expert guidance.
• Docking was stressful, but it got better as we had more practice.
• And, with practice, the advantage of docking a cat with its twin motors became apparent. We were able to turn the entire boat within its own length.
• I appreciated the discount during the hurricane season, however the heat, humidity, and lack of wind was not insignificant. Consider going at a different time for a more temperate climate and more open businesses.
• It’s nice to have a skinny person on the crew…. (Thanks for dropping down into the hatch and fixing the door problem, Mary!)
• Catamarans offer a comfortable and spacious platform for sailing adventures with a group. Would like to explore other brands and configurations.
• We’d consider a monohull for the two of us.
• I thought getting in the dinghy and going to dinner every evening was going to be a highlight, but all I could think about was more snorkeling.
• Rental units come with problems. Expect it.
• Sailing can be a series of problems. Expect it.
• As I talked about in my previous post, having the kind of mindset that allows you to view the problems you will inevitably face as a feature of sailing, rather than a bug, will allow you to have the biggest adventure of your life!

Our Essential Packing List 

Clothing:

• Athleisure wear for daily life on the boat–synthetic, moisture-wicking clothing
• Casual attire for dinners ashore 
• Comfortable, cool pajamas
• Non-scuffing boat shoes
• Walking shoes for exploring islands
• Rash guards or sun shirts for sun protection
• Three bathing suits (two-piece suits might be more practical in hot and humid conditions)
• Hats for sun protection

Gear:

• Dry bag for protecting cell phones, especially when taking pictures in places like The Baths
• Reef-safe sunscreen lotion (spray sunscreen is discouraged)
• Rain jacket for unexpected showers (just in case)
• Monocular for enhanced viewing (more practical than binoculars)
• Polarized sunglasses 
• Water-resistant fanny pack or small backpack for carrying essentials on the dinghy
• Insect repellent wipes (preferable to spray to avoid overspray on the boat)
• Snorkel gear that fits properly (Note: Kent and I have our own snorkel gear, which we brought. Dream Yacht Charters provided snorkel gear for our guests – a lovely perk! However, when I selected the fins for our guests, one pair didn’t have an adjustable strap, it was fixed. Unfortunately, that pair didn’t fit any of us. If you do this, be sure to select fins with adjustable straps.)
• Headlamp or flashlight for nighttime dinghy rides
• Underwater camera or GoPro for capturing marine life encounters (our GoPro has a bright orange handle that floats and a red filter for underwater)
• Portable charging units and extra cables (please don’t forget this)
• Dive/swim buoy for snorkeling (consider bringing one for each snorkeler)
• Fishing gear if desired
• Lightweight beach towels (versatile for drying off, sun protection, and as throws)

Toiletries and Medications:

• Shampoo and liquid soap
• Sea sickness patches (even if conditions are calm, they can provide peace of mind)
• Noxzema for sunburn relief (applied promptly, it can be very soothing)
• Cortisone cream and/or Benadryl cream for bug bites
• Little first aid kit 

Miscellaneous

• Trash bags and baggies
• Clothes pins

Food We Brought With Us:

• Moka pot and Cuban coffee for your coffee ritual
• Nuts and dried fruit for healthy snacks
• Ginger tea
• Salt and pepper, sugar packets, and a handful of other dried seasonings that we like (jerk dry rub)

Food We Ordered Ahead of Time:

We ordered food ahead of time via Riteway and it was delivered to our vessel when we arrived.

• Water, water, water
• Fresh seafood
• Fresh meats
• Dairy products including cream, butter, cheese, and yogurt
• Fizzy waters
• Instant oatmeal
• Eggs
• Orange juice
• Sodas
• Bread
• Potato Chips
• Corn Chips
• Salsa
• Fruit for snacking – grapes, oranges
• Fruit for drinking – lemons, limes
• Canned veggies
• Coconut milk
• Rice
• Rum
• Wine
• Ice for the freezer

Excellent Weather Resource

Mr. Weatherman YouTube Channel – For thorough Caribbean weather reports!

Bonus Recipe

Jerk Grouper and Coconut Rice

This is one of our favorite recipes–we cooked it on board. It comes together in 20 minutes and it’s luxurious!

Ingredients:

• 1 lb. Fresh grouper
• Jerk dry rub seasoning
• 1 cup of Jasmine rice
• 1 can of coconut milk
• Pineapple salsa

Steps:

Rinse jasmine rice very well. Add rice and coconut milk to pot, bring to boil. Lower heat and simmer for 16 minutes.

In the meantime, coat the tilapia in the Jerk seasoning and pan fry it in butter. 

Add some pineapple salsa and Bob’s your uncle!

Thanks for sticking around, my friends! I’d love to hear if you have any comments or if you have anything to add to this list!

Last but not least: I’d like to wish you a Happy Thanksgiving! I’m grateful you’ve given me a few minutes of your time – I hope you feel rewarded for having done so!