# BVI in Hurricane Season



## SrSeabass (Aug 10, 2008)

I am a fairly new sailor looking to do my first charter in BVI the second week of September. The crew will be just myself and my girlfriend (very inexperienced). Chartering a 34 foot Beneteau. My prior sailing experience consists of day sails on lake Michigan. Based on the time of year and my level of experience does this sound like a bad idea? 



Thank you


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## camaraderie (May 22, 2002)

Welcome! Did a charter company actually approve you for a charter with that level of experience? I would be most surprised...but in your own interest I would suggest you arrange to hire a captain for the first two days at least so you can be assured of a good experience. Hurricanes are always an issue and early September is peak time for storms...but more often than not, it will not be a problem and the NORMAL sailing conditions that time of year are quite moderate.The BVI;s are wonderful and it is all eyeball navigation between the islands...though you had better know how to read a chart. Many businesses and restaurants will be closed that time of year and anchorages will be uncrowded. 
Good luck with the planning.


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## SrSeabass (Aug 10, 2008)

*follow up*

Thanks for the hearty welcome Camaraderie. The charter company has approved me for charter for up to 41 feet. My sailing resume is quite a bit more comprehensive than my post suggests, however I will be entirely new to a liveabord. In your experience with the closure of many businesses ect will it be difficult to find provisions (diesel, water, food)? Do you generally provision outside of Tortila? Are there many occasions where you will need to anchor or is it pretty much just moorings? Any other insight would be greatly appreciated. Needless to say given the time of year I will be purchasing cancellation insurance.

Thanks in advance.

Sr Seabass


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## Zanshin (Aug 27, 2006)

SrSeaBass - we might meet up, I am probably headed to the BVI for the first 3 weeks of September.

The winds and waves are going to be lower than during the peak season, there is even a chance of getting a calm day. So for the most part the sailing is going to be easy. Many (if not most) of the bars and restaurants will be closed but enough remain open so you don't have to worry about your BAC content or starvation if you decide not to cook.

If a tropical depression, named storm or a hurricane threatens to come by the charter company will make sure to contact you ahead of time so that they can prepare the boat - you will probably have to fend for yourself so the insurance is a worthwhile investment (I'm assuming it covers contingencies like storms and related bills).

It is going to be hot and muggy so if you are sensitive to heat it might be worthwhile to get a boat with AC.

The common anchorages all have moorings, with the exception of Great Harbour in Jost VanDyke. Anchoring is usually easy with sandy, grippy, bottom in less than 25 feet of water. Tides exist, but nobody has found them yet.


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## camaraderie (May 22, 2002)

SrSB..Zan has it all right. The ony thing I would add is that provisioning will be no problem...just costly relative to the states. Check out the AmpleHamper on line as they carry a wide variety of stuff and are used to provisioning. Here they are online:
http://www.amplehamper.com/

Glad you're more experienced than in the first post!  Bring less clothes than you think you'll need and more money!


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## SVAuspicious (Oct 31, 2006)

Ample Hamper was one of the first provisioning sources in the BVI, but they have not sustained their first place position. Riteway and Bobby's Marketplace are both better regarded these days, are both cheaper, and both more reliable. Both have on-line order forms to pre-order and will deliver throughout Tortola.


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## Zanshin (Aug 27, 2006)

I went through this fascinating document Mariner's Guide For Hurricane Awareness In
The North Atlantic Basin last night only to discover, much to my chagrin, the following chart regarding hurricanes:








I wish the peak wouldn't happen to be exactly in the middle of my planned visit.


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## dongreerps (May 14, 2007)

SVAuspicious is very correct about provisioning. Moreover, most of the charter companies have an arrangement to provision the boat for you. It is wise to use that service the first time you are down in the BVI. I strongly suggest you use the "split provisioning plan", and order at least one day less than the length of your charter. Even doing so you will return to base with food left over. Bobbi's is very good about provisiioning. You will save some money provisioning yourself , BUT you will fritter away a lot of time grocery shopping, when you are supposed to be on vacation. Allowing the charter company to provision for you is also a safety consideration. They will include items you may well not think about, such as matches to light the stove, etc. When they deliver the stuff, carefully check off what they deliver against the invoice they provide. Almost always one or two items will be forgotten. No problem, they will run and get it. 
You will love not having a bunch of boats in every harbor.
You will be distressed at the muggy heat and humidity.
Leverick Bay in North Slound has showers and water. You may want to include that in your planning. In the off season they have often invited us to lie along side all night ikf we eat in the restaurant. Very pleasant to shower, eat a nice dinner, and then not have to dinghy back to the boat
Many restaurants will not be open, but enough will be open if you really need a shore based meal.


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## camaraderie (May 22, 2002)

SVAuspicious...I've used Bobby's in the past as well and been happy with them....still the AH had some nice treats! My last visit was several years ago so your info is probably more up to date and reliable.


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## SrSeabass (Aug 10, 2008)

I cant thank everyone enough for the info. Nothing beats feedback from actual experiences. Here comes a few dumb questions... Are there opportunities outside of Tortola for shore power? Based on the heat, a night of ac sounds like it would be a dream. The provisioning info/links seem like the best way to go. Im also hoping to fish and wonder if its worth the headache to provision for 1/2 the trip and grab groceries along the way? The charter company is supposed to include a pre provision package (salt, olive oil, tp, ect).


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## djodenda (Mar 4, 2006)

And you're going to remember to post a nice trip report for us all so that we can celebrate with you and learn from your experiences, right?

 

David


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## Zanshin (Aug 27, 2006)

SrSeabass said:


> ...Are there opportunities outside of Tortola for shore power...?.


Yes there are several places where you can dock for the night and plug into AC for A/C.

- Virgin Gorda Yacht Harbour: Prices have gone up quite a bit, but I spent 2 months in the marina (while waiting for a replacement rudder) and it is nice on Virgin Gorda

- Leverick: very nice dock (remember to dock so that your bow points towards the sound), excellent prices.

- Saba Rock: my personal favorite, but they are going to close down for the season.

- Bitter End: haven't been there yet, is probably the priciest since that is where the megayachts stay on VG

- Nothing on Anegada.

- No dock in Great Harbour JVD, Trellis Bay, Marina Cay, Norman.

- Several overnight docks on Tortola, but that isn't what you asked about.


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## RealityCheck (Jun 2, 2007)

Most first time charter people in the BVI, over buy on the food end of provision... often giving away or trashing hundreds of dollars in un-used supplies. You will more than likely be eating out far more than you plan on. While I really don't care much for the tourist places, although some are very good... the best are most often the locals places... sometime just a short walk away from the high priced tourist hang outs. 

September and October are the most likely times you will run into weather problems. I've be down for several weeks in mid September and did OK but it is a chance you may have to run for it and to be realistic, running isn't always an easy thing to do when everything is closing down. NOTE: Many of the BVI tourist related businesses close for about a month or so in September and October... check info on where your going.

Know what the seas are doing... Cain Garden Bay is a place to stay aways from if you have Northern Swells... never consider using the dink dock with high swells... I've seen several dinks swamped by getting pinned under the dock while the charter people were having a drink or walking the beach. Same with the Caves at Norman Island and at the Baths. I've generally found that going to the harbor at Spanish Town and taking a taxi down to the Baths for the day to be by far the best option... and you have access to hot showers at night, re-provisioning and shopping and enough places to eat you will have a hard time selecting.

My boat is on the hard at Nanny Cay... insurance will not allow it in the water from June to November... that in itself says something...

Take only half the stuff you think you will need... no place to store much on the boat and you will not use it and it is a hassle. I only allow one bag per two people when I have guest... that is usually still more than they need. An Old island saying is "Bring half the stuff and Twice the cash". Everyone finds it to be true....

Just remember to get twice the ice you think you need anytime you can. That is about the only thing you will usually run short of.


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## Zanshin (Aug 27, 2006)

Well, I just got my flights out, Aug 25 through Sep 14th and Nanny Cay has promised that they will not only find my boat but also be able to dig it out for me.
I am going to enjoy a slow time and most likely head down to St. Vincent & the Grenadines via the islonds on this trip - lots of reading, repairing and introspection. Oh, and drinking, if I can find an open bar


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## camaraderie (May 22, 2002)

Have fun Zan. Trip reports wanted...and keep a weather eye out!


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## speciald (Mar 27, 2007)

Make sure the company will be responsible for the boat should a storm approach. Have a stated plan of what you should do and when and where you should go in the ebent that a warning is issued.


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## sailingdog (Mar 19, 2006)

IMHO, anyone planning a charter in the Caribbean for peak hurricane season should get and pay for trip insurance. This way, if your trip is cancelled due to a hurricane showing up, your expenses are covered.


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## TSOJOURNER (Dec 16, 1999)

I think you have come up with a splindid way to get rid of your current girlfriend! THIS should work perfectly and make her catch the first plane back after destroying all memories of you!

Are you used to single handling that size of boat or do you expect her to help? What's her take on this trip? Does she know about showering in ONE gallon of water or do you plan to try to buy water often and thereby have to learn how to dock all by yourself?

If she decides to stay past day one, then make SURE you work out hand signals so there is NO screaming. Give her a chance to play with the engine controls and learn forward, reverse and neutral and how long it takes the boat to stop etc. 

When in doubt REEF! Nothing wrong with motor sailing upwind when you have a newcomer on board. 

One poster suggested getting A/C if you are sensitive to heat, well DUH, if you are THAT sensitive, don't even go to the Caribbean. It's not THAT hot, but you'll need a much BIGGER boat to afford generator and A/C as there isn't dockage in many anchorages. Besides, dockage is HOTTER than being on a mooring or anchorage. 

I am a female and used to sail alone and be able to anchor or pick up a mooring all by myself, but I had practice and did it often, so it wasn't a big deal. But if you are new to this, even picking up a mooring by yourself can be VERY hard. 

I LIVE in the BVI,so yes you can find a place to eat in just about every anchorage, not everybody is closed. I wouldn't provision for much food,and I would keep it super simple, as I don't think your girlfriend, new to sailing, is going to like being confined to tight quarters all the time. So I would plan to eat out ALOT and give her a break off the boat unless she just loves cooking in a teeny tiny area with super basic equipment. 

In the event of bad weather, more than likely, the bareboat company wants their boat back ASAP and you should find refuge ashore in a concrete hotel. 

Good luck on the girlfriend deal, I couldn't figure out if you wanted to dump her or just terrify her.


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## cranki (Jun 11, 2006)

Hey,

We chartered in the BVI's in October for our honeymoon many moons ago. It was hot - not unbearable.. winds mostly lightish. Have also been more recently, but not during hurricane season since then. 34' sounds like a good size for a couple. There are plenty of marinas with power if your boat does come with AC. Mostly people grab mooring balls which should be plentiful at this time of year.

Listen to those who have warned about the tendency to over provision - I speak from personal experience about this. Also, you will probably go out for half your dinners and some lunches too.

There are restaurants and bars at almost every anchorage so relax and enjoy.

If you can handle a boat at all, there is not an easier to navigate, and probably very few nicer, more relaxing and romantic places to take your girl friend.

Have a great cruise!


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