The
Boats
Our group will
use 40 to 50 foot boats from The Moorings. These yachts are equipped
with 3 and 4 double staterooms for up to 10 passengers. But we'll
limit the number of people to keep it extra comfortable for everybody.
Dinning
Spinnaker is supplying each boat with an "Easy on the Cook"
provisioning package. This will provide food for all breakfasts,
most lunches and a few dinners.
Dinner for everyone at the Captain's Table at The Bitter End Yacht Club
is also included. A transom barbecue is also provided for cooking onboard.
Other dinners can be had ashore at any of the many restaurants at virtually
every harbor.
Cruise
Meeting - October 10, 2008
A meeting for the B.V.I. cruisers to get to know each other will
take place on the evening of Oct 10th. We'll also wrap up our food and
beverage orders then. (There's nothing like making a joint beverage
order to help people get to know each other.) There will also be a chance
to see a video or slides, share experiences and do questions and answers.
Bareboat
Charter Certification
Certification is available to Basic Coastal Cruising graduates who
have acted as skipper at least 3 times. It's important each student
gets used to the responsibility of skippereing a boat vefore Bareboat
Charter certification is attempted. The cost is $285.00 extra for text
book, certification fee and instruction. Bareboat charter graduates
can do their own bareboat cruising in the Caribbean and other locations
around the world.
Fill Your Own Boat Option
If you have your own group and can act as skipper, you may charter
your own boat to join the flotilla instead of joining individually or
as a couple. This way you can choose the size of boat and
select your own provisioning package and other options. Contact Bob
at Spinnaker for information about cost and availability.
Diving
in the BVI's
Beautiful diving spots abound in the British Virgin Islands and
getting to them couldn't be easier. The water sports store at
the Moorings provides rental equipment for those who want to be able
to dive all week. Refills are available at many harbors. Dive boats
also come out to any location for by request.
The most famous diving spot is the wreck of Royal Mail Packet Steamer
"Rhone". It lies in 30 to 80 feet of water after sinking
in a hurricane in 1867. This wreck was used in filming "The
Deep". A famous snorkeling spot is at Treasure Point at Norman
Island. This place has the submerged caves that inspired Robert
Louis Stevenson in writing Treasure Island. There are many beautiful
reefs too, each unique and waiting to be explored.
Experienced snorkelers who aren't certified for diving can take an introductory
course from Underwater Safaris. This short course includes instruction
and a supervised dive on the "Rhone". After that, you
can dive at other dive spots the rest of the week with supervision but
you are not certified to do it without a diving instructor. Student
divers (who are currently taking diving lessons) may do their open water
certification during the cruise. |
Suggested
Itinerary
8 day charter + 1
night hotel stay
Thursday -Most
of us will Meet at SFO 8:00pm. for a redeye flight to the east coast
before making connections to Tortola.
Friday - Arrive
Tortola, mid-afternoon. We'll get checked out and board the boats for
an evening stay in the harbor.
Saturday - Take
care of any remaining items having to do with checiking out the boats
and Sail to first night's anchorage at Marina Cay. There;s great snorkeling
across the anchorage at Great Camanoe Island and nice look-out at the
top of the Cay.
Sunday - Get
over to The Baths early enough to catch a mooring buoy for the morning.
Then sail to Cooper Island for the night. Cooper is a great spot
to set up for a dive on The H.M.S. Rhone in the morning. There's good
snorkeling at Cistern Point.
Monday - Scuba
divers can dive The Rhone in the morning and sail to the Bitter End
Yacht Club in Gorda Sound in the afternoon. This is a little more than
a 3 hour sail.
Tuesday - We'll
all meet ashore to dine together at The Captain's Table for dinner.
During the day there's another chance for diving. You can also rent
dinghies or small catamarans to play with at BEYC.
Wednesday - Sail
up to Anegada for the night. The Anegada Reef Hotel has the best
lobsters in the Caribbean and a great beach at Loblolly Bay.
Thursday - It's
a nice long reach to Cane Garden Bay or Jost Van Dyke for the night.
There's a party at Foxy's on Thursday night.
Friday - Stop
at Soper's hole for lunch and on to Norman Island for the night. Norman
Island is the place that inspired Robert Louis Stevenson's Treasure
Island.
Saturday - Get
in some more snorkeling if you can get up early then shoot for getting
the boat back to The Moorings by11:00 a.m. Have lunch, check in to your
room and hang around or visit Road Town.
Sunday - Check out of hotel and depart Tortola. Arrive SFO in the afternoon. |
