THE CAPTAINS COMPASS Website

Ahoy ! Update 1.1.19

Here is an itinerary for you to consider. It is the route The Captains Compass recommends to all its guests and is based on 25 years of cruising experience.

Your #1 Priority is to GET IN EARLY !!!

Getting in to a harbor early in the afternoon so you can get a comfortable spot, enjoy the water and beach and shore side attractions, and then a good night sleep, is usually the best way to help your charter be a safe and fun adventure.

Weather is our #1 variable and sometimes this requires a change in the plan.

First Day - Capt. Brent will be waiting for you at the Manuel Reef Marina at 10:00 AM with the refrigeration cold and the batteries hot.

It is smart to be on board with your luggage and provisions and ready for the 2 Briefings by 11 AM.

For safety I cannot allow the yacht to leave the dock after 3 PM or with only 1 person.

The Chart Briefing takes about 30 minutes and the Boat Briefing takes about 60 minutes.

I recommend everyone attend both briefings. I require at least the Captain and First Mate for both briefings.

You will receive a free chart and the Cruising Permit and Park Permit during the Chart Briefing.

The Best restaurant on the island – “Gene’s” – is at the Manuel Reef Marina. Open for Lunch and Dinner Wed to Mon.

Day 1 - We recommend your first destination be a motor-sail to either The Bight on Norman Island - or - Great Harbor on Peter Island.

Pick up a mooring ball or anchor in the Bight and then dingy over to the Caves for friendly fish and huge caves - or pick up a mooring ball in Great Harbor, Peter Island and snorkel the shore line.

1.1.19 - The Willy T (3) has moved on. The Pirates Bight on shore is expensive.

Day 2 - Either Marina Cay or the East side of Trellis Bay. Motor-sailing on your second leg will give you a chance to build up some confidence within your crew and will give you a little extra control over the yacht for our first set of tacks and gibes.

Marina Cay is the prettier of the two harbors but can be a little breezier, especially in the winter months. Marina Cay has the nearby Diamond Reef for very good snorkeling or there is very sheltered swimming off the island beach.

1.1.19 - In Trellis Bay moor Only on the East side of Bellamy Cay

1.1.19 - Marina Cay has Fuel and Water

1.1.19 - Marina Cay has lunch and dinner at 'Pussers' (moderately priced).

Day 3 & 4 - We recommend the third day we get under way very early for a great 4 hour sail north to North Virgin Gorda Sound. NVGS is an easy & smart place to re-water and re-fuel.

Due to the unreliability of the mooring balls at The Baths and the prohibition against landing dinghies on the beach I strongly recommend you pick up a mooring in Leverick Bay in North Sound and Taxi / Rental Car by land to The Baths.

We recommend 2 nights in NVG Sound as there is spectacular snorkeling and beautiful beaches. There is great snorkeling on Eustacia Reef which can be reached by a 20 minute dingy ride beyond (east to north-east) of Saba Rock. Eustacia Reef has old cannons, an anchor, and a 1 mile of coral and fish and turtles.

1.1.19 - Leverick Bay is fully operational with Fuel and Water and Provisions.

1.1.19 - Saba Rock, Bitter End, and Biras Creek are closed.

1.1.19 - There are mooring balls at Leverick, Saba, Biras, and Vixen Point.

Day 5 - You must be into Copper by Noon. No Anchoring!

We recommend we head for Cooper Island for lunch on your 4th day. Cooper Island is the center of the scuba diving area in the BVI and as a result it is a very popular site. Unfortunately it has relatively few balls and it is unsafe to anchor. But some of the balls will become available just after lunch, which is the perfect time to arrive after a great 4 hr. broad reach from NVG Sound. Cooper Island has a beautiful beach with sheltered swimming and very good snorkeling at nearby Cistern Point.

Cooper Island has the best sunsets and a very nice (solar powered) restaurant, the 'Cooper Island Beach Club' (moderate).

1.1.19 - Cooper is fully operational.

Day 6 - Salt Island for a Swim and then off to Jost Van Dyke.

White Bay is Off Limits for the Yacht.

To Salt Island to the Wreck Of The Rhone for a spectacular advanced snorkel and dive site with the 300'+ wreck laid open in 15' to 100' of water beneath you.

We recommend Jost Van Dyke as a destination on the sixth day. It is usually a beautiful sail down the channel and through the West End Cut to JVD. Lunch at Great Harbor and a visit to Foxy's, or a hike over the hill to White Bay for a Painkiller

If the weather is good we may want to spend the night in Great Bay. However, the holding in Great Harbor is terrible and if we're not sure about the anchors of those upwind of us, then tack up to Little Harbor for the security of a mooring ball and local lobster.

1.1.19 - Do Not re-fuel or re-water at JVD.

Day 7 - We recommend our final destination be a motor-sail to either The Bight on Norman Island - or - Great Harbor on Peter Island.

Pick up a mooring ball or anchor in the Bight and then dingy over to the Caves for friendly fish and huge caves - or pick up a mooring ball in Great Harbor, Peter Island and snorkel the shore line.

Optional Day - We recommend Cane Garden Bay on the North side of Tortola. Cane Garden Bay is one of the legendary beaches of the Caribbean, even Jimmy Buffet sings about CGB. It has a beautiful beach, good dinning at Quito's (expensive) or Myetts/Pussers. (expensive). We need to get into CGB before 2 PM to get a ball. Unfortunately, we must avoid CGB if there is a North Sea Swell running in the winter.

1.1.19 - Water at the NE Concrete dock but Only in good weather.

Last Day Up early and a relaxing sail back to Nanny Cay to refuel by 10:00 AM

Please call Capt. Brent at 1.284.341.3332 when you are 1 hour out of Nanny Cay.

Fair Winds.

Capt. Brent

Notes ...