Chartering
Down South
the ultimate
sailing vacation
Chartering
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| Breathtaking scenery and predictable winds make the BVI's a super cruising ground. Easy-to-navigate channels connect the more than 30 islands that make up the group. |
Okay, so you've shed a few tears over having to put your boat away for the winter - every snowbound boater does it and it's nothing to be ashamed of. But cheer up! Haul out doesn't have to mean no boating 'til Spring: Some of the World's best cruising awaits, if you just turn your gaze southward...
The British Virgin Islands is without a doubt one of the finest cruising grounds on the planet, especially during the winter months. No matter what your ability, it's a boaters' paradise for chartering, learning to sail, or upgrading your skills. The BVI's are made up of about 30 islands located at the western end of the Caribbean's Lesser Antilles. Sheltered channels between the islands provide ideal cruising for skippers and crew of all abilities.
"What makes the BVI's so attractive during the winter for boaters - particularly sailors - is the weather. It's warm and the winds average about 15 knots from January through to April," says Ottawa Sailing & Powerboating School director Ron Schute. "It's an absolute paradise, with great winds, great weather, and lots of great places to explore."
Typically, a two or three hour sail takes you to a new island or sandy anchorage. You can leave one place in the morning, enjoy some sailing, then arrive at a new anchorage, drop the hook, have a swim, and do some exploring on shore all before cocktail hour.
"There are plenty of safe places to anchor, and each one is different," says Schute. "Some have shore-side bars and restaurants, others are quieter and better for snorkelling or going ashore for some hiking."
The water-front bars are a popular attraction, each offering their own prescription "pain-killer", and their own unique ambiance - like the William Thorton, which looks like an old pirate ship and is permanently moored in a bay on Norman Island.
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| The BVI's many sheltered anchorages provide a safe haven for sailors from around the world. Time at anchor can be spent swimming, kayaking, snorkelling, walking, or just lounging on a patio sipping a cold drink. |
If you're an experienced boater, charting your own craft - known as bareboat chartering - certainly provides the greatest freedom and flexibility to explore the islands. Bareboat chartering is ideal for an experienced sailing couple, or small group of friends or family. Charters can be booked in advance, and your boat will be provisioned and waiting for you when you arrive. Ottawa Sailing & Powerboating School is an agent for the Moorings, one of the world's premiere chartering companies.
"The Moorings offer high-quality boats of different sizes and design, including mono-hull yachts and catamarans. None of the boats are older than four years old and they're impeccably maintained. If something does go wrong, service boats can be alongside in no time to get you back on your way," explains Schute.
If you're not ready to sail off on a boat of your own, joining a group is another cruising option. Ottawa Sailing & Powerboating School organizes cruises where individuals and couples join other sun-seeking sailors aboard a 35-40' sailboat. Costs are shared, making this an affordable and fun sailing vacation.
The school also offers learn-to-cruise courses leading to Canadian Yachting Association certification in the BVI's. These are operated as one-week live-aboard programs teaching either the CYA basic or intermediate cruising standard.
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| Learn to sail, or learn to be a better sailor, in paradise! CYA certified Learn-to-Cruise programs in the BVI's can teach you the ropes in just seven relaxing days. |
Convenient air connections mean you can depart a snowy Canadian airport in the morning, and be enjoying a pre-dinner drink and Caribbean sunset on board your boat the same evening, says Schute. "From Ottawa, for example, you leave in the morning, connect in Philadelphia to a flight to St. Thomas, then take a 45-minute ferry ride to Sopher's Hole in the BVI's. After picking up a boat, or joining a group, most people stay on board in the harbour the first night, then get an early start the next day."
Package tours and bareboat charters usually run from Saturday to Saturday. Prices for a one-week cruise start at under 2000CAD per person, including airfare and transfers, if you're joining a group. All-inclusive Learn-to-Cruise courses cost 2375CAD. The school still has space available on it's BVI 2000 flotilla departing this winter on January 29th. Seven-day basic and intermediate cruising courses start Jan. 22nd, 29th, and Feb. 5th.
The school is hosting "Cruising
Down South" information nights in Ottawa during October and
November. Visit their Web site for dates,
times, and locations.
So dry your end-of-season tears and start thinking about winter
sailing in the BVI's. By following the sun, you might find the
best sailing you do all year is with your own boat snugged down
on its cradle.
Copyright 1999, Eric Calvert