The British Virgin Islands has always been one of our favorite places to visit. There is a lot to do on and off the beaten path. This time we enjoyed buddy boating with SV Torchlight and crew, Cindy and Rick, and SV Rhiannon Marie, with crew, Gary and Debbie. We visited some of the usual places like Foxy’s on Jost Van Dyke but also explored some new places as we were in no rush.
After leaving the Baths on Virgin Gorda (see British Virgins Island, Virgin Gorda 2025 for more info), we spent a couple of nights hanging out at Great Harbour on Peter Island. While SV Torchlight and SV Rhiannon, found anchor spots in the sand near the shore, it seemed a little tight for SV Daggers Down. So we grabbed a mooring ball for $40 a night.
Marina Cay, Scrub Island Resort and Diamond Reef
As many times as we had visited the tiny island of Marina Cay, we had never known about snorkeling at Diamond Reef right behind it which turned out to be a delight. Marina Cay was devastated by the Hurricanes in 2017, but the vegetation was growing back, the water was as beautiful as ever and the Marina Cay Bar and Grill was now open.
Marina Cay was now owned by the nearby Scrub Island Resort, Spa and Marina which played in our favor as they allowed us to deposit trash at the resort and offered laundry service to guests of the mooring balls. So Yay!
We had a lovely time snorkeling with the fish and among the healthy coral at Diamond Reef. I would say this is a NOT TO BE MISSED snorkel spot.
Little Jost Van Dyke
While we waited for our laundry to be completed, SV Torchlight and SV Rhiannon Marie went to Monkey Point to check out the snorkeling. This used to be one of our favorite sites, but it was murky. Thus, they did not stay long, but long enough for us to catch up with them as we crossed the channel to Little Jost Van Dyke, our next anchorage.
We found a lovely anchor location and went ashore for sundowners at Foxy’s Taboo which was located on the far east side of the bigger island, Jost Van Dyke and across a small channel from Little Jost.
The next morning, we walked over to the Bubbly Pool. Because the wind was light, the waves crashing into the pool were not as dramatic as it could have been; nevertheless, fun was still had by all.
We also took a dinghy ride to explore the surrounding bays with their beautiful water and cute beachside villas and hotels. We snorkeled the channel between Sandy Spit and Green Island, but it wasn’t great.
Jost Van Dyke
SV Rhiannon Maria and crew had never been to the BVI’s before. Therefore, we all decided that no trip to the BVI’s was complete without a visit to the famous Foxy’s. So the next morning we convened in Great Harbour of Jost Van Dyke where Ben and I picked up a reserved Boaty Ball, Gary and Debbie got a first come first serve ball, and Rick and Cindy found an anchor spot.
Jost Van Dyke was a beautiful island with adorable colorful houses on the hillsides, fun bars and restaurants, and gorgeous water!
Once situated, we dinghied over to White Bay where the party was in full swing. There were boats and people everywhere! The water in the bay was a beautiful clear turquoise and the sand was silky white. We headed for the Soggy Dollar Bar for lunch. This was where the Painkiller drink had been invented. So we had to see if we liked them better than Leverick’s, Taboo’s or Foxy’s. Who would win the taste off, for us??!!
As we left the Soggy Dollar, we all agreed to meet up at Foxy’s Bar for sundowners to complete our Painkiller taste test.
Soper’s Hole
While we didn’t stop in Soper’s Hole this trip, as we motored past, it looked like it had made a full recovery from the Hurricanes. The harbor was super busy, and the hillsides were covered with vibrant houses and lush vegetation.
Norman Island, the Caves and Caravel Rock
We picked up an overnight mooring ball right outside the caves on Norman Island and dinghied over for a swim. The water was so calm, you could even snorkel inside the caves. Sometimes when the wind was up, it was too rough to go inside the shallow caves but today was perfect!
Next, we dinghied over to Caravel Rock at the tip of Norman Island. The water was almost too deep for snorkeling, but we did spot a ray hiding in the sand and a huge angel fish. We also viewed the interesting rock cliff formations with their varied layers and colors as we dinghied back to the boat.
The following morning, SV Torchlight headed over to St. Thomas to pick up some parts they needed at the post office. SV Rhiannon Marie and SV Daggers Down scurried across the way to the Indians, a première snorkel site with limited mooring balls. We arrived at 0730 and by 0800 all the balls were occupied. We waited a bit for the sun to rise in the sky to don our snorkel gear and jump in. It was nice to see that the hurricanes had not stripped the rocks of all their coral. In addition, there were fish everywhere.
The British Virgin Islands were still a wonderful place to explore even with its popularity of cruisers. We enjoyed our 15 days of sailing around the islands with our cruiser friends, learning about new places as well as visiting old favorites. We are still in love with the British Virgin Islands!
Now it is back to the USA—US Virgin Islands here we come!!
Oh, and by the way we rated the Painkillers:-
- Foxy’s
- Leverick’s
- Soggy Dollar
- Foxy’s Taboo
Don’t forget to sign up for email notification of future blog posts, so that you don’t miss out! Complete the form below.
