YACHTING AROUND THE BRITISH VIRGIN ISLANDS
I can't believe it has been almost a month since we went on this incredible trip with Virgin Islands Yacht Charters! I am missing the beautiful weather something fierce right now since it has been raining all day and is supposed to continue raining all weekend :( I figured the perfect way to beat this rainy day blues is to tell you guys about the amazing experience we had partnering up with Virgin Island Yacht Charters to explore the British Virgin Islands! From the moment we met owners, Jim and Kristi, we knew the day was going to be full of adventure and fun. We hopped on their luxury power boat named Punched Out (a Jeanneau Leader 36 for anyone who knows about boats!) at Compass Point Marina on the East End of St. Thomas and set sail for the British Virgin Islands! Jim and Kristi, who moved to the islands when they purchased VIBE Charters in 2015, were so passionate and knowledgable about the numerous snorkeling spots, hidden beaches, and restaurants around the islands and explained to us that we were going to be visiting a lot of the local favorites!
A view of the house we stayed out while we were in St. Thomas for the week!
Our first stop was to pass through customs in Great Harbor on Jost Van Dyke, one of the British Virgin Islands. We cruised along the scenic north side of St. John, where Jim and Kristi pointed out to us Hawksnest, Trunk Bay (a VERY FAMOUS snorkeling spot!), and Francis Bay where Maho Beach is. While Jim got us all sorted out at customs, Kristi told us about the world famous Foxy's Tamarind Bar which sits at the pier. We even found out that later in the week Jennifer Hartswick and some other amazing musicians would be playing there for a Full Moon Party (unfortunately, we never made it there because that was the day I was in the hospital!). BUT LUCKILY, we got to experience another staple, Foxy's Taboo on Little Jost! We stopped there for a delicious lunch before heading out to snorkel.
We snorkeled off Little Jost for a bit and Ryan and I got to spot some beautiful coral reefs and fish - we even saw a spotted eagle ray and Ryan got to see a turtle (I was sad I missed it!). Next it was time to head to probably one of the coolest places I have ever been - Sandy Spit. We dove straight from the boat into the crystal clear waters up to a remote island beach of pure white sand and beautiful coral and rock sculptures. FUN FACT: A few Corona commercials had even been filmed there.
On the way back towards the US Virgin Islands, we motored past Carvel Rock, off the north sure of St. John. Jim told us the legend of how Carvel Rock, also called Carval, got its name when British warships fired cannonballs at the rock believing it to be a Spanish Carval! Scuba diving is very popular in this area, and there is even a rumor that you can still find cannonballs at the base of the rock! I wonder if it is true! After passing through Lovango, Mingo, and Congo Cays, we finally ended up at our last stop of the day -0 Christmas Cove off Great St. James. We were able to get in one last snorkel before ending the day back in St. Thomas.
While we yachted around from spot to spot, we really got to know Jim and Kristi and more about the businesses they run! Not only do they host day charters like the one that we did, but they also offer week long (+) charters! Can you image how incredible that would be to spend a week on a boat!? Hopefully, we will get to experience that at some point in our lives! If you're ever in the Virgin Islands I highly recommend looking into a charter with either VIBE Charters or Virgin Island Yacht Charters! You will definitely have the experience of a lifetime.
xoxo. Alexandra
Our excursion with Virgin Islands Yacht Charters was comped in exchange for the blog and social media coverage we provided for them. However, I am not being compensated for this post. Thank you to Virgin Islands Yacht Charters for hosting us!
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