WATER-RELATED ACTIVITIES
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Day Sails. Even if you don't charter, take a day sail to a nearby island with perhaps some reef snorkeling and a lunch on one these beautiful yachts--you won't be disappointed! A wide variety of day sails and other trips are available from Tortola's Road Town and Soper's Hole as well as the The Valley and the North Sound of Virgin Gorda.

Boat Rentals. Small boat rentals are available from Tortola's Road Town, Soper's Hole and Cane Garden Bay as well as the Yacht Harbour and the North Sound's Bitter End and Leverick Bay of Virgin Gorda.

Sailing.
Due to its excellence as a sailing location, the BVI is the sailing capital of the Caribbean. Sailboat chartering, bareboat and crewed, are widely available--a great adventure! Take a sailing tour of the islands. Or try a combination sail and lodging package for the best of both worlds.

Stay and Sails. Here's how to vacation part by sailing and part by lodging ashore--the increasingly popular stay and sail.

Sailing Schools. Here are means to learn to sail in the BVI.

To Sailboat Regattas.
Regattas or sailboat races are increasingly popular. BVI Regattas for All Sailors lists all types and kinds of regattas.
B-V-I Guide BVI Spring Regatta Successful Event

To Online Cruising Course. Learn to cruise the BVI without leaving the old armchair (or computer seat).

Parasailing.
Para Sail BVI (495-4967) of Soper's Hole offers parasailing--first timers of all ages can soar to 600 feet.

Water Skiing. The Water Sports Centre (495-7376) at Leverick Bay in the North Sound has their competition MasterCraft boat for rent at $80 hour/$45 half hour with special equipment for barefooters and wakeboarders. Also, Cane Garden Bay Pleasure Boats (495-9660) has water skiing for $35 half hour in Cane Garden Bay.

To Fishing.

Diving and Snorkeling.
The BVI offers excellent diving and snorkeling.

Feeding Fish. Generally, fish should not be fed, although the Schneiners' Diving British Virgin Islands suggest that fish are fed bread at the Caves, the Rhone, and the Chimney where it is established, although you can expect to be bitten, harmlessly by the smaller fish, but possibly seriously by the larger fish like barracudas. Need we suggest that you never feed sharks?

Snorkeling. Known for its many shallow reefs, abundant with marine life, many of which can be reached from shore, makes the BVI especially attractive for snorkelers. Snorkel sites are found in the lee of points and in many calm bays. Many others can be reached by boat and snorkeling is a favorite pastime of Day Sails as well as a usual activity on dive boats, since many dive sites also offer great snorkeling. Anyone can learn to snorkel.

Shore Diving. Loblolly Bay on Anegada in the British Virgin Islands has great diving from shore. Outstanding!

Cistern Point on Cooper Island is another, although people like to use their dinghy to reach it as well.

Virgin Gorda has two shore diving locations. Mountain Point, off a secluded beach, has interesting cuts through the underwater ridge for experienced divers only who monitor their air carefully. Watch for surge in the reef shallows.

The Acquarium, near the Yacht Harbour, is known for its abundance of fish. The Acquarium is in an area where boat traffic might be a problem, so take a warning buoy and flag with you. Except the entrance and exit, stay below keel depth during your dive.

The Pinnacles at Brewer's Bay on Tortola's Ocean Coast can be reached from shore, but is best reached by boat due to the danger to swimmers of strong currents and large winter swells as well as being so far from the beach.

Any Caribbean beach on a North side of an island exposed directly to the ocean can have problems with winter storm surge from storms in the North Atlantic.

Also if wind is driving water over a reef onto the beach, such as at Loblolly Bay (there's nothing between Loblolly Bay and Africa), then rip currents develop easily through the gaps in the reef. Swim sideways to the rip. These are the conditions that can cause deaths and a large number of rescues by lifeguards, on very ordinary beaches.

Swimmers and snorkelers face the same dangers.

Remember that a fairly remote location and anchored dive boats provide some degree of protection. The experience of your divemaster should not be underestimated.

Obtain local safety knowledge before attempting these shore dives.

To Windsurfing.

Sea Kayaking. The BVI are a great place to go seakayaking. See Wildlife, Water, Sun about seakaying at Anegada.

Novices can enjoy any of the many bays protected by reefs, such as Savannah/Mahoe Bay, other sheltered bodies of water, such as the magnificent North and Eustatia Sound complex.

The Trellis Bay/Marina Cay archipelago is an exciting location for those with all levels of skill. Camping tours and coast runs to Tortola's Brewer's Bay or Jost's White Bay are available.

Also, the channel between Peter and Norman Islands is considered a very good windsurfing venue in the Michelin rating system. And those with the requisite skills can take inter-island journeys among the outlying islands lining the Sir Francis Drake Channel.

Rentals. See Small Boat Rentals for renting sea kayaks, especially in the North Sound and Anegada. See the Marina Cay resort or Boardsailing BVI  (495-2447 email) for Trellis Bay rentals. Last Stop Sports (email 494-0564) at Nanny Cay's Red Shed rents sea kayaks as well.

Surfing. One of the best places to surf in the BVI is Cappoon's Bay on Tortola's North Beach Coast. In the winter, look for the northerly swells from storms in the Atlantic. Josiah's Bay on Tortola's Ocean Coast is also popular. In the summer, check out the the easterly side of islands, such as Peter Island, Ginger Island, Norman Island and the South Sound of Virgin Gorda, for waves brought by the wind or tropical waves.  Last Stop Sports (email 494-0564) at Nanny Cay's Red Shed rents surfboards. See wave info here and here and weather info here.

To Sports & Fitness