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Caribbean's best venue
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Long known as the sailing capital of
the Caribbean, the BVI is the Caribbean's best venue
for windsurfing. Sailboats
shouldn't have all the fun!
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World Class
Windsurfing abounds in the BVI,
a tropical archipelago, aided by
those famous and constant tradewinds of old
and local inter-island currents. All this in an
ocean setting in the Lesser Antilles, but protected by that
unique inland sea, the Sir Francis Drake
Channel (pictured above is the race to
Anegada
at the HIHO-BVI Windsurfing
Competition).
This
windsurfing video
clip is from
Boardsailing BVI.
Yes, the BVI has great attributes for
windsurfing, one of "Nature's Least Known Secrets." Blessed
with an abundance of island-to-island routes, these
become the locale of a variety of race venues as well as interesting
tour routes for recreational windsurfers.
Some of the various BVI venues are
described below.
Trellis Bay. It is the windsurfing itself that
surprises--one locale is equivalent to the best "gorge"
windsurfing in the world.
Boardsailing BVI reports: "The channel outside
Trellis Bay on a perfect day is spectacular with 3-5' faces
and a ripping 2-3 knot current pushing you onto the ultimate beam broad
reach. Either side of the channel is a flat water area to rest or carve
your gybe."
Perhaps windsurfers make more of micro wind zones that
the big boats only taste at moments.
Bitter End Windsurfer in Eustatia Sound |
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North Sound.
A good day outing for the windsurfer enthusiast is to take
the ferry to the
Bitter End Yacht Club. Windsurfing is rated outstanding
at Virgin Gorda's
Eustatia Sound as seen above with Eustatia Reef in the
background (photo: Bitter End). Rent equipment there for the
great windsurfing over to
Prickley Pear Island and back. (rentals are also
available at
Leverick Bay resort). |
The Dogs, a group of small islands off Virgin Gorda's Beach
Coast, has great windsurfing.
Peter
Island has very good windsurfing between Peter and Norman
islands.
Soper's Hole
is noted for great "flat water blasting."
Jost Van
Dyke at Sandy Cay and Sandy Spit have great windsurfing.
Anegada, the coral reef island, is favored by
Walker, pictured here:
If
you are looking for the best
windsurfing
location in the BVI, Anegada is the place. The wind is very
consistent and undisturbed, since there are no mountains nearby.
Setting Point and Pomato Point have excellent wind and side-shore
conditions. Near shore, the water is very flat, making for excellent
speed sailing. Further out, near the reef, there is very nicely
shaped chop. While shredding off Setting Point, Walker had a spotted
leopard ray leap out of the water and literally fly across just in
front of the board -- a VERY impressive sight.
Fantastic trips to Anegada
are organized by
Boardsailing BVI's owner Jeremy Wright
(yes, Jeremy surfs there--with boat support of course), windsurfing
right off the beach from under the palms with family meals and tents or
yachts to sleep in--isn't life tough?
Nanny Cay
is the site of another
Boardsailing BVI rental location for windsurfing at
adjacent Sea Cow's Bay. Also at Nanny Cay's
Red Shed, Last Stop
Sports
(email
494-0564) rents windsurfers. See their
BVI winds.
Cane Garden Bay has windsurfing rentals and is a nice spot
to windsurf inside its reef.
HIHO-BVI Windsurfing Competition. This event, part
adventure sport and part vacation party, illustrates that special BVI
ambiance as a host: island-to-island routes, numerous beautiful beach
locations as destinations, a fine flotilla of yachts affording
accommodations so surprising to newcomers but so characteristic of the
BVI, fine cuisine aboard as well as ashore at restaurants with their own
distinct and authentic personalities. And
parties at places like Foxy's!
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