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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Water Toying. Playing on the beaches with
various water toys, such as water bikes, banana sleds and water
trampolines is great fun for kids of all ages.
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. See wave info
here and here
and weather
info here.
