Find Your Island-Hopping Adventure In The British Virgin Islands

Published: Friday, June 15, 2018
By: Capt Greg Marlo

We have been getting many inquiries about the state of the British Virgin Islands, since Irma’s devastation now eight months back. Just recently, one of our booked groups from the Oakville Power Boat Club returned after being well briefed on what to expect. The overall sentiment from people in the group was, “This was our best vacation yet!” Some in the group had been there four years ago, so it was good to get their perspective. For us boaters, what has made the British Virgin Islands the most popular sailing destination is the inherent natural beauty of the islands and the conditions that make it such an ideal playground for a water-bound vacation. The sheltered waters, consistent trade winds, and layout of the islands makes for an island-hopping adventure. Further to this, whether you’re sailing or motor boating, the shallow waters, coral reefs, and natural harbours provide the perfect setting for water activities such as swimming, snorkeling, diving, kayaking, fishing, surfing, kiteboarding, windsurfing, scenic hikes, exploring, and all the makings of a vacation of a lifetime. Christopher Columbus discovered the beauty in these islands hundreds of years ago and you can as well.

Granted, there are resorts that are being rebuilt, but if you are on a yacht vacation, the boat is your floating and mobile hotel for the duration anyway. The idyllic beaches, famous beach bars, and facilities for boaters are open for business with fuel, water, and other provisions readily available. Many of the boats that were damaged in the storm have been replaced by new ones, and all of the charter companies seem to be fully operational at this point.

Our yacht charter brokerage has been focusing on group trips and the Flotilla experience. Because of the diversity of activities that we can offer on our excursions, we have resumed booking trips to British Virgin Islands in greater numbers than ever. The Group Travel Experience has gained more and more popularity and the themes continue to diversify. The social component with like minded boating enthusiasts does not end there. Flotillas offer the perfect opportunity for first-timers to experience sailing away from their home with the security of traveling with other experienced boaters that will enthusiastically assist and advise whenever the opportunity arises. We find people are more apt to try new activities under these ideal conditions, whether getting certified to scuba-dive, instruction for a sailing certification, watch or participate in a Regatta, or just trying out a stand up paddleboard for the first time.

Whether it’s been an experience at Foxy’s, the Bath’s, a lobster fest on Anegada, a full moon party, or the Willy T’s, the British Virgin Islands will continue to leave lifelong memories and certainly a compelling reason why we keep returning over and over. I feel fortunate to have had so many wonderful experiences in these magical islands and look forward to returning again and again to appreciate its people, romance, and natural beauty. I’ve grown to love sharing the experience with as many people as I can. My admiration and support goes out to everyone that has been instrumental in rebuilding this boaters’ paradise, while enduring the recent hardships and difficulties. My heartfelt thanks goes out to everyone that has helped bring back the BVI experience that I believe will become better than ever. Now it’s time to do your part and plan your British Virgin Island trip without further ado — visit www.theyachtsolution.com today. We look forward to seeing you there on the water!

About the Author: Capt Greg Marlo - An avid yachtsman, Capt. Marlo enjoys both sailing and motor yachts. He founded YACHT Solutions, a yacht charter brokerage, in 2008 with agents now operating internationally. He immensely enjoys traveling and sharing his boating experiences with others.

This article first appeared in the Launch Issue (May/Jun) 2018 of Great Lakes Scuttlebutt magazine.