Become a Virtual Tourist Member Today!  Sign Up for Free | Sign In

"A Paradise for Sailors & Divers " a British Virgin Islands Travel Page by catalysta

Search:
Home » Caribbean and Central America » British Virgin Islands » A Paradise for Sailors & Divers - British Virgin Islands

"A Paradise for Sailors & Divers " a British Virgin Islands Travel Page by catalysta

See the Entire British Virgin Islands Travel Guide

Click Picture to enlarge.
 email me
 add as friend


catalysta    
Toto, we're not in Alaska anymore!


Real Name: Wendy
Lives In: Bellingham, US
Member Since: Nov 07, 2003
VT Rank: 267

 

Page Views: 4,947            Last Visit to British Virgin Islands: December, 2005      

A Paradise for Sailors & Divers

by catalysta - last update: Dec 21, 2005

The British Virgin Islands

Sailing into the dream
East of Puerto Rico in the Sir Francis Drake Channel lies a cluster of over 50 islands "flung like jewels upon the sea". Harbours with legendary beach bars like those at Cane Garden Bay and Anegada alternate with secret sheltered coves that can only be accessed by boat. Fabulous wreck dives and pristine coral reefs lie waiting under shifting shades of Caribbean blue.

These are the British Virgin Islands, mythic paradise for sailors & divers alike. Descendants of freedmen have mingled with East Indian migrants and UK wanderers, creating the kind of atmosphere most of us fantasize & seek when we head to the Caribbean Sea. A little rum & reggae, a bit of West Antilles yellow pepper sauce or mango chutney on a fish pate, a hammock slung between two obliging palm trees, and the sound of the waves breaking against the reef as you slip into the dream...
Swim through on the Wreck Of The Rhone

Swimming through the hull of history

It's underneath you whenever you are on the water, the history of Western discovery of the Caribbean Islands & the Americas and the subsequent colonization by many different European countries.

From bits and pieces rumored to be from one of Columbus' ships (like the anchor found offshore from St. Croix), to victims of legendary pirates like Blackbeard and the hopes of Spanish gold still unfound, to cruise ships from the 1800's gone down in unanticipated hurricanes, to all manner of ships and small boats sunk on the treacherous reefs, to more recent small airplanes left to collect a veneer of coral and a few new inhabitants, it's all there awaiting your visit to this magical nether kingdom with a tank of oxygen strapped to your back.

The real way to visit the BVI's is by boat, preferably cruising on a nice big catamaran so you can access all the shallowest coves as well as the deep water harbours. I didn't have that opportunity yet (this was sort of a recon trip to convince some friends to cruise with me in the future), so I opted to spend my time mostly on Virgin Gorda. For more details on the specific islands I visited, please see pages for Virgin Gorda, Beef Island, and Tortola.

> Add to your Custom Travel Guide [What's This?]

Pros:"Amost everything you imagine perfect Caribbean islands to be"
Cons:"Sand fleas on the beaches around dawn & dusk, they are voracious"
In A Nutshell:"Thanks to the friendly people of the BVI's for making this such a wonderful experience!"
catalysta's British Virgin Islands Travel Tips

OverviewThings to Do
Tips: 8 - Photos: 13
 
Restaurants
Tips: 6 - Photos: 7
Hotels & Accommodations
 
Nightlife
Tips: 1 - Photos: 2
Off The Beaten Path
 
Tourist TrapsWarnings Or Dangers
Tips: 1 - Photos: 1
 
TransportationLocal Customs
Tips: 1
 
Packing Lists
Tips: 1 - Photos: 1
Shopping
 
Sports TravelGeneral Tips

Comments for catalysta about British Virgin Islands
RAJASTHANBYCAR Tue Dec 25, 2007 11:07 UTC
 Dear Friend Wendy, May you always be well, happy, peaceful and free... Best wishes for success in all your endeavors, and good health for yourself and Family. Happy New Year 2008!!! Blessings, Mahavir Yadav http://www.elfyourself.com/?id=1771035613
Gillybob Wed Oct 31, 2007 12:56 UTC
 I'm hoping to get to the Caribbean next February/March but still decided on where exactly. Gillybob greetings
diocletianvs Sun Jul 22, 2007 07:00 UTC
 Fantastic colors and fantastic photos Wendy. I love the local custom of saying hello to everyone on the street.
VeronicaG Thu Feb 8, 2007 22:47 UTC
 You've whet my appetite for the BVI's--I hope someday we'll be traveling there. Very good tips and beautiful pictures!!!!!
See More Comments

British Virgin Islands Hotels

About VirtualTourist10 Great Things to Do On VirtualTouristContact UsPress CenterHelpUser AgreementPrivacy Statement
Virtual Tourist® ©1994-2009 VirtualTourist.com, Inc. All Rights Reserved.