Sail BVI Girls Depart BVI

The girls caught the 7am flight out of Beef Island and are headed back to the states. We were sad to see them go and are looking forward to another successful Seafarer SAIL BVI trip in 2012. We would like to thank the YMCA, Camp Seafarer, and the girls for making this another successful trip. If you know anyone that would be a good fit for our 2012 trip, please contact Leigh Longino at (252) 670-7190 for more information and to get a 2012 application.

 Heading out with empty boats, See you next year Seafarer SAIL BVI!

Sail BVI Girls Arrive at Trellis

After beating upwind from Sandy Spit the girls stopped off at Guana Island for a snorkel. After snorkeling at Monkey Point the made their way to Trellis Bay. We picked up moorings close to the airport dock and caught the ferry over to Marina Cay for celebratory milkshakes. After returning they began cleaning and packing for their early morning departure. We will dinghy the girls to docks around 5am and they should be in the air by 7am, bound for the states.

 The girls at Marina Cay ready to depart the BVI!

Sail BVI Girls Depart Little Harbour, bound for Sandy Spit, Guana Island, and Trellis Bay

The girls made breakast on docks in Little Harbour. After breakfast they cast off lines and pulled up the anchor and headed out of Little Harbour. We headed around the corner of Jost Van Dyke and anchored at Sandy Spit. The girls swam to shore and walked around this small island that was made famous by Dell Computer's factory backgrounds and a visa commercial that the girls were all too young to have seen. After leaving Sandy Spit the girls tacked up wind to Guana Island for a snorkel before striking sails, and heading through the Camino Cut to Trellis Bay.

Girls in the Water at Sandy Spit

Sail BVI Girls, Jost Van Dyke - White Bay, Great Harbour, Little Harbour

The girls arrived and anchored in White Bay around 9am after sailing through the night to Jost Van Dyke. After breakfast and a quick rest, the girls swam into shore to enjoy White Bay.  Around 11am we weighed anchor and headed to great harbor where the girls explored and went to Foxy's. Around 2:30 they left Great Harbour for Little Harbour. At Little Harbour the girls Med-Moored (Mediterranean Mooring) to Sydney's House of Peace and Love for the evening. On shore we enjoyed lobster dinner in celebration of Sara's Birthday!

 Hanging a shirt at Sydney's to remember the trip

 Sail BVI shirt up at Sydney's 

 Best Times Crew on Docks at Sydney's

  Isabella Crew on Docks at Sydney's

 Sequoia Crew on Docks at Sydney's

Night Sail from Virgin Gorda to Jost Van Dyke

The girls woke up a little before 3am an weighed anchor outside of Virgin Gorda Yacht Harbor. They plotted their course and set sail down the Sir Francis Drake Channel using lighted marks to make their way around the tip of Tortola and on to Jost Van Dyke. 

 The girls at Sunrise after the Night Sail in Harnesses and Life Jackets

Sail BVI Girls Sail to the Baths

 The weather finally broke this morning and the girls headed out of the North Sound and off to the Baths at the far end of Virgin Gorda. Once they arrived at the baths we swam in and went for a hike to Devil's Bay. After the baths we headed east of the Baths and anchored. We plan to head to bed early and get up for a night and sunrise sail to Jost Van Dyke.

 At the helm leaving North Sound

 

 Climbing a Tree at the Baths

 

 The girls in the Cave at the Baths

A group shot on one of the amazing boulders at the Baths

Girls Depart Bitter End

The girls waited out the remainder of the weather this morning going over the written exams and quizzes for their US Sailing Basic Keelboat certification. Foul weather continues to serve as a good time to review. We plan to depart Bitter End shortly as the passing weather clears and head for the Baths on the far end of Virgin Gorda.

Girls Spend the Rainy Day a Bitter End Yacht Club

The girls headed into the Bitter End Yacht Club after a rainy night on the mooring. Finding shelter on shore we were able to make the best of the rainy and windy day to cover advanced navigation with Capt. Chris Davis.

 Girls on shore at Bitter End taking a Navigation Course 

Navigation Lesson on Shore at Bitter End Yacht Club

 Girls on Docks before Dinner at the Fat Virgin Cafe

Sail BVI Girls Sail to Bitter End Yacht Club

The girls woke up on moorings in Soper's Hole and took inventory of the provisioning aboard each of their own vessels. After taking inventory they headed into shore to provision their own vessels with guidance from our captains and counselors. After provisioning we set sail up the Sir Francis Drake Channel toward the Bitter End Yacht Club. The breeze was heavy and the girls practiced sailing with reefed sails. When we arrived at the Bitter End we picked up a mooring and headed in to the yacht club for a hike.

 View from atop Bitter End Yacht Club Hike

 Hiking up the hill

 The Girls on the Way Up

On the Beach at Bitter End Yacht Club

Sail BVI Girls Snorkel Caves and Indians and Celebrate a Birthday at Sopers Hole

 The girls left Nanny Cay bound for Norman Island. After a snorkel at the caves, the girls headed over to the Indains. After leaving the Indians we enjoyed a long downwind sunset sail to Soper's Hole where we went onshore to celebrate a Birthday in the BVI!

 

Snorkeling the Caves

 

Snorkeling the Indians

 

Swim Through at the Indians

 Capt. Stuart telling stories to the girls at Pussers

 Celebrating a Birthday in the British Virgin Islands!

Sail BVI Girls Finish US Sailing Course on J24's

This morning the girls finished up the practical portion of their US Sailing Basic Keelboat Course this morning on the J24s. After the class we all went for a celebratory ice cream trip before heading out of Nanny Cay on the big boats, bound for Norman Island and Indians.

Rigging J24

 Ready to head out in Nanny Cay Marina

Finishing up the Practical and heading back to Nanny Cay

 Running Down Wind

Girls Begin US Sailing Course At Nanny Cay

We began the US Sailing Basic Keelboat Course today at Nanny Cay. The course began with an afternoon of classroom under the shelter at Nanny Cay's beach. After the classroom session we rigged the J24's and headed out into the Drake Channel. The girls will spend tonight on docks at Nanny Cay and head back out on the J24's tomorrow before sailing to Norman Island and on to Soper's Hole.

US Sailing Basic Keelboat Classroom Session

Rigging the J24's

Heading out into the Drake Channel

 

Sailing Back into Nanny Cay After a J24 Practical Session

Sail BVI Girls Snorkel the RMS Rhone

The girls dropped moorings early this morning and headed over to Salt Island to take advantage of the calm morning sea state. After breakfast underway they dropped right into the clear blue waters above the RMS Rhone for a snorkel.

 

Snorkeling the Rhone

The wreck of the Rhone is one of the most famous wreck sites in the world. Located off Salt Island, the R.M.S Rhone (Royal Mail Steamship) went down in 1867 in a hurricane. The Rhone lies on a reef in 20-80 feet of water. Awash in schools of friendly fish. The stern has a massive propeller (15' across) that lies in 25' of water. Her propeller is so enormous that it is more likely to be recognized by a snorkeler from the surface than a diver up close at depth due to its huge size.

After a downwind sail to Tortola, the girls were at the helm for there first docking of the trip. After a few attempts and getting the feel for the boats, all three boats docked nicely at Nanny Cay Marina, where we will begin out US Sailing Course. 

Seafarer Sail BVI Trip Snorkels the Dogs, Then Sails to Cooper Island

The group woke up on the moorings in Trellis Bay, just east of Bellamy Cay. After a quick breakfast aboard they dropped the mooring ball and headed into the Sir Francis Drake Channel. The day began with an upwind leg to the Dogs. We practiced tacking upwind and snorkeled the Chimney on the west end of Great Dog. After eating lunch on the mooring we sailed down wind to Cooper Island and practiced jibing. Once arriving at Cooper Island we headed over to Cistern Rock for another snorkel trip. The group cooked a progressive dinner: Isabella made Bruschetta, Best Times made Caribbean Rice and Beans, Sequoia made Brownies for dessert.

 Taking the helm

 Enjoying the clear Caribbean water

Hanging out in the sail bag on a mooring

Keeping watch on the way to Cooper Island

Sail BVI Girls Arrive in the British Virgin Islands

The girls from the Sail II BVI program have arrived in the British Virgin Islands and are safely aboard the boats in Trellis Bay. The girls spent the evening orienting themselves to their homes for the next 10 days, a matching pair of Jenneau Yachts. Captains Jim, Stuart, and Chris have divided the crew amongst the three identical boats and are ready to head out on our first sail in the morning. Our destination is Cooper Island, just across the Sir Francis Drake Channel from Beef Island. 

 

Captain Chris S.V. ISABELLA and her crew.

Captain Stuart S.V.SEQUOIA and her crew

 

Captain Jim S.V. Best Times and her Crew

Lundy Charters Team Gears Up for Seafarer SAIL BVI 2011 Trip

S.A.I.L II-BVIs, is designed to reinforce the traditional values that permeate all of Camp Seafarer's programs. The development of character and leadership skills will be the goal of these activities. We believe that this island/sailing experience will have a lasting impact as new challenges are explored,new skills are learned, more self-confidence is developed, and each crewmember becomes a team player on the voyage.