Eco-Touring by Charter Yacht in the Virgin Islands

What in the World???

.....An adventure unlike any other.....

"Eco-touring by Charter Yacht in the world famous 
Virgin Islands"

Why charter in the Virgin Islands? The US and British Virgin Islands are recognized as two of the very best sailing and yachting destinations in the world.  This Caribbean archipelago sports more than 60 islands and cays, populated and unpopulated. With countless places to anchor or moor, the close proximity to other islands and reliably spectacular Caribbean weather is it any wonder that when one thinks of a yachting vacation these islands simply pop to the front of the mind? Few travel destinations in the world offer so much to see and do in such a small geographic area for all ages and interests as the Virgin Islands. And you can easily go from one to the other in less time than you can walk to the corner convenience store. Over the hundreds of years since Columbus encountered the Virgin Islands in 1493, these islands have been planted, plundered, pillaged and populated...at one point, with fierce Pirates...ARRRGH! The very channel separating various islands in the British Virgin Islands is in fact named for the flamboyant darling of Queen Elizabeth I, Sir Francis Drake, perhaps the greatest pirate of them all. And it is this well protected channel which makes for modern day smooth sailing and motor yachting even if it might be boisterous outside. Major open water crossings are a non-issue. Imagine...every night, a different cove to explore with pure white sand beaches, another glorious sundown viewed from your favorite spot on deck and yet another gourmet meal with all the trimmings created especially for you. You set your own schedule...it’s entirely your vacation.  So, grab your eye patch, peg leg and parrot—get ready to explore the Land and Waters of the Pirates.  Just be sure to obey the Pirate's Rules!! The Nature of the Virgin Islands The Virgin Islands are located at Latitude 18, Longitude 64 or approximately 1500 miles southeast of New York City and just 50 miles East of Puerto Rico. Volcanic in origin, these rocky green scrubby islands rise dramatically from the sea creating a natural Northern boundary for the Caribbean Sea and a Southern boundary for the Southwestern Atlantic Ocean. There are miles of hiking trails, historical landmarks and crumbling sugar mill ruins from the cane plantation days. An energizing hike can bring you to the tops of hills where you’ll think you can see forever. On these islands you might find some rare small lizards, iguanas, many colorful butterflies and flowers, several on the endangered species list. One notable exception is the picturesque, very flat island of Anegada, BVI. It is a coral atoll and not to be missed for your eco-touring adventure. More on that locale another time.    At certain times of the year, various colorful trees bloom: The flame-orange heavy canopied  flamboyant and the wild and fragrant native frangipani among many others give quite a show. Whole hillsides glow bright orange splashed with speckles of white. Wild Frangipani (plumeria) Flamboyant (Royal Poinciana) Some of the older spiny century plants decide it’s time in the Spring to produce an enormous spike from their centers which quickly becomes a “tree” of yellow puffy flowers to decorate the hillsides in great numbers.  They will be mobbed by hungry honeybees, the local bananaquit aka "sugar bird" and hummingbirds grabbing a meal of the nectar and pollen.  They evolve and die after about a week and then they become Christmas Trees! Some well over 20’ tall. Yes, the islanders and boaters have been using these “skeletons” for generations.  They make a fine Christmas tree and you will see some yachts carrying them on their decks decorated to the hilt! More things to do and see..... If you’re lucky, after dark, a hawk moth might come to visit you in the lights of your cockpit relaxation area.  The moth is so large, on first glance you might think a bat has flown into your area! But, no, it’s just this very large, rather drab brown moth who thinks you might be a night blooming flower to sip from! This is the adult form of the colorful frangipani caterpillar which can grow up to 5" long. It can strip a tree in less than one day. But never fear, the tree comes back even more beautiful than before.  Birders will be treated to the sight of red billed tropic birds (in season), brown boobies, pelicans, various egret and herons, all the tropical terns in your birding book, small finches, the ubiquitous sugar eating bananaquit, various species of hummingbirds, magnificent frigatebirds AKA “The Pirates of the Air”, oystercatchers, night herons and on and on.  The Virgin Islands provide generally great exploring for all interests natural. Bananaquit aka "Sugar Bird" Before “civilized” man populated these islands, there was known to be two indigenous mammals: A rodent about the size of a possum, and an insect-eating mammal looking a little bit like a very small anteater. These species have long gone extinct. The only present-day native species of mammal is bats (possibly 6 species), though rats and mongoose have taken up residence due to man’s incursions. ____________________________________________________ While on your charter, you might be interested in feeding your own bats! Yes, after dark, in many coves you might be treated to the sight of a bat flickering in and out of your vision on the water’s surface. You are seeing the fishing bat.  Fishing Bat in the US and British Virgin Islands Ask your chef to give you some bread, cast it on the water and sit back to watch the show. These bats do not eat bread but the little fish which are their only prey do...These bats are extreme specialists in detecting even the smallest fish ripple on the surface of a usually wind roiled water surface. Only they know how they can do this, and they aren’t talking. The bread will attract the fishies and the fishies attract the bats.  I have known of several charter clients who have captured this wonder on camera! And please don’t worry...they won’t get in your hair! They know exactly where you are and where they are. Ne’er the ‘twain shall meet. _______________________________________________ The beaches are made of……WHAT?  The myriad beaches are a blinding eye-squinting color of white...We can thank our parrotfish friends for creating these beaches. Parrotfish love to dine on algae which tends to accumulate on coral. Of course, when they scrape the coral, they will take in some of the hard skeleton of the coral itself which serves to keep the coral clean. Then, later, well, you know.   Yes, the make up of the fine white sand is largely due to the colorful parrotfish and its poo!  You can tip your snorkel to them for providing you with the sugary beauty of this sand. And then, there are the "pajamas" !  Yes, every night, certain species of parrot fish envelope themselves in a transparent "pajama" cocoon made of mucous secreted from an organ on their head. Scientists think the cocoon masks their scent, making them harder for nocturnal predators, like moray eels, to find. Ask your crew to take you on a night snorkel and you will see this. We have, many times.  Aside from the few “major” islands, the charm of this place is the countless little crumbs of cays sprinkled all around ringed with colorful and pristine coral reefs. And most all are in sight of each other. You are challenged to name and count all the different shades of blue you will see in the waters of the Virgin Islands. And the colorful fish!!  you will spend quite a bit of time trying to identify those seen while you scuba dive or snorkel. It goes like this:  “It was blue, had a yellow stripe through it’s eye, and black fins, and it was......” All Fish I.D. books are well thumbed.  We recommend this book for your nature study library: Paul Humann Reef Fish Identification These are just some of the natural wonders you will encounter as you move from one place of beauty to another, of course, on your Charteryacht with your professional crew. There is so much more to see and do.   _____________________________________________________ To sum it up, you would have to look long and hard for another destination which offers you so much to see and do all in one very tightly knit group of tropical islands. Access is easy, people are more than friendly, inter-island transportation is frequent and reliable, weather is wonderful and abundant foods are a combination of exotic and familiar. As so many before you have discovered, this is indeed a very special place comprised of Nature’s Little Secrets, and America’s Paradise and it waits for you.  You will come back again and again....We stayed for more than 10 years!  Please visit our site HERE for much more information