Catching up? Check out our BVI family sailing trip Part 1. When we left off I had just crashed my scooter (with Kaitlyn on it) into a prickly bush on Anegada- yikes! I decided to play it a little safer with our adventure from here on out.
Day 7: The Sandy Spit to Cooper Island
We woke up in Anegada and headed out right after breakfast and after grabbing a BoatyBall reservation for Cooper Island Beach Club when they became available at 7:00 AM. We were in the quite the parade of boats on our way out, 7, I think? Apparently we weren’t the only ones that wanted to get up and out to get a jump start on the day. We did a long sail, a couple hours, until we ended in our targeted destination, The Sandy Spit.
The Sandy Spit is such a funny name for an idyllic little spot. It’s a small beachy island with nothing on it but a couple palm trees. It’s bordered on one side by a rocky bottom and on the other side with soft, white sand, perfect for splashing in. We anchored the boat and took the dinghy in, though many people kayak or swim. We spent time jumping waves then went back to get our snorkel equipment on the boat. We swam around the area for a bit marveling and the hundreds on conch all along the otherwise clear, sandy bottom. It was so neat!
Late afternoon we showered off and motored over to Cooper Island. We hooked up to our mooring ball then headed in to look around a bit before our dinner reservation. We marveled at the views, shopped the boutique, stuck our head into their famous rum bar (SO many rums!), got a quick private tour of their onsite microbrewery from the brew master himself, then headed, hungrily, to our table.
The service was relaxed, but the views and food were excellent. David and I split a flight of their on-site beers and the girls busied themselves with the little 3d puzzle games they had scattered among the tables. The food was excellent. I had the ceviche and David had the snapper. We called it a night after dinner, all tired from our day in the sun.
Day 8: Peter Island to Jost Van Dyke and Foxy’s
For our last full day and night on the boat, we wanted adventure! In the morning we headed over to Peter Island, a luxury resort that was completely wiped out by hurricane Irma. I hadn’t heard they were rebuilding, so it thrilled me when we saw just how much action was happening on the island. Full villas were built and workers were busy constructing other buildings. I’m so happy to see it making a return!
We anchored in the harbor and watched seas turtles pop their heads up like whack a moles. It was so neat! We took the dinghy over to a shore without construction and wandered the little beach. We picked up pretty shells and sea urchin skeletons, and swam in the water.
Feeling refreshed we picked up our anchor at took off for Jost Van Dyke. We anchored in Garner Bay and took the dinghy to land. Then we made the roughly .5 mile hike to our destination of choice, The Bubbly Pool! When we visited the Bubbly Pool with the kids in 2019 it was on a very calm day and time, so it was more like a baby pool. But this day? It was rocking!
It was actually quite crowded when we first showed up, but we waited a bit and as it cleared out we got to take full advantage of all the fun it offers. It’s a small pool of crystal clear water that becomes fizzy and bubbly as large waves crash over the rocks and into it. The kids LOVED it! Probably one of their highlights of the entire trip. We eventually succeeded in dragging them out and we hiked back to our boat so we could motor over to the neighboring bay, Grand Harbor, where we were to be for the night.
Grand Harbor is the home of the famous Foxy’s, a happening open-aired night spot known for drinks and fun. On this night they had their buffet offered, which we all were salvating over. We got there at 5:00, which is on the early side, and spent time playing cards, chasing hermit crabs and the resident cats, until dinner opened up at 7:00 PM. We filled out plates and ate hungrily until we could eat no more. We hung out, played games, and danced to their DJ of the evening before finally heading back to our boat for the night.
Day 9: Tortola to St. Thomas
We decided next time we sail (and there will be a next time because we all LOVE it so much), we need more a time. A week is wonderful but gosh it flies by. We truly couldn’t believe it when Saturday came and it was time to head back to Tortola to return the yacht. Luckily we planned a fun pick-me-up to extend the trip, which helped soften the blow.
However, first we were up early and headed back to Tortola. We got close to port and called in on the radio for a captain to come help us dock the boat. The Moorings sent a captain out on a dinghy who came aboard and drove the boat in. The ease and comfort in which they can maneuver that big ‘ol boat blows my mind!
Once back on the hard (as the sailors call it), we unloaded, hopped in a taxi and took the 5 minute ride over to the fast ferry. We waited in line a bit, then boarded the ferry for the hour ride back to US- St. Thomas. We went through customs as we disembarked, then hopped in another taxi. This taxi took us across the island to our end-of-trip highlight- The Ritz-Carlton St. Thomas!
Upon arriving at the Ritz Carlton, we all lit up. The kids’ eyes were huge with anticipation and excitement as the staff welcomed us to the hotel with cool, lavender scented towels and welcome drinks- lemongrass iced tea. The open-aired lobby was breathtaking and the welcoming we received made us feel like royalty.
We were driven by golf cart to our room where we couldn’t change into bathing suits fast enough, though the kids (ok, and me, too) did take a few minutes to squeal with joy at the plush accommodations. And after a week on a boat, the shower was like a little slice of heaven!
Anyway, we threw on our suits and headed to explore the digs. The “digs,” by the way, were beautifully manicured and in pristine condition. We felt like we were on a tropical island because, well, I guess we were!
We walked to the pool area looking for lunch. Sails is their open air waterside and poolside restaurant. We grabbed a table, took in the views, and devoured our salad, burgers, and fish tacos.
The kids could hardly sit still the finish their meal because they were itching to make it to the pool. There is a large, main infinity pool overlooking the beach, as well as a separate family pool, complete with tiered waterfall feature and a WATERSLIDE. Oh y’all, that waterslide was the star of the show. We went on it repeatedly all afternoon, riding, sliding, laughing, and trying to catch the football we kept slinging at each other as we flew off the end of the slide. It was a huge hit!
The sun started to sink lower so we headed back to the room, fighting for rights to the first shower (I won). Gosh it felt amazing to get a real shower and even dry my hair. From there we took off to find dinner.
We should have made reservations (whoops), but the lovely hostess at Alloro, one of their dining options, was able to accommodate us since we were on the early side. Thank goodness for that because the experience and the food was wonderful. Pasta, wine, and a sunset. I had to pinch myself a couple times.
Day 10: St. Thomas to Charlotte, NC
We woke up from a great night’s sleep, ready to fill our morning with a last little bit of island fun, as our flight wasn’t until late afternoon. Both kids were amped to do a family workout in the fitness facility we had seen the previous day, so we got into athletic wear and headed over. Unfortunately K didn’t have closed toe shoes, so they wouldn’t let her in. She was quite disheartened about this as we tried to figure out how to pivot.
And pivot we did. We grabbed tennis equipment and headed to the courts. There was a breeze that came across, keeping the temperature manageable and we spent an hour hitting the ball back and forth and chasing it wherever it may go. We all left smiling and red faced, in search of refreshment.
We popped into the Southwind coffee bar. Iced lattes for David and me; smoothies for the kids. From there we headed back to the room to change into bathing suits and head to the beach. All the water sport toys are included so we opted to head out on a hobie cat to spend some time zipping back and forth the inlet. The kids were a little nervous about it at first, but it was such a blast!
From there, I’ll give you one guess as to where went… yup! Beelined to the pool. We did the slide a million more times, handstands in the larger pool, and soaked up every last view we could manage. Too soon it was time to shower, pack, get a hearty late lunch in our bellies and take the taxi to the airport.
The checkout process, ride, and flight home were smooth, but my goodness were we all exhausted when we finally crawled into bed at home sometime near 12:00 AM.
It was such a grand adventure and yet it flew by so quickly. It quenched the thirst we had for island sailing, and yet ignited a flame to keep the good times going. I highly recommend a BVI sailing trip if you have the chance, and remember to please reach out if you have any questions about the experience that I didn’t answer in the BVI Sailing FAQ post. Thank you for coming along on this family sailing trip in the Caribbean adventure with us; it was a joy to share here and as highlights and reels on Instagram!
