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The BVI's prime location amidst a vast network of crystalline waters, gentle trade winds and year-round temperate climates creates a dream destination for watersports enthusiasts.
By Jane Bakewell
“Water, water, everywhere…” and plenty to play in! Far from Samuel Taylor Coleridge's The Rime of the Ancient Mariner, the BVI offers warm Caribbean waters creating a perfect setting for a sports lover’s paradise. For sailors, the Sir Francis Drake Channel has steady winds without the buffeting swells of the Atlantic. Those same trade winds catapult the windsurfer across the channel and lift the kiteboarder into the sky for aerobatic feats.
The surrounding aqua-blue waters contain a vibrant marine life dotted with some of the most well-known wrecks in the world, a coveted destination for scuba divers and snorkellers alike. Sportfishing enthusiasts are discovering that some record-breaking billfish swim below the deep, and the calmer bays and coves wait to be explored by adventurers on kayaks and stand-up paddleboards.
Sailing
Once the domain of pirates who plied these waters in black galleons and flew the menacing Jolly Roger flag off the main mast, present-day sailors are a bit more genteel. During the high season (November to April), one can see white sheets in the wind from scuttling, happy sailors all over the 60 islands and cays that comprise this British territory. One does not have to be a qualified captain to enjoy the experience, as Tortola is home base to many charter companies with crewed yachts willing to assist. For those rugged bare boaters who ask, “Just the boat,” and prefer to do the navigating and provisioning on their own, there are provisioning shops, many representing main supermarkets such as Riteway, Bobby’s and K-Mark’s, dedicated to sailors. A supplier of organic produce delivered right to your boat is Good Moon Farms, owned by well-known sculptor Aragorn of Trellis Bay.
Sailing can also be a sport you learn during your vacation stay. There are several sailing schools on Tortola and Virgin Gorda with courses that range from a two-day keelboat certification for beginners to three- and seven-day basic cruising classes. Sistership, located at Nanny Cay Marina, is specifically designed for women who want to learn sailing with other women, which for some presents a less intimidating experience. A great resource for finding a boat and crew that fits your needs is the BVI Charter Yacht Society, which represents the independently crewed yachts in the Territory. (bvicrewedyachts.com)
Snorkelling
The beauty of snorkelling is that for most who feel comfortable swimming these warm waters, this is an easy next step with no lessons needed. You can rent masks and fins from the dive shops on the islands, and many guest villas and resorts include snorkelling gear as part of your stay. Where to snorkel? Right off the beach is a good place for beginners. Prime snorkelling on Tortola is located at Smuggler’s Cove and Brewer’s Bay on the west end of the island. A trip over to Pusser’s Marina Cay will provide not only a beautiful vista and a nice place to eat but also a safe and fun spot to snorkel. The Baths on Virgin Gorda are considered a must, and even young children will enjoy peering at the teeming sea life amidst the boulders and protected pools of water.
A full-day adventure to some of the outer islands is highly recommended for those who really want to share bragging rights about the fish they saw. Many popular day charters offer trips to the Caves and the Indians at Norman Island –– two excellent reef locations known for parrotfish, blue tang and even an occasional friendly barracuda. Jost Van Dyke with its small cays –– Green Cay and Sandy Spit –– are also popular snorkelling sights, as is Loblolly Bay on the north shore of Anegada, which can be reached by ferry or plane.
Scuba Diving
Divers around the world have often heard of the BVI, and that is directly related to the famous wrecks that beckon from the ocean floors here. The most famous is the RMS Rhone, a British steamship that was caught in a hurricane in 1867 and met its watery demise off Salt Island. Now a virtual aquarium for coral and fish, the bow section lies in about 80 feet of water and pieces of the stern and the propeller are easily seen. Dive operators lead daily excursions to the site for one- and two-tank dives. Other popular dive sites have colourful names such as Blonde Rock, Painted Walls and Alice in Wonderland. They range from canyon walls that slope gently down 100 feet to relatively shallow dives with tunnels, caves and overhangs. Great Dog, near Virgin Gorda, is an excellent spot for beginners with a parallel reef that goes down to 60 feet. All divers must be certified, so be prepared to bring your documents as proof of your diving experience. For those who want to get a taste of diving for just a few days, there are brief “resort courses” available.
Surfing
The BVI has some great surfing beaches jealously guarded but known among veteran surfers. Places like Apple Bay, Josiah's Bay and Cane Garden Bay were once quietly whispered among the initiated. Not so anymore. Recent articles in U.S. travel publications have put the BVI on the map as a key surfing destination, much to the chagrin of those who would like to keep it a secret.
The winter swells are what it's all about, so the best surfing months fall between December and May. Some prefer to bring their boards along with them, but renting is very easy in the islands and watersports centres carry a variety of boards for all sizes and ages. Surfing lessons are recommended for beginners to learn about the safety aspects of the sport as well as the "code of ethics" when catching that wave in a sea of other surfers. Tortola's north shore is the place to find the best surf, and a drive to the beaches that dot that side of the island just to watch the surfers can be a fun outing.
Stand-Up Paddleboarding
A gentler cousin to surfing is the newly popular sport affectionately known by its acronym SUP. Originating in Hawaii from surfing instructors who needed to stand on their boards to oversee their surfing initiates, soon long paddles were developed to skim through the water, and voilà –– a sport was born. Likened to walking on the water, this is a sport for young and old alike and can be mastered easily with a little coordination.
SUP boards are generally much longer than contemporary surfboards, averaging about 12 to 14 feet in length. Lightweight paddles made from a carbon/kevlar mix are designed with a flexible extension to fit the height of the paddler. When not an open-water competition, SUP is best performed in quiet bays and mangroves like those found around the bridge at Beef Island.
Windsurfing
This is a sport bound to attract those who love to sail at great speeds on a tiny vessel the size of a surfboard. Many start off with a few cursory lessons at a watersports centre on the island and then quickly become addicts of a very healthy habit. Boardsailing BVI owner Jeremy Wright has even perfected a moving windsurfing model on the sand at his Trellis Bay location, which he insists will make you a pro in a few hours.
An adventure sport loved by the young and the want-to-be-young alike, windsurfing has spawned an international competition held in the BVI annually, which is now in its 28th year. The Highland Spring HIHO Regatta is held the last week of June and attracts competitors keen to find their nightly berths on a flotilla of sailboats that follow the daily courses filled with fans and friends. A fun event to attend, the HIHO Regatta has now added stand-up paddleboarding to the competition. Visit www.go-hiho.com for more information.
Kiteboarding
One might wonder why a sail attached to a surfboard (windsurfing) is not enough of an adrenalin rush for a watersports enthusiast. That’s because you can’t catch enough air! Adding a kite to the mix changes the vertical dynamic greatly. Not only are you propelled at great speeds across the water on your modified board, but also the kite you’re holding on to allows you to swing up in a gust of air and do a 360, if so desired. This sport is not for the faint of heart, or the untrained for that matter –– so lessons are a must for this risky sport. There is a kiteboarding centre that offers lessons at the Bitter End Yacht Club in the North Sound of Virgin Gorda.
Fishing
Fishing has been a way of life in the BVI for many years. Fishermen provided villages with a valuable food commodity in the form of reef fish, lobster and some deep-sea fish. Even today one will spot an open-back truck with a large cooler and a scale in back, and a throng of locals waiting to buy the catch of the day. Visitors to the islands must get fishing permits from the Department of Conservation and Fisheries in Road Town. However, if you’re on a fishing charter with a local operator, permits have already been approved. Speedy’s Deep-Sea Fishing out of Virgin Gorda is a popular deep-sea fishing operator who customizes full- and half-day charters that can pick you up if you are staying on Tortola. Deep-sea fishing involves trolling, and the best spot for catching marlin, wahoo and tuna is the North Drop off Virgin Gorda.
Fly-fishing can be arranged with operators either on Tortola or Anegada. Skilled fly fisherman know just how to manoeuvre their flat-bottomed boat using a pole in the shallows to help you cast for the elusive permits and jacks found in the waters. Bonefishing thrives in Anegada, where this prized fish has a cult following of its own.
Kayaking
Considered a "soft adventure sport" for its non-invasive character, kayaking is a gentle and eco-friendly way to explore the BVI's coastal areas. Sea kayaks have durable hard plastic shells, are lightweight and easy to manoeuvre around. They come fashioned as single or double kayaks, with removable seat backs and oars balanced by paddles on each end. Generally on a double, the stronger kayaker sits to the rear to help propel and steer the boat by adjusting the oar in the water.
Several watersports centres around the islands offer kayaks to rent, and many yacht charter operators offer kayak equipment as part of the sail package experience. The open waters around the islands can be rough, and kayakers are encouraged to stick close to shore in their explorations. Popular kayak excursions include Trellis Bay and the mangrove areas surrounding Beef Island, the shorelines of Jost Van Dyke and the North Sound of Virgin Gorda. A fun day's adventure may include packing a picnic lunch and finding a remote beach to pull ashore and enjoy the quiet simplicity.
Find special sporting event dates in our Events section.
Blue Water Divers
Nanny Cay Marina & Soper’s Hole Marina
Tel: 494-2847; 495-1200
Fax: 494-0198; 495-1210
E-mail: bwdbvi@surfbvi.com
Web: www.bluewaterdiversbvi.com
Come dive the fabulous “Blue Water” of the British Virgin Islands! Let Blue Water Divers BVI make your scuba diving vacation a truly memorable experience
Deep-Sea Fishing with Speedy’s
Spanish Town, Virgin Gorda
Tel: 495-5235; 495-5240
E-mail: speedysbvi@surfbvi.com
Choose from our custom-designed fishing boats: our 31-foot Bertram, Speedy’s Adventure; or our 44-foot Southern Cross, Speedy’s Unbelievable, for the more seriously adventurous and comfort-inclined fisherman. Both full- and half-day charters are available.
Dive BVI
Dive BVI Spanish Town, Tel: 495-5513
Dive BVI at Leverick Bay, Tel: 495-7328
Dive BVI at Scrub Island, Tel: 495-9363
Toll-free: 800-848-7078
E-mail: info@divebvi.com
Web: www.divebvi.com
Dive BVI has served the British Virgin Islands since 1975 with professional service standards and the friendliest staff in the Caribbean. With daily guided dives and snorkelling, island tours, Anegada Trips, Eco-Explorer, Kids’ Aqua Camp and private charters, Dive BVI offers everything you need for a magical and memorable vacation!
Dolphin Discovery Tortola
Prospect Reef Resort
Tel: 494-7675
Fax: 494-7677
E-mail: tortola@dolphindiscovery.com
Web: www.dolphindiscovery.com
Make your dreams come true with this experience of a lifetime. The breathtaking and intimate discovery of swimming and playing with dolphins in the ocean is exhilarating. These amazing mammals exhibit unique behaviours, creating magical memories.
Show me a list of contact info for activities.
Sail Away!
The BVI Spring Regatta and Sailing Festival is held at Nanny Cay Marina during the end of March. Now in its 41st year, topping their 40th anniversary no-holds-barred celebrations will be quite a feat; but the regatta organisers are geared up for an eventful year and expect the number of registered boats to be well over 100. The classic division, which includes wood beauties with hulls over 40 years old, is expected to grow this year. Organisers hope the publicity brought by celebrity boats such as Richard Branson’s 104-foot catamaran Necker Belle, which raced in the Big Boats division last year, will usher in more big-name boats. Read more about the BVI Spring Regatta and Sailing Festival, or for more information, visit www.bvispringregatta.org.
Flying High or Paddling Low
By Jane Bakewell
On any windy day in the North Sound of Virgin Gorda, you're likely to see many colourful kites dancing in the air. However, these aren't regular kites; they're attached to athletes who are kiteboarding, a sport that's become very popular in the islands. Introductory lessons are highly recommended, since kiteboarding requires agility, coordination and nerves of steel. Carib Kiteboarding, located at the Bitter End Yacht Club, has qualified instructors who offer private lessons during sessions that can last 90 minutes or longer. Wind conditions must be right, so you need to be flexible when booking.
Competitive kiteboarding has now become an official event in the BVI thanks in part to British entrepreneur Sir Richard Branson, head of Virgin Group Ltd. The idea was born out of some friendly race competition between Branson and Google founder Larry Page whilst the latter visited Necker Island. The first-ever BVI Kite Jam took place in March 2010 with visual competitions and technique clinics. The success of the first event has now spawned an annual competition attracting international pro kiteboarders, including nine-time world champion Kristin Boese. Competitors and friends stay aboard luxury catamarans in a fleet that accompanies the racers to their inter-island competitions. In the evenings, sports gear is cast aside for party gear. For more information about this event, go to www.bvikitejam.com.
Another new watersport that's catching on in the BVI is standup paddleboarding or "SUP," as it's known by its acronym. This is a hybrid of paddle sports and sur_ ng described by some as a feeling of "walking on water." You can spot these paddlers standing on surfboards that they propel along with long paddles. Legend has it that SUP was born from the 1960s surfing scene in Hawaii, when surfing instructors from Waikiki Beach stood up on their surf boards using outrigger paddles to manage their groups of beginning surfers. Realising this gave them a better vantage point and a way to self-propel quickly, a new sport evolved. The boards in this sport tend to be longer than regular surfboards, ranging from 9 to 14 feet in length, and have non-skid decks and small fins inthe back for tracking. Made out of epoxy, the boards are light and can be easier to carry than a kayak. There are boards designed for catching waves with contoured bows and concave hulls and others made for the casual SUPer, who enjoys "gunkholing," which is a term for exploring small sheltered coves.
Tortola has many quiet coves and mangrove areas that are ideal beginner sites. The bridge off Beef Island is a good launch site with many mangrove areas to explore. Other flat-water paddling spots can be found at Brewer's Bay and Smuggler's Cove, whilst those who want to catch a wave may want to try Josiah's Bay or Carrot Bay.
The stand-up paddleboarding competition is now oficially part of the HIHO Regatta and this year, multi-race winner Ernie Johnson from California will race in downwind courses against other international competitors. For more details, go to www.go-hiho.com.
What would make your BVI vacation complete? Whether its boating, biking, hiking, team sports, horseback, surfing, snorkeling, diving, windsurfing, kayaking, kite boarding, sailing, fishing — get the 411 on who to contact right here.
Learn more about each island of the BVI and its beautiful pristine beaches, here.
Read unbiased opinions about BVI activities at TripAdvisor.
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“Water, water, everywhere…” and plenty to play in! Far from Samuel Taylor Coleridge's The Rime of the Ancient Mariner, the BVI offers warm Caribbean waters creating a perfect setting for a sports lover’s paradise. For sailors, the Sir Francis Drake Channel has steady winds without the buffeting swells of the Atlantic. Those same trade winds catapult the windsurfer across the channel and lift the kiteboarder into the sky for aerobatic feats.
Once the domain of pirates who plied these waters in black galleons and flew the menacing Jolly Roger flag off the main mast, present-day sailors are a bit more genteel. During the high season (November to April), one can see white sheets in the wind from scuttling, happy sailors all over the 60 islands and cays that comprise this British territory. One does not have to be a qualified captain to enjoy the experience, as Tortola is home base to many charter companies with crewed yachts willing to assist. For those rugged bare boaters who ask, “Just the boat,” and prefer to do the navigating and provisioning on their own, there are provisioning shops, many representing main supermarkets such as Riteway, Bobby’s and K-Mark’s, dedicated to sailors. A supplier of organic produce delivered right to your boat is Good Moon Farms, owned by well-known sculptor Aragorn of Trellis Bay.
Divers around the world have often heard of the BVI, and that is directly related to the famous wrecks that beckon from the ocean floors here. The most famous is the RMS Rhone, a British steamship that was caught in a hurricane in 1867 and met its watery demise off Salt Island. Now a virtual aquarium for coral and fish, the bow section lies in about 80 feet of water and pieces of the stern and the propeller are easily seen. Dive operators lead daily excursions to the site for one- and two-tank dives. 
The BVI has some great surfing beaches jealously guarded but known among veteran surfers. Places like Apple Bay, Josiah's Bay and Cane Garden Bay were once quietly whispered among the initiated. Not so anymore. Recent articles in U.S. travel publications have put the BVI on the map as a key surfing destination, much to the chagrin of those who would like to keep it a secret.
A gentler cousin to surfing is the newly popular sport affectionately known by its acronym SUP. Originating in Hawaii from surfing instructors who needed to stand on their boards to oversee their surfing initiates, soon long paddles were developed to skim through the water, and voilà –– a sport was born. Likened to walking on the water, this is a sport for young and old alike and can be mastered easily with a little coordination.
One might wonder why a sail attached to a surfboard (windsurfing) is not enough of an adrenalin rush for a watersports enthusiast. That’s because you can’t catch enough air! Adding a kite to the mix changes the vertical dynamic greatly. Not only are you propelled at great speeds across the water on your modified board, but also the kite you’re holding on to allows you to swing up in a gust of air and do a 360, if so desired. This sport is not for the faint of heart, or the untrained for that matter –– so lessons are a must for this risky sport. There is a kiteboarding centre that offers lessons at the Bitter End Yacht Club in the North Sound of Virgin Gorda.
Fishing has been a way of life in the BVI for many years. Fishermen provided villages with a valuable food commodity in the form of reef fish, lobster and some deep-sea fish. Even today one will spot an open-back truck with a large cooler and a scale in back, and a throng of locals waiting to buy the catch of the day. Visitors to the islands must get fishing permits from the Department of Conservation and Fisheries in Road Town. However, if you’re on a fishing charter with a local operator, permits have already been approved. Speedy’s Deep-Sea Fishing out of Virgin Gorda is a popular deep-sea fishing operator who customizes full- and half-day charters that can pick you up if you are staying on Tortola. Deep-sea fishing involves trolling, and the best spot for catching marlin, wahoo and tuna is the North Drop off Virgin Gorda.
Considered a "soft adventure sport" for its non-invasive character, kayaking is a gentle and eco-friendly way to explore the BVI's coastal areas. Sea kayaks have durable hard plastic shells, are lightweight and easy to manoeuvre around. They come fashioned as single or double kayaks, with removable seat backs and oars balanced by paddles on each end. Generally on a double, the stronger kayaker sits to the rear to help propel and steer the boat by adjusting the oar in the water.
Blue Water Divers
Dive BVI
The BVI Spring Regatta and Sailing Festival is held at Nanny Cay Marina during the end of March. Now in its 41st year, topping their 40th anniversary no-holds-barred celebrations will be quite a feat; but the regatta organisers are geared up for an eventful year and expect the number of registered boats to be well over 100. The classic division, which includes wood beauties with hulls over 40 years old, is expected to grow this year. Organisers hope the publicity brought by celebrity boats such as Richard Branson’s 104-foot catamaran Necker Belle, which raced in the Big Boats division last year, will usher in more big-name boats. Read more about the 
On any windy day in the North Sound of Virgin Gorda, you're likely to see many colourful kites dancing in the air. However, these aren't regular kites; they're attached to athletes who are kiteboarding, a sport that's become very popular in the islands. Introductory lessons are highly recommended, since kiteboarding requires agility, coordination and nerves of steel. Carib Kiteboarding, located at the Bitter End Yacht Club, has qualified instructors who offer private lessons during sessions that can last 90 minutes or longer. Wind conditions must be right, so you need to be flexible when booking.
Another new watersport that's catching on in the BVI is standup paddleboarding or "SUP," as it's known by its acronym. This is a hybrid of paddle sports and sur_ ng described by some as a feeling of "walking on water." You can spot these paddlers standing on surfboards that they propel along with long paddles. Legend has it that SUP was born from the 1960s surfing scene in Hawaii, when surfing instructors from Waikiki Beach stood up on their surf boards using outrigger paddles to manage their groups of beginning surfers. Realising this gave them a better vantage point and a way to self-propel quickly, a new sport evolved. The boards in this sport tend to be longer than regular surfboards, ranging from 9 to 14 feet in length, and have non-skid decks and small fins inthe back for tracking. Made out of epoxy, the boards are light and can be easier to carry than a kayak. There are boards designed for catching waves with contoured bows and concave hulls and others made for the casual SUPer, who enjoys "gunkholing," which is a term for exploring small sheltered coves.