Charter Day 3 - The Baths of Virgin Gorda
One of the most awesome sights to behold when bareboating are
The Baths at the southern tip of
Virgin Gorda. There are conflicting theories as to how these incredible rock formations came to be. Some say The Baths resulted from a meteor shower, others credit volcanic activity. There appears to be clear evidence of lava flows, so I'll go with volcanic activity, which could have happened centuries after a meteor shower ... but what do I know, I'm a
yacht charter broker, not a geologist!
Okay, so The Baths are just a pile of really big boulders surrounded by a fabulous beach and crystal clear, aqua marine water. When you sail up to them, you'll soon understand what all the hoopla is about. They are truly magnificent!
Snorkeling is pretty good at The Baths too. There are marvelous Elkhorn coral formations and plenty of nooks and crannies to explore.
If it's too busy here for you at The Baths, then move on just a hop skip and a jump north to
Spring Bay National Park. I have been to The Baths dozens of times over the years and love it there ... but I actually prefer
Spring Bay Beach. The two beaches are side by side but Spring Bay is often overlooked and that's a mistake.
In the afternoon, on your way to the
North Sound, you may want to stop in at
Spanish Town to top up your provisions. You may dock at
Virgin Gorda Yacht Harbour or pick up a mooring in
St. Thomas Bay. Of course there are several
restaurants in the area as well.
Once you reach the North Sound, you'll find several places to anchor or you may pick up a mooring ball. There's a lovely spot to anchor right beside
Moskito Island, just inside Colquhoun Reef. If you want to be in the center of the action, go to
Saba Rock and pick up a mooring ball. If you'd prefer to be on a dock, head over to
Leverick Bay Resort & Marina or
The Bitter End Yacht Club for a lovely afternoon.
Spend the the next morning in the North Sound, swimming and enjoying the surroundings, rent a Hobbie Cat at the Bitter End Yacht Club and have a blast sailing the Sound. You may want to enjoy lunch on your boat or visit any of the nearby restaurants. They are all very nice.
You have a lot of options as to what to do here and if you will be sailing for more than a total of 7 days, you may want to spend an extra day here. Go hiking on
Prickly Pear Island or up to Gorda Peak National Park, visit any number of nearby beaches, go diving at the incredible reef just off
Eustatia Island, rent a jet ski at
Blue Rush Water Sports and go tour the North Sound and beyond ... you might even try your hand at
kiteboarding!
In the afternoon, you'll have to make some choices again. You can set sail for
Trellis Bay on Beef Island, Scrub Island or
Marina Cay. The nice part about this choice is that you don't have to exclude any of them. You can do a whirlwind tour of all three if you wish, though that would be giving all of them short shrift.
Trellis Bay is a protected harbour and home of
The Island Last Resort Restaurant on
Bellamy Cay. Pusser's is located at Marina Cay, offering typical North American dishes or you may choose from several other bars and restaurants located in Trellis Bay.
The Baths at the southern tip of Virgin Gorda
North Sound - Virgin Gorda
