A Jost Van Dyke day that actually works

Jost Van Dyke is small and the good stops are close together, which is exactly why people overfill the day. The version that works is simple: one beach, one lunch, one more stop, and enough slack to stay somewhere longer if the group is happy there.

Start early from West End

From West End, Tortola, Jost Van Dyke is a short hop. All our full days start in the morning and we confirm your time when we confirm your date. An early start is worth having. You get the beach before it fills up and you give your captain room to reorder the stops if the wind has other ideas.

White Bay first

White Bay is one of the best beaches in the Caribbean and the home of the Soggy Dollar, the bar that invented the Painkiller. There is no dock, so we anchor off and you swim or wade ashore. That is the tradition rather than an inconvenience.

Go there first. The swim wakes everyone up, the beach is at its best early, and you have the rest of the day to dry off.

Foxy’s in Great Harbour next

Round the corner from White Bay is Great Harbour and Foxy’s, the famous beach bar under its canopy. It is a different mood from White Bay and it is an easy second stop because it is so close. Lunch ashore is not included in any of our tours: we take you where the good food is and you pay your own.

Then leave the island

Here is the part most itineraries miss. Jost Van Dyke is close to a lot of other good water, and the boat is fast enough to use that.

Our Trifecta Tour puts Jost at the end of a day that also takes in Norman Island, with a snorkel at the sea caves and lunch at Pirates Bight, and The Baths on Virgin Gorda. Three of the best places in the islands in one run, seven to eight hours. It only works because the boat is quick. On a slower boat that is three separate days.

If you would rather stay west, the Soggy Dollar and Willy T Tour does White Bay and Foxy’s, then crosses to Norman Island for the caves and the Willy T, in about seven hours.

Keep the day flexible

The whole boat is private to your group, up to 12 guests, so nothing on the plan is fixed. Stay longer where you are happy, skip what you are not interested in, and follow the calm side of the islands. The route on the day can change with the weather and the sea state, and your captain decides what is safe and fun.

What you do not need to bring

Your licensed captain, the fuel, all cruising permits, masks, snorkels, fins and float noodles are in the price. So is an iced cooler with water, sodas, beers and a Painkiller each. Bring swimwear, sunscreen, a towel and some cash for lunch and the bars.

Booking it

Message us with your date and your group size. We confirm the boat is free, come back with one all-inclusive price for the whole boat, and a deposit holds the day. Cancel 14 or more days before for a full refund, and anything outside your control, such as weather or a travel delay, is refunded in full whenever it happens.