A Willy T boat trip: what to expect

The William Thornton, known to everyone as the Willy T, is a bar on a boat, anchored off Norman Island. People come for the drink, the noise and the plank. It is a good stop. It is a better one when it sits at the end of a day that already gave you clear water and a beach.

What the stop is actually like

You pull up alongside, you have a drink, and if you fancy it you walk the plank. That is the whole thing. It is loud, it is casual, and it takes as long as your group wants it to take. Some groups settle in. Some have one drink and go.

If it turns out not to be your scene, say so. We swap it for more snorkelling or a quieter beach and nobody minds. The day is private to your group, so nothing on the list is compulsory.

Build the day around it, not for it

The Willy T is one stop, not a day out. The water around Norman Island is the reason to be there in the first place.

Our Snorkel and Beach Tour is the version we would pick. It starts at Cooper Island, which has a white sand beach, a coffee shop, a boutique and a restaurant. Then we run south past Salt Island and Peter Island with the pirate stories and local history that go with them. Then two of the best snorkel sites in the BVI, the sea caves and The Indians, a cluster of pinnacles thick with fish. Then Norman Island for beach time and lunch at Pirates Bight. The Willy T is the last thing you do before the run home.

That is about seven hours from West End, Tortola, with a morning start confirmed when you book.

The other way to reach it

The Soggy Dollar and Willy T Tour gets there from the opposite direction: White Bay on Jost Van Dyke first, then Foxy’s in Great Harbour, then across to Norman Island for lunch, the caves and the Willy T. Same finish, more beach bars, about seven hours.

Pick the first if you care most about snorkelling. Pick the second if the beach bar circuit is the point.

What is on board

The whole boat is yours, up to 12 guests, at one price for the group. Masks, snorkels, fins and float noodles are aboard for everyone. So is an iced cooler with water, sodas, beers and a Painkiller each, which is worth knowing before you plan your day around buying drinks ashore. There is shade, seating and a six-speaker Bluetooth stereo.

Your licensed, fully insured captain, the fuel and all cruising permits are in the price. Lunch ashore is not, and neither is anything you order at the Willy T.

A few practical things

Bring swimwear, sunscreen and a towel. Bring some cash. Gratuity for the captain is at your discretion and 15 to 20% in cash is customary.

The route on the day can change with the weather and the sea state, and your captain decides what is safe and fun. That applies to the Willy T stop like every other one.

Booking it

Send us your date and your group size on WhatsApp or through the form. We check the boat is free, quote one all-inclusive price and hold the date with a deposit. Cancel 14 or more days before and you get a full refund.