Unique in the folklore of the Caribbean is the legend that conch is an aphrodisiac, to be consumed regularly and in great quantities. It can be eaten as conch chowder, conch fritters, steamed conch, cracked conch, conch salad and who knows what else. This infinite variety is indicative of the British Virgin Islands — something extraordinary that comes packaged in a number of ways. I have been chartering sailboats for more than 35 years and the majority has been spent in the BVI. Each time I continue to find the area’s waters and anchorages fascinating, sublime, and intriguing.

In November, I was once again fortunate to sail the islands with my wife Dene, my daughter Robin and my son-in-law Sean. It has been slightly more than 20 years since we sailed these tranquil waters. We had the pleasure of chartering with a relatively new company called Dream Caribbean Blue aboard the 55-foot Bali-built Mystic crewed by Rob Bentley and his wife Belinda, both South Africans.

Dream Caribbean Blue’s marina is at Scrub Island Resort, an all-encompassing 230-acre private island getaway situated on the east end of Tortola. The resort is tucked into a rugged cliff overlooking the tantalizing blue waters of the Caribbean. Its ignominious name was derived from the fact that in the early days of seafaring, boats would be hauled ashore and their hulls cleaned with the multitude of rocks embedded along its rugged coastline. 

When I sailed there decades ago, the island was home only to Donovan’s Reef restaurant and little else. Now it includes lavish villas, restaurants, private beaches and a market with enough options to fully provision any size yacht. Donovan’s Reef is now one of three resort dining options offering carefully crafted cuisine rivaling the best restaurants in the Caribbean islands.

Just around the corner from the resort is a spit of land that houses Marina Cay Bar and Grill with a dock to tie up to and where you can come ashore to enjoy some music, a soft sand beach and casual, deliciously prepared fresh seafood or juicy hamburgers day and night. The happy hours here combined with a host of weekly events will definitely help your charter become more memorable.

For recurring BVI sailors, Scrub Island resort’s marina is the perfect place to put in for the night or for a few days and enjoy the amenities while taking a brief respite from cruising the surrounding waters. Marina guests have full access to all Scrub Island has to offer regardless of whether boaters book a room. We took the opportunity to pair our sail with a three-day stay at the resort. I looked at it as the anchor portion of our vacation. But when we raised anchor, the BVIs gave us the same exciting experiences that it’s been heralded for and that charterers shouldn’t miss.

The sites we visited on those earlier occasions were still alluring. Targeted must-sees will always be The Baths, with its gargantuan boulders on the coastline of Virgin Gorda that leave visitors awe-struck and wide-eyed. It is still possible to maneuver inside the rock walls via small paths, often aided by rope ladders and wooden stairs that didn’t exist when I first came upon the rock formations in 1980. Other things have evolved at The Baths over the years, such as beach souvenir shops and small food stands, visits from cruise ship passengers and a host of beachgoers rather than a handful searching for a unique place to spread a blanket then wade in the water for some snorkeling.

These types of changes were evident everywhere in the BVI, some caused by man, others caused by nature, such as hurricanes or natural disasters. Despite the variations, many of the former attractions still remain — though often better and more engaging. The snorkeling was still desirable around the wreck of the Rhone near Salt Island; at the small cave openings on Norman Island, nearby at The Indians rock pillars and at Monkey Point on the northern tip of Tortola, just to name a few.

Manmade treasures include legendary Foxy’s and Soggy Dollar bar on the island of Jost Van Dyke, Saba Rock Resort in the North Sound — a haven for yachties and charterers, kiteboarders and divers for more than 50 years — and The Bitter End resort, which has been rebuilt after suffering significant damage during Hurricane Irma. When you’re island hopping, mark these places on your sailing to-do list. There are so many other places to moor, but it would take more than one charter to visit them all.

With a cook like Belinda on your sailboat, we weren’t pressed to experience any restaurants ashore. Belinda’s appetizing shipboard menu was nothing short of magnificent. She placed second in the cooking competition at the St. Thomas Boat Show just days before we boarded, attesting to her culinary skills. But occasionally, the cook likes a break and the BVI offered a variety of eateries to choose from. At The Baths, the Top of the Baths features an open terrace with scenic views where you can sample Caribbean favorites like simple Jonnycakes or conch fritters and other seafood delicacies. CocoMaya on Virgin Gorda specializes in tasty street-food dishes with exotic flavors tossed in. The menu includes shrimp lettuce wraps, tempura shrimp and the notable CocoMaya house ribs. You get the idea. The BVIs cater to sailors and charter guests in every way possible. 

There are plenty of other spots to visit among the collection of 60 lush islands and it takes only a little research to find ones that will fit into your sailing itinerary. On every charter I’ve ever done, I’ve discovered something new or unique — even going back to the time our crew stumbled upon Donovan’s Reef on Scrub Island. We partied there on our final night of the charter, and it was indeed a memorable and a wild night judging by the photos that I still cherish.

Everything they say about conch may be true, but my aphrodisiac will always be sailing the BVI. 

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Chartering in the BVIs

There’s a reason why the BVIs are among the most popular charter locations in the world: The sailing is amazing, the islands are numerous, friendly and fun and the weather makes for excellent vacationing nearly all year. For more information on this charter, visit www.dreamcaribbeanblue.com. And there’s no shortage of charter companies that serve the islands for bareboat or crewed charters.

• Conch Charters, www.conchcharters.com

• Dream Yacht Worldwide, www.dreamyachtcharter.com

• Go Sail Virgin Islands, www.gosailvi.com

• Seabbatical Long Term Charters, www.longtermcharters.com

• Sunsail, www.sunsail.com

• The Moorings, www.moorings.com

• TMM Yacht Charters, www.sailtmm.com

• Virgin Island Yacht Charters, www.virginislandsyachtcharters.com