BVIs: Journey through Jost van Dyke

Before ever visiting Jost van Dyke, I’d heard about it from everyone under the sun. To Scott, it was arguably the best place on earth, and for many of our guests and friends, Soggy Dollar was a veritable rite of passage for travelers to the Caribbean. There are few beach bars more famous that the Soggy Dollar Bar, and Foxy’s holds a close second. From what I had heard, this was an island of pure magic; a bubble of happiness and perfection, fueled by painkillers and bushwackers.

I had to see it for myself so Scott and I visited St. John and Jost Van Dyke for our first anniversary. It was just as awesome as I had envisioned, and was more of an adventure that I had initially imagined.

This year, with the entire family based in St. Thomas for a few days, we chartered a boat with St. Thomas Boat Rentals and set sail for a day of adventure in the British Virgin Islands. Our boat for the day was Innovation, a power cat that was the perfect vessel for a small group navigating the sea.

Our objective was primarily Jost Van Dyke, so we headed that direction to begin, with our first stop at Foxy’s on Great Bay.

The last time we were on Jost Van Dyke, we sailed with Jason aboard his boat, Survivan, and spent our time solely at Soggy Dollar Bar on White Bay. This time, we sauntered down to Foxy’s to start our day with one of his legendary bushwackers while we overlooked the beach. The beach at White Bay is arguably a ‘better’ beach, but there was something about this slice of sand, dotted with brightly colored kayaks and colorful ramshackle Caribbean buildings, that made it more captivating to me. Underwear hanging from the ceiling just added to the charm.

{Click through to see more photos from Jost!}

After our requisite bushwackers, which are essentially adult milkshakes, we boarded Innovation with Captain Justin to explore the surrounding area. We knew we wanted to end up at Soggy Dollar but we still had hours ahead of us to fill with exploring. Per Justin’s recommendation, we headed to nearby Sandy Spit, a gorgeous little uninhabited islet in the British Virgin Islands. The beach and waters were reminiscent of Shoal Bay or Prickly Pear in Anguilla, with the bright white pristine sand and turquoise waters. Armed with noodles, it was the perfect place for a serene float watching windsurfers and paddle boarders go by.

For our final stop, we made our way back to Jost van Dyke, anchoring at White Bay to visit Soggy Dollar Bar. I had great memories from our time here last year and the weather couldn’t have been more perfect to laze on adirondacks with icy painkillers in hand. We are incredibly spoiled by beautiful beaches and incredible water quality in Anguilla but this area definitely competes when it comes to unadulterated natural beauty. One of my favorite parts of boating through the Virgin Islands is the dramatic landscape. Unlike flat little Anguilla which has relatively little around it (St. Martin to the south and barrier islands to the north), there are spectacular views everywhere in the Virgin Islands that provide an amazing amount of depth.

The entire trip was great from start to finish, but our day trip to Jost van Dyke was definitely a standout in my mind. For anyone looking for a boating experience in the Virgin Islands, I would highly recommend St. Thomas Boat Rentals out of St. Thomas. Scott coordinated the charter for us and it was absolute perfection; the ideal amount of time to enjoy the water, soak up the sun, and explore the islands with local knowledge.

Have you been to the Virgin Islands? Which areas are standouts for you?

xo from the Caribbean,