Century Club: Paul Novak

 Jeanneau America held a very successful owners rendezvouz in the British Virgin Islands in 2012.  So successful that it has been repeated every two years celebrating the Jeanneau marque in undoubtedly the best sailing in the Caribbean.  What better way to end the cold, dark winter than to bask in the warm waters of the Virgin Islands!  We opted to stay for a second week after the rendezvous, something we weren't able to do in 2020.

Our trip started a day before the charter as we flew to St Thomas and opted for a private ferry to Road Town, Tortola.  To say the ride was spirited would be an understatement as the Sir Francis Drake Passage can be just as choppy as the Chesapeake.  We were greeted by 4-6 foot swells of short period which resulted in a lot of bouncing and the occasional airborne flight of the open bowed launch named "M&M".  After an hour of this I was really looking forward to sailing.

We spent two weeks aboard our charter, a 2019 Jeanneau 419 named Indian Chief managed by BVI Yacht Charters.  This year's weather was a bit more December/January than the much desired March sailing with winds 24-30kts gusting to 35 and some confused seas.  We ended up motoring more than sailing but the 80 degree air temperature made up for any disappointment.  Visiting Norman Island, Peter Island, Bitter End and Anegada were among the highlights of the trip.  Bitter End Yacht Club has just re-opened after a rebuild from Irma that decimated this cruiser's heaven.  Our trip to Anegada provided one of our best sailing days of the entire trip.  A starboard tack beam reach with winds 15-20 was a wonderful reprieve from the earlier weather but alas this reprieve was short lived.  When we departed Anegada were were met with 9-11 foot seas and 25 kt winds.  Still, a day on the water in the BVIs beats any day in DC winter!

We boarded our water taxi for the return and while still a bit choppy the trip was much more comfortable aboard "Captain Crunch".  I was relieved to see the name was evident of the captain's docking skills!

If you ever get the opportunity to sail in the BVI's I highly encourage it.  The sailing is great with so many islands to visit and the people are geniunely wonderful.  We are ready for some spring sailing on the Chesapeake!