Tortola : Helpful Tips for Your Charter

Don’t over pack!!! This is very, very important! This is the biggest mistake people make. You will be in your bathing suit and cover-ups almost the entire time.

• Here are some basic packing guidelines for a one-week charter:

• Two bathing suits and cover-ups/wraps
• Two comfortable pairs of sandals (no big heals – flip flop style is great)
• One pair of water shoes (optional)
• One pair of sneakers with two pairs of socks
• Three-Five outfits (I know this doesn’t seem like enough, but trust me – it is!)
• If you plan to eat at Peter Island Yacht Club, a dressy outfit is required.
• Underclothes and Pajamas (you can be the judge on this)

• Laundry facilities are available if necessary.
• Remember to put one outfit aside for your flight home.
• Use duffel type bags that you can fold up and store on the yacht.
• In your carry-on bag I suggest packing a change of clothes, a bathing suit and basic toiletries (in case your bags are delayed/misplaced.)

• Here are some other items you should pack:

• Beach towels
• Beach bag
• Toiletries, including a good moisturizer/lotion
• Sunscreen (Use all the time and you’ll still get tan!)
• Lip sunscreen (optional)
• Insect Repellent
• Camera
• Disposable underwater camera
• Deck of cards
• Books, magazines, journal
• Music CDs
• Chargers for electronic items. Cell phones (some don’t work in BVI,) camcorder, lap-top (I don’t suggest bringing…this is vacation, right?) The yacht has a 12V cigarette lighter. If you need an 110V plug you should either rent or bring an inverter.
• Your planning chart (A cruising guide is on the yacht)

• Here is a list of other items you may want to consider packing:

• Drink koozies if you drink bottled drinks
• Inexpensive water floats if you usually like using water floats
• Storage Baggies (I usually bring some gallon and sandwich sizes)
• Spices (I usually bring a picnic-style disposable salt and pepper, and a small quantity of my other favorite spices.)
• Powder drink mixes that mix with water. Ice tea, lemonade, crystal light and so on.
• Coffee
• Flavored coffee creamer (powder)
• Snacks that don’t crush easily. Granola bars, mixed nuts/dried fruit, Pringles chips, crackers, and so on.
• Dried foods – not too much. Rice, pasta, cereal and so on.
• Condiments – again, not too much. Ketchup, mustard, mayonnaise, salad dressing, hot sauce, peanut butter, jelly and so on. You usually want to bring the smallest sizes you can find and in plastic containers.
• Tuna or any other canned foods that don’t take up too much space.
• Paper plates
• Plastic cups

• I suggest the food items either because the quantities available in Tortola are too much for one week, or because they are quite expensive in Tortola.

• It is helpful to plan a rough menu prior to your trip to decide which items you actually need to bring.
• If you don’t want to worry about packing any food items, that’s okay. The selection in Tortola is very good and there are several options for getting the yacht completely provisioned.
• There are several stores in the cruising area to re-provision or pick up anything you forget.

• Here are a few things you want to purchase in Tortola:
• Air freshener!
• Toilet cleaner! (A toilet brush is on the yacht.)
• Toilet paper
• Charcoal
• Basically, anything you will consume or throw away you need to supply.

• Leave your hair dryer and the majority of your make-up at home.
• If you must have a hair dryer or an electric shaver, remember that most yachts only have a 12V electricity plug. You will need to rent or bring a inverter.
• Don’t bring too much jewelry.
• Credit cards are widely accepted. You’ll need cash for over-night moorings $25-$30/night, departure tax $20/person and small items like ice. ATMs are available.

• Plan a rough itinerary, but definitely leave it flexible as you will find some great spots that you’ll want to stay longer! Here are some great spots:
• The Indians (day stop for snorkeling)
• The Bight at Norman Island (over-night)
• The Baths…must, must, must see!
• Marina Cay and Trellis Bay (over-night and great during the day)
• Monkey Point at Guana Island (day stop for snorkeling)
• The Dogs (day stop for snorkeling)
• Gorda Sound at Virgin Gorda
• Cane Garden Bay at Tortola (my mom’s place: www.myettent.com)
• Sandy Spit (day stop for beach, some snorkeling)
• Jost Van Dyke (2 over-night spots and both are great during the day)
• Cooper Island (I haven’t spent much time here, but my clients love it)

• Most important tip…Relax and have a great time!