© International Media Group

By Ellen & Hank Barone

Our sense of direction—or lack thereof—was incredible. There are not too many people who can manage to get lost on a ten-mile-long by three-mile-wide island with only two main roads. But there we were, in a rented miniature-sized Suzuki SUV, bouncing along a pot-holed, single-lane road lined with a tangle of vegetation so dense we could see little more than the road directly in front of us.

It was our first trip to Tortola, one of 60-plus tiny islands making up the British Virgin Islands, known familiarly as the BVI. We’d awakened before sunrise with high hopes of photographing the first rays of light and the panoramic views from the volcanic peak of Sage Mountain, a 92-acre National Park and the highest point in all the British and American Virgin Islands.

The directions seemed simple enough, but it was well after sunrise when we finally arrived and our chances of capturing the quintessential photograph were long gone, at least until tomorrow. What had begun as an exciting escapade, was showing signs of turning into one of those not-so-pleasant married couple squabbles.

Passing nothing more than an occasional rooster on the tiny road, we were about to turn around when we spotted an islander dressed in a crisp white shirt and creased trousers, carrying a silk tie in one hand and books in the other, walking towards us. "No," he politely confirmed what had now become obvious; "This is not the road to Sage Mountain. You passed the turn off several miles back."

Resigned to postponing our adventure until the next morning, we offered a ride in exchange for directions back to town. Our new passenger, Leon, was a friendly, intelligent, 21-year-old islander on his way to classes at the local college, an hour’s walk away. Once back on the main road, Leon would occasionally interrupt our flow of casual chatter to blurt out a polite "Remember…we drive on the right." just in time to prevent a head-on collision. Driving on the right is just one of the conventions that reminded us that the BVIs have been in British hands since 1666.

Quiet and serene, life on the BVIs centers on the natural resources of land, sea and sky. Just 50 miles east of Puerto Rico where the Caribbean meets the Atlantic, the BVIs provide an accessible haven from the hustle and bustle of the rest of the world. With hundreds of secret bays and hidden coves, these islands have attracted seafarers for centuries. Columbus visited and named the islands. After Columbus came the adventurers, the pirates, and the buccaneers who preyed on the Spanish galleons bound for Europe laden with cargoes of Incan gold.

We had come for a more docile reason - to escape (if only for two weeks). To experience both a land-and-sea-based vacation, we planned to spend our first week on Tortola and our second aboard the luxury sailing yacht, Arabella.

On Tortola, we selected one of the island’s premier retreat, Long Bay Beach Resort & Villas, situated on 52 hillside acres alongside a lovely mile-long stretch of untainted white sand beach and iridescent blue-green water. By choosing to stay in one of the resort’s villas, we had access to the outstanding service and treatment the resort provided, but also had the choice to sample local hospitality and entertainment or to dine in. The resort’s newly added on-site spa and fitness center offered exercise equipment (an amenity wasted on us) and an eclectic selection of body treatments designed to pamper and revitalize (here, we did indulge).

Using the resort as a comfortable base of operations, we found plenty to see and do. One of Tortola’s best snorkel spots, Smuggler’s Cove, with its secluded cove of sapphire-blue sea, was only a short ten-minute walk away. Floating peacefully over a garden of sea fans, sponges, parrot fish, elkhorn and brain coral just off its shore, we were treated to a delightful introduction to the BVIs incredible underwater scenery.

A day trip aboard the glass bottom boat ‘The Prospector’ took us to the Prospect Reef Beach Club on isolated Buttonwood Bay, Peter Island. In addition to providing us with snorkeling equipment, water floats, beach chairs and towels, our day-trip package tour included a delicious three-course lunch at Callaloo at the Beach restaurant. In an effort to minimize their environmental impact on the pristine island, the open-air, beach side restaurant uses solar panels to provide energy. To avoid destroying the fragile coral reefs, the restaurant provides moorings for its patron’s boats. With a menu reflecting the local catch of the day, the culinary delights cooked up by Chef Ramon were easily some of the best Caribbean-style meals we’ve  tasted.

To experience Tortola’s scenery above the water, we hopped a ride aboard the resort’s open-air safari bus. Once acclimated to the area (or so we thought), we rented a vehicle for further exploration on our own. We never did photograph sunrise from atop Sage Mountain. Instead, we adapted to island time and happily spent the entire day ‘getting lost’, stopping wherever and whenever we wanted and meeting many more friendly islanders in need of a ride.

Tortola also proved to be the ideal jumping-off point for visits to other islands. Boarding the ferry service, we headed off to the neighboring island of Virgin Gorda where we spent a delightful afternoon touring the island with our 35-year-old, local guide Clennel Vanterpool (part-time tour guide…full time music teacher.)

Three days later, we were back again in Virgin Gorda. This time aboard the brand-new, 160-foot sailing cruise yacht, Arabella that we’d boarded at its home base on St. Thomas. Arabella is a luxury, 22-stateroom, three-masted schooner, with gleaming brass fittings and polished wood trim. There were 30 of us aboard; an congenial mix of adventurous middle-aged Americans. 

The Virgin Islands are known as the ultimate yachting destination, an idyllic combination of sun, sea and varied landscapes, where it is possible to wake up every morning with a new island off the bow.

Starting with our first morning aboard Arabella, the quiet, peaceful period before breakfast became our favorite time of day. With a steaming cup of fresh-brewed coffee in hand, we’d head up to the main deck to take advantage of the cool morning-air which would soon be replaced by the moist, afternoon heat of midday. It was a time to enjoy the company of other early-risers or to find a deck railing where we could admire the extraordinary blue water, emerald green lagoons, secluded bays and picturesque island villages surrounding us.

After an evening anchored off St. John, Arabella set sail to the West End of Tortola to pass through customs at Soper’s Hole. Pusser’s Pub, the marina boutiques and the surrounding countryside presented a magnificent and colorful scene as we approached the dock.

From Tortola, it was a short passage to Norman’s Island, one of a collection of tiny islands that provided perfect hiding places for pirates, and most likely inspired the Scottish novelist Robert Louis Stevenson (1850-1894) to write his popular novel Treasure Island. The famous tale of pirates, a treasure map, mutiny and a one-legged sea cook, remains one of literature’s best loved adventure stories. Although we didn’t stumble on any buried treasure, we did enjoy an afternoon exploring the caves (a favorite pirate hiding place), snorkeling, basking in the sun and relaxing -- Virgin Island style.

Uninhabited, save for a handful of goats, Norman Island’s sole structure is Billy Bones Beach Bar & Grill, a raucous hideout for modern day buccaneers, situated in the Bight, the island’s largest and most protected harbor. When we arrived, the Bight was full of anchored yachts, their owners ashore, eating, drinking and dancing.

We left the on going party at the Bight and headed for the Baths on Virgin Gorda, an otherworldly area of massive, smooth, round, granite boulders forming a maze of grottoes and caves at the water’s edge, perfect for underwater exploration. It is a strange, yet beautiful, place with sun-dappled water in shades of cerulean and turquoise, palm trees, a powdery white-sand beach and flowering plants. And, an ideal playground for making use of Arabella’s complimentary water toys: kayaks, sunfish and snorkeling gear.

Arabella’s Virgin Islands itinerary (St. Thomas, St. John, Norman Island, Jost Van Dyke, Tortola, Virgin Gorda, Peter Island, Culebra and Vieques) offered just the right combination of islands for our taste, visiting well-known sites, but also, stopping at more remote locales. We soon settled into an unhurried routine of rising whenever we felt like it, breakfasting at our leisure, and then sailing from one island to the next, stopping along the way to explore pristine tropical lagoons.

Breakfast and lunch were come-as-you-are affairs, but Arabella’s friendly, Scottish chef, Andi Kouyoumjiam, put together some impressive gourmet fare prepared from a galley the size of a broom closet. Not to mention one that moved! Sundried tomato boule with salmon and shrimp, roasted red pepper humus, coconut orange chicken, champagne pate and salmon and capers were just some of the fine food she prepared for us on board.

The real genius of the Arabella experience was that it provided the perfect combination of solitude and social interaction. The casual onboard atmosphere made it feel like we were traveling with old friends. The time aboard Arabella was seductive in that it was a place where the universe was a bit smaller and easier to navigate. Stripped away from the constant buzzing of everyday life, we forged connections to nature, to others and to each other.

By now, we were so attuned to the rhythms of the sea that we felt queasy only when we ventured onto dry land. A few hours at the luxury resort, the Bitter End Yacht Club, however, soon took care of that. The Bitter End is a world-renowned water sports retreat, as well as a relaxing tropical getaway. Located on Virgin Gorda, the easternmost island in the chain, the Bitter End was a tongue-in-cheek name for a fine cruising objective. After the Bitter End, the next stop heading due east is Africa.

We spent the rest of the day at the Bitter End like kids let loose at summer camp. Except this camp had gourmet food in the dining halls, an attentive staff, and complete freedom to choose any activity or none at all. The place had over 100 watercraft available; sailboats, windsurfers, Boston Whalers, rowing shells, kayaks, Hobie’s and more.

All too soon, our final day at sea arrived. Since it’s quite some distance back to the hustle and bustle of St. Thomas, we anticipated and entire day doing what we’d all come to do—sail! Fortunately, Aeolus, the Greek god of the winds, smiled on us. It was an exceptionally fine day, with a steady wind, calm Windex-blue water and glorious sunshine. With billowing sails aloft, Arabella was in her element, skimming through the gentle swells of the Caribbean as the wind whipped around us. We felt incredibly alive, yet at the same time, relaxed and -- truth be told-- a bit dejected, knowing this adventure was about to end.

Savoring our last few hours at sea, we pushed aside mental images of returning to the daily grind of office cubicles and crowded freeways. In their place, we burned memories of a life without shoes or watches, sparkling water in shades of cobalt and turquoise, fine food and thatch-roofed beach shacks.

If You Go:

Getting there: The Caribbean’s main carrier, American Airlines (1-800-433-7300),

offering daily flights from the U.S. via Puerto Rico.

Long Bay Beach Resort and Villas: Features beachfront accommodations and deluxe suites and villas, two restaurants, two pools, three tennis courts, spa and fitness center. For more information and booking call 1-800-729-9599 or visit www.longbay.com

Arabella Adventure Sailing: Arabella’s Virgin Island cruises depart from Charlotte Amalie, St. Thomas, at 4 p.m. every Sunday, mid-December through the beginning of May. Cruises include 6-nights, air-conditioned cabins with private baths, all daytime meals, four to five dinners ashore, use of complimentary water craft/sports equipment and optional shore excursions.

Upon completion of Arabella’s Caribbean season, she offers New England cruises from end of May through mid-October based in Newport, Rhode Island. For more information about cruising Arabella call 1-800-395-1343 or log on to www.cruisearabella.com.

To extend your Virgin Island stay: Arabella also offers pre/post cruise stays at Wyndham Sugar Bay Beach Club & Resort, an upscale, eco-friendly, all-inclusive property situated on 31 lush tropical acres, nestled along a beach-lined mountainside on Smith Bay, St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands. To learn more about Wyndham Sugar Bay, call 1-800-WYNDHAM or visit www.wyndham.com.

Copyright Ellen and Hank Barone, International Media Group. All rights reserved.

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