As the 30-seater inter-Caribbean turboprop aircraft banked to starboard, through my small window I caught a first glimpse of Tortola and the Sir Francis Drake Channel. I felt my pulse quicken. This idyllic stretch of water was where I had my first Caribbean sailing experience back in 2004. As an 18-year-old, I’d recently moved up from racing dinghies to yachts and was instantly captivated by the quality of sailing, the warmth of the water, and the sweetness of the rum. Now, 15 years later, I’ve returned with my wife, Ruth, whose sailing experience consists of navigating the Solent in inclement weather, and her parents, who have never set foot on a yacht before.
As the chief organiser of this adventure, my main objective had been to find a winter sun location with predictable weather and easy, yet beautiful sailing. The British Virgin Islands fit the bill perfectly. The warm tradewinds provide a consistent north-easterly Force 4, the outer islands offer great protection from Atlantic swells and, with the islands being so close together, navigation is primarily by line of sight.
Stepping off the plane onto the tarmac at Terrance B Lettsome Airport, we were ushered past a roaming brood of roosting chickens into the small arrivals hall and after a quick passport check were
