Jewels of the Caribbean

Jewels of the Caribbean
Magazine: June 2008

The palms rustle under a violet sky, laden with warm raindrops. Sunday storm in Road Town, capital of the British Virgin Islands (BVI) on Tortola the main island of the archipelago. But 20 minutes later the sun breaks through again. Captain Luc Gaborit is waiting for us aboard Tahuata at the Village Cay Marina in Road Town. As soon as we step on board the charming “sailor” Frédérique Avizou welcomes us with a smile leading us to catamaran’s cabins. We sat sail with our eyes lingering on the precipitous coast of Tortola, strewn with palms and frangipani. The silhouettes of trysails and spinnakers multiply on the horizon. The BVI have the most outstanding charter fleet of the whole Caribbean. All the ingredients for an excellent “cruise ground” are here: constant and regular trade winds all year round, good climate, almost always excellent sea conditions, reduced distance between docks, a coral “oasis” of palms and pearly sands, long bays “overlooked” by gigantic rock masses. Last but not least: the islands have seventeen well equipped tourist ports, three Yacht Clubs and five sailing schools.

Indians, pirates and colonisers
Different from the other Antillean islands, where mass tourism has weakened the relationship between the white community and the black population, the BVI are still an oasis of harmony. Today tourism represents 45% of the national economy and a “double job” is the norm for a population of students-barmen and farmers-fishermen. Fishing has been here for 5000 years. The life of the 60 islands lying 50 miles northwest of Puerto Rico has always beaten in “rhythm” with this crystalline Caribe. The BVI have been a British colony since 1672. Before Colombo, who discovered them in 1493, the archipelago was colonised by Indians originally from the Orinoco delta in South America then the Ciboney, followed by the Arawak and the Caribe. Under Spanish denomination commercial routes were developed between the New and Old World and the galleons full of gold became tempting trophies for thugs and pirates. We dock at Peter Island, in front of Dead Man’s and Little Dead Man’s Bay: two picture postcard beaches, with palms, soft sands.