We never take the easy route!
On the island of Jost Van Dyke, one of the most popular places to visit is White Bay. This beach is the home of several popular bars and restaurants, including the Soggy Dollar, a spot that many of those who haven’t even visited the island have heard of.
This is a webcam screen capture taken during our previous trip to the Soggy Dollar Bar.
Note the date in the top left corner. Can you pick us out?
Although, during a day trip to White Bay, you will see many boats at anchor or tied to mooring balls there, most will leave before it gets dark as it’s not typically an anchorage that one would choose to spend the night (it can be rolly). If people were going to be staying on JVD, most would choose to anchor in Great Harbor, the bay to the east, as it offers greater protection. If you opt to do that, as we did, you still have several options for visiting White Bay and joining in the fun. You can:
- Take your dinghy around the point from Great Harbor to White Bay. I wouldn’t recommend this unless you have a fairly fast and reliable dinghy.
- Take a taxi. There are always a couple to be found on the main street.
- Walk up over the hill. It’s a pretty steep climb but that only means that you’ll be even more appreciative of the cold beverages that are awaiting you on the other side.
- Walk up to the top of the island via the ridiculously steep ‘road’ that begins behind Rudi’s Market and then follow it along the ridge line until you descend to the other side of White Bay.
Can you guess which one we took?
In other news, long time readers of this blog will likely recall that we have made mention of Seth and Jaime on The Slapdash numerous times. It was their adventure, circumnavigating the world in a 34′ Gemini catamaran, that was a huge motivator for us. We have been trying to track these guys down for years now. Guess what? We finally did it. Look who we found anchored right beside us in Great Harbor?
Yeah, they were as cool a couple as we expected them to be! They were hard at work when we found them though, acting as Captain and Chief Mate on a crewed Moorings charter boat (coincidentally a Leopard 4600). Hopefully when they’re not so busy we’ll be able to spend a bit more time with them.
The green hat gives it away..
Which hat?
It had to be option #4 for the road to White Bay…
Rebecca wouldn’t have it any other way!
No kidding.
Great photos! How cool that you ran into the “Slapdash” crew .. glad to hear they’re still living in the tropics!
They’re still living it up.
Your way to see the islands is so much nicer…..The views and parts of the island you see are awesome and what cruising is all about………99% of the cruisers see the bars and anchorages…..You guys really experience the islands this way………Great photos as usual…
Of course, we agree. We don’t feel that we even begin to know a place until we get out and walk around like that.
Damn, wondered what happened to Jamie and Seth. Their blog kinda petered out at the end of their trip (Tell Jamie I read every word, going back to the beginning – just like yours Mike) I haven’t seen anything on FB from them in months. I thought they had returned to Canada and the hard-cruel real world!
I know which route I’m taking to White Bay on or about 03-03April…..#1
JP
#1 works. That is what our friends did and also what we did the last time we were there.
Make that 02-4 April in five weeks!
Just around the corner.
Why not take the dinghy? When we were there it didnt same that rough or to have strong currents?
Because there was a hill to climb!
I love that picture of you with the cruise ship in your hands – it’s spectacular!
🙂
Wasn’t that nice of them to anchor that ship there for us?
Inspiring photos, as usual! Do you ever run into any trespassing issues when you hike over the countryside? Or perhaps this route is through public land? I’d prefer the routes you often mention too, but would be nervous about where they might lead ever since we saw a sign in Grenada that read “Keep Off – Head Off” with a funky little decapitation cartoon.
We seldom go on private property, at least not knowingly. If we do, we ask permission when we can. In this case we were actually walking on a “road,” if you wan’t to call it that.
Have been fortunate enough to make that trip on several occasions. The views never seem to get the least bit mundane. You two do such a great job off sharing the beauty. Ask Rebecca to please put the ship down easily!
As usual…looks like you’re Livin’ the Dream! What a blast.
Thanks for sharing!
Mike
http://www.siochana.us
You’re welcome, Mike.
No flipping way! Man, Slapdash was one of my hands-down favorite blogs for a long time! If you see them again, tell them it was mean of them not to update their page and let us know they were chartering in the BVI’s. Mean, I tell you!!!
Anyway, they look great… and happy… so glad you met up with them 🙂
Tasha
That’s them… mean! I’ll tell them. 🙂