March 30, 2024

The British Virgin Islands are comprised of around 60 tropical islands ranging in size from the largest, Tortola, to tiny uninhabited islands. Most of the islands are volcanic in origin and have a hilly, rugged terrain. The islands are known as one of the world’s greatest sailing areas.

We visited Jost Van Dyke years ago on a Windjammer cruise.

As we sailed in, we saw many anchored sailboats and yachts. It’s a beautiful day and we are looking forward to exploring.

Jost Van Dyke was named after the Dutch pirate Joost van Dyk. It has a laid-back Caribbean charm that attracts people who want a true getaway. You can only access the island by boat.

We decided to hike from Great Harbor to White Bay. The roadway is narrow but paved, and there are lots of steep climbs. The ship offered transit as an excursion but we opted to do the hike. Here are some of our views along the way.

Embarking on the hike from Great Harbor to White Bay is an adventure filled with natural beauty and exploration. The trail begins near the harbor and winds its way through hillsides and dense vegetation. Along the way, we saw panoramic views of the Caribbean Sea and neighboring islands, including Tortola and St.Thomas.

We also saw beautiful flowers and wildlife along the way.

White Bay beach is renowned for its powdery white sand and crystal-clear waters.

We decided to stop at Ivan’s Stress Free Bar – what could be better on a vacation?? Nestled along the beachfront, this iconic bar embodies the laid-back spirit of Jost Van Dyke. With its colorful décor, rustic charm, and welcoming atmosphere, Ivan’s is the epitome of island hospitality.

One of the other famous bars here is the Soggy Dollar. We opted for Ivan’s but the story is interesting.

The Soggy Dollar is one of the world’s most iconic beach bars. The name originates from the early days of the bar back in the 70’s. With no dock on the beach or roads to White Bay on the tiny island of Jost Van Dyke, boaters would anchor in the bay and swim or wade ashore, paying for their drinks with the now-wet bills in their pockets.

Back then, the Soggy Dollar was a simple, laid back place with a basic pale blue wooden hut and small bar where you could chill and chat with the friendly owners and staff or play a lively game of ring toss (a beach bar staple).

The bar became the birthplace of the original Painkiller rum drink.

A bar we visited last time we were here is Foxy’s. We chose Ivan’s this time and had a great day. We did have lunch here – on “island time”. You can’t rush anything here – it took about 45 minutes to get our order. Drinks come fast! I also had a nice swim in the crystal clear water.

There was a large group of young people here with a leader who was working with them on self esteem and making good choices. He was a master at it – they did some games on the beach and later went into a covered pavilion where they sat quietly for maybe 1 1/2 hours listening to him. We could hear the whole thing and were impressed with him as well as with the kids.

Yes, we did hike back to the ship – spotted these goats on the way.

We placed second in trivia today! We had dinner in the Terrace with friends we met on a previous cruise and enjoyed Fred Klett’s comedy in the show. Really nothing doing in the casino so far. I did play a little blackjack alone at a table (not my favorite – I like people!) and won, so it was ok.

We had a lovely sunset during dinner. And I got a chocolate bunny. Yum.

Tomorrow we will be in Dominica. Hope the weather holds for our whale and dolphin trip.