History
The soft blue waters of the Caribbean have attracted sailors for hundreds of years. When Cap’n Fritz Seyfarth landed permanently in the BVI with his 40’ Alden ketch Tumbleweed in the 1960s, he discovered an unspoiled Caribbean sailing paradise [Hear him live recorded live in 1996 on the Fritz Seyfarth web site]. St. Thomas was but a village, and Road Town did not have a restaurant, only a small food store. The surrounding islands were mostly uninhabited, with no water or electricity services.
The charter captains like Fritz took small groups on 1 – 2 week Caribbean sailing excursions, after they picked up basic provisions and met their arriving guests. Leaving the marina they sailed and anchored where they wished. Hundreds of bays and natural harbors were perfect for relaxation, snorkeling, caves, and sightseeing. It was a pristine and magical time.
The simplicity of Caribbean sailing in those times is gone forever but replaced with much more exciting attractions both on land and sea.
The emergence of bareboat charters in the 1970s substantially replaced the traditional charter business of Caribbean sailing but opened up access to the more adventurous. If they had at least basic nautical skills (hopefully), they could pick up a map and take their small groups on grand self-guided tours. They could find endless numbers of peaceful, postcard perfect natural anchorages in unique islands grouped closely together. It would seldom be required to attempt navigation of the open seas. According to Cap’n Fritz, many such captains motored their rented sailboats throughout, and only raised their sails for photos.
Facilities
Today you can fly into Tortola BVI and pick up your bareboat charter at The Moorings to begin your Caribbean sailing adventure. They have a large variety of monohull, cabin catamaran, and motor yachts. You can get a skipper and a crew if you so desire, and all the provisioning you could want. Just raise your pirate flag and your Caribbean sailing adventure begins.
Once aboard your boat, the rest of the BVI is yours to discover—explore the magical Baths on Virgin Gorda, sip a Painkiller at the Soggy Dollar on Jost Van Dyke, and check out the Indians, one of the best snorkeling spots in the area.
Destinations
When Cap’n Fritz first landed over on Virgin Gorda BVI, it was inhabited only by mosquitos and the ornery diver Bert Kilbride on Saba Rock. Some sparse huts were the beginnings of the Bitter End Yacht Club. Today it has full docks and marina, rooms, suites and bungalows, and every imaginable amenity for Caribbean sailing. It is only accessible by boat! It is not far from Richard Branson’s Necker Island playground of the super-rich.
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Options
You don’t have to be young for Caribbean sailing, but you need to be pretty fit to live aboard and sample the seafaring life. Of course for the more laid-back adventurer there are numerous cruise ship lines that work the waters of the Virgin Islands but there is really no substitute for “an adventure under a spread of sail,” as Cap’n Fritz often said. More about the illustrious Cap’n Fritz The peak Caribbean sailing season runs from December through to March. At that time of year, winds average 15 to 20 knots with temperatures around the mid to high 20C (68F) range. July to October is best avoided due to the hurricane season. The Caribbean sailing destinations and stories are too innumerable, but FritzSeyfarth.com offers a glimpse of history re-told from behind the coral reef barrier at Marina Cay BVI by a Sea Gypsy who lived aboard the Tumbleweed for 35 years.
