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Rum Therapy/Rum Gallery British Virgin Islands Flotilla

Have you always wanted to try sailing? Have you ever dreamed of visiting the British Virgin Islands and getting to see what those beautiful islands have to offer?

Well, now may be your chance!

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We’d love for you to join us on the 1st Annual Rum Therapy/Rum Gallery Flotilla!!

Destination: British Virgin Islands
Date: April 5 – 12, 2014

We are teaming up with rum expert Dave Russell of Rum Gallery to provide you with an
itinerary that will include some of the prettiest beaches and best beach bars that the BVI has to
offer. In addition to the great stops and sailing adventure, Dave will also be holding a rum
tasting to learn more about different rums of the region! We have a limited number of boats and
cabins available and will fill them on a first come, first served basis, so if you’re interested, let us know right away!

Boat Options

A Fully Crewed Charter on a Catamaran
Why a crewed charter?
This option is probably the best for you if you have never sailed before and just want to sit back, relax and enjoy the experience. We have 21 crewed charter cabins (6 boats total) available and they are through Festiva Sailing Vacations.

What’s included in the price?
Festiva is giving us a discount off of their normal Spring price per cabin (see pricing below) and the deposit and booking of these cabins will be through them. Check their website (http://www.festivasailingvacations.com/) to see the Lagoon 450 and Lagoon 440 and how the cabins are configured. Each cabin on either vessel has it’s own bathroom and each cabin sleeps 2 in a queen size bed.

The rate below includes: Captain, Chef, 5 dinners, 6 lunches, 7 breakfasts, appetizers, snacks, standard bar, snorkel gear, sea kayak, and taxes. That’s right – it even includes your beverages (standard bar – premium liquor can be purchased and brought aboard or furnished by them for an additional fee). AND this rate will include  a Rum Therapy goodie bag per cabin which will contain 2 Rum Therapy Flotilla Tees, 2 Rum Therapy Caps, 2 RumHuggers, and lots of other surprises! The rate does not include the crew gratuity and a cruising permit fee of $39 per cabin.

Crewed Charter Cabin Rates:

Lagoon 450: 4 cabins per boat $3, 951 per cabin

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Lagoon 440: 3 cabins per boat $3, 921 per cabin

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How do we reserve a cabin?

Contact Pamela ([email protected]) to let her know if you’d be interested in a cabin on the 450 or the 440. She will provide you with the Festiva contact information to put down your deposit. If you have friends that would like to come as well, let us know so that we can put you on the same boat. If you have either 3 or 4 couples and would like to have an entire boat to yourselves, that can be arranged. Solo couples will be given a cabin based on a preference for the Lagoon 450 or Lagoon 440.

What’s the deposit and when is it due?
A deposit of 50% of the cabin rate will be due by August 22 to reserve your cabin with the balance due 60 days before our sail. Upon booking, Festiva will send you a questionnaire about food allergies, likes and dislikes.

We have sailed 3 times with Festiva and it’s been a great, relaxing experience. If you have specific questions about the boats or itinerary, please let me know. Contact me to let me know if you would like to reserve a cabin on one of the crewed charters!
[email protected]

 

A Catamaran with a Skipper
Dave Russell will be the Skipper on this “sure to be a blast” catamaran and this is what he has to say about the experience.

Thank you for expressing interest in sailing in the BVI’s with Skipper Dave.  The Rum Gallery and Rum Therapy would love to welcome you to the Flotilla.  You probably have many questions, so let’s tackle the biggest ones first to see if this boat is the right one for you.

How much will this cost, and what is included in the price?
46-foor Sunsail 464 catamaran – $3700 per cabin.  Each cabin has a queen size bed, a door that closes, private head (toilet) and shower.  The price is fully inclusive of all breakfasts and lunches onboard, one dinner aboard, beverages and refreshments aboard.  Meals ashore and beverages ashore are paid by the passenger.  No tipping is required.  A $925 (25%) non-refundable deposit is required to reserve your cabin.

Do we have to sail?
Yes:  A boat functions best as a team.  Active participation in the sailing, raising and trimming the sails, steering the boat, mooring, stocking the cooler with beverages and ice, managing the dinghy, etc is highly desired.  The vacation will be what we make it.  If you are new to sailing, this will be an experience in which you’ll have a blast learning what makes your boat  go.  If you’re an experienced sailor, even better!  My motto is “Safety First.”
What else do we do?
We will sail 3-5 hours each day, arriving at a different island paradise.  The sailing conditions during April in the BVI are usually perfect, with just the right amount of wind and relatively calm seas.  At each destination, we will have plenty of daylight left for island exploring, swimming, snorkeling, island-style shopping, lounging around, reading a book or doing pretty much nothing. There will be a beach, a restaurant and bar (or several) at each destination.
Who is Skipper Dave?
I’m a certified sailing instructor.  I sail all over the world, about five-six trips each year.  I’ve sailed the BVI so many time I’ve lost count.  Sailing is my passion, and with every new sail I’m as excited as my very first time.  At home I sail in San Francisco Bay.
What about the Rum?
I have a rum review website called rumgallery.com.  I judge rum at tasting competitions and tour rum distilleries all over the world several times each year.  My taste for rum was acquired while sailing in the Caribbean over 20 year ago.  A glass of rum has been known to be in my hand after the sailing is finished for the day and we’re safely moored somewhere for the night.  I am a half-decent bartender, so we’ll have plenty of nice sundowners.  We sail and drink responsibly.
Other stuff
Meals – We are the chef.  We will have plenty of food for breakfasts and most lunches aboard.  We will probably eat ashore every night except one, but cook one dinner onboard.  Dietary Needs – Before submitting the food and beverage provisioning request, I will ask each of you about your food preferences so that the boat is provisioned with things you like.
Smoking – This is a boat for non-smokers.

[email protected]


Bareboat
If you are qualified to sail a vessel on your own, there are several catamarans and monohulls
available and we can hook you up with some information on chartering. You will be responsible for setting up the charter and then you can meet up with the rest of the group for an exciting week of rum adventure! Contact Pamela for more information.
[email protected]

Are you ready to set sail? We hope so and hope to welcome you aboard soon!

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Callwood Rum Distillery, Tortola

Want to experience a slice of Tortola history dating back as much as possibly 400 years?

Then be  sure to visit the Callwood Rum Distillery on your next visit to Tortola.  Although no one knows exactly how long rum has been produced on the original Arundel Estate, the Callwood family took over the distillery in the late 18th century and has been producing rum for over 200 years in what is claimed to be the longest continuously operated pot distillery in the Caribbean.

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Just a short walk from beautiful Cane Garden Bay, you feel as if you’re walking into a very old and deserted compound, but it’s actually an operating rum distillery and museum.

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Rum is produced here from approximately March through August and during this time you can take a short tour of the distillery for a nominal amount.

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If you visit at another time, you can still get a sense of the history by touring the grounds and purchasing rum at the museum/shop. Instead of paying a $2 fee to take pictures inside the museum, you can purchase a bottle of rum and take all the pictures you want. We felt the rum purchase was well worth it and wish we would have purchased more to bring home.

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Callwood produces a gold rum called the Arundel Cane Rum “Original”, a 10 year old Gold Rum, the Arundel White Rum, the Callwood Spiced Rum and  a blend called the “Panty Dropper”. Hmmm.

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Arundel Cane Rum is made from pure cane juice, instead of molasses, giving it it’s distinctive flavor, and the hand affixed labels give it as unique and antique a look as the distillery itself. Pick up a bottle or two to bring home. Although it is now available in a few shops in the VI, it’s well worth the visit, a tour and to take a huge step back in time…

Visit the Callwood Rum Distillery website and Facebook Page for more information.

To see more posts on Tortola and other islands, check out our Island Blog Directory

All information is correct to our knowledge at the time of writing, but be sure to verify current information before your visit.
Pictures and other content may not be re-used without written consent from Rum Therapy, LLC

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Gwen’s Reggae Grill, Anguilla

Due to erosion, Gwen’s Reggae Grill moved to the other end of Shoal Bay. Be sure to stop by and visit her at the new location!

On a prime beachfront spot on the exquisitely beautiful Upper Shoal Bay in Anguilla sits a brightly colored beach bar called Gwen’s Reggae Grill.

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Gwen’s has been through some adversity – a fire that nearly burned the building to the ground and severe beach erosion which has caused the loss of some of the beautiful palms in the area. Regardless, the owner’s, have re-built and continue to offer good beverages & food, a friendly atmosphere and great parties with live music on Sundays.

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Due to the erosion of the beach, the deck of the bar sits right at the edge of the ocean which, when we were there, made it a great place to sit and sip Gwen’s tasty and potent rum punch and look out over the stunning beauty of Shoal Bay.

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We worked up a thirst while walking down the gorgeous beach and headed back for another round, but this time we enjoyed our cocktail while lounging in Gwen’s great hammocks on the beach.

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There’s parking in the back of Gwen’s but it can get crowded, so we’d recommend getting there early. After all, you’ll want to get the hammock with the best view too :)

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Find Gwen’s Reggae Grill on our Anguilla Map

To see more posts on Anguilla and other islands, check out our Island Blog Directory

 

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 Pictures and other content may not be re-used without written consent from Rum Therapy, LLC

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Top Things To See & Do in the Caribbean Before You Get Too Old To Travel

WOW!  We thought it would be fun to put together a list entitled “Top Things To See & Do in the Caribbean (and Bahamas) Before You Get Too Old To Travel” based on our wonderful readers suggestions and you once again came through! Just as you did with the Ultimate Rum Therapy Beach Playlist, you sent in a LOT of excellent submissions and we’ve compiled these in a list by island. If we have already written a blog post on this adventure or location, we included a link for more info and pictures. I’m sure there are many more things worthy of a mention here, so if you see something you think should absolutely be on the list, comment below and we’ll update the list from time to time.

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So, sit back, prepare yourself for a little Tropication and see how many of these things you’ve already experienced or which ones you want to put on your own tropical “to do” list!


Anegada
Walk, swim and snorkel Loblolly Bay
Enjoy a rum beverage at Cow Wreck Beach Bar
Linger over a lobster dinner while barefoot on the beach

Anguilla
Walk Shoal Bay from one end to the other
Treat yourself to a stay at beautiful Cap Juluca on Maunday’s Bay
Enjoy the food at the restaurants of Sandy Ground, Anguilla – especially the Lobster Creole
Take a catamaran ride out to Prickly Pear Cay for the day

Antigua
Enjoy an amazing sunset from Shirley Heights
Take the Xtreme Circumnav Tour
Check out the parties and fun during Antigua Sailing Week
Spend the winter in Antigua, lying in hammock at Curtain Bluff or the beach at Pigeon Point

Bahamas
Experience the party at the Independence Day Celebration in Freeport, Grand Bahamas
Climb the Elbow Reef Lighthouse in Hope Town, Abaco to check out the view
Check out the amazing beauty of Treasure Cay Beach on Abaco
Enjoy an original Goombay Smash (or two!) at Miss Emily’s Blue Bee Bar on Green Turtle Cay
Swim with the pigs on Big Major Cay, Exuma Cays
Swim with the nurse sharks on Compass Cay

Barbados
Take the Mount Gay Rum Factory Tour

Bequia
Visit the Moonhole – or at least sail by it and take lots of pictures
Enjoy a Lobster Pizza at Mac’s
Visit the Old Hegg Turtle Sanctuary

Belize
Ambergris Caye – Swim with sharks at Hol Chan Marine Reserve. Spend a day line fishing, spear fishing, and snorkeling with manatee. Bring your catch to a private island where it’s cooked on the grill while you relax on hammocks or snorkel the mangroves looking at seahorses. Take a day trip to the mainland jungle to spot wildlife (including monkeys) and check out Mayan ruins.

Bonaire
Go diving – it’s beautiful!

Cayman Islands
Swim with the stingrays at Stingray City
Visit Rum Point, Grand Cayman
Watch the sunset on Seven Mile Beach, Grand Cayman

Culebra
Walk Flamenco Beach

Diving & Snorkeling
The Wall, St. Croix
Underwater snorkel trail at Buck Island, St. Croix and Trunk Bay, St. John
Dive Speyside Tobago
The Rhone, Salt Island
The Indians, BVI
Snorkel The Caves, Norman Island

Dominica
Hike to some of the spectacular waterfalls in the ultra-lush rainforest
Buy tasty fresh locally grown fruit and spices at some of the roadside stands

Guadeloupe
Snorkel or dive at the Jacques Cousteau Underwater Reserve
Take the rum factory tour on Marie-Galante (just south of Guadeloupe)

Grand Camanoe
Snorkel Diamond Reef

Grenada
Shop at the Spice Market and bring home some fresh spices

Happy Island
Order rum punches and visit with owner Janti

Jamaica
Ziplining
Take the Appleton Rum Factory Tour
Watch the sunrise from Blue Mountain Peak in Jamaica
Order Jerk Chicken, Pork or Fish at Scotchies
Climb Dunn River Falls or visit YS Falls
Horseback ride & swim at Chukka Cove
Spend a day at Floyd’s Pelican Bar, a bar 1/2 mile from shore
Jump off the cliffs at Rick’s Cafe, Negril

Jost Van Dyke
Have a Painkiller at the Soggy Dollar Bar
Enjoy some “stress free” time at Ivan’s
Enjoy a BBC at Gertrude’s
Go to the Bubbly Pool on JVD and then hit up Foxy’s Taboo after for a drink or two
Attend a Halloween, New Year’s Eve or Full Moon Party at Foxy’s and party ’till dawn
Bring home a bottle of Foxy’s Firewater Rum
Check out EVERY beach bar on JVD
Explore Diamond Cay

Mexico
Swim with the Whale Sharks in Cancun
Ride a golf cart and enjoy some authentic Mexican food on the island of Holbox, Mexico
Explore, snorkel or dive some of the cenotes in the Yucatan Penninsula of Mexico
Explore the Tulum and Chichen Itza ruins
Zipline and snorkel (not at the same time!) in Isla Mujeres, Mexico

Monserrat
View the Soufrière Hills Volcano and be awed at the forces of nature

Mustique
See the mansions of the rich and famous
Go to Basil’s Beach Bar for the Mustique Blues Festival

Nevis
Visit Old Bath House Ruins and The Nisbet Plantation
Have lunch at the Montpelier Plantation and Beach
Just GO to Nevis!

Norman Island
Experience the Shot-Ski at Willy T’s
Snorkel The Caves
Take the plunge at the Willy T’s
Snorkel or dive The Indians (close to Norman Island)

Petit Tabac
Explore the island and imagine finding Jack Sparrow’s hidden stash of rum

Puerto Rico
Explore El Yunque
Walk the cobblestone streets of Old Town Puerto Rico
Tour the 400 year old Fort El Morro

Saba
Hike Mt. Scenery

Sailing
Sail the British Virgin Islands and The Grenadines

Salt Island
Dive the Rhone

St. Barths
Enjoy a Cheeseburger at Le Select
Find the rhum at R. St. Barths and the infused rhum’s at M’Bolo

St. Croix
Bioluminescent Tour in a Glass Bottomed Kayak
Visit St George Village Botanical Gardens
Lyming by Sandy Point and Rainbow Beach on a Sunday
Take the Cruzan Rum Factory Tour and enjoy a delicious Cruzan Rum cocktail at the end
Spend a day on beautiful Cane Bay Beach
Be the first person in the U.S. to see the sunrise at Point Udall
Watch the sunset from Coconuts on the Beach
MontPellier Domino Club to see the drinking pigs and enjoy some Mamma Wanna and the best bushwacker on island
Snorkel the underwater trail at Buck Island
Dive the Wall by Cane Bay Beach and dive the Frederiksted Pier
Find seahorses at Frederiksted Pier
Check out the grounds at Mount Washington Plantation
Sail to Buck Island and explore for the day

St. John
Take pictures at the picturesque overlook of Trunk Bay
Snorkel the underwater trail at Trunk Bay
Kayak with a friend to a secret pocket beach
Try to see every beautiful beach on St. John
Enjoy some Key Lime Pie

St. Kitts
Explore Brimstone Hill
Explore Plantation Homes
Hit the Shiggidy Shack and Reggae Beach Bar & Grill for sun, fun and rum!

St. Lucia
Eat lunch between the Pitons at Hotel Chocolate
Stay at Jade Mountain Resort and stare at the Pitons in the comfort of your own in room pool
Snorkel/Scuba between the Pitons

St. Maarten/St. Martin
Watch the planes land right over your head while enjoying a rum punch at Sunset Bar & Grill, Maho Bay
Enjoy a drink while watching the bridge go up and the yachts go through at the Sint Maarten Yacht Club
Go shopping in Marigot at the outdoor market and in Philipsburg for watches, diamonds and Guavaberry Rum
Eat fanstastic French pastries at Sarafina’s Bakery
Walk Orient Beach from one end to the other
Drive, then hike to the top of Pic Paradis

St. Thomas
Spend the day at Magens Bay
Take the skyride up and enjoy the view of Charlotte Amalie and a Bushwacker

St. Vincent
Visit Wallilabou and visit the filming site of Pirates of the Caribbean

Tobago Cays
Snorkel with the turtles at the Tobago Cay Turtle Sanctuary

Tortola
Visit with Winston at the Nature Boy Beach Bar on Long Bay Beach
Float in the Limin’ House pool while sipping Sebastian’s Rum and stare at the view
Go to a Full Moon Party at the Bomba Shack AND Trellis Bay
Visit the Callwood Rum Distillery in Cane Garden Bay
Watch the sunset from BananaKeet Cafe

Turks and Caicos
Have a few drinks at Jack’s Shack, Grand Turk
Boogaloo’s Conch Shack, Providenciales
Go Bone Fishing

Vieques
Kayak the Bioluminescent Bay

Virgin Gorda
Spend lots of time exploring The Baths

Check out our Blog Directory by Island for even more pictures and island adventures!

Copyright©Rum Therapy
 Pictures and other content may not be re-used without written consent from Rum Therapy, LLC

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We Need Your Help – Again!

We’ve been noticing a lot of “Things To See Before You Die” lists popping up on the internet which we find interesting, albeit maybe a little morbid… However, it got us to thinking that we should create a list of the “Top Things To See and DO in the Caribbean” but soften the ending a just a bit by saying “Before You Get Too Old To Travel”.

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Now, although we really have gotten to see and do a lot of fun things during our travels to the Caribbean, we know from your comments that you have too! So, in an attempt to create an amazing, all encompassing and hopefully unbiased list that everyone can enjoy, we’re asking for your help. From now until next Monday, please comment on this post with anything that you’ve experienced in the Caribbean that you think should be on this list. For reference, let’s include any of the islands in the Caribbean region, as well as those in the surrounding Lucayan Archipelago – see islands listed here.

Items to include on the list:

1. Things to do – such as the best snorkel or dive spot, amazing hikes, swimming with the dolphins, carnival’s or other events, enjoy a signature rum drink at your favorite beach bar :), best place to swing in a hammock, etc. or

2. Things to see – most spectacular beaches, sunsets, overlooks, etc.

All entries that fall under these categories will be added and published next week. As we’ve done with The Ultimate Rum Therapy Beach Playlist, we’ll continue to update from time to time if new and “listworthy” ideas come it!

Wow! We’re excited to read some of the entries! Unfortunately, it’s probably going to make our list of the things we want to experience in the Caribbean EVEN longer!

OK. We’ll start. We think one of the Top Things to See and Do in the Caribbean Before You Get Too Old To Travel is:

Sail For A Week (or more!) in the British Virgin Islands

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Now it’s your turn! Be sure to be specific about the island and the correct name of the event, landmark, etc.,  and keep it to things you REALLY think should make the TOP list of things to do and see in the Caribbean. No pictures needed – just the things you think should not be missed!

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My Island Art

We’ve followed My Island Art on Facebook for a while now and have enjoyed their mutual tropical attraction. Last fall, I had the chance to briefly meet and speak with owner Jeff and find out more about his company. After hearing his story, (and the hope that one day their company would be successful enough to get a nicer hammock!) I thought it would make a great post in our Making Your Tropical Obsession Your Profession series. This is what we found out about this unique Island Themed Company that has focused on the artists of the Caribbean…so far…

1. Tell us how you started My Island Art.
First, a big thanks to the gang at Rum Therapy for reaching out to us for this guest post. We’re always excited to talk with other Caribbean souls, and especially happy to talk about My Island Art. Actually, when it comes to the Caribbean and My Island Art, good luck trying to shut us up!

My Island Art started in 2007 as an effort to marry our two passions, the love of art, and our need to maximize our time in the Caribbean. After several trips to the islands, it quickly became apparent that we had found our Mecca. I absolutely had to find a way to make this a recurring destination, and turning such trips in business trips had a certain attraction as well! My stated objective was to establish a business I could run with minimal effort, and one I could operate while lying in a hammock, on any beach in the world!

After 3 months drafting a Business Plan, setting objectives, and reading everything we could about bootstrapping a start up, we only needed inventory. As a side note, I could write a book on the things I learned not to do when building your own website! But we persevered, and in February 2008 we set off on our maiden buying trip. I still have the hand scribbled sign I hung in my office with the digits 7-4-08, a simple reminder of the goal I’d established for the site to go live. We ultimately beat the date, and the site went live in June of 2008!

How do you find Caribbean artists like Ruby Bute?
Researching the art community was actually the fun part of establishing MIA. Part of the credit has to go to my beach bum attitude. That is to say, let someone else do the work for me!

During my research I hired a virtual assistant to build a list of artists throughout the Caribbean. Once the list was delivered, I discovered that a large percentage of artists in the Caribbean called St. Maarten home. This played well into our hands, as we had already visited St. Maarten 6 or 7 times, and knew a good deal about the art community there.

When we set out in 2008 for that first trip, my wife actually fell into her element. Meeting the artists, learning more about their lives and their interests, and engaging with them in a personal manner is what drives her. Her ability to communicate, and her genuine interest in them as individuals, has been integral in building relationships with the artists that goes far beyond our business dealings together. Ruby Bute in particular is a genuine lice of Caribbean heritage. The story of our meeting and subsequent business dealing are recorded in the book “A Beach Less Traveled“, available on our site. You can also see a series of our interviews with her at My Island Art You Tube.

When traveling to the islands, we are constantly looking to add new artists. Shopping in galleries, talking to taxi drivers, or visiting at local markets makes each stop a potential resource for us in continuing to build our stable of talented artists.

What are some the favorite items that you offer at My Island Art?
My Island Art offers a wide variety of art and related gifts. Some of my personal favorites are the serene pastel watercolor images by St. Martin artist Antoine Chapon. His images depict such a relaxing setting that I can almost hear the water lapping at the shoreline.

My Island Art 1
I also personally like any of Ruby Bute’s images of island life. Her images of day to day life in the Caribbean are a true remembrance of a bygone era.

And I must confess I am very proud of the Wooden Keepsake Boxes we have created. With the advance of high-resolution printing, we are able to create a number of products that are of a very high quality, and in keeping with the integrity of the artist’s original image. These boxes are a great example of this quality, and they make for a truly unique slice of life from the islands.

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Describe your work with children’s charities in the islands.
At My Island Art, we are committed to giving back to the people of the islands. We are active in supporting charities in both Belize and St. Maarten, and annually we give a percentage of all our profits to these organizations to help meet the needs of at risk children.

We are currently working on a line of textile art products. In this new line, we utilize artwork created by the children, and then depict these images on a line of cloth napkins, placemats and table runners. We have committed that 100% of the profits from this line will go directly to the children of the islands.

  My Island Art 3

 Where do you hope to go from here?
My Island Art is still in its infancy but we have lofty goals for expanding our presence, so that one day we can get to a nicer hammock! We have the objective of growing the company to cover the full spectrum of ‘island’ art, wherever it is found.

Caribbean art as we know has a very recognizable style, and we feel we have begun to put roots deep into its sand. Eventually though, we intend to spread to the diverse markets of the South Pacific, and beyond. So stay tuned Bora Bora, we’re on our way!

JVbytheSea

To find out more, check out the My Island Art Website

Read more posts in our “Making Your Tropical Obsession Your Profession” Series

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Backyard Tea

Unfortunately we’re not on our favorite island swaying in a hammock this weekend, but we’re still looking forward to relaxing and enjoying a little Rum Therapy in our own backyard. We ran across this recipe from Sailor Jerry called “Backyard Tea” that sounds just like what we’re looking for – easy, cold, refreshing and spiked with some tasty Sailor Jerry Spiced Rum.

Jump to Recipe

*We love bringing you amazing rum recipes! Our recipes may contain affiliate links to products that we use. If you click the link and make a purchase, we may receive a small commission (at no additional cost to you). Thank you for your support in helping us to continue providing rumlicious, tropical recipes!

Print Recipe

Backyard Tea

A refreshing summery drink! Mix up just one glass or a whole batch for a picnic or summer get-together.
Cuisine: Drinks

Ingredients

Instructions

  • Add ingredients to an ice filled glass and garnish with slices of lemon.

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Sandy Cay, British Virgin Islands

Between Tortola and Jost Van Dyke in the British Virgin Islands there’s a small uninhabited island called Sandy Cay.

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Sandy Cay is quite small, yet larger than it’s also uninhabited sister island to the north, Sandy Spit. Both islands have become popular with the many people who love to sail the BVI and with excursions from neighboring islands, yet are so very fun to visit and you might still find yourself enjoying the island by yourself, depending on the time of year you visit.

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What we liked most, well there’s really nothing we didn’t like…but the island has an amazingly beautiful beach that wraps around nearly half of it, gorgeous blue water and great views of neighboring islands.

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We’ve visited Sandy Cay a couple of times and during one of our visits we took the path that cuts through the center of the island. We left from the beautiful, warm, sandy beach on the south side and worked our way through what felt like a jungle.

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On the path we saw a multitudes of crabs scurrying around as well as lush green foliage.

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View of Tortola from Sandy Cay

The path began to open up after a few minutes and we could see just how different this side of the small island was from the other. Instead of palm trees, there was cactus and the shoreline on this side was very rocky and rough.

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Instead of palm trees, we saw cactus, and the shoreline on this side, although still beautiful, was very rocky and rough.

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From our vantage point on this side of Sandy Cay, we could see Sandy Spit’s white sliver of sand in front of Green Cay with Little Jost to the left.

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After spending a few moments checking out the phenomenal view, we headed back to the south side to spend some time on the white sand beach and play in the crystal clear blue water…

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Have you been to Sandy Cay?

Find Sandy Cay on our Jost Van Dyke Map


To see more posts on the British Virgin Islands and other islands, check out our Island Blog Directory


Copyright©Rum Therapy Beaches, Bars & More, Tropical Travel Guide, 2013
Pictures and other content may not be re-used without written consent from Rum Therapy, LLC

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Drunk Bay, St. John

Ever go to the beach to check out the….flotsam art? We didn’t take the short hike to Drunk Bay in St. John specifically for the art, but we ended up finding it to be, well, quite entertaining, actually.

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Drunk Bay does not have one of the typically gorgeous St. John beaches, such as any of the north side beaches, but we found it worth a visit nonetheless. Walk down to the pretty Saltpond Bay Beach and look for a trail that takes you to Salt Pond (you can find Saltpond Bay and Drunk Bay on our St. John Map). Walk past the Salt Pond, (which we are told is a good place to collect useable St. John sea salt) and towards the rocky shoreline of Drunk Bay.

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As you near the shoreline, you will begin to see some rather unusual man-made coral and rock formations scattered about.

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Decorated with pieces of coconut husks, driftwood and other items washed up from the sea, some of them are quite unusual and perhaps even artistic? It appeared to be a virtual outdoor art gallery!

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A few were even anatomically correct similar.

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Apparently the collection is continually changing with the tide, the weather and the anonymous artists that come to create their own Drunk Bay masterpieces.

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copyright Rum Therapy

An easy hike and something quite different. Glad we went.
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Homemade Rum Cream

It’s not always easy to find a good bottle of Rum Cream to use when making a Hummingbird Cocktail , or just to sip over ice or to add to a cup of coffee, so if you find yourself coming up short when you need it the most, why not try making some of your own? Here is a basic recipe to use – but feel free to make it your own by adding more or less of the spices or different spices (nutmeg?) or substituting a little caramel for some of the chocolate syrup, or melting some good dark chocolate instead of using chocolate syrup. Mmmm…just imagine the possibilities…

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Print Recipe

Homemade Rum Cream

Make your own rum cream, just the way you like it.
Course: Drinks

Ingredients

Instructions

  • Add all ingredients to a blender and mix at high speed for a few minutes until blended and smooth. 
  • Serve over ice or in coffee or store in tightly covered container in refrigerator for up to two weeks.