Have you heard? Foxy Callwood, the 7th generation Jost Van Dyker, musician, entertainer, humanitarian and host extraordinaire at his world famous bar, Foxy’s, has opened a new business designed to give guests visiting the Virgin Islands the opportunity to enjoy even more of the beautiful islands.
photo: www.photo.vi
Foxy now offers a variety of adventures through his company Foxy’s Charters. Find out some of the options offered below.
photo: www.photo.vi
Private Boat Charters
Set up a charter on his 12-passenger, 38 foot extra wide power cruiser called “Foxy’s Excellent Adventure” and spend the day exploring Jost van Dyke, the soft sand beaches of White Bay or Sandy Cay, snorkel the Caves of Norman Island, or enjoy yourself at the Baths in Virgin Gorda – the possibilities are endless.
photo: www.photo.vi
Sunset Cruises Imagine sipping delicious rum drinks while watching an amazing sunset from the water…
photo: www.photo.vi
Water Taxi Service Need a ride to Jost Van Dyke? Check out his Water Taxi Service that can arrange to pick you up in the USVI or BVI. After hours service to and from Tortola and Jost van Dyke is also available.
Watersports Daytime Kayak Rental: Rent a clear bottom kayak and enjoy skimming around Great Harbour while scoping out the sea life below.
photo: www.photo.vi photo: www.photo.vi
Guided Night Kayak Tours: Cruise the waters of Great Harbour at night during a night time kayak tour. See a variety of fish, turtles and rays through your clear bottom kayak illuminated with LED lights!
photo: Foxy’s Charters
Find Foxy’s Charters on the beach in front of Foxy’s Tamarind Bar in Great Harbour, Jost Van Dyke. Contact them to set up your Excellent Charter Adventure, Sunset Tour, Water Taxi Service or Watersports Adventure at 1-284-546-1904 or [email protected] Foxy’s Charters Website
Update: Corsair’s was severely impacted by the hurricanes in 2017 (as were all structures on JVD) but has since rebuilt. Still owned and run by Vinnie, it has a new look. See the photo below of the new structure.
Jost Van Dyke has more than it’s share of interesting beach bars scattered along its beautiful beaches and Corsairs, found on Great Harbour, is certainly one of them.
Corsairs Beach Bar & Restaurant, Jost Van Dyke
Corsairs is not hard to find for a couple of reasons. First, Great Harbour – although great – is not large and you can walk the entire length of it in just a few minutes. Secondly, the exterior of Corsairs is pink – kind of hard to miss. Actually, the pink exterior is kind of ironic, given the owner, Vinnie, is a tough looking biker who spends half the year in Colorado running a Harley Davidson store.
Vinnie behind the bar
Corsairs is a great place to spend the afternoon sipping on Wench Juices or Pirate Punch’s while lounging on the front porch or swinging in the hammock, but don’t overlook the eclectic and tasty menu. We totally enjoyed some Conch Fritters with Goat Cheese Aioli during a recent visit and ordered some excellent pizza that Corsairs delivered to our cottage at White Bay Villas and Seaside Cottages during a previous stay on Jost Van Dyke. We’ve heard that other Italian offerings are excellent as well as some of their fresh seafood dishes such as Stuffed Lobster.
Beach and hammock in front of Corsairs
If your boat is moored in Great Harbour, you can beach your dinghy right in front of Corsairs.
No Shirt, No Shoes, No Clothes, No Problem (Pirates Welcome)Vinny’s “ride”Corsairs BarCorsairs eclectic decorDining area is small, so call ahead for dinner reservationsCorsairs at night
Next time you find yourself in Great Harbour, be sure to stop in and say hey to Vinnie and enjoy breakfast, lunch, dinner or just drinks. According to their website, it’s also a good place to book for a Wedding, Divorce party, Bachelor party, Bachlorette party, Pity party, or any other Special Occasion!
We recently got an email from Facebook friend Angela asking “What is there to do on Jost Van Dyke besides barhopping?”. Well, the bars on Jost Van Dyke are pretty stellar and you can read more about them on our post Barhopping on Jost Van Dyke or Barhopping on Jost Van Dyke Part 2 (after Irma), but, there’s a lot more to experience and explore on the Barefoot Island and here are a few suggestions from our visits there.
1. Check out the Bubbly Pool – on the East end of the island, pass Foxy’s Taboo and take the path to the Bubbly Pool. Dubbed “Nature’s Jacuzzi” the ocean spills over the rocks when the surf is rough and breaks into effervescent bubbles in the pool.
2. Take a drive – or a hike high above the beaches. We rented a jeep in Great Harbour and then took a steep road to the top of the island close to East End Harbour.
The road was paved for a short distance and then became a “not too bad” dirt road which continued to climb and twist through the hills with stunning overlooks of East End Harbour, Diamond Cay, Sandy Spit, Little Harbour, Great Harbour and Tortola. We hiked a bit around Roach Hill – the highest point in the island (1,054 ft) and then because the road was getting steeper and rockier, we turned around and headed back.
3. Rent a dinghy for the day and explore Sandy Cay and Sandy Spit. Sandy Spit
Sandy Cay
We rented a dinghy in Great Harbour and headed out for an island adventure. We went to Sandy Spit first, pulled the dinghy ashore and enjoyed an hour or so of….well just sitting in the sand and enjoying the beauty of this teeny little island. About 15 minutes (via dinghy) from Sandy Spit is another beautiful deserted island called Sandy Cay. Sandy Cay is bigger and has a hiking trail through middle that takes you from the calm side of the island to an overlook of the rougher side.
4. Treat yourself to some Caribbean Lobster. Caribbean Lobster is readily available in the BVI’s and an incredible treat. During our stay on Jost Van Dyke, we ordered Caribbean Lobster for dinner at Harris’ Place in Little Harbour. The service, setting and lobster were wonderful and we’ve heard that it’s equally as good at several other restaurants on island.
5. Hammock Time. If you’re staying on Jost Van Dyke for a while, you should definitely spend some time swaying in the hammocks. You’ll find hammocks all over, including Ivan’s, Hendo’s, Soggy Dollar, Foxy’s and others on the beach in Great Harbour to name a few.. Pair hammock time with your favorite rum drink for some relaxing Rum Therapy…
6. Get in the water. Snorkel, wade and float – just get in that beautiful crystal clear, take your breath away blue, warm water. The water around Jost Van Dyke is excellent for snorkeling and has some of the nicest water around for just enjoying….look at that water – don’t you just want to dive right in?
7. Watch the sun set. We were on Jost for a little more than a week and every single night we were treated to a spectacular sunset – each one just a little different. Whether you’re on the beach, in a hammock or on the deck of your villa – watch the sun disappear behind clouds with unimaginable hues of orange and pink…
8. And our favorite thing to do on Jost Van Dyke…….nothing!! Put your toes in the warm sand as the sun caresses your body, breathe in, breathe out, listen to the sound of the waves lapping the shore and feel that feeling that we don’t often feel in our busy lives – total relaxation….
And….just in case you see everything there is to see, get totally relaxed and still have time to see more – Jost Van Dyke is just a short ferry from Tortola, Virgin Gorda and St. John!
To see more posts on Jost Van Dyke and other islands, check out our Island Blog Directory
For an island with only a few hundred full time inhabitants and nicknamed The Barefoot Island for it’s laid back attitude, Jost Van Dyke has some of the best beach bars in the Caribbean and it would be a shame to miss any of them. While staying on Jost for a week last fall, we attempted to visit them all – some of them more than once! Here’s a listing of the ones we found. We’ve listed them starting at the west end of White Bay and working our way across the island.
One Love Bar and Grill – try the Lobster Quesadilla’s and a Bushwacker. Check out Seddy’s magic tricks.
One Love Bar and Grill
Jewel’s Snack Shack – stop by Jewel’s for a tasty hamburger, fries and rum punch before heading down the beach!
Gertrude’s – gotta try a BBC (Bailey’s Banana Colada). It’s rumored to be the best BBC on the island.
A BBC at Gertrude’s
Soggy Dollar Bar – if you haven’t heard of the Soggy Dollar Bar yet, well…really??? Jump off of your boat and swim in, using your soggy dollars to buy their signature drink “The Painkiller”. Can be a huge party in the afternoon with scores of thirsty partiers coming over on day trips from neighboring islands. Try your luck at the Ring on the Hook game. If staying on island, be sure to stop by the Soggy early in the morning or later in the evening to swing in the hammocks and enjoy a quiet tropical paradise. Call for reservations for dinner – beautiful setting and very good food.
Painkillers at Soggy Dollar Bar
Hendo’s Hideout – during our last visit to JVD we noticed a new building going up next to Soggy Dollar. This has since opened to good reviews as a new bar called Hendo’s Hideout. We haven’t had a chance to visit yet, but hope to soon.
Hendo’s Hideout before it opened
Ivan’s Stress Free Bar – take a short hike over a rocky outcropping and make your way over to Ivan’s. Stress Free for sure, enjoy a cold beer, or whatever…anything tastes great here. Check out the barbecue on Thursday nights (seasonal) and live music. Celebs have been known to drop by and jam with owner/musician Ivan Chinnery.
Ivan’s Stress Free Bar
Corsair’s – head on over the hill from Ivan’s (or better yet, call Bunn’s Taxi) and stop at Corsair’s for Wench Juice or a Pirate Punch. Order pizza to be delivered and if you’re brave, try the Pirate Sandwich for breakfast (toast, peanut butter, cheese, onion and fried egg with a shot of flavored rum)
Corsair’s
Ali Baba’s – Great place to hang out in the morning enjoying a cup of coffee. Come back later in the afternoon for a refreshing rum drink and a 2 hole chip and putt golf course on the beach…
Foxy is a fixture in his own bar and can frequently be found serenading and weaving a tale for his patrons. In addition to some very delicious signature rum drinks, Foxy sells bottles of his own rum – Foxy’s Firewater Rum in his gift shop – the Foxhole. We especially enjoyed the “Dread Fox” – made with his own rum and “Foxy’s Punch” which includes a mango float. On Friday and Saturday night, Foxy’s has a BBQ and live music.
Foxy’s Dread Fox
Sydney’s Peace and Love – Make your way up and over the hill to Little Harbour and pull in to Sydney’s Peace and Love. Help yourself to a beer or mixed drink at the honor bar and be sure to sign the wall.
Harris’s Place – stop by Harris’s place and have Cynthia, the owner, make you one of her fabulous Bushwacker’s. Tasty and potent and Cynthia is a a ton of fun to visit. Come back later for a sumptuous Caribbean Lobster Dinner next to the water.
Cynthia with a tasty Bushwhacker
Abe’s by the Sea – good West Indian cuisine and a pig roast on Wednesday’s. Quiet place to sit and enjoy a beverage.
Foxy’s Taboo – To get to the last stop on our Jost Van Dyke Bar Crawl, head over the hill past East End Harbour and pull in to Foxy’s Taboo.
Foxy’s Taboo is also owned by Foxy Callwood and is said to be named after his dog, Taboo. Great covered patio overlooking Diamond Cay. Try the Taboo Burger and an ice cold beer or enjoy a beverage sitting on the dock and watching the fish and stingrays swim by.
Foxy’s Taboo
So now that we’ve made our way across the entire Barefoot Island, pull up a chair, grab a beer here at Foxy’s Taboo and tell us – which bars have you had a chance to enjoy on Jost Van Dyke?
To see more posts on Jost Van Dyke and other islands, check out our Island Blog Directory
18.43° N and 64.71° W – Great Harbour, Jost Van Dyke, BVI.
According to their website, this is the location of Foxy’s Tamarind Bar. For those of you, like me, who’d rather get an address you can plug into your smart phone, you’ll be hard pressed to find a street address. Just sail in to Great Harbour, go ashore and look for the party. There’s usually one of some size going on in this eclectic place that boasts one of the greatest “Old Years Eve” parties in the world.
Foxy Callwood is the man behind the name and has been serving food & strong rum drinks to sailors and visitors since 1966. He’s quite the storyteller and loves to talk with and sing to the many folks who wander into his bar.
Foxy’s is a great place to people watch and drink rum – lots of it. Foxy even has his own rum – Foxy’s Firewater Rum, which you can purchase from his gift shop. Foxy’s serves up some serious rum drinks and as hard as we tried to work our way through his Rum Drink Menu during our week on JVD, we fell short – just slightly. Darn. Guess we’ll have to go back.
Foxy has another bar on Jost Van Dyke at Diamond Cay called “Foxy’s Taboo” – named after his dog seen here.
You can listen to live music Thursday—Saturday and enjoy BBQ every Friday and Saturday night and there are many other fun events throughout the year.
We read somewhere that if dinghying in to Foxy’s for the Old Year’s Eve Party, you should bring a lock and chain for your dinghy, ’cause all dinghy’s look the same at night after some heavy drinking. Apparently revelers occasionally can’t even find their own boat, just pick another to pass out on and worry about finding their own in the morning. Must be that Firewater!!
photo: www.photo.vi
photo: www.photo.vi
photo: www.photo.vi
photo: www.photo.vi
photo: www.photo.vi
photo: www.photo.vi
photo: Foxy’s Charters
