Bitter End Yacht Club To Finally Reopen This Winter
Last time I sailed past the Bitter End Yacht Club on the island of Virgin Gorda, it was in tatters in the wake of Hurricane Irma. Cottages were torn to pieces or upside down, capsized boats dotted the shoreline. It was February 2018 and we were sailing with our friends Amy and Josh on a 41-foot sailboat out of Tortola. For the past 4 years since Irma, it has been the sailors and boaters living aboard their boats in the British Virgin Islands that have greatly enhanced the recovery of this classic cruising ground. And what a memorable trip it is! Snorkeling in the Baths of Virgin Gorda, walking the long stretch of beach on Anegada, and sleeping under the stars at any number of serene anchorages.
Stopping at the Bitter End for drinks, dinner, or a good night’s sleep in those cottages has always been on everyone’s itinerary. Thankfully, that will happen again once Bitter End reopens in January 2022. The 64-acre grounds will be a little bit different with a new Waterfront Plaza as its central hub. Have drinks with other sailors at The Quarterdeck Marina, a two-story, open-air venue featuring an upstairs lounge and waterfront views.
If you’re hoping to charter a sailboat this coming winter in the Caribbean, please let ActiveTravels know! We have a great relationship with Horizon Yacht Charters, located in Tortola and St. Vincent and are happy to design a route for ActiveTravels clients in both the BVIs or the Grenadines.
If you truly need to get some warmth and Florida just doesn’t float your boat, we have the intel on where to go south to get thawed out from the cold and incessant snowfall this winter. Most of you now know that all travelers, even US citizens, need to provide a negative COVID test within 72 hours prior to boarding your flight home. This new CDC requirement, which began on January 26th, can be an obstacle and a nuisance that you may not want to deal with. Please note that since this rule was announced, many of the major hotel suppliers (Marriott, Hyatt, Melia, Velas, Aman, Belmond, Nayara, Iberostar and many, many more) in the Caribbean region have stepped up to offer their guests pre-travel testing. 
There has been 60 total cases of Coronavirus in St. Vincent and the Grenadines and zero deaths. No wonder music tycoon David Geffen got out of Dodge earlier this year and headed to the Grenadines on his mega-yacht. But you don’t have to be rich to savor these Caribbean islands of yesteryear. Just follow in Lisa and my wake and sail these blissful cobalt waters like we did this past February. Hire a Captain, possibly a chef, choose another couple or go with the extended family on a private catamaran and monohull. It’s no surprise that Forbes chose our trip as