Photography by Leon Miller (Island Boy Photography)
I love White Bay (WB).
Since moving to the BVI, I’ve ventured on numerous excursions which often include a stop at this tourist hotspot on Jost Van Dyke (JVD).
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What I hadn’t experienced, however, was what happens on this charming island once the sun goes down. I again became a tourist in my own town when I spent a weekend over on JVD.
My friend Mickey and I arrived by ferry on Saturday morning and were accommodated in a beautiful 2-bedroom villa at White Bay Villas and Seaside Cottages, which delivered panoramic vistas of the ocean and an unrivalled view of the bay.
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After settling in, we immediately headed down a short trail to White Bay and its familiar setting of quirky beach-bars, hammocks between palm trees, and of course, the turquoise sea. Boats of all sizes were moored in the bay where visitors danced on their vessels and one by one jumped into the water to swim ashore.
Our favourite bar—Soggy Dollar—is renowned for their entertaining bartenders, who interact with the patrons as they await a drink from the legendary ‘home of the painkiller.’ The majority of the establishments are decorated with an eclectic blend of Caribbean knick-knacks and serve beach-bar cuisine with an island twist.
We were greeted by two friends, who arrived on their boat from Tortola and wound up joining a group of tourists in a game of ‘Let’s Get Ready to Toss the Lime.’
Frequently played at WB, participants form a circle and toss a lime in the air, trying to keep it up with one hand – no, it’s not easy…especially with a margarita in the other hand.
After a day munching on greasy conch fritters, playing giant-sized board games, and taking too many photos, we retreated to the villa to prepare for our first night ever on Jost.
Surprisingly, many of the casual beach-bars we visited during the day turn into fancy establishments after sunset and offer romantic candlelit dinners with upscale dinner menus.
We decided to try Great Harbour for evening entertainment, only a short cab ride over the hill. Also lined with oceanfront restaurants and souvenir shops, we chose Foxy’s, a restaurant serving a Caribbean buffet with favourites including jerk chicken, fried plantains, and succulent barbecue ribs.
It was crowded and after stuffing our faces, we spent the rest of the night socialising and showing off on the dance floor.
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In the morning, I woke up to the most spectacular view of the peaceful waves gracefully travelling across the ocean as the bay slowly rose with the intoxicating sunrise.
Another day was spent working on our tans at White Bay before catching the last ferry home.
Mickey and I were surprised to learn all of the activities offered over on JVD. Our hosts informed us of the numerous attractions available including natural gems such as the Bubbly Pool, and an array of water-sports and unique excursions – next time we visit, we plan to go on a glass bottom boat which at night uses LED lights to attract the fascinating marine life.
We both agreed that when we need to ‘get off the rock’ for a weekend, White Bay is first choice.
Lauren Charley
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