Luxury Launch Pad to the BVI
The British Virgin Islands have long sent a siren song to salty seafarers both near and far. The area’s spectacular innate beauty, it’s even-tempered weather and easygoing, undulating ocean paint a picture that is pretty much impossible to fault. Scatter this canvas with emerald islands, white sand beaches, tropical sunlight and the ever-present trade winds and you have the destination that dreams are made of. The aforementioned trade winds blow at varying strengths year round, moderating the tropical rainforest climate and resulting in temperate ocean and air temperatures ten months of the year. The BVI certainly deserves its title as the boating capital of the world.
Carefree Cruising
Aptly named after the epic adventurer, the Sir Francis Drake Channel runs the length of the British Virgin Islands and offers no end of protected passages in and around Tortola, Virgin Gorda and the neighboring islands. This makes boating in the BVI not only breathtakingly beautiful, but also exceptionally safe for both seasoned sailors and absolute beginners. The proximity of one island to the next means tomorrow’s anchorage is always in plain sight, making for carefree cruising from one blissful spot to the next.
The islands, with the exception of coral- and limestone-formed Anegada, were once part of a submerged mountain range created through volcanic activity, so are dramatic and diverse in their topography. Unlike many comparable tropical destinations, the islands under British jurisdiction are neither overcrowded nor commercialized. In fact, of the 60 islands, cays and rocks that form the archipelago, only 15 or so are inhabited. The BVI offers not only beaches but rainforest, salt ponds, mangroves and miles of coral reef to explore. The entire area is peppered with stunning, secret spots, and the voyage to locate them is just as delightful as the discovery.
A Heavenly Home base
While there are few Caribbean getaways that capture the essence of the islands better than a week aboard a charter yacht, the salt life is not for everyone. Though many of us still crave the wild wind in our hair, sharing a head is a hard pass, we want a truly dry towel after a truly hot shower, and a bed with a pocket-sprung mattress. And in that there is no shame. A boating vacation, to our minds, can mean buzzing from one tropical highlight to the next, spending all day island hopping and exploring, then returning to home base where an in-suite massage, delectable dining experience and king bed await.
Spread across 400 consciously-preserved acres on the northeasterly tip of Virgin Gorda rests an opulent home base from which to adventure. Accessible only by boat or helicopter, Oil Nut Bay is a luxury, multi-generational community like no other. The property offers a collection of secluded villas and suites, each with their own private kitchen, laundry, swimming pool, and lushly landscaped grounds, as well as the option of full concierge, personal chef, housekeeping and butler services. Resort amenities are first-class. This dynamite destination boasts a variety of recreational adventures, unique experiences, both fine and informal dining opportunities, and a wide range of health and wellness services. On days when you feel like a brief boating break, pursuits such as hiking and yoga, snorkeling, kayaking, kitesurfing, and fishing are all at our finger tips.
State-of-the-Art Marina
Oil Nut Bay’s positioning in the coveted North Sound region of Virgin Gorda make it the ideal base from which to explore the rest of the archipelago. Your journey begins at the Marina. Tucked into the protected inlet of Deep Bay, Oil Nut Bay’s Marina offers secure alongside mooring for yachts up to 130 feet (40 meters) and a draft of up to 10 feet (3 meters). Berths are privately owned by Oil Nut Bay homeowners and can be reserved for anything from a single night up to your entire stay. Ten mooring balls are available in Deep Bay for boats up to 120 feet (37 meters). The property’s dedicated Dock Master provides concierge Marina services, including top-notch utilities, double reverse osmosis potable water, ice, provisioning services and a helipad accommodating two twin-jet helicopters for residents and guests. Deep Bay has two access routes all mapped out – one for regular draft vessels and another for those that require a little more draft than usual.
The Marina neighborhood is a hub of hustle and bustle, anchored by island chic bar and restaurant Nova. The very essence of easy-going island elegance, Nova offers al fresco dining, ocean-side lounge spaces, overwater hammocks and daybeds, a suspended swimming pool and designer bar serving the best hand-crafted cocktails this side of the equator. Beyond this is a coffee shop, provisioning market, island boutique and games room. Marina expansion plans are currently underway and by December 2021 a day spa will be added to the neighborhood’s offerings.
If luxury land living with a direct line of sight to your boat is what you’re looking for, then the Marina Villas are right up your alley. These contemporary, beautifully-appointed two-bedroom villas sit just above the Marina Village and are mere steps away from the docks, decadent dining and a little indulgent retail therapy.
When it comes to planning the perfect vacation, it’s often impossible to please everyone. But the best of both worlds does collide. Oil Nut Bay is the perfect pairing of land and sea, luxury and adventure to satisfy all preferences and partialities. Start planning your family vacation now!
