The North Shore of St. John features many calm bays with moorings. For excellent snorkeling, visit Waterlemon Cay in Leinster Bay. World class beaches can be found at Honeymoon, Hawksnest, Cinnamon Bay, Maho Bay and Francis Bay. Restaurants that welcome visitors in casual attire are at Caneel Bay and Cruz Bay, or you may choose to bring your own picnic lunch.

Situated slightly northwest of the West End of Tortola, Jost Van Dyke exudes a ‘lost in time’ feel with undeveloped beaches and shacks. Visit famous Foxy’s Bar in Great Harbour, known throughout the Caribbean for its Old Year’s Day (New Year’s Eve) party, and Foxy’s famous impromptu calypso. For beautiful, picture-postcard beaches, visit Sandy Cay or Sandy Spit. White Bay is home of the Soggy Dollar Bar, named for a patron who swam ashore without putting his money in a waterproof kit.

Cruise the North Shore on calm days and, during the winter migration, keep an eye out for grey and humpback whales. Monkey Point, located at the south end of Guana Island is renowned for its snorkeling. Because the area is inside a National Park, you must utilize the National Park Authority mooring balls (orange with yellow floating line). Do not attempt to anchor. Lunch is available at one of a variety of restaurants at the West End, including Soppers Hole, or in Roadtown.

Norman island offers two great snorkeling experiences: The Caves and The Indians. The Caves of Norman Island are the legendary location of buried pirate treasure. Rising from the water, their cavernous mouths invite the adventurous snorkeler to explore walls encrusted with cup corals and brilliantly colored sponges. The reduced lighting in the caves brings out some colors ordinarily seen only at night. The Indians are pinnacle rock formations off Pelican Island. Their name derives from their similarity to the feathers of an Indian bonnet. This not-to-be-missed site is rich with sea-life, including a shallow “fish bowl” where swirling clouds of silver bait fish are pursued by jacks and snappers.

Stop for lunch at the Peter Island Resort, a British Virgin Island retreat that surrounds guests in beauty and luxury. The resort offers a day spa, boutique and delicious island cuisine at Deadman’s Beach Bar & Grill.

On a calm day, one can easily cruise all the way to the Baths on the southern tip of Virgin Gorda. Giant granite boulders lean against each other while clear pools of water flow through and beneath. Light angles in from above, creating one of the Caribbean’s most stunning spectacles of natural beauty. Explore the labyrinth formed by the boulders, and then enjoy a swim or snorkel in crystal clear water at one of the pocket beaches framed by the boulders.