Jail bait

It seems that you need to know exactly where you are when fishing in the Caribbean -- otherwise you may end up in the slammer next to some low-life drug smuggler.

According to The Chicago Tribune a retired police officer, the captain of an U.S.V.I. charter boat, ended up in British Virgin Island territory by mistake.

The sloppy skipper was charged with illegal entry into the British territory and fishing without a license and was slapped with a $45,ooo fine and one-year prison sentence.

"He is the laughing stock of the prison," his wife Deborah Barton said Tuesday. "The inmates who are in there for every other crime just crack up at him because he is doing a year for fishing."

Antigua bound

Good news for island hoppers!
American Eagle will launch a new route between Tortola and Antigua starting on June 1.
The flights will take off Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday using a 64-seat Super ATR aircraft.
This is particularly good news for travelers from London who will be able to connect to the British Virgin Islands from Antigua.

Mariah in the BVI?

OK - so I'm well aware of my spotty blogging record as of late. Business has taken me to far away to not-so-glamourous locales and I just haven't been able to park my butt at a computer after work.
But now I'm back and just in the nick of time it seems.
According to Billboard, Mariah Carey is in the BVI laying down tracks for her new album due in the coming months.
Has anyone spotted the musical diva? Drop me a comment if you have.

Affordable yachting

If you love luxury yachts but hate the high price tag they carry then fractional ownership may be for you.

Tortola-based The Moorings offers an affordable (relatively speaking) deal which can get you on board your own private luxury yacht for less than half a mil.

For $430,000 you can buy a one-tenth ownership of the yacht pictured here to the left. It entitles you to four weeks on board including a captain and chef.

After five years the yacht is sold and proceeds are divided.

How great is that?

Smuggler's Cove indeed

When I think of Norman Island only one thing comes to mind: Willy T's. It's sad but true.

Yes, I've snorkeled in the Caves and Indians but all the evenings and afternoons I've spent at Willy T's are emblazoned in my mind.

So it was with quite a bit of interest that I read this article in Yahoo! news which says that 49 hungry and thirsty migrants hid out for days amid a tangle of trees and brush on Norman Island.

Apparently the human smuggling is not limited to one place. All the islands of the BVI "are increasingly attractive to Caribbean smugglers carrying illegal migrants to the nearby U.S. Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico," reads the article.

"The new route swings deep into the eastern Caribbean and runs northwest along the Leeward Island chain before heading to the British Virgin Islands. The migrants, mostly from Cuba, Haiti and the Dominican Republic, generally fly to the island of Dominica, then hook up with smugglers who take them on chartered sailboats to U.S. territory under cover of darkness."

BVI Posh

A new magazine covering all things Caribbean has just launched with an event in the Caribbean American community in Brooklyn, NY.

The fledgling mag was born of the mind of Founder, Publisher and Editor Janette Brin who was born in St. Thomas (USVI) and raised in Tortola (BVI).

According to the press release, "POSH Magazine will feature articles on personal growth, social and political issues affecting the Caribbean region and its people globally coupled with profiles of celebrities and rising stars of the community."

It's too early to tell whether the magazine will deliver on all these claims but the website is pretty swish.

Virgin Gorda makes the list

The editors at Frommer's Travel Guides have released a list of twelve surprising, thriving, or emerging travel destinations -- basically places not to be missed in 2007.

And lo and behold -- among such destinations as Krakow, Poland, Portland, Oregon, and Ethopia -- was Virgin Gorda.

VG made the list because of it's off-the-beaten-path feel: "You can take jeep tours of the island, hike through the jungle, or explore funky Spanish Town and its unassuming bars and restaurants. Best of all, you can hang out at the Baths, a string of beaches where giant boulders form tranquil pools and grottoes flooded with sea water," reads the article.

Warning to locals

Have you ever traveled to a place only to be railroaded by well meaning locals?

This happened to me early this year on a trip to Virgin Gorda. Upon arriving at our hotel my husband and I asked our host where he would recommend we go for lunch.

"Bitter End," I asked? "Ugh," said he. "Leverick Bay? Biras Creek?" I enquired. "Terrible," he replied.

Well by now I was ready to give up. I understand that not everyone has a great opinion of evey place, but, C'mon! I had heard enough positive praise that I figured one of these would be ok.

Finally he said grudgingly, "Saba Rock, that's a nice place."

Well -- in the end we stayed at the hotel and went out to dinner at a charming place in Spanish Town.

Note to locals: You may want to consider your audience when recommending a place to tourists.

Peter Island's new nest

I have a real soft spot for the Peter Island Resort -- which draws me because of its proximity to Roadtown, its sleepy, laid-back vibe and stunning beauty. Not to mention it routinely makes the Condé Nast gold list.

The 52-room resort is adding new luxury digs to its stable of villas. The six-bedroom, 10,400-square-foot Falcon's Nest Villa is slated to open on April 1.

The villa sits high on the peak of the hill overlooking White Bay Beach. It consists of three separate residences which offer views on a clear day to Norman Island and over to St. Croix in the distance.

The nightly rate for the villa is $8,000.

Lambert: The killer beach?

The folks over at Jaunted are asking people to list 2007's killer beaches. Places in paradise that should come with a warning label or danger sign. Low and behold - Lambert beach made the list.

"This half-moon-shaped strand lures in sun and surf lovers with its easily-accessible yet rarely crowded location. Once suckered in like bees to honey, swimmers find themselves facing a formidable undertow. Ocean currents are stronger than any swimmers we happen to know, so make sure you take a gander at the conditions before splashing in to cool off," writes Jaunted user Pbb.

Well that's one way of getting on the map. Personally I've seen some pretty strong undertow all over the BVI -- notably at Brewer's Bay and Josiah's.

Scrub for sale

The newest development to hit the BVI, Scrub Island, is set to open this fall. And -- let me tell you -- am I excited!

The Mainsail Development Group is developing a boutique, luxury villa resort, spa and marina community on this tiny 230-acre island which is just a five minute ferry ride from the Beef Island Airport and within spitting distance of Marina Cay.

It's looking like a dandy of a project -- and a recent flyover I took proved that there was indeed development on the go.

Here's a short list of what's being planned:

• Donovan's Reef Restaurant/Welcome Center
• 65 Marina Slips (35ft-150ft)
• 24 hour Concierge Services
• Boardwalk/Retail Shops
• Fine dining/2,000 SF of meeting space
• Hilltop Wine/Cigar Bar
• Astronomy Observatory
• 3 secluded beaches
• 8 Lagoon style, fresh water swimming pools
• Swim-up Pool Bar and Grille
• Spa facility with ocean view cabanas
• Fitness Center/Tennis Courts
• Helipads

If you're looking to buy a lot check out the Coldwell Banker site.

According to the BVI Tourism site, "To continue in the tradition of the island’s peaceful nature, Scrub Island will not exceed more than 200 residents or guests at any given time, even after full development. The primary form of transportation on the island will be golf carts."

Going green at Necker Island

Having only swiftly sailed by Richard Branson's Necker Island, I was excited to see Wallpaper's travel dispatch from this oh-so-exclusive getaway.

In a giant leap onto the Eco-friendly bandwagon, Branson plans to make Necker the greenest island in the world, "with an organic garden, solar-powered hot water, bio-treated sewage and its own incinerator."

Branson is also in talks with the BVI government to make the country carbon-neutral.

He is also planning an eco-resort for Moskito Island.

FT does the BVI

The respected U.K. newspaper, the Financial Times, just published a special report on the BVI (subscriber only) that's a must-read for addicts like me.

The report deals mainly with the offshore business dealings of the tiny jursidiction as well as the business of upscale tourism and the island's attempts to balance development with environmental responsibility.