Exploring YCCS

By Alexander Britell

It isn’t really like any other yacht club in the Caribbean.

But that’s because the Yacht Club Costa Smeralda’s roots aren’t in the Caribbean, but the Italian island of Sardinia.

And this Virgin Gorda yacht club, accessible only by boat and centered around a 38-slip marina, makes for a fascinating place.

Make no mistake — this is a megayacht marina, capable of handling yachts of up to 300 feet.

And that’s part of the appeal — everything here feels world class, from the restaurant to the marvelous infinity pool to a great little rum selection (go for the J Bally if they have it in stock). Oh, and terrific Wi-Fi, too.

But the star of the show is really the aforementioned infinity pool, which brings together most guests and provides for one of the most spectacular views anywhere in the British Virgin Islands (just watch out for the power of the painkillers here).

It also includes on-site concierge services, from yacht provisioning and express shipping to cleaning services and even water excursions to nearby islands. Naturally, there’s a great restaurant here, too.

YCCS is perhaps best known for the Loro Piana Caribbean Superyacht Regatta and Rendezvous, and the Rolex Swan Cup Caribbean, both prestigious stops on the ultraluxe circuit.

Now — that all adds up to the feel of an exclusive place, but in a good way. And, more importantly, you can bring your boat here — the marina isn’t private, meaning it’s open to anyone who pays the dockage fees (about $3.95 per foot per day).

And that means if you’re sailing around the British Virgin Islands, you simply have to visit.

— CJ