jost van dyke
News

Saying Hola to Jost Van Dyke

By: Caribbean Journal Staff - September 5, 2018 - 7:36 pm

By Alexander Britell and Guy Britton

JOST VAN DYKE — A little more than a year ago, the leisure boats and charter yachts pulled away from Jost Van Dyke on an afternoon not unlike this one, sipping their last painkillers, their last Firewater, savoring their last conch fritters for what would be a very long goodbye.

“Adios to Jost,” wrote the Virgin Islands’ most famous musical ambassador, Kenny Chesney, in “It’s That Time of Day,” singing years ago of the late afternoon departure ritual on White Bay.

But this was not a goodbye.

Because now, after months of struggle, grief, rebuild and recovery, Jost Van Dyke is back again.

jost van dyke

The Soggy Dollar Bar, a Mecca for rum pilgrims.

The hills are green, the turquoise shimmering, the trees rising. The white of White Bay is just as blindingly bright.

And, yes, the dollars are soggy again.

Thursday marks one year since the savage storm bent the British Virgin Islands, but this chain of infinitely strong islands did not break.

The BVI is making its own comeback, a story that is perhaps nowhere more visible than here on Jost Van Dyke, the little green island that is the Mecca of sailors and beach lovers the world over.

We were here just over a year ago, too, downing painkillers, bobbing in the White Bay blue, listening to Kenny.

The famous painkiller cocktail at the Soggy Dollar Bar.

This week, a year after the storm, we came back, doing precisely the same thing on a gorgeous afternoon in White Bay. Even if you squinted you could swear there had been no hurricane here.

Because the purity of the Jost Van Dyke experience, the simple, wonderful things that make up a trip to this corner of the British Virgin Islands, remain, as spectacular as ever.

And it’s as easy as ever to get to, whether you’re traveling on the shiny, comfortable New Horizon (above), or a sailing charter.

jost van dyke

White Bay is glowing.

And on Wednesday, even on one of the slowest days during any season, the place was packed.

The only glaring evidence today is the array of planks holding up freshly-planted palm trees, each donated by Soggy lovers who wanted to contribute to the place they love so much.

“The comeback of of Soggy Dollar and Jost Van Dyke shows the resilience of the human spirit,” Soggy Dollar owner Jerry O’Connell told Caribbean Journal. “We have brought back a magical place that we will be able to share with the world once again.”

jost van dyke

Over in Great Harbour, the story is the same: Foxy’s is serving its firewater, its impressive compound standing tall again.

“We’re still here and we aren’t going anywhere,” Foxy told Caribbean Journal.

jost van dyke

Foxy’s Bar is standing tall once again in Great Harbour.

The most lovable little island in the British Virgin Islands is here again, ready for its rum-seeking pilgrims, a symbol of the BVI’s renaissance, a symbol of the renaissance taking place a year later across the Caribbean, on all of the islands who fought a menacing, violent tempest and won.

Because it was never adios.

It’s hola.

— CJ

Popular Posts antigua long bay

25 Perfect Caribbean Beaches to Add to Your Summer Bucket List

There’s nothing like a Caribbean beach in summer. The crowds thin out, the winds relax, and the islands start breathing in a different way. The beaches you thought you knew feel new again— stretches of sand once packed with winter […]


The 15 Best Hotels in Trinidad and Tobago, From Hidden Eco-Retreats to Luxury Towers

trinidad and tobago hotels where to stay

From Port of Spain to Tobago’s quiet coasts, these are the places to check in now No two Caribbean islands are quite like Trinidad and Tobago—and no two hotels here feel the same. This is a destination of contrast: Carnival […]


Royal Caribbean’s New Cruise Ship Has a Rooftop Bar, a Waterpark and the Largest Pool at Sea

star of the seas

You step into a glass dome floating high above the ocean. To your right, divers plunge from platforms. Above, aerialists twist through light. Somewhere behind you, a DJ is spinning beside a suspended infinity pool. This isn’t a dream — […]


Related Posts beaches

The Best Beaches in America Are in the Caribbean

You want to find the best beaches in America? You need to head south. Way south. Because they’re not where you think they are. They’re not in Florida, not in California, not in the Carolinas. They’re in the Caribbean. Yes […]


A Legendary Caribbean Chef Just Opened a New Eatery in Martinique (With a Rum Bar, Too) 

martinique french caribbean hostpot

Maybe you’ve tried the foie gras-banana. Or the swordfish. Or just tried one of the best ti’ punches anywhere. If you’ve been to one of Guy Ferdinand’s establishments, you know.  And now there’s another one: Ferdinand has done it again: […]


These 5 Caribbean Cities Are Perfect for a Quick Weekend Getaway

old san juan puerto rico caribbean cities

The Caribbean is about more than just its stunning natural beauty — it’s about culture, character, and city streets that feel like they’ve lived a hundred lives. Some of the most memorable escapes happen not on a remote cay, but […]