A Swashbuckler’s Dream
Have you ever dreamed of being a pirate marooned on a Caribbean island? Such treasured, untainted pieces of paradise really do exist and just within spittin’ distance from St. John. So beautiful in fact, that they have served as the ideal backdrop for dozens of commercials and magazine covers.
To see these secluded havens for yourself, you’ll need a captain with a boat. Choose from a number of reputable charters on St. John, power or sail, and aim north just a few miles. Right off the coast of Jost Van Dyke, you’ll spy a patch of white sand topped with palm trees on the horizon known as Sandy Cay. Throw anchor and swim ashore to your own private 14-acre nature preserve previously owned (and later donated) by the late philanthropist Laurance Rockefeller.
A short hiking trail that hugs a shallow coral reef will lead you to the other side, the volcanic rocky east end. In the middle, you’ll find a salt pond and many varieties of birds, land crabs, geckos and anole lizards. Surprisingly, more than 90 different varieties of flora can be found on this tiny patch of land, soon to be owned by the British Virgin Islands National Park. Be sure to bring a waterproof camera for underwater shots along the reef and under the towering palm trees that line the dreamy stretch of beach.
Just to the north of Sandy Cay is the most photographed acre of land in all of the BVIs, Sandy Spit, merely a couple of ideally placed coconut palms buried in a sand dune that changes shape with the tide. Tourists from all over the world swim ashore seeking that deserted-island moment, but since it’s only accessible by boat, it’s rarely crowded.
If you’re still feeling adventurous, snorkel the reef that connects to nearby Green Cay to the north. Heavy vegetation covers most of the Cay, although the entire island is outlined with pure white sand. An excellent dive site on the ocean side called “The Playground” is located here as well the remnants of a shipwreck just waiting to be explored.
Visit early or late in the day for the chance to have these jewels all to yourself. Go ahead and break open a cold one and pretend to be Captain Jack Sparrow. Peg leg and eye patch optional.
Note: You will need a passport to visit Sandy Cay, Sandy Spit or Green Cay as they are located in British waters.
