General Information
The steep and hilly island of Jost van Dyke, the smallest of the four main British Virgin Islands (BVI), lies just under three miles from West End in Tortola, the largest.
The modern name of the island is derived from the Dutch name Joost (Justin) van Dyke and comes from the Dutch occupation between 1650 and 1672. Despite websites claiming he was a pirate, the BVI historian Mitch Kent confirms that he’s not aware of any record of Joost being a pirate. If there should be any speculation, it is likely that Joost migrated from the Zeeland Peninsula in Holland and was in charge of the island as one of the frontier colonists sent from Governor Abraham Adriessen from St. Eustatius in 1648. It is possible that Joost bought the land, just as William Hunthum, a Rotterdam merchant, bought Tortola for £400 in 1663.
History
The initial story of Jost Van Dyke remains a mystery, we’re still looking to learn more about the way multiple cultures including the Arawak were displaced by the later Caribs. The team of Dr. Brian Bates had been excavating in Cape Wright on JVD and Lettsom Settlement on Little Jost Van Dyke. Radiocarbon dating shows the oldest artifacts from at least 600 A.D until sometime after 1300 AD.
After the Dutch, the English captured the island in 1672, and are still involved until these days.
The existence on the island was quite difficult and periods of flourishing often ended abruptly.
The first reliable records speak about the Lettsom family (1741), where the island would most likely serve the production of cotton. In 1815, 140 acres produced 21,000 pounds of cotton annually using slave labor.
The main crop of the BVI – sugar, has left its mark on JVD as well – as you sip your Painkiller in the Soggy Dollar, the remains of a sugar works ruin are on a ridge heading E – you can walk up to them passing the road uphill from Rudy’s Marketplace (Eastern end of White Bay).
With the end of the plantation period, JVD became a farming place (cattle, goats), but still experienced 2 booms, one happening right now!
The first boom was the Prohibition Era (1922-1933), when the US Virgin Islands (and Puerto Rico) prohibited the sale of alcohol. The once-in-a-lifetime business opportunity converted many JVD fishermen to smugglers.
The second boom, lasting until today, started in the 1960s, with the charter industry being born in the Virgin Islands. Pioneered by Robin Tattersall, Charlie and Ginny Cary and followed by many others – the handful of yachts turned into hundreds and later thousands. The bareboat charters were developed to offer crewed service and crewed charters.
If you ever asked why you’re expected to pay up to 25% tip when chartering in the Virgin Islands, history is the reason. As many other charter destinations developed much later, some even in the internet age; Virgin Island yacht charters were sold over catalogs in a time when generous tipping was common.
It was the American Dream – the crew would be able to save up the tips to buy their own boat (catamaran) or a beach bar – you know some of them – Soggy Dollar in White Bay or Myett’s in Cane Garden Bay. As of 2021, the Charter Yacht Broker Association has included the tips as a part of the contract that you will likely sign for your charter.
Now, Jost van Dyke boasts 298 inhabitants, and all are stridently proud of their island. Tourism is the principal source of income, providing one in four jobs, according to the island’s government, and, every day, dozens of yachts and other boats offload tourists who go on to pack every bar and restaurant until late at night. There is but one road plus a few tracks and paths.
Popular chain restaurants such as McDonalds are downright forbidden. There are no large shops, but many of the restaurants and bars stock gifts and souvenirs. Jewelry, crafts, and gifts can be found at Wendell’s World. Jost van Dyke Scuba sells not only dive and snorkel gear but also books and gifts. The Ice House stocks handmade ornaments, used paperbacks, and locally-made jams and salad dressings. Roty is a local speciality—a curry mixture served in a special wrap with chutney.
Anchorages
Jost van Dyke boasts six anchorages.
White Bay, which is small, is in the southwesterly part of the island and requires good visibility due to the coral barrier close to the entrance. The beach is superb and reputedly one of the best in the BVI but uncomfortable in a southeasterly wind. The best reefs are Diamond Cay and the surrounding out-islands of Green Cay, Little Jost Van Dyke, Sandy Cay, and Sandy Spit. The best places for diving are the Playground, betwixt Green Cay and Little Jost, and Twin Towers, to the north of Little Jost. Ashore can be found the White Bay Sandcastle restaurant, another snack bar, and a small shop.
Great Harbor is Jost van Dyke’s only village. It is also a port. There is a marina with a few berths on a T-shaped pontoon and a fuel dock. There is shoal ground from both the eastern and western shores and at the head of the bay, making it necessary to anchor around 650 feet from the dock in 26 to 33 feet of water. The bay is generally crowded in high season. The beach is lovely. In the village are a few houses, a small church, a couple shops, including a very minor supermarket, a small hotel, and several bar-restaurants. The best-known and oldest bar is Foxy’s (and it’s Foxy singing), whose New Year party is spectacular. Nearby is Corsairs Restaurant, one of the BVIs’ best restaurants.
Little Harbor is, again, 10 to 16 feet deep and is surrounded by shoal grounds. The best-sheltered anchorage is to the northeast. Little Harbor is often less crowded than Great Harbor. On the east shore is Abe’s restaurant, which sells some groceries and where there is a dock for tenders. Owned by Abe Coakley and his spouse, Eunicy, it features a pig roast on Wednesday evenings in the appropriate season. There is a pontoon which supplies water and fuel.
Eastend Harbor is poorly sheltered from any eastern swell.
There are another two anchorages, one in the southwest of the island, offering suitable protection for a day stop, swell permitting, and one in the east, which is better protected except in the face of a strong southeasterly swell.
