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BVI Voted Best Caribean Destination
British Virgin Islands voted Best Caribbean Islands destination
Diving in the BVI Wreck Week 2010 Schedule of Events
While the Wreck of the Rhone is frequently acknowledged among the best wreck dives in the Caribbean, if not the world, a new dive attraction joined Wreck Alley in September.
The Tourist Board and Dive operators recently welcomed Island Seal, a cargo vessel that had capsized on August 25, 2006 and now resides among the Wreck Alley family just off the south side of Cooper Island.
The BVI is routinely acknowledged as among the best dive destinations in the world. Most recently, Scuba Diving magazine’s 2009 Readers’ Choice Awards named the British Virgin Islands as the Top Wreck Diving destination and among the Top Ten destinations for snorkelling and beginner diving.
Wreck Week 2010 Schedule of Events:
Saturday 12th June 2010
Opening Parties at Nanny Cay, Tortola & Top of the Bathes, Virgin Gorda
Tuesday 15th June 2010
Cooper Island Beach Club, Sunset Pig Roast on the Beach at Cooper Island
Friday 18th June 2010
"I Got Wrecked at Wreck Week Party" Trellis Bay, Beef Island, Tortola
Friday 18th June 2010
Bitter End Yacht Club Closing Party, North Sound Virgin Gorda
BVI Wreck Week Packages check www.sunfunbvi.com
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Caribbean Deals 2009
Discounted Rates - BVI Crewed Boats
Book and save $$
Reduction all inclusive weekly rate – 2 guests $7500 or 4 guests/$9500
Expires: 31/Jul/2010
Now discounted 10% listed rate below
Winter/Summer: All inclusive rates 2guests$10,000 3guests$ 10,750 4guests $11,250 5guests $12,000 6guets $12,500
* not including Easter, Thanksgiving, Christmas or New Years weeks
Expires: 01/Mar/2011 |
Crewed catamaran Good News about Good News!
Winter/Summer:
All inclusive rates 2guests $13 ,00 3guests $/14,300 4guests $ 14,800 Christmas 2010: 2guests $14, 800 3guests $ 15,300 4guests$ 15,800
Offering 20% discount! Expires: 02/Jun/2010
NORDIC LADY Nordic Lady stimulates her charter business offering a 25% discount on all charters confirmed prior to 3 November, 2010
2 guests = $11,500 less 25% ($2,875 savings) = $8,625
4 guests = $14,500 less 25% ($3,625 savings) = $10,875
Expires: 03/Nov/2010
PARADISE Take $1,000 off the listed rates!Winter/Summer 2010: All inclusive rates 2guests $6,720 3guests $7,350 4guests $7,980 Valid for 7 night charters
Expires: 30/Jun/2010
Catamaran Quest – All Inclusive rates for 7 nights 4-8 guests range between $14,500 and $17,500. From the end of April until the end of July, between Quest and SUNFUNBVI we are offering a further $1,500.00 discount!
Expires: 3July 2010
New locations SunFunBVI now offering Bareboat and Crewed Charters:
Croatia
Cuba
Martinique
St Martin
USA – Chesapeake
Bahamas
Greece
Homeland Security
DHS Announced the implementation of the ESTA is a new fully automated, electronic system for screening passengers before they begin travel to the United States under the Visa Waiver Program (VWP). ESTA applications may be submitted at any time prior to travel to the United States, and VWP travelers are encouraged to apply for the authorization as soon as they begin to plan a trip to the United States. It is anticipated that ESTA will became mandatory on 12 January 2009
The Road Town FAST FERRY now features 9PM departures from Red Hook, St. Thomas, to Road Town, Tortola, Thursday through Sundays From the Premier and Minister for Tourism Premier Honourable Ralph T. O’Neal, OBE has confirmed the start of a late ferry from Red Hook, St. Thomas as Government continues to explore options for increasing visitor arrivals in the Territory.
Road Town Fast ferry Now Features 9Pm departure from Red Hook, St Thomas USVI , see Fast Ferry web site _ http://www.roadtownfastferry.com/
Honourable O’Neal told the Department of Information and Public Relations that Road Town Fast Ferry has begun offering the late ferry service and is expected to continue to do so for the duration of the high tourism season. As of now, the service is offered Thursdays through Sundays at 9:00 p.m. with the actual time of departure from Red Hook dependent on the arrival time of last flights out of the United States mainland.
British Virgin Islands New Diving Site
Wednesday, September 23 – The BVI Tourist Board (BVITB) has welcomed the latest addition to the Territory’s tourism product, specifically the addition to the dive area known as Wreck Alley.The cargo vessel, Island Seal that capsized near Brandywine Bay since August 25, 2006 and later moved to Road Harbour, was last week taken to its final resting place, joining a number of other wrecks located at Wreck Alley.
Marine Marketing Manager of the BVITB Ms. Abigail O’Neal said, “Any addition that enhances the tourism product in an environmentally conscious way is always welcome.”
The Island Seal was the fourth wreck purposely sank in the area for diving and Ms. O’Neal spoke of efforts being made to promote diving there. “The Tourist Board is now working closely with the BVI Scuba Operators Association to promote Wreck Week which will be observed from June 12-19, 2010. It is part of our ongoing collaboration as we recently hosted along with the scuba operators, a press trip for ten leading dive journalists who were already impressed with the product and extremely excited about the new wreck,” she stated.
The relocation of the wreck represents the culmination of years of work, first to salvage the vessel and repair it and then to dispose of it.
Government secured the services of local company, Husky Salvage and Towing, which worked in close collaboration with the Virgin Islands Shipping Registry (VISR), BVI Tourist Board and BVI Scuba Operators Association.
According to Director of the VISR Captain Baboucar Sallah, his department in turn consulted with the Conservation and Fisheries Department. “A couple of sites were chosen and the VISR used that information to advise and request Government’s permission for the derelict to be used as a dive site or a fisheries aggregation device by sinking it at an appropriate location,” he told the Department of Information and Public Relations.
"Initially we decided to sink it on the north of Tortola but it was subsequently decided that in light of the sea and the weather conditions and the condition of the derelict, it might be better to choose a site within the Caribbean Sea that is just south of Cooper Island where it could be used as a dive site,” Captain Sallah added.
The VISR Director described the relocation as a fairly complex operation but one which was completed without incident. “It was a difficult, intricate and complex operation to refloat the vessel, keep it buoyant and make it amenable to moving from where it was across the Sir Francis Drake Channel to the final resting place,” he stated, adding that “There is knowledge and skill in the BVI to deal with that and the operation was completed without incident.”
The relocation of the wreck is in keeping with Government’s commitment to appropriately manage the environment in a manner that does not compromise the ability of future generations to enjoy the same privileges we do today.BY GIS Originally published: September 23, 2009 07:04:00 PM