Provisioning in the BVI for your Bareboat Charter
All bareboats need to take special care to provision properly - and thanks to the internet and the evolution of online grocery shopping, it has changed from being a hassle to almost a pleasant experience. In the "old days" the first thing everyone did when they arrived at their boat was to run to Road Town, buy all provisions necessary, and lug them back to their boats. If the store was closed or out of stock, tough luck.
Today, you have a variety of excellent BVI Yacht provisioning options, on several islands, both online and walk-in during your charter. Some of the larger stores are open every day, and even until midnight, for that last minute provisioning. Below are just some of the options available.
If you provision online, typically you can have the food delivered directly to your boat (free of charge if the order is big enough), so that it is ready when you arrive (make sure you don't schedule it too early, however, as your food may be sitting in the sun waiting for you!).
We recommend that you determine your general food plan at least a month before your charter, and take the time as you click through the things you need online. There's nothing worse than throwing away good food at the end of a charter, or having it spoil because you can't eat it in time! And if you have time, you may want to wait on your fresh food and actually go to the store when you arrive to top up your order and assure you have exactly what you want. See our blog on provisioning in the BVI for additional information
Your food plan is of course up to your personal tastes, but we typically recommend light breakfasts and lunches on board, and to plan for half of your dinners ashore.
Notes about the BVI
- all food must be flown in, so it is typically more expensive than you're used to!
- do not bring packaging material (especially cardboard cartons) onto the boat - they often have cockroach eggs on them. Unpack your food items on the dock, and bring only the actual bottles, cans, and products onto the boat.
Provisioning Companies on Tortola
Bobby's Yacht Provisioning - A full service grocery store online
www.bobbysmarketplace.com
Phone: (284) 494-2189
email bobbys@surfbvi.com
(free delivery to anywhere on the island)
Road Town, Tortola
Hours 7:00 AM to midnight - Daily
Ample Hamper - A smaller, higher-end grocery store
www.amplehamper.com/
Phone: (284) 494-2494 (Road Town Store)
(284) 495-4684 (Soper's Hole, West End)
email amplehamper@surfbvi.com
(free delivery anywhere on the island)
Hours 8:00 AM to 10:00 PM - Daily
Rite Way Food Markets & Provisioners - General purpose provisioning
www.rtwbvi.com
Phone: (284) 494-2263
email rtwllh@surfbvi.com
(Free delivery in Road Town area only)
Road Town, Tortola
Hours: Mon. - Sat. 7:30 AM -10:00 PM
Sun. 8:00 AM to 8:00 PM
Sailor's Ketch Seafood Provisions - Specializes in fresh Seafood
www.sailorsketch.com
Phone: (284) 495-1100
email sailorsketch@aol.com
Supermarkets and Grocery Stores
Bobby's Marketplace - Road Town
Phone: (284) 494-2189
email bobbys@surfbvi.com
Open Daily: 7:00 AM to midnight
K-Marks Foods - Port Purcell
Phone: (284) 494-6999
email kmarks@surfbvi.com
Hours: Monday to Saturday 7:30 AM to 11:00 PM
Sunday 8:00 AM to 11:00 PM
Port Purcell Market - Port Purcell
Phone: (284) 494-2724
Monday to Thursday: 8:45 AM to 8:15 PM
Friday: 8:45 AM to 9:00 PM
Saturday 8:45 AM to 9:00 PM
Closed Sunday
Rite Way Food Markets BVI Ltd. - 7 BVI locations
Phone: (284) 494-2263
email rtwllh@surfbvi.com
One final note - don't stress about getting everything you need for the entire charter in the initial order. There are small shops in many ports to top up what you run out of, and a very nice grocery store in Spanish Town Marina on Virgin Gorda that is perfect for a midway stop.
Need help with provisioning? Just contact us and we will help you plan everything necessary. You can also check out our blog that has some additional recommendations about provisioning in the BVI.