ÔªøIn August, Tortola resident and photographer, Bradley Casey and his wife Karen, set off on a driving tour of the island. Tortola, a green island of breathtakingly beautiful hills with sweeping views from virtually every turn, is a delight to explore. Every stop along the way, whether it is one of the north shore’Äôs magnificent stretches of white sand or a seaside fishing village, offers its own set of rewards.
One of the best ways to see what Tortola is all about is to rent a jeep. A driving tour of the island is easy if you remember three words, left is right.
Driving on our tropical island is a hybrid of American cars, with steering on the left, and the British habit of driving on the left side of the road. As long as you stay on the left you will be on the right side of the road.
Our tour of discovery begins in Road Town. We will skirt the island, exploring a working rum distillery, walk magnificent white sand beaches, pause at panoramic vistas as well as swim and snorkel the turquoise waters of shimmering Caribbean bays.
Starting at the main traffic circle in the heart of Road Town, we will drive towards Soper’Äôs Hole at the west end of the island. A point of interest to note is at three quarters of a mile from the traffic circle to your right on Waterfront Road, you’Äôll see the stately Old Government House and museum which was once the governor’Äôs residence. It is open Monday to Friday from 9 to 2 and houses a fine collection of artifacts from the island’Äôs past, including hand painted china, stamps, furniture and memorabilia.
Roll down your windows and allow the sea-scented, warm Caribbean air to fill your senses as you wind along the seaside road, leaving Road Town behind you. Along the way you’Äôll pass Fort Burt, Sea Cow’Äôs Bay and Nanny Cay Marina. The road has a shoulder wide enough in spots to pull off to stop to take in the panorama which extends from glimpses of Virgin Gorda in the north east to St. John in the US Virgin Islands to the south west; with splendid views of Ginger and Cooper to the east, Salt Island to the south east and inbetween Peter and Norman Islands to the south in between. The road passes numerous brightly coloured Caribbean homes, banana and papaya trees swaying in the breeze with thick mangroves along the water’Äôs edge. Keep a careful watch out and you may also see herons and pelicans resting along the rock wall.
After about ten miles, at the ’ÄúT’Äù intersection, turn left and continue to Soper’Äôs Hole, a colourful, West Indian inspired marina. Exploring the breezeways you will find eclectic souvenir shops, restaurant, jewellery stores, clothing shops, charter companies and a dive shop. It is the perfect stop for an ice cream or cold drink, or to sit back and watch yachts come and go.
Return over the bridge and turn left at the ’ÄúT’Äù intersection then take the right hand hairpin turn, just before the ferry parking lot. If in doubt, just ask someone and they will gladly give you directions. The narrow switchback road will take you up over the mountain and onto the north side of the island. You will quickly realize why there are so many four wheel drive vehicles here. (If your vehicle has only two wheel drive you may want to back track one mile on Waterfront road to Zion Hill and take that route over the mountain to Apple Bay.)
As you crest the top of the mountain you will be rewarded with views of Little and Great Thatch to the north west and Jost Van Dyke to the north. The road winds through Belmont Estate and feels like a lush tropical forest, with overhanging pink oleander, red and yellow pride of Barbados and bright colours of bougainvillea and frangipani. Back at sea level, continue a short distance and park at Long Bay. The mile long beach of fine white sand is perfect for stretching your legs; and if the surf is up, a great place for body surfing.
From Long Bay we continue back along the north shore. Driving through Apple Bay we’Äôll pass the famous Bomba Shack, a refuge for late night and early morning full moon revelers, and arrive at the small fishing village of Carrot Bay. The uncommon North Shore Shell Museum is on your right. A vast collection of local shells and quirky hand-made signs fill the space below a restaurant. If the owner is there he is a wealth of information about the island, it’Äôs history and culture. In fact, take the opportunity to stop and ’Äúlime’Äù at any of the local shops or restaurants you find along the way, as this is where you will really learn what Tortola is all about
Follow the North Shore road to Cane Garden Bay. The first stop entering the bay is a tour of the Callwood Rum Distillery. This distillery, from days past, still produces rum the same way it has for over 200 years. That was when the land above the bay was thick with sugar cane. Now Cane Garden Bay has numerous restaurants great for eating-in or take your lunch out and sit under the shade of a palm tree on the beach.
Leaving Cane Garden Bay drive the hill on its eastern end, and near the top, make a left hand hairpin turn toward Brewers Bay. Follow the road down to the right and down to the bay, winding your way through the switchbacks. The crystalline waters of Brewers Bay are protected from northerly swells and are ideal for exploring with fins, mask and snorkel; especially along the west side or middle of the bay. After you dry off, you’Äôll drive past the campground and see remnants of a distillery emerge from the landscape of palm grove and jungle. As you travel up the other side of the bay stay to the left at the ’ÄúY’Äù; the Mount Healthy National Park is about one mile from the campground. Unique in the B.V.I., this is one mill that used wind, rather than animal power, to crush the locally grown cane into juice for sugar or rum production. It ceased producing in the early 1830's.
From the east Brewers Bay road turn left onto Ridge Road. A half mile past the Great Mountain Road junction, a small road-side ’Äúlook-out’Äù provides a grand view of Road Town and the surrounding islands. This road follows the contour of the island ridge and will take us all the way to Beef Island. A mile past the view point takes us to a wall painted by local artists with scenes of island life a generation ago. Images of fishing, making bread, tending to crops and playing music illustrate the rich pageant of life on Tortola.
As the road twists and turns, you’Äòll come across wide vistas of the Atlantic Ocean, as far as your eye can see. From some spots you can see far enough to observe the earth’Äôs curvature. Continue straight through the three way junction at Josiah's Bay and Road Town toward Lambert Beach. At the next junction follow the road to the left, passing Lambert Beach resort and go straight for a short distance. Follow the main road and turn right at the intersection. As you round the next bend to the left you’Äôll see a house with a cobalt blue roof and a large grey retaining wall; you’Äôll take your second 90 degree right turn, rather than following the road straight. Follow the road down to Blackburn highway and turn left.
Continue over the Queen Elizabeth Bridge to Beef Island, past the airport and on to Trellis Bay. Originally Amerindians inhabited the Trellis Bay area, it was also a favourite spot of the pirate Black Sam Bellamy and more recently a protected anchorage for modern cruising yachts. Beef island was named for the cattle that were once raised there. Trellis Bay is a treasure trove of unique pottery, artisan masks and hand printed fabrics. The bay also hosts restaurants, coffee shops and a market. When you are ready to leave this bay be sure to stop in at Long Bay, Beef Island. It is the quintessential Caribbean beach, crystal clear azure waters and white sand, best of all, some days you may very well find you have the beach all to yourself. The entrance is at the end of the runway, to your right as you are returning past the Terrance B. Lettsome airport.
Before you return over the Queen Elizabeth Bridge keep your eyes to the left for a circular stone wall in the water close to the shore at end of the row of houses. This is a turtle kraal, this was how seafood used to be kept fresh before refrigeration came to the island.
Our journey back takes us along the winding Blackburn Highway through the villages of East End, past rows of elegant sail boats in Fat Hogs Bay, Parquita Bay and Brandywine Bay then back to the traffic circle in Road Town.
Once your vacation is over and you’Äôre back home, you will always remember discovering Tortola by Jeep; recalling the essence of the island with its quiet bays, winding roads that open up to spectacular vistas of sea and sky, and the friends you’Äôve made along the way.