Welcome to the December – January issue of BVI Yacht Guide.

This is our annual double issue, bigger and the best of in so many ways. For me and many others, the winter is the best time of the year in the BVI; everything is going on, all the time. Not only is it Christmas, and “Irie Christmas” will start to ring out on Main Street, but it is high season, and you only need to look out onto the Channel to see the amount of boats full of visitors to the charter sailing capital of the world. These islands are loved from within and afar. Add to that cooler nights, winter swells and northeast fresh trade winds, throw in a beach barbeque for Christmas Day and the odd painkiller of any description and dig those toes in the sand. You are having fun.

The BVI is a Mecca, a hive of activity. Beyond the nature, the weather and the wealth of interesting people living and working here, there is also the respected industry that supports the marine tourism and the people who live here for a life on the water. This issue highlights some of the best developments currently at work that shape our islands and its lifestyle for generations to come.

For us here at YG, we have been working extremely hard to bring this issue together to showcase some of the best properties and marine developments going on. As always, we aim for exclusives and to give you an inside view of what we hope you will enjoy should you visit, or even consider investing. This year has seen our team expand, develop and change our office and hone in on marketing our customers to the best avenues possible whilst bringing a better style of graphic design and copy to our magazine. It is a group effort, and not only the team working round the clock but also our photographers, contributors and advertisers that make it all happen. The sum is greater than its component parts, and the cogs in the wheel are similar to what makes your holiday or lifestyle here unique, it’s made up of many hearty souls giving their best at all times. This year for us also marked the passing of John Rathbun, one of the originators of alookingGlass, a good man, and his legacy continues in Colin, his son, and in all of us here at aLG keeping the dreams alive. I was out windsurfing a while ago, two dolphins swam under my board and joined me for five minutes at around twenty knots, that is priceless − that is the BVI.

Have a great festive season − you deserve it.

Owen Waters