On Monday, Tomas Dardet and nearly 20 of his friends and family visited The Baths in Virgin Gorda, climbing in and out of rock pools and exploring caves.

Although the popular tourist attraction was crowded, the Puerto Rican felt right at home.

“Everyone spoke Spanish,” he laughed. “We did the whole tour. And it was full of Puerto Ricans everywhere. We were the only ones buying at the concession store by the beach where they sell burgers and hot dogs to charters. They were just Puerto Ricans.

They had come to the territory for the annual Christmas celebration in July. The main event – in Pond Bay, Virgin Gorda on Saturday – broke attendance records, with more than 400 boats and more than 4,000 participants in total, according to Mr Dardet, the BVI Tourist Board representative at Puerto Rico who works to promote the event.

The high numbers were not surprising, he said.

The so-called “Puerto Rican Navy” – a group of boaters who for years have arrived on VI shores towards the end of the tourist season, giving the industry a much-needed boost – was eager to return after two years of cancellations, Mr. Dardet explained.

Companies

For businesses still struggling to get back on their feet after border closures, restrictions and dismal arrival numbers, this boost is more important than ever.

“We believe this is an investment that benefits several sectors,” explained Mr. Dardet, adding that the charter industry is one of the main beneficiaries. “All businesses have their off seasons, their low season in summer. And this event, although many people come with boats, many people without boats come and rent boats. It is therefore an important sector which, in our opinion, is positively affected.

Participants aren’t just staying for the main event on Saturday, he added, noting the crowds at Les Bains on Monday.

“People come and they spend a week or two, and so they move,” he said. “Right now, if you see Pond Bay, there are maybe about 10 boats at most anchored there. Everyone left and moved to different places: to Bitter End, Leverick Bay; at Jost Van Dyke or Norman Island. And so they distribute the investment of money throughout the territory.

Participants don’t want to carry all their food and drink from Puerto Rico, he explained, noting that most only eat one or two meals on board a day.

“Because whoever takes care of the different meals, whether it’s husband or wife, they don’t want to cook all the time,” he said. “It’s a vacation. You have to go ashore. It’s like a partial supply, not for the whole time.

Shore-based boat services also benefit, he explained.

“All the marinas were full this week,” he added. “There was no room. Many of them can come in small boats. Looking for villas and hotels with docks, so they can sleep in one room. My brother is staying at Scrub Island, and I know it’s full.

As a former shipowner, Mr. Dardet recalled the sums of money that he personally distributed around the VI over the past 35 years.

“I just sold my boat in 2019,” he said. “I was still spending a lot on the island even though I was in my boat. I always ended up spending something with a mechanic at Virgin Gorda Yacht Harbour, money on diesel fuel, bread and guava pie and lunch and dinner – all that.

Story

Although Puerto Ricans have informally sailed to the VI every year for decades, the official Christmas in July event celebrates its 10th anniversary this year, Dardet said.

What started as a night out in Pond Bay has now become a daytime party, with main sponsors Wally Castro Marine and Marcos Rivera tasked with setting up a tent and stage and hiring local bands and DJs to entertain the crowd. .

Likewise, the relationship between PR and VI residents has also evolved over the years toward mutual appreciation, according to Dardet.

“We were very well received,” said the promoter. “I think people in BVI in general really appreciate the Puerto Rican market. More so after the hurricanes.

Shortly after Hurricane Irma hit in 2017, a flotilla of boats and planes were among the first to arrive to help, carrying food, water and other much-needed supplies.

“People from the BVI saw that, and we felt that the experience had helped at all levels,” recalls Mr. Dardet. “Nobody can say that he hasn’t received support from Puerto Rico in one way or another. And I think that kind of helped, you know, open up that communication and that mutual admiration.

“expected” event

Tourism director Clive McCoy called Christmas in July “one of the most anticipated events” in the territory.

“We are doing everything we can to ensure that the Puerto Rican Navy can come back and enjoy the beauty of our territory with us,” McCoy said. “The ties that unite us are many and we are very happy to welcome them back.”

The influx of visitors meant a lot to customs and immigration, the director said, but he commended their efforts and noted that other government agencies were also supporting the event.

According to Mr. Dardet, “It was the biggest challenge to enter the ports, and even with this challenge, customs and immigration made a very big effort to open more ports during the days of the event. So they added a temporary port of entry to Nanny Cay, and the support from top to bottom was really, really amazing.