Jost Van Dyke (sometimes colloquially referred to as JVD or Jost) is the smallest of the four main islands of the British Virgin Islands, measuring roughly 8 square kilometres (3 square miles). It rests in the northern portion of the archipelago of the Virgin Islands, located in the Atlantic Ocean and Caribbean Sea. Jost Van Dyke lies about 8 km (5 mi) to the northwest of Tortola and 8 km (5 mi) to the north of Saint John. Little Jost Van Dyke lies off its eastern end.
Like many of the neighboring islands, it is volcanic in origin and mountainous. The highest point on the island is Majohnny Hill at 321 m (1,053 ft).
As at the 2010 Census, the population of Jost Van Dyke was 298.[3] The population has grown strongly in recent decades, in line with the population of the Virgin Islands. Its recorded population in 1991 was 140. The island has a young population with nearly one-half (46%) of residents under the age of 35 and almost 70% under the age of 50.
Jost Van Dyke receives numerous visitors. The island is accessible by private boats and ferry service from Tortola, Saint Thomas, and Saint John.
Located in nearby White Bay is the Soggy Dollar Bar, another famous beach bar on the island. The Soggy Dollar is reputedly the birthplace of the popular drink known as the Painkiller. The Soggy Dollar bar is appropriately named because when built there was neither road nor dock. (There is now a road from Belle Vue, but still no dock). To reach the beach where the bar is located, it is a common practice for boaters to anchor off the beach, swim to shore, and pay for their drinks with wet money. Today, White Bay is lined with beach bars and is a very popular stop for yachts and boaters from Tortola, St. Thomas, and St. John. Group tours from the USVI and even small cruise ships are also frequent visitors.
Fun Fact: The country music video for Kenny Chesney's 2002 recording "No Shoes, No Shirt, No Problems" was filmed on and around Jost Van Dyke. Included in the video were several scenes at One Love Bar and Ivan's Stress-Free Bar where it is common for patrons to mix their own drinks and leave their payment in the register. Chesney also references Jost Van Dyke in his song "Somewhere in The Sun" from his album Be as You Are (Songs from an Old Blue Chair).
Enjoy Jost Van Dyke all day long aboard the New Horizons. For reservations call 340-775-1171 or 1-800-808-7604.
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