The Soggy Dollar is a somewhat legendary stop on any sailor’s itinerary. A beachfront bar in White Bay on Jost Van Dyke, the Soggy Dollar has been attracting sailors like a siren for decades. The clear blue waters of White Bay are normally crowded with sailboats at anchor just yards off its sugary sands.
The sugary sand of White Bay
The beach bar gets its name from the condition of the currency seawater-soaked swimmers hand the bartenders. You see, the custom is to jump off your boat and swim to shore for your drink. We followed tradition and jumped in the crystal clear water and swam to shore almost as if it was a right of passage for Caribbean sailors. We walked down the beach ready to order the bar’s signature drink, the Painkiller, a concoction of premium dark rum, cream of coconut, pineapple and orange juice.
The unfortunate thing for us and every other boater was they were still in the process of rebuilding. Jost Van Dyke was hit especially hard by the recent hurricanes and most of the structures on the island were destroyed, including the walls of the Soggy Dollar. Here’s the good news: the legendary bar reopened the week after we visited.
Repair work on the beachfront
If you go to their website they are advertizing for the Virgin Islands Community Foundation as they help raise money for the restoration efforts of White Bay. The bar is currently trying to raise money to restore the palm trees along the beach that were all ripped out by hurricanes Maria and Irma. The Soggy Dollar is also offering perks depending on your donation from your name placed on a plaque in the bar to your name placed on the tree you helped them buy.
The buildings along the shoreline, even the ones made of cinderblock, were leveled. It’s a testament to the strength of the storms. But even with the devastation you can see how beautiful the bay is, why people visit, and why we will definitely sail back one day soon to swim up to the Soggy Dollar.
nokidswilltravel 