New Daily Briefing “Paradise Brief” Delivers Weather, Ferries, and Clearance Info for USVI and BVI Boaters

Weather, crossings, and changing marine conditions often determine whether it’s a go day or a stay day in the Virgin Islands. A new daily briefing called Paradise Brief brings those answers together in one morning read. Specifically, it combines marine conditions, ferry schedules, and customs notices for boaters across the U.S. and British Virgin Islands.

The timing matters, since hurricane season is now underway. So go/stay calls carry real weight for anyone with a boat in the water.

“Paradise Brief is the morning read I do for other captains. I pull wind, swell, weather, cruise schedules, ferries, USCG notices, BVI flags, sargassum, and island chatter together into a synthesized briefing, not a dataset, a daily score, the graphs that matter, and a plain-English take on the day. One free USVI and BVI report at 6 AM AST, ready for the captain’s call for every boater, from bareboat sailor to seasoned captain,” said David Cook, founder of Capt. Dave’s Paradise Brief.

Who’s Behind Paradise Brief

Cook, known as Capt. Dave, is a longtime Virgin Islands boating enthusiast, retired technology executive, entrepreneur, and author. He built Paradise Brief because nothing like it existed. It’s free for residents, captains, cruisers, and visitors alike.

What’s in the Daily Briefing

Launched in early April, the briefing pulls information from more than 20 official and local sources. The result is one morning report covering the U.S. and British Virgin Islands. Content includes:

• Marine forecasts, wind, swell, and tides
• Ferry schedules and cruise ship arrivals
• USCG notices and WAPA outages
• BVI flag conditions and sargassum sightings
• Beach conditions with go/caution recommendations

In addition, separate sections cover beach and island conditions, on-the-water reports, and captain-specific information. Additionally, the briefing details airport departure timing from St. Thomas and inter-island ferry updates.

The launch also adds to a growing set of digital tools simplifying Caribbean boating logistics. It follows recent moves like SailClear’s rollout in Trinidad and Tobago.

How to Get It

Paradise Brief is free and delivered every morning at 6 a.m. AST via paradisebrief.com. That gives boaters a single reference point before deciding whether it’s a go day or a stay day.

Carol Bareuther has written for ALL AT SEA since 2004.