40 Years of Barefoot Fun

If you’re lucky enough to be sailing around the Northern Caribbean next week, you won’t want to miss a special celebration (March 14 & 15) on the tiny island of Jost Van Dyke.

It was 40 years ago this month that the young and mischeivous Foxy Callwood opened a thatch-roofed beach bar within stumbling distance of the Great Harbour anchorage. The Virgin Islands’ yachting scene was in its infancy back then, and Foxy’s Tamarind Bar quickly became a prime party destination.

In the four decades since, Foxy — a guitar-playing crooner notorious for making up politically incorrect tunes on the spot — has made friends with sailors from all over the world, and his bar/restaurant has earned international acclaim. In fact, Time Magazine once listed Foxy’s as one of the top three places worldwide to spend New Year’s Eve.

The 40th anniversary celebration will undoubtedly be a fête to remember, as several generations of sailors swap tall tales over the din of live calypso and reggae. Speaking of swapping tales, if you have a particularly entertaining memory from a visit to Foxy’s, we’d love to hear it. Then again, once you’ve been "Josted," as the locals say, memories sometimes become a bit cloudy.