Sailing in the United States Virgin Islands
If you’ve been thinking that you missed your chance to get south for the winter and do some Caribbean cruising, you couldn’t be more wrong. With cheaper air fares and lower charter fees in the early and late spring and even into the summer months, now is the time to book your vacation. There is a plethora of charter companies in the Virgin Islands, offering both mono-hulls and catamarans and both captained and non-captained options. Cruising is also relatively hassle free as U.S. citizens are able to come and go as they wish in the U.S.V.I..S.V.I. without the need of a passport. As a former resident of St. It would be a shame if every sailor, at some point in their life, missed an opportunity to cruise the Virgin Islands.
I would recommend that most American cruisers begin their vacation from St. Thomas. Thomas, either from downtown Charlotte Amalie or from Red Hook on the east end of the island. Although average temperatures in the U.S.V.I. during the winter are in the 80s, make sure to bring some sailing gear, as passing rain squalls are a daily occurrence. Once you’ve made your charter company selection, it’s time to plan your trip. Several companies will provide you with a pre-planned itinerary or an option to plan your own route. With literally thousands of unbelievably gorgeous spots to visit in the V.I.this can be pretty daunting, so here are a few options to consider.
if your schedule has you disembarking from St. Thomas, you may want to spend some time in Charlotte Amalie, the capitol of the small island territory, before you cast off. The city offers countless shops and restaurants plus a rich history of the island chain, dating back to the early Dutch settlement days. While downtown, a short taxi ride will bring you to the highest point in all of the U.S.V.I..S.V.I.called Mountain Top. Mountain Top offers remarkable views of the U.S. and British Virgins, as well as a notorious concoction known as the banana daiquiri.
A short sail east from Charlotte Amalie will take you to St. Thomas’ eastern village of Red Hook. Red Hook is a very quaint boaters’ town and a jump-off point to St. John and the B.V.I. while in the east end, you should take the opportunity to check out the St. Thomas Yacht Club in Red Hook. The club generally welcomes all cruisers with some sort of yacht club affiliation with open arms. Dockage is sparce, so I would advise anchoring in pristine Christmas Cove for the evening if you plan on using the club or enjoying Red Hook’s night life. Also well worth exploring is Linquist Beach. Linquist is a very quiet spot and I personally think it is the most beautiful beach on the entire island.
From Red Hook, a short cruise east across Pilsbury Sound brings you to St. John and its pristine national park. St. St. John possesses the most natural beauty of all of the U.S.V.I..S.V.I. and possesses several breath-taking beaches and bays. Setting off from Cruz Bay, St. John’s urban center, a cruise east along the northern shore will bring you to the most gorgeous spots in the area. Hang out at Hawksnest Beach in Caneel Bay or enjoy the underwater snorkel exhibit at Trunk Bay. Maho Bay is an extremely popular spot for an overnight anchorage, as it’s protected from the Trade Winds and allows convenient access to the Sir Francis Drake Channel. one spot not to be overlooked is Waterlemon Cay in Leinster Bay. The thousands of enormous starfish all over the Waterlemon make it absolutely worth the swim. St. John offers almost a countless number of cruising locations and attractions but because most of the small island is a national park, minor anchoring or mooring fees may apply.
With its unparalleled natural beauty and pristine sailing conditions, the U.S.V.I. is the perfect spot for American cruisers. The dependable southeastern Trade Winds make the sailing a blast and the hospitable and friendly atmosphere on shore provide for a truly relaxing vacation. With airline and charter prices declining, now’s the time to leave your cold weather sailing gear at home and head south!
