Note: To really get off the beaten track it is essential to purchase Street’s Guide to Puerto Rico, Spanish, US and British Virgin Islands. This guide was originally written in 1966 under the title Cruising Guide to the Lesser Antilles. It is considered the guide that opened the eastern Caribbean to the cruising yachtsman and made bare boat chartering possible. It is still available today – a wonderful bit of nostalgia. Through the years it has been regularly updated and expanded. It is the only guide that covers all three island groups in one volume and describes and gives piloting directions to ALL the anchorages in the area. Back in the early 80s Street stated in print ‘if anyone will come up with an anchorage in the eastern Caribbean suitable for a boat that draws 7’ that is not mentioned in my guides I will buy the drinks’. Street states he has never had to buy the drinks! Street’s guide has not been revised since 2002, but ‘rocks do not move or if moved they are noted on the Imray-Iolaire charts to the area.’ For last minute corrections to Imray-Iolaire charts go to www.imray.com, click to Caribbean charts, and corrections. Sailors are continually complaining that when cruising the US and BVI it is impossible to find uncrowded anchorages and that are not full of mooring balls. There are dozens of anchorages that are uncrowded where you can swing on your own anchor. St Croix, the forgotten jewel of the Caribbean, 38 miles south of the northern Virgins is seldom visited by charter yachts and is by-passed by most cruising yachts. This is a mistake. After 55 years sailing the islands of the eastern Caribbean Street can say without fear of contradiction that the three best sails in the eastern Caribbean, guaranteed hull speed reaches, Nantucket sleigh rides, are as follows: • From Pigeon Island St Lucia to Cape Salmon Martinique 26 miles. • Norman island Privateer Pt to Christiansted St Croix 34 miles. • From Buck Island or Tague Bay St Croix back to either Norman island passage 34 miles or to Charlotte Amalie 38 miles. Through the years the engine less 46' sloop/cutter/yawl (she has had various rigs) heavy displacement Iolaire built 1905 has sailed northern Virgins to St Croix or the reverse more times than I can count. Usually it is a ‘Nantucket sleigh ride’ as illustrated by the fact that we have done the run a number of times: 38 miles, buoy to buoy, in 4 hrs 20 min @8.8kts. Why visit St Croix? Because it is the forgotten jewel of the eastern Caribbean. After 55 years in the Caribbean I have visited every waterside village, town or city in the area. I categorically state that Christiansted is without doubt the most beautiful town in the entire eastern Caribbean. In 1952 the entire lower end of town was declared a national heritage site. The exterior façade of buildings could not be changed so the wonderful 18th-century Danish architecture with covered sidewalks (see photos) has been preserved. It is also the only town in the entire eastern Caribbean that has NO CRUISE SHIPS! This makes shopping a pleasure. In other towns most customers are cruise ship passengers that are on the island for only one day, so the salespeople are all high pressure to make the sale that day. In contrast, in St Croix, the sales person knows the customer is in St Croix for a week or more. It is low pressure salesmanship, ‘think about it come back tomorrow’. As my wife says, sometimes the sale is not completed until the third visit by which time you are fast friends with the sales person. Once in St Croix explore the town, the entire harbour side is lined by a board walk, or wander in town, pick up a tourist brochure and plan your visit. Rent a car, drive the north side road, into the forest to Lawetz great house. Do a tour of the house and gardens, then on to Fredrickstead, the second most beautiful town in the eastern Caribbean. Fifteen years ago when I visited Fredrickstead it was rather run down but this year I was most impressed as front and back streets have been completely restored with the 18th-century Danish architecture. Have lunch, then head back to Christiansted via center line road but stop at estate Whim, tour the restored Great House, and the machinery that ran the sugar plantation, then on to Christiansted. The next day to Buck Island, anchor, no mooring buoys; into the dinghy and off to the underwater trail. Day trippers do come to Buck Island but not in any great numbers, as 30 years ago a number of medallions/licenses were issued and the numbers have never been increased. They arrive at about 1100 and depart at 1500 which leaves you with an uncrowded (usually empty) anchorage for the evening sundowner and early morning. There are seldom more than three or four charter boats at Buck Island. The next day go inside Tague bay, four miles long and protected by a barrier reef. You can anchor so close to the barrier reef that you can snorkel directly from the boat. There is no necessity to launch the dinghy. The sheltered water is perfect for either sailing a dinghy, wind surfing or stand up paddle boarding. The wind across the reef means it will be cool and bugless. The only boats in the area are about a dozen anchored off the very friendly St Croix YC, open Tuesday through Sunday, lunch served every day, dinner Wednesday. For further info: www.stcroixyc.com. If the club is closed and you want a dinner ashore, leave the dinghy at St C YC walk across the road and up the hill to two restaurants. When it is time to head back to the Virgins, from either the entrance to Tague bay or from Buck Island it is a guaranteed reach, a hull speed ‘Nantucket sleigh ride’ to either Norman Island passage or to Charlotte Amalie. Alternately, as will be described further on, instead of heading back to the northern Virgins, head northwest 40 miles to the Spanish Virgins. Needless to say if you are chartering a boat you certainly do NOT want to start off on the beginning of the cruise on a 38 mile off shore passage. If you are starting in Charlotte Amalie, before setting sail, go to Street’s guide pages 5/7, read carefully with the chart in front of you this section, plus the tidal information found on the back of all Imray-Iolaire charts. Following the sailing directions will ease the pain of beating to windward eastwards in the Virgins. The first day do an easy sail to Caneel Bay, anchor off the northernmost beach, north of Durloe Point. As of March 2012 there was plenty of room and no mooring buoys in the cove north of Durloe Point. Moor on Bahamian moor as you will probably be affected by a reversing current when the tide is flooding east. The second day head east, possibly with a quick stop for lunch at Trunk Bay, mooring buoys, underwater trail, a beach with some of the softest sand in the entire Caribbean, then on eastwards. Do NOT sail through the narrows, rather pass north of Thatch. If your boat draws 6’ or less go into Mary Creek on the western end of Linster Bay. I have never visited Mary Creek as Iolaire draws 7’6” but the anchorage has been highly praised by Augie Hollen who has cruised and explored the eastern Caribbean for half a century. If you draw over 6’ head east to Haulover Bay or New Found Bay. In both anchorages you will be by yourself as two boats cannot fit into these anchorages. They are outside of the National Park so no buoys or fees! You now have had your shake down, so head for St Croix from Norman Island passage (but avoid hitting Santa Monica Rock). Use the sailing directions found on the back of charts A23 and A234. Be sure to read sailing directions on the back of A234 BEFORE entering C’sted harbour. If you are starting your cruise from Tortola, Bluff Bay south side of Beef Island should be your first anchorage. This is one of Iolaire’s favourite anchorages. 9’ can be carried into this anchorage. There appears to be to the west of Bluff Bay a shoal lagoon suitable for multihulls. A place to explore. Alternately, go to South Sprat Bay at the west end of Peter Island. This is an anchorage that can only be used by following the ranges/transits shown in Street’s guide. Peter Nielson, editor of Sail, likes this anchorage. Boats saw him anchored, but when they approached the anchorage, they saw the reef and its very narrow gap, so departed elsewhere allowing Peter to enjoy his evening sundowner in peace and solitude. Money Bay south side of Norman Island is an ideal departure point for the sail to St Croix. From Privateer Point to Christiansted is 34 miles, but do not hit Santa Monica Rock, note ranges/transits to avoid it. To really get away from all other boats, go to South Sound Virgin Gorda, Head east between Fallen Jerusalem and the south end of Virgin Gorda. The Blinders are easily spotted as they always break. Once clear of the Blinders, it is a short port tack and a four mile starboard tack to the entrance to South Sound. When heading for South Sound do not use the passage north of Round Rock. From South Sound to Christiansted is a longer trip than from the other anchorages as it is 47 miles, but course is 216 magnetic, so broad off! A guaranteed Nantucket Sleigh ride! If you are in St Thomas and do not want to head east to the BVI or south to St Croix, head west to the Spanish Virgins. Time never stands still, but in the Spanish Virgins the clock is running very slowly. The Spanish Virgins are like the British Virgins in the early 70s. Leave Charlotte Amalie for a short easy sail to Saba Island. This is a wonderful anchorage – windswept but sheltered, empty except over weekends. From there it is a 15 mile down wind sail to Dewey, to enter Puerto Rican waters. Then there are a dozen uncrowded anchorages in Culebra, Culebrita, Vieques which are listed below with page numbers from Street’s guide. When the time comes to leave the Spanish Virgins and head back to St Thomas see guide pages 4/5 and the sailing directions on the back of Imray-Iolaire chart A23. Another method of visiting and enjoying the Spanish Virgins is to head to St Croix as described above, then from St Croix it is an easy downhill broad reach from C’sted to the Spanish Virgins, 40 n.m. to Vieques, 43 n.m. to Culebra. After enjoying the Spanish Virgins it is only a 15 mile beat back Saba Island, a pleasant evening in an ideal anchorage, a morning run to St Thomas.
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