British, US and Spanish Virgin Islands

Back home

Ralph Z. — Wed, 13 Dec 2006 05:48:00 +0100

It was an amazing trip!

Mayo Cove

Ralph Z. — Tue, 12 Dec 2006 05:38:00 +0100

Sailed to Mayo Cove to return our boat. Excellent sail. Similar to yesterday’s perfect, awesome, wind! Great ending of a great trip.

N18.393/W64.720

Ralph Z. — Tue, 12 Dec 2006 04:48:00 +0100

Tortola ahead!

N18.3/W64.63

Ralph Z. — Tue, 12 Dec 2006 03:48:00 +0100

Perfekt sailing weather!

St. Johns / Salt Pond Bay

Ralph Z. — Mon, 11 Dec 2006 05:28:00 +0100

We left Culebrita to head to St. John after hearing the weather. Planned to sail a heading of 110 degrees past St. Thomas.

9:00 am 5.5 knots heading 100 degrees motor sailing. Moved to 90 degrees and motor sailed past Charlotte Amalie at 10:35 am.

The trip was 33 nautical miles.

Picked up a mooring at Salt Pond Bay St. Johns south east side at 1:30; beautiful beach with beach houses on the cliff above. Two other boats moored, a sloop about 40 foot and a cat about 45 foot.

Day 6 - Culebra Spanish VI

Ralph Z. — Sun, 10 Dec 2006 05:18:00 +0100

Left mooring at 7:00 am heading to Culebra. Winds 13-18 knots waves 6-7 feet.

At 8:00 our location was N1823569 W06446961 and speed was 4 knots. At 9:00 am motor sailing speed at 7 knots. ETA 2:45 heading 300.

At 3:00 we picked up mooring; total day was motor sailed 4 hours and sailed 4 hours. Went nearly 38 miles and enjoyed the wind, waves, weather, and scenery.

Day 5, December 9

Ralph Z. — Sat, 09 Dec 2006 05:08:00 +0100

It appears, that our battery is draining faster then we prefer. The autopilot needs to be fully charged to work.

Since a super charge isn’t feasible when out cruising, we decided we can survive without the autopilot. For the rest of the trip, we only used the autopilot when the motor was running.

Dingied to Great Harbor and bought ice and pencils and breakfast muffins. Had our first customs experience by checking out of BVI. If we leave BVI on Saturday, there is no need to check back to recheck out. If we stay Saturday, then a re check out is needed.

Questions asked “passengers, food, garbage?” Seems the food and garbage was a big deal. Passengers didn’t affect us; however, passengers is a big deal for boats going from or to US with passengers. Our papers said we must not remove the food or garbage in USVI but bring back to BVI.

Day 4, December 8

Ralph Z. — Fri, 08 Dec 2006 04:58:00 +0100

Weighed anchor at 10 am heading 244 degrees and sailed to Jost Van Dyke. Speed 4 to 5 knots main 100% genoa 100%.

Day 3, December 7

Ralph Z. — Thu, 07 Dec 2006 04:48:00 +0100

Listened to the eather which was favorable for our sail to Anegada. Weighed anchor at 10a.m and headed north around Great Camanoe. Took a heading of 44 degrees.

Waves 7-8 feet; Wind 30’s with lots of splashes coming into the cockpit.

Took an excellent anchorage position at the west end of the mooring balls.

Enjoyed the sunset and relaxing to island music in our cockpit. Dingied in for dinner at 6:30 for Anegada Reef Hotel. Enjoyed chatting with folks at the beach bar and took our seat at 7:30. Lobsters were small and not quite as tasty. Overall dinner was okay.

Day 2

Ralph Z. — Wed, 06 Dec 2006 04:38:00 +0100

The day started with a boat briefing and a BVI specific briefing. We left Maya Cove around noon and sailed to Camanoe Island .

We arrived at Lee Bay at 4:00 pm and took the port side of the bay a bit back from the front shore.

Around 7-8pm night snorkeling; the reef was pretty but we saw no fish.

Day 1, December 5

Ralph Z. — Tue, 05 Dec 2006 04:28:00 +0100

We arrived at Tortola in the afternoon and took a taxi straight to the Sunsail base. Our 40-foot sloop was awaiting us.

We had dinner at Fat Hog Bob’s. They’ve a great deck facing the Sir Francis Drake Channel. Very good, I can really recommend it.