BVI Sailing Itinerary

[hphoen]

Tomaz,

Glad your charter went well. Sounds like you had a great time!

'Naj bo vasa casa vedno polna!'

[camaraderie]

Hey Tomaz...welcome back and glad you had a good time. Things have been very quiet here while you've been gone...nothing happening at all......NOT!!

[billyruffn]

Originally Posted by 6string

In planning our itinerary I am considering going to St Johns. What is good to do there? Where is the best snorkeling there. Any good hikes on the island?

I am also looking for some places on the islands to go to get good sunrise and or sunset pictures. I would like to get up higher to be able to have some islands in the pictures. Any one know of good vantage points for watching sunrises and sunsets with out necessarily being on the boat?

The south coast of St. John tends to be less crowded. Lampsur (sp?) Bay is a nice spot with Park Service moorings available. (In fact, there are very few places around St. John were you can anchor -- US Park Service seems to be everywhere and want's $15 or so for a mooring or to anchor inside the park)

There's a nice walk from Lampsur Bay to see some petroglyphs left by the Carib indians several hundred years ago -- about 2.5 miles each way.

Maho Bay on the north side is a beautiful spot, but will probably be crowded in season. There's good snorkeling nearby (ask the Park Service Bay Host where to go).

You can probably get good sunset photos from the hills on the west side of St. John -- Cruz Bay would be one place you could go ashore for this purpose.

If you're looking for a nice anchorage with good snorkeling from the boat, try Christmas Cove on the east end of St. Thomas, on the west side of one of the small islands just south of Red Hook. Lots of room, good holding in sand and nice snorkeling all around -- and, NO MOORING FEE!!

[FarCry]

Billy, Lamshur Bay is an awful place to take a boat and I hope all that read this will heed my warning and stay away. (Dripping with sarcasm)

Christmas Cove is on the west side of Great St James Island just east of Current Cut and does provide excellent snorkeling. Use caution if venturing to far out around the NW corner on the bay, beyond that is called Current Cut for a reason, trust me. There is good sand for anchoring but during the day the wakes from the ferry boats can make it a bit rolly.

Honeymoon Beach on Water Island (USVI) provides beautiful sunsets and with good conditions one could photo Culebra, Vieqques, and Peurto Rico in the background with the sunset. Sunrises would not be so good.

As others have pointed out one will have to go through customs before stopping in the USVI. Enjoy your trip.

[btrayfors]

Originally Posted by FarCry

Christmas Cove is on the north side of Great St James Island just west of Current Cut and does provide excellent snorkeling. Use caution if venturing to far out around the NE corner on the bay, beyond that is called Current Cut for a reason, trust me. .....

Oops....better get your compass swung :-)

Christmas Cove is on the West side of Gt. St. James Is., and is just East of Current Cut. Current cut is just off the NW corner of the Bay (Christmas Cove).

Bill

[gtod25]

invasion of the USVI, as planned? There was nothing about it on CNN.

[FarCry]

Bill, what is this compass thing you speak of? Is that some sort of new technology? Guilty as charged as to not paying enough attention to my home waters. You are correct, CC is on the west side of the island, actually looked at a chart, always seemed like it was north to me. Perhaps I will pull the cover off of that round glass looking thing with all the funny marks and letters next time out and see what it indicates. Or at least look at a chart before giving directions.

A suggestion to those that wish to anchor in Christmas Cove, try and locate your vessel between the rock outcropping in the middle of the bay and the low spot on St James. The rock outcropping will help to block the waves from the ferrys passing by. Should be obvious if you are there.

[billyruffn]

Now that we have it properly located....let me add that it was in Christmas Cove that we had the unique opportunity one day to swim with dolphins. A pregnant female and what I presume was her mate came in and played around the boats for over an hour. At one point the female swam up and down one of the anchor rodes alternatively scratching her back and stomach on the rode. She's scratch one side on the way up and the other on the way back down to the anchor. They didn't seem at all afraid of the swimmers who joined them -- they kept their distance, as did we, and it was quite a show.

In addition to the great coral and fish that hang out in and around CC, there is (was) a big turtle that lived in the cove. We swam with him on several occasions over the 2004-05 season.

It's a great spot, but posters above are right about the Charlotte Amalie - St John ferries that run through the Cut at full speed and create that oh so wonderful rolling sensation throughout the day.

And on second though, FarCry's right -- stay away from Lamsur Bay, it's overbuilt, lousey views, overcrowded with boats full of obnoxious people -- simply dreadful!

[Ladyhawke2]

Thanks for your input everyone...I have enough suggestions to put a great week together. One other thing...my wife is fairly suceptable to seasickness....although it is protected water, should I be concerned about how rough the water will get...?

[camaraderie]

ladyhawke2...staying in the Drake Channel rather than north or south of the islands will minimize the seas but it ain't lake sailing either...we have had our kids get quite sick in the long period rolling seas...(not rought...just a long swell) ....suggest bringing Dramamine or similar and taking it.