Anegada Passage

[SAMPATICO]

Looking for smoothest routing from Tortola to St. Martin, recommended first port to drop anchor in St. Martin. Understanding going against trades and seas of Anegada Passage.

[Zanshin]

I sailed to St. Martin last Monday from the BVI and just returned today, both times from/into the North Sound via the Neckar Island Passage. If you choose your weather then the passage is reasonable, today took exactly 13 hours, I left at midnight from Marigot (I am partial to the French side) and was at Spanish Town at 1pm. The trip to St. Martin was the same speed, as I picked a windless night for the trip.

[sck5]

I also left from the north sound via the necker island passage a couple of weeks ago, going to Anguilla first but that is basically the same passage as going to st. martin - maybe a couple of miles shorter.

the important thing is to pick a day when there is low or no wind. you could be waiting a long time if you wait for a west wind. I found PassageWeather - Sailing Weather - Marine Weather Forecasts for Sailors and Adventurers to be very helpful in picking a weather window. I left Virgin Gorda an hour before sunset and was in Anguilla in the morning.