St John to Anguilla

[diver_mikea]

Looking to cruise from St. John to Anguilla. vessel is a 35' Aluminum power cat 13' beam. Twin diesel with 18 knot top speed.
Never made such a crossing before. This is a transport not a vacation.
Any words of experience? What kind of seas can a vessel like this handle without too much discomfort? How much time should be allotted for this trip. I am looking at departing after the bulk of the hurricane season is over.
Thanks for your constructive help

Mike

[diver_mikea]

Cruz Bay St John USVI

[speciald@ocens.]

The passage between the US Virgins and Anguilla will probably be upwind this time of year. I've only done it during Winter months, but expect 5-6 ft seas most frequently. I would estimate about a 95-100 mile passage. My boat weighs 70,000 pounds and sheds the seas without problem. Your ride may be rougher.

[osirissail]

It is actually a 77nm passage from Gorda Sound, Virgin Gorda to Anguilla so if you can maintain 10 kts you are looking a daylight passage of about 8 hours. I usually wait at Leverick Bay in Gorda Sound for a good weather window then make the run to St Martin in 10 hours in my boat. Daylight passages are nice as you can see what is happening and you might catch some whales passing by. So long as you are willing to wait for good weather the crossing is benign and boring except for some possible storm clouds and rain which can be circumnavigated easily.

[Reality Check]

Think the run to St. Martin would be best unless you had some south in the winds but that is unlikely until summer. A short motor sail from St. Martin to Anguilla would be less of a problem than giving up the more marginally southern heading to St. Martin.

I was intending on heading to Anguilla in May but even then most of the local sailors who do the run frequently say go to St. Martin first but they are cruisers not on a delivery. Cost in Anguilla are higher for boats and that could be one of the reasons they all head for Dutch side of St. Martin and day trip to Anguilla.

Let us all know which way you went and how it was. I'll be very interested as I'll be in the area probably from December til early June.

[osirissail]

diver mikea said he is delivering a powerboat catamaran. So obviously somebody on Anguilla is taking delivery of the boat so the very high fees probably do not apply.
I have avoided Anguilla because of the US$225 + cruising permit and other fees. See www.Noonsite.com and country Anguilla for the fees. Obviously, they do not want us there in our boats. So most cruisers go to St Martin and take the ferry from Marigot across to Anguilla or just skip the place.

[diver_mikea]

Thanks a lot for this very good information. Virgin Gorda to St. Marten is a better idea. Possession is actually further down island but my concern was that trek across the Atlantic. Does anyone have a good source for seas information concerning that crossing?
again.. Thanks

Mike

[Hud3]

Windfinder.com has a lot of good info--winds, seas, etc. Model output, though. No human interpretation, so take it for what it is.

[diver_mikea]

I have seen this before. Thank you

[Mustang Sally]

In a power boat its very easy to run from either BVI or USVI to St Martin, forget about Anguilla. We have now done the crossing 18 times. The most important factor is wind and waves. The wind generally drops at night and so do the waves. You will be running almost straight into the waves so expect a pounding if its rough. You could do the crossing in the daylight and I would suggest if the weather is right pulling out of St Thomas at about 5 am and head to the French side of St Martin (Marigot). The fees are a lot less on the french side then the dutch and you can check in with customs/immigration and then head into the lagoon if you want. Then dinghy into the dutch side for marine stores etc.

[gbanker]

passageweather.com for wind and sea state.

[osirissail]

Actually, both the French and Dutch sides of St Martin are within $10 of each other on fees for a week's stay on my size boat. The French have matched the Dutch on the fees if you anchor in Marigot Bay. However you can enter the French side of the Lagoon where there is no "anchoring fee" so you only pay for check-in/out. Reportedly the French has gotten rather lax about asking where you will be anchored and assume you will be in the Lagoon. But that may change at any time.