Cruisers Forum
 


Reply
  This discussion is proudly sponsored by:
Please support our sponsors and let them know you heard about their products on Cruisers Forums. Advertise Here
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread Rate Thread Display Modes
Old 08-01-2017, 19:54   #1
Registered User

Join Date: Aug 2013
Location: Austin Tx
Posts: 64
Tortola to Culebra

Hello

so last summer I planned on cruising the Spanish Virgins, and had some questions about procedure with regards to customs/immigration. Unfortunately the boat wasn't ready yet and we never got the chance

Well we now have the boat and have sailed her several times, and are very happy with her. I now plan on going to the Spanish virgins this summer (at least Culebra, may skip Vieques). As it seems that there would be a lot of checking out, checking in, and re checking in if go through St.Thomas, I was wondering how long it would take simply to go from the west end of Tortola directly to Culebra. The boat is a Voyage 480, and I have a nice screecher that certainly helps off the wind. Figure if we leave early in the am (not too early,-it's vacation!) we would be there by mid afternoon. I need to keep the admiral and the rugrats happy

Thanks, and happy new year to all

https://vimeo.com/197973882
boneboy is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-01-2017, 01:33   #2
Registered User
 
Jeannius's Avatar

Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: Worcester U.K.
Boat: Privilege 435 Now Sold
Posts: 1,060
Re: Tortola to Culebra

We did Jost Van Dyke to Culebra in around 5 hours. See Sailing Jeannius: Jost Van Dyke to Culebra . Clearing out at JVD is much more pleasant than Road Town or West End, Tortola.
__________________
Mike

https://sailingjeannius.blogspot.com
Jeannius is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-01-2017, 03:41   #3
Registered User

Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: Saint Thomas, USVI
Boat: Fountaine Pajot Lipari 41
Posts: 307
Re: Tortola to Culebra

A couple of things. If it is a US flagged boat get a customs decal that allows you to clear by phone in Culebra. Ironically when you come back from Culebra you will be cleared into the US which means you don't have to clear in St Thomas or St John. This will allow you to enjoy St John or St Thomas on the way back and also allow you to break up the beat back. Five hours is probably a good estimate leaving West End.

Jay
captainjay is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-01-2017, 09:36   #4
Registered User

Join Date: Jun 2009
Location: BVI
Boat: Leopard 40 (new model)
Posts: 1,385
Re: Tortola to Culebra

The decal does not work if any of the crew are "aliens".
svlamorocha is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-01-2017, 09:40   #5
Registered User

Join Date: Jun 2009
Location: BVI
Boat: Leopard 40 (new model)
Posts: 1,385
Re: Tortola to Culebra

For a trip between a place outside US customs territory (BVI) to a place inside US customs territory stated (Culebra), CBP wants you to clear in at the first port of entry you go by. This means St John or St Thomas. If you want to claim "innocent passage" your final destination cannot be "inside".
svlamorocha is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-01-2017, 13:11   #6
Registered User

Join Date: Jun 2005
Posts: 253
Re: Tortola to Culebra

Quote:
Originally Posted by svlamorocha View Post
For a trip between a place outside US customs territory (BVI) to a place inside US customs territory stated (Culebra), CBP wants you to clear in at the first port of entry you go by. This means St John or St Thomas. If you want to claim "innocent passage" your final destination cannot be "inside".
Perfect.. He stays in British waters taking the north side route passing Jost and sail to Culebra Without having to deal with STJ. Easy.. to The OP, you can call the number that's on the sign as you dinghy in as requested, but they may ask you to come down to their office. It's down at the airport. There's a dock over by where the old Desal plant use to runn. You can tie up there and it's a shorter walk to the airport than walking it from Dewey.
Jsta_Rebel is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-01-2017, 15:15   #7
Registered User

Join Date: Aug 2013
Location: Austin Tx
Posts: 64
Re: Tortola to Culebra

Thanks for the input. Yes I plan leaving for Culebra from Soper's Hole (it's where the boat lives) and going North of St Thomas, directly to Dewey.
The boat is US Coast Guard registered so I will have to look into getting a Customs Sticker

Thanks for all the advice
boneboy is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 30-04-2017, 13:26   #8
Registered User

Join Date: May 2013
Posts: 23
Re: Tortola to Culebra

Hello - I have a similar question. We will be traveling from Jost Van Dyke in the BVI to Culebra next week. We will be going to the north of St. Thomas rather than through Pillsbury Sound. Do we need to make an adjustment to our itinerary to stop in Cruz Bay or Charlotte Amalie to clear in the the USVI before we reach Culebra, or can we sail directly if going to the north of STT?

Also, on our return, can we stop in St. John without clearing in at Cruz Bay or do we need to clear in on our first stop after Culebra?

Amy
Swifty is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 30-04-2017, 13:41   #9
Registered User

Join Date: Jan 2011
Boat: Back Cove 33
Posts: 14
Re: Tortola to Culebra

I think there are several misconceptions in the replies on this subject.

The Customs Decal does not give you the option of clearing in by phone only. You will need the decal to clear in from any foreign port.

If you are not part of the Small Vessel Reporting System you will be asked to walk up to the airport in Culebra and visit the Customs Office. 15 minute walk to the airport and a few minutes and that's it.

If sailing through the waters of the USVI to get to Culebra you do not have to check in. Check in only if you stop in the USVI.

Sailing time from West End to Culebra is as mentioned around 5hrs.

Enjoy
rickpalm is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 30-04-2017, 13:42   #10
Registered User

Join Date: May 2014
Location: Caribbean
Boat: IT40 Motorsailer. 40'
Posts: 226
Re: Tortola to Culebra

Quote:
Originally Posted by Swifty View Post
Hello - I have a similar question. We will be traveling from Jost Van Dyke in the BVI to Culebra next week. We will be going to the north of St. Thomas rather than through Pillsbury Sound. Do we need to make an adjustment to our itinerary to stop in Cruz Bay or Charlotte Amalie to clear in the the USVI before we reach Culebra, or can we sail directly if going to the north of STT?

Also, on our return, can we stop in St. John without clearing in at Cruz Bay or do we need to clear in on our first stop after Culebra?

Amy
Don't know your nationality, but stay out of US waters and go straight to Dewey. Ask about checking into USVI on your return when at the airport in Culebra. What's funny about USVI and Puerto Rico is that if you come from USVI to Puerto Rico or the Spanish Virgins, you have to check in but if you are coming from PR or it's islands to USVI, you don't. American's of course. Ask about it when checking in. BTW, call the number located on the bridge as you dinghy in. Don't just go try and find customs and immigration without calling as they are not in the office all of the time.
JstaRebel is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 30-04-2017, 14:30   #11
Marine Service Provider

Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: Virgin Islands
Boat: PDQ 36, 36'5", previously Leopard 45 cat and Hunter 33 mono
Posts: 1,345
Re: Tortola to Culebra

Quote:
Originally Posted by JstaRebel View Post
Don't know your nationality, but stay out of US waters and go straight to Dewey. Ask about checking into USVI on your return when at the airport in Culebra. What's funny about USVI and Puerto Rico is that if you come from USVI to Puerto Rico or the Spanish Virgins, you have to check in but if you are coming from PR or it's islands to USVI, you don't. American's of course. Ask about it when checking in. BTW, call the number located on the bridge as you dinghy in. Don't just go try and find customs and immigration without calling as they are not in the office all of the time.
The reason you have to check into Culebra (Puerto Rico), when coming from the USVI is that the USVI is considered a "free port", and PR is not. This is another reason not to bother with checking in to the USVI, enroute. Coming the other way doesn't matter, because you are going in to a free port. Until very recently, you had to clear customs when flying from the USVI to either Puerto Rico or the mainland US, but that seems to have gone by the wayside in the past year or so. Budget cuts, maybe? Who knows.
contrail is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 30-04-2017, 15:25   #12
Registered User

Join Date: May 2013
Posts: 23
Re: Tortola to Culebra

Thanks to all for your replies. We're really looking forward to exploring the Spanish Virgins!
Swifty is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 22-07-2017, 18:57   #13
Registered User

Join Date: Aug 2013
Location: Austin Tx
Posts: 64
Re: Tortola to Culebra

Hello all

Well we just got back from our summer trip and finally made it to Culebra.
We did the more conventional route and did the whole customs/immigration dance:

Checked into Tortola on saturday, provisioned the boat and,

Checked out of the BVI on Sunday

Checked into St John on Sunday

Be aware that if you take the boat into the dock to check in you will be charged a "docking fee" of basically one dollar per foot. Even if you are there for less than 30 minutes. You are much better off if you can find a spot to anchor (not always easy) and take the dinghy in. (you will still get charged the same fee, but as my dinghy is 10 feet long I would have been much better off)
After a couple of days off of St. Thomas, we headed down to Culebra


Checked into Culebra


Did most of the "paperwork" over the phone with a very nice lady in Puerto Rico, but since we had not purchased the appropriated decal, we had to walk to the airport to purchase the decal (27 bucks and 50 cents,- needed exact change) The customs agent at the airport could not have been nicer, and it was a good experience as it goes
Culebra was great. People are very friendly, and anchorages were absolutely empty. If you do rent a golf cart/jeep I highly recommend Jerry's jeep rental over Carlos'. Much friendlier
After three nights in Culebra we headed back to the USVI. The South Coast of St. John is an absolute gem! Two more nights of seeing no one in the anchorages (Great Lameshur,-beautiful above and below the water, and Hurricane Hole). Spent one more night in St John (ended up in Leinster Bay) and then had to

Check into BVI

did so at Great Harbor (Jost), and was happy to once again be greeted by friendly officials. Spent one night in BVI, just to

Check out of the BVI,
and then

Check into USVI (via ferry. Only to be greeted by fairly surly customs officials)

I don't know how much I spent in both time and money with all the fees of checking in and out of islands that are all within visual distance. I don't want to know. I do know that it was worth it. If you are limited to time in the area of the VI, this was one itinerary that at least 80 percent of the time, I was the only boat in the bay, and it was beautiful

db
boneboy is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply

Tags
Culebra

Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search
Display Modes Rate This Thread
Rate This Thread:

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are Off


Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
Vieques and Culebra Challo Atlantic & the Caribbean 14 16-04-2021 07:47
Recommended Anchorages Around Vieques and Culebra ? 2theSea Atlantic & the Caribbean 53 11-01-2016 13:55
Water in Vieques & Culebra sailrmn Cooking and Provisioning: Food & Drink 3 13-02-2012 17:48
Crew Wanted: Beaufort, NC to Tortola, BVI via Culebra, PR beleensky Crew Archives 0 17-12-2011 22:11
Culebra, SVI Best Places to See Risen242 Atlantic & the Caribbean 2 13-04-2011 09:21

Advertise Here


All times are GMT -7. The time now is 02:27.


Google+
Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.8 Beta 1
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.
Social Knowledge Networks
Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.8 Beta 1
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.

ShowCase vBulletin Plugins by Drive Thru Online, Inc.