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vtsailguy · 24-02-2013, 14:23

Thanks for the tips!

Coral Bay was just on the list as a halfway point on the way back to the west end of St John.

I need to be somewhere close to Red Hook on the final night. I guess I could clear into cruz and stay there, but its not super attractive

Rubikoop · 24-02-2013, 17:22

I suggest you spend your last night in Christmas Cove on Great St James near Current Cut. Actually closer to Red Hook than St John.

Halyard · 26-02-2013, 18:06

I just like to preface this post by saying I'm using Siri the voice recognition software so not everything would come out as I would type it and capitalizations and commas are not accurate.

I live on St. Thomas and run snorkeling fishing charters out of a 32 foot center console daily. My best recommendation to you is to hug the North Side of St. John and those Beaches of your first day like everyone said, you got Hawks nest, trunk, cinnamon,Francis and Maho all of those would be fun and spend the night there then cruise Around Mary's point to Linster the next morning, which is at water lemon cay a very good snorkel, As well as hiking the ruins. Then I would head over to Jost VD (Look for whales they're in sir Francis Drake's channel right now ) in great Harbour clear customs say hello to Mark, walk down to foxys and meet him,get him to tell you a story. Go over to white bay where everyone wants to go to the soggy Dollar and then get back on the boat and head up to sandy spit have lunch at foxy taboo and if the swell is coming out of the north walk over to the Bubly pool for sure. There's a popular Anchorage right off of foxy's taboo Near sandy spit.
If the weather is not too rough you can play on Sandy Spit where the Corona commercials are famous for or run over to Cane Garden Bay which is only about 4 miles away and explore Cain Garden Bay. If calm stay at Cane garden Bay spend the night there or go back to Foxie's taboo Anchorage for the night.
Here's where the decision comes in to go to Virgin Gorda the Baths or not because of the weather. It will probably Be rough most days to go east to Virgin Gorda. Most likely if you get an early start you won't have it too bad and you can motor all the way to Spanish town or the baths by lunch.
I'm thinking this is the beginning of your third day. I would spend about two or three hours the most discovering the Baths and be done with it. I would then backtrack my way to Trellis Bay right off of beef island of Tortola and don't forget to have cocktails over scrub Island at the Marriott or Marina Cay. You can pick your Anchorage from here either a trellis or over by dinner key or scrub key. Diamond reef offers good snorkeling right there as well.
Day 4, It's all downwind from here baby. early-morning get a good start I would head to Cooper island and have lunch there. Get there a little before lunch so you could beat the head boats. Gradually heading back west the next island is Salt Island and at the south west tip of salt Island is the wreck of the RMS Rhone, Which was a 310 foot 1865 Royal Mail steamship that was wrecked and where they filmed the movie the deep. When you leave there you'll go past Dead chest and if you look at the island it looks as if it's a coffin with one end looks like it has the head propped up in the coffin. "15 men on a dead man's chest Iho ,yo ho and a bottle of rum". By this time I would just try to make it to the bite at Norman Island get tucked in there on a ball for the night and have happy hour and or dinner, at the Willie T.
Day 5 Just outside of the bite of Norman Island on either side Are very good snorkel spots,the caves are on your Southside the Indians on your North side. Both locations have park balls to tie up to.
I noticed coral Bay was on your list so coral bay is not but about 2 miles from the Indians and the caves, so I would head over there for my last night.
so if You have an Extra day I would recommend going back to Yost and white bay over to the soggy Dollar then You can check out of customs, And head over to anchor at Maho bay for your last night and the next morning, back to St. Thomas.

So if you have a seven day itinerary and you like someplace better than others and you find yourself at day six at the Willie T that gives you night six at coral Bay And the run back to Redhook day seven in the morning.
Try to squeeze in Christmas Cove and Buck Island if it all possible on your last day.

Just a word about reentering the US Virgin Islands. It is my understanding you have 24 hours to check in and if your flight leaves within that 24 hour. You don't have to check in with your boat you can wait and check in at the airport at customs there. Doublecheck that don't take my word on it!

I'm even going to give this an extra sentence as a disclaimer about the customs issue don't grill me on it. And yes I know going to coral Bay is back in the US and my recommendation was to go back to Yost after that, that would be something I would not recommend. Going by the book you would either need to skip coral Bay and go straight to Yost or go to coral Bay and don't go to Yost.

I would highly recommend before you get here or once you do get here purchase Franco's map of the British virgin islands you can go to www.Franco's maps.com. Just for reference not for navigation.

vtsailguy · 09-03-2013, 12:19

Thanks everyone for helping!

We are back from our week and I thought I would share the experience. I took several pieces of advice from posters here!

BVI/USVI Sailing Itinerary for Children Redux | Sailing With Kids

Q. Helm · 10-03-2013, 17:04

I notice the blog rated Cane Garden Bay only one star, due to the crowding and cruise ship traffic. Does does anyone else have an opinion on the desirability of visiting this spot?

Rubikoop · 10-03-2013, 17:27

Quote:

Originally Posted by Q. Helm

I notice the blog rated Cane Garden Bay only one star, due to the crowding and cruise ship traffic. Does does anyone else have an opinion on the desirability of visiting this spot?

When there aren't north swells coming or a zillion people from cruise ships, it's a very decent place to hang out for some food, music and beach time.

Stu Jackson · 10-03-2013, 18:31

Wow, I've been doing "Stupid Human Spelling Tricks" for many years now, but I gotta admit,

BITE

and

SEEN

for BIGHT and SCENE

are REALLY two of the best I've heard in a looong time.

Thanks for those.

And you missed Leinster Bay completely. We spent three days during Christmas Winds there in 1986. I know, I know, too long ago.

Here's a question: What year did the WHAMO company invent the Frisbee?

Hint: well before then....

Somehow, during this whole discussion, it was great that no one mentioned that they've actually written entire BOOKS about sailing the islands...hmmmmmmmmmmmmm

Glad you had a good time.

vtsailguy · 10-03-2013, 19:14

Quote:

Originally Posted by Stu Jackson

Somehow, during this whole discussion, it was great that no one mentioned that they've actually written entire BOOKS about sailing the islands...hmmmmmmmmmmmmm

They sure have. We were using the Scott's cruising guide. But it didn't mention kids buggering around with your dinghy and having to lock it up in Cane Garden Bay

We really did not like Cane at all :/

Halyard · 11-03-2013, 05:51

Quote:

Originally Posted by Stu Jackson

Wow, I've been doing "Stupid Human Spelling Tricks" for many years now, but I gotta admit,

BITE

and

SEEN

for BIGHT and SCENE

are REALLY two of the best I've heard in a looong time.

Thanks for those.

And you missed Leinster Bay completely. We spent three days during Christmas Winds there in 1986. I know, I know, too long ago.

Here's a question: What year did the WHAMO company invent the Frisbee?

Hint: well before then....

Somehow, during this whole discussion, it was great that no one mentioned that they've actually written entire BOOKS about sailing the islands...hmmmmmmmmmmmmm

Glad you had a good time.

Hey STU...
Enough of the negative comments.
Why don't you go BACK to my post and READ the 1st sentence. Does the VRS (voice recognition software) "Siri" disclaimer not apply to smart asses?
And the why did you let the most obvious one get by you..... "Yost" should have been Jost as in Jost Van Dyke.
That post would have taken 2 to 3 times longer if I typed it myself.
And what does writing a book have to do with friendly advice? STUpid.

PapaBruce · 11-03-2013, 06:31

Thanks for posting the blog. Brings back good memories and excitement for next fall when we will be there as liveaboards!! An apple to the kids who pick the right parents!!