Sailing to the Caribbean

[Captain.Dude]

I plan to sail to the Virgin Islands later this year from Freeport, Texas. I have sailed to the Bahamas twice from Freeport vie way of Key West then north to the Bahamas. Talking to "knowledgeable people" I get as many different opinions as how to get to the Virgin Islands as the people that I ask.
How is the best way to get to the Virgins Islands?
Captain Dude

[John A]

Welcome to the forum!
I'd suggest that you search the forum for answers as this topic has been beat to death by the same question asked at least once a week.

Short answer: It depends

[MarkJ]

Originally Posted by Captain.Dude

I get as many different opinions as how to get to the Virgin Islands as the people that I ask.
How is the best way to get to the Virgins Islands?
Captain Dude

The best way is your way.


I think we have come to an impass of the old fogies who think there is only one way to go cruising. They say to do it by the book. The way others have done it. Using tried and true methods.

Bugger that!

Generations of seafarers have gone every which way about the Caribbean.

Just have a look at the charts and decide your way. So what if you are a few hours longer that some race boat thats used computer programs to optimise their route. Your way will make it your cruise. Not Jimmy Cornell's cruise, or Fatty Goodlanders or Slocumbs or Knox-Johnsons et al, but YOUR cruise.

Now, forget about what others say and tell us a way that you would like to go and we can, perhaps, check your ideas to see if theres some serious consideration you need to make

Mark

[GordMay]

Greetings and welcome aboard the CF, Captain.Dude.

[donradcliffe]

Read Bruce Van Sant's " The Gentleman's Guide to Passages South".

Search this forum for "route 66"

[Unicorn Dreams]

It all depends on when and wind.

We have gone both the USUAL ways, inside between the Bahamas and Cuba, and outside route into the Atlantic until you get far enough offshore to head straight to the USVI.

All depends on weather condition.s.

[Hannah on 'Rita T']

From TExas y ou have an upwind problem, so think about sailing south and then north. Maybe visit the ABCs before ehading to the Virgins.

[Billy Higgins]

I've thought about this a lot having grown up in Corpus Christi. Seems to me there are two really nice ways to do this. Get to Key West in May. You've done this before. Now enjoy a cruise up the eastern seaboard for the summer, and plan to make your departure for down islands in the fall from where ever you are - from North Carolina to Newfoundland, or Europe for that matter if you cross over in the early summer.

The second way is to leave the Texas coast in the spring, head for Panama, do the west-about route, and make a downwind landing in the WI 18 months later.