What island is your favorite...

[deckofficer]

Originally Posted by Liam Wald

Provocative thread. Caused me to reflect on just how many great islands there are out there and how few of them that I have visited.
Alas, "So many Islands, so little time!"

My feelings too.

One island I've been to that is off the beaten path is Easter Island when I was doing break bulk.

[thesanperes]

My absolute favorite is Rum Cay in the Bahamas, very much off the beaten path, nice little Marina owned by an American, great food in the marina restaurant, little tricky getting into but worth it. 23 38’ 10.88” N 74 49’ 57.99” W

[SV Maclas]

From the list I vote for the San Juans. Tons of anchorages, mellow sailing, fun hikes, nice people. If you get bored you can cross the border and continue on up the Gulf Islands.

[SkiprJohn]

Originally Posted by onestepcsy37

mtang - i think few americans - or anyone else for that matter - know the real story of how hawaii became part of the usa. a truly disgraceful episode in american history and worth being more widely known.

and please do not bring politics, left, right, or middle of the road, into this.

Not nearly as disgraceful as what was done to the native Americans. This is not a political statement just fact.

[banyandah]

This is the island of Malpelo located about 500 km (310 mi) west of the Colombian mainland, uninhabited when we visited in 1983, except for hundreds of thousands of breeding Gannets. Shortly after our visit, the Colombian military established a small post, that today hosts so-called scientists and amateur radio operators - All greatly upsetting the poor gannets who are far fewer in number. Little by little Mankind nibbles away the wild kingdom, rarely giving any of it back.

[s/v Jedi]

Another Colombian island but in the Caribbean this time: Islas de Monjes Sur. The connection between the two rocks is artificial:


The Guarda Costa doing their inspection: they are desperate for contact with sailboats because it's all that happens for them during their 3 month tours sitting there

[deckofficer]

Those fellows look very relaxed aboard S/V Jedi. I'm guessing along with English and Dutch, you speak Spanish also.

[s/v Jedi]

Originally Posted by deckofficer

Those fellows look very relaxed aboard S/V Jedi. I'm guessing along with English and Dutch, you speak Spanish also.

Dutch people learn Dutch, English, German and French in school but no Spanish, so it's not very good but we get by

These guys did a very reasonable safety inspection and later the Colombians did too. After years of having out of date flares only we had just found an in-date 3-pack of 12gauge flares in Aruba which got us through the inspection

[deckofficer]

And I always thought the Dutch speak perfect English because they enjoy entertainment media from the States. At least that was what my Dutch colleagues would tell me.

[Teeto]

Originally Posted by SV Maclas

From the list I vote for the San Juans. Tons of anchorages, mellow sailing, fun hikes, nice people. If you get bored you can cross the border and continue on up the Gulf Islands.

The San Juans were very pretty last July. Roche Harbour on July 4th was hilarious for an Aussie. All the boats decorated to the nines in red, white and blue. Every one had bikini clad lasses on deck display for the passing hoards. The water was a bit too cold for a dip but great orcas!

[onestepcsy37]

my dutch story.

back in 1989 my wife and i decided to visit eastern europe after the 'wall' had come down in berlin. we were sitting in an outdoor cafe in prague having coffee. at the table next to us were a young american couple - looked under 21 - drinking a soda. we thought it a bit unusual for two such young americans to be in prague so we struck up a conversation with them.

well, they weren't americans. they were dutch, brother and sister. we told them they sounded just like two american kids. the boy said to us, 'well, not many people around the world speak dutch anymore, so in school all the kids learn a 'foreign' language, usually german or english. and in english class we're often taught by american teachers!'

[tropicalescape]

Originally Posted by onestepcsy37

my dutch story.

back in 1989 my wife and i decided to visit eastern europe after the 'wall' had come down in berlin. we were sitting in an outdoor cafe in prague having coffee. at the table next to us were a young american couple - looked under 21 - drinking a soda. we thought it a bit unusual for two such young americans to be in prague so we struck up a conversation with them.

well, they weren't americans. they were dutch, brother and sister. we told them they sounded just like two american kids. the boy said to us, 'well, not many people around the world speak dutch anymore, so in school all the kids learn a 'foreign' language, usually german or english. and in english class we're often taught by american teachers!'

the 40,000 smartest americans live in the CR,at least thats what I was told!

[Jim Cate]

Hmmm...

The injunction against non-US islands has been abrogated, so I feel free to add one of our favorites: Tasmania. Happens to be where we are at present, and it's soon gonna be too cold for us, but the summers are great, the cruising stupendous and the locals friendly... even to Yanks. And that is not always a given these days!

Cheers,

Jim

[jackdale]

OK non US

Gemiler Adası - Turkey : home to St Nicholas. I was last there in the mid 1980's.

[S/V Blondie-Dog]

Originally Posted by Miniyot

In the United States?
According to Tripadvisor.com a website that deals with vacation travel lists the top ten islands in the U.S.

10. Key West, Fl.
9. Amelia Island, Fl.
8. Hawaii, Hi. (the big island)
7. Chincoteague Island, Va.
6. Sanibel Island, Fl.
5. Maui, Hi.
4. Anna Maria Island, Fl.
3. Marco Island, Fl.
2. Kauai, Hi.
1. San Juan Island, Wa.

Over one million people participated in the survey. Sure, I'd be willing to bet 99.9% have never been on a sailboat in their lives, but....
Would you agree or disagree with any of these?

Of the islands on this list, I've been to Key West, Sanibel, and presently reside on Marco and can't claim to have been enthralled by any of these.

In any event, Vieques, off the eastern coast of Puerto Rico, comes across as the most idylic island I've ever been to.