Sailing St Thomas US VI's to Miami: suggested places to visit please?

J

john_morris_uk

Well-Known Member
Joined
3 Jul 2002
Messages
28,794
Location
At sea somewhere.
yachtserendipity.wordpress.com
I am sailing from St Thomas in the US Virgin Islands to St Thomas in April. Has anyone got any top tips for places to visit en route please? This isn't a bit of the Carib I've sailed in before so I would be interested in some inside knowledge and advice about places.

Turks and Caicos, Cuba and Bermuda etc are all en route, but I would be interested in some local knowledge about good ports or anchorages in these various islands to call into. What other islands would be 'must see's? What ports shouldn't be missed?

The downside is that we will have a THREE METRE draught!

The upside is that the yacht I have to sail is 67 feet long and I will have a very fit and enthusiastic crew.

Are there any 'essential' cruising guides or pilot books I should go and buy?
 
Culebra and Vieques in the Spanish Virgin Islands. Then along the south coast of Puerto Rico. Suggested stops include Ponce, Salinas, Ensenada and round to Boqueron. Do hire a car and get a look at San Juan and the interior of the island.

With that draft Bahamas difficult but not impossible. Though you will be severely restricted in where you go.Plus there is the drawback of a US$ 300 entry charge for the Bahamas. Though you can sneak through on a Q flag if not too blatant. Give Nassau a miss unless you like suicidal traffic and a very run down city.

Dunno about the Turks and Caicos, as I've always just passed them by.
 
Hiya John, guess its a Joint Services yacht? certainly worth getting a pilot with that draft, we cruised up there on our Moody 33 and struggled in some places! The US charts are good too. Google Imray catalogue?

We visited Turks and Caicos, Turtle Cove but you would need there escort boat to get in.

Cat Island and San Salvador should be possible.

I always wanted to go back to Andross as a civvy, spent some time at AUTEC. May be able to blag your way in? Ashore is good too, rustic but great fun.

Sounds like a great adventure, have a good one!
 
3m across the T n C banks I don't think will work though you might be able to touch base, desert island wise, on the south or w side for a spot of amazing diving.
N coast of PRico is pretty boring though touristy old SanJuan is ok ( IME)

For me, having dawdled along the PRico, DR, T n C, Bahamas I would next time want to see Haiti, Cuba and Key West b4 touching Miami.

Its a big powerfully crewed ( thirsty?) boat but in April you may still encounter 'Northers' which can kick up rough enough...
Great trip, enjoy:)
 
Wow, with that draught you'll have to be a bit careful.
If you want to go south of PR you'll be ok into Ponce and then round the corner into Boqueron, then across the Mona passage to Samana, DR. I think that's all I'd risk around there.
From Samana along the north coast of Hispanola - it would be good to take a look at Luperon but it will need careful pilotage so maybe Puerto Plata would be more prudent.
Unless you particularly want to visit Haiti you'll be heading north to the T&C's but I wouldn't take that draught over the Caicos Banks so around the north side you'll have to go. I think you could get into Grand Turk or South Caicos for a break and to visit this rather weird country.
Then a bit of a problem in the Bahamas - I think Rum would be a bit dicey due to draught but the entrance is deep enough, it's just that you're a bit restricted once inside and it might be rolly. Conception should be ok in reasonably settled weather, but I think you'd be planning a straight shot for Miami having worried about running aground quite enough by then! You certainly won't be risking the Great Bahama Bank - I ran aground with 5' draught, out of sight of land!
 
john_morris_uk said:
I am sailing from St Thomas in the US Virgin Islands to St Thomas in April. Has anyone got any top tips for places to visit en route please? This isn't a bit of the Carib I've sailed in before so I would be interested in some inside knowledge and advice about places.

Turks and Caicos, Cuba and Bermuda etc are all en route, but I would be interested in some local knowledge about good ports or anchorages in these various islands to call into. What other islands would be 'must see's? What ports shouldn't be missed?

The downside is that we will have a THREE METRE draught!

The upside is that the yacht I have to sail is 67 feet long and I will have a very fit and enthusiastic crew.

Are there any 'essential' cruising guides or pilot books I should go and buy?
Click to expand...

Ah - I am doing the less glamorous run from NY to Gosport in May ;)
 
I had a look at some of the charts today and it looks as though anywhere in the Bahamas is just too much hassle (and too expensive with the $300 entry charge!)

Assuming I can get Diplomatic Clearance for Cuba, I have heard that its a fantastic country to visit. I have also heard that Haiti is interesting...

Thanks for the ideas so far - keep them coming and I'll look them up on the charts that have just come through.

No one has suggested any 'essential' pilot books or 'cruising guides' yet?
 
Only done the Spanish VIs and Puero Rico but Culebra is very laid back and fun. The Bio bays in Viequez are a must - you can anchor in the eastern one and don't be put off by Esperanza - one of the most unappealing anchorages that hides a really good run ashore.
 
moodyNick said:
so you will have worked out that Bermuda is a long way off route between the USVI and Miami !
Click to expand...
Ahem - sorry about the typo. I have sailed out of Bermuda in the past and know where it it is. Especially when I don't confuse the typing of the word "Bermuda" with "Bahamas"... :o

And just to show what a complete numpty I can be:

Both the man organising the exped and myself ordered the charts to plan the exercise. Except that there isn't an obvious chart that covers the whole of the area in the admiralty chart list so neither of us ordered one. I have now looked at the catalogue and had to back order the charts of the whole of the E Atlantic (in order to get the whole passage on one chart and so we can have a broad picture of what is possible and achievable etc in the time we have.) But when I went to place the order on Thursday I found that the person who sorts these things out was out of office until Friday. So I went back on Friday to find that he'd been sent home sick with the Norovirus and won't be in work for some time. The other people in the unit have said that they will see what they can do...
 
Last edited:
I don't know if this helpful but the passage you describe is often described as "the Thorny Route". If you google those words plus a couple of other sailing specific words, you should come up with a mass of cruising info. The route is mainly discussed by North Americans sailing upwind to the Carib, so obviously you need to stand on your head whilst reading the results. The Cruisers Forum is also a good source of info on this passage.

I found a book "The Gentlemans Guide to Sailing South" most helpful although most of the info can be found independently with the above mentioned Google search. Don't be put off by the inclusion of the word "Gentlemans" in the title, provided you can speak American, it should be just as useful to a crew of riff raff as it would be to its targeted readership.

Have a good sail.

Cheers, Brian.
 
Re the 'Thorny Path' it is thorny going East, going west it is a pleasant sail off the wind.

3 m draft would make many of the routes given through the T&C and much of the Bahamas a touch and go affair. OK if you have a tough steel boat and time to work the tides.

So my choice would be South coast of PR, Samana in the DR and possibly Luperon then on to Haiti and after to spend as much time in Cuba as possible as the prize.

The North East coast of Cuba has a fair number of well protected anchorages that will take your depth.

The Cruising Guide to Cuba by Simon Charles is worth having. Expect to have to deal with some pernickety officials though.
 
TQA said:
Re the 'Thorny Path' it is thorny going East, going west it is a pleasant sail off the wind.

3 m draft would make many of the routes given through the T&C and much of the Bahamas a touch and go affair. OK if you have a tough steel boat and time to work the tides.

So my choice would be South coast of PR, Samana in the DR and possibly Luperon then on to Haiti and after to spend as much time in Cuba as possible as the prize.

The North East coast of Cuba has a fair number of well protected anchorages that will take your depth.

The Cruising Guide to Cuba by Simon Charles is worth having. Expect to have to deal with some pernickety officials though.
Click to expand...
After a lot of digging around I've just bought a copy of the Cruising Guide to Cuba by Simon Charles for less than £4-00 (but plus postage of a couple of £) Amazon suggested that some US sites were selling it for nearly $200!! :eek: Its second hand and supposed to be in good condition so we will see what it's like when it arrives.

The Gentleman's Guide one was a little more at £25 inc postage
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Share this page

Top