The Island Hopping Digital Guide To The Virgin Islands - Part I - The United States Virgin Islands: Including St. Thomas, St. John, and St. Croix

By Stephen J Pavlidis

This edition is Part I of The Island Hopping Digital Guide to the Virgin Islands and covers the US Virgin Islands, including St. Thomas, St. John and St. Croix. 

The Island Hopping Digital Guides are the digital versions of the world-famous cruising guides written by Stephen J. Pavlidis. Over the past 20 years, Stephen J. Pavlidis h

• Language: English
• Publisher: Seaworthy Publications, Inc.
• Release date: Jan 1, 2017
• ISBN: 9781892399601

Stephen J Pavlidis

Stephen J. Pavlidis has been cruising and living aboard since 1989. First aboard his 40' cutter-rigged sloop, IV Play, and today he is cruising aboard his 31' Chris Craft, Swan Song. Starting in the Exuma Cays, over 20 years ago, Steve began his writing career with guides to the many fascinating destinations he visited. Many of his books stand alone to this day as the quintessential guides to the areas he covers. His books are different than most other cruising guides in some very significant ways. All of the charts in Steve's books were created using data personally collected while visiting each area using a computerized system that interfaces GPS and depth soundings.

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The Basics

Anchoring

In a word, crowded. If you wish solitude, stay in the Spanish Virgin Islands, for in the BVI and USVI you’ll rarely find an anchorage all to yourself, there are just too many charterboats and sometimes every anchorage appears as a forest of masts. The truly private anchorages are usually too rolly for a nighttime stay, so you’ll just have to get used to having neighbors around.

It is often the case that those who charter boats frequently forget some of the basics when it comes to anchoring so let me take a moment and offer a refresher course of sorts. First, make sure that your choice of anchorage or mooring area is secure and that any predicted wind shifts or northerly swells will not leave you trapped or put you in harm’s way. If you are a sailboat start your engine and furl or lower your sails before entering the anchorage and secure your dinghy so that the painter will not entangle your prop. A tangled prop can put you in a very dangerous situation if you have no propulsion and the wind or seas are blowing you onshore or onto a reef.

Never enter an unfamiliar anchorage with the sun directly in your eyes, at night, or in periods of poor visibility such as a squall. A good system of communication is necessary between the helmsperson and whomever is working the foredeck; hand signals signifying forward, starboard, port, reverse, and stop should suffice. And don’t forget to put out enough scope. Figure on a 7:1 ratio using the depth of the water plus the distance from the water to your bow roller times 7, and always allow swinging room (difficult in the more crowded anchorages). Always make sure your anchor is set well, either by diving on it, or by using a glass bottom bucket from the dinghy.

You’ll find that many of the anchorages here are, in general, deeper than those in places like The Bahamas. In The Bahamas, and the Turks and Caicos as well, if you’re anchored in 20’ of water you are in a deep anchorage. In the Virgins, 20’ can be very shallow, especially in places like Soper’s Hole where it’s best to take a mooring for the waters there, unless you can tuck in close to the eastern end of the harbour, range from 40’-70’ in depth. Of course, if you are heading for the Virgins from the lower Eastern Caribbean, you’re probably quite used to anchoring in deeper waters. And if you’re not used to anchoring in the lee of mountains you will soon learn about that art as well. Here you will encounter a phenomenon called backwinding. This is first noticed by the novice when his boat lies 180° from the angle it first lay when he dropped his hook and went below for a nap. If this happens you’ll need to set a stern anchor and try to remember that the stronger the trade wind the stronger the backwind.

Anchor choice is basically a personal preference. Some skippers prefer CQRs, while others swear by a Bruce or a Danforth. Of the Big Three, you will find that a Danforth holds as well or better than a CQR or Bruce in sandy bottoms while the CQR or Bruce is preferred when anchoring in rocky bottoms. Today however, one of the most popular anchors in the Virgin Islands is the Delta. Whatever your choice of anchor, you must deploy your anchor correctly and with sufficient scope to hold you when the tide changes, if a front approaches, or if a squall should blow through at 0200 (which seems to be the time they choose to blow through). Your anchor should have a length of chain (at least 15’) shackled to your anchor to keep your rode from chafing against coral or rocks and to create a catenary curve that helps absorb shock loads while lowering the angle of pull on your anchor. Too high an angle may cause your anchor to pull up and out of the bottom. Some cruisers prefer all-chain rodes with a nylon snubber to absorb the shock loads. This is an excellent arrangement but a windlass may be needed unless you prefer the workout involved with hauling in the chain and anchor every time you move.

Always set an anchor light. Some cruisers feel this is unimportant in some of the more isolated anchorages. What they probably do not understand is that many locals run these islands at all hours of the night, even on moonless nights, and an anchor light protects your vessel as well as theirs.

The Atlantic Ocean surge seeks out any way it can to round the tips of these islands to cause you seemingly no end of discomfort and here is not much you can do about it except possibly use a second anchor or bridle arrangement to keep your bow or stern into the swell. If using a bridle, set up your line on the opposite side that you wish to turn your vessel. For instance, if you need to turn your bow to starboard to face the incoming swells and make for a calmer ride, run your bridle line from a winch to a block on your port quarter and then forward outside your shrouds to your anchor line. Either tie it to your rode or, if you use all chain, attach it to the shackle where your nylon snubber (be sure to use a long one, at least 10’-20’ if you are setting up for a bridle arrangement) hooks to your chain. After your anchor is set, simply crank in your bridle line bringing your bow to starboard and off the wind.

In the winter season, roughly between October through April, you must take into account that northerly swells can and will affect your anchorage choices. Usually caused by a front passing well to the north of the Virgin Islands, swells are generated that create rough conditions on all the north shore anchorages making these anchorages untenable, and these swells can even make some normally calm anchorages rolly.

Never anchor in coral, even with your dinghy anchor. An anchor can do a great deal of damage to these very fragile ecosystems that will take years to recover if it is to recover at all. Besides, sand holds so much better anyway.

Proper anchoring etiquette should by practiced at all times. For instance, if the anchorage is wide and roomy and only one boat is at anchor, do not anchor right on top of them, give your neighbor a little breathing room and some solitude. You would probably appreciate the same consideration should the situation be reversed. All too often cruisers exhibit a herding instinct where they seek the comfort of other nearby cruisers, anchoring much too close at times.

Many boaters, after a long, hard day in rough seas or bad weather, anxiously await the peace and tranquility of a calm anchorage. The last thing they want is noise and wake. If you have a dog aboard that loves to bark, be considerate of your neighbors who do not wish to hear him. They do have that right. At sunset, many cruisers are sitting in their cockpits enjoying cocktails and watching the sun go down and do not want a generator disturbing their conversations, courtesy shown is usually courtesy returned.

You’ll find a lot of moorings in use in the USVI and BVI, and in both areas most moorings are available for a daily fee. It would behoove the cruiser venturing to the USVI or BVI to learn the rules and regulations concerning anchoring, mooring, and fishing.

USVI National Park Regulations

Use ofNational Park Service moorings is restricted to vessels of less than 61’ of length on deck. Vessels of 61’ (length on deck), or over may not use park moorings. Park mooring balls are white with a blue stripe. No rafting of vessels or setting of anchors is permitted while on a mooring. Use of more than one mooring by a single vessel is prohibited. Anchoring within 250’ of a mooring is prohibited. Vessels using a National Park Service mooring can guard against chafe by running their own line through the mooring line.

In Great and Little Lameshur Bays, Reef Bay, and Salt Pond Bay, mooring use is required and anchoring is prohibited. Anchoring on the southern shore of St. John is prohibited inside the area from Cocoloba Cay to White Point to Cabrita Horn Point to Ram Head.

Vessels between 126’-210’ (length on deck), must anchor only in Francis Bay, in sand, in water depths greater than 50’. Vessels longer than 210’ on deck may not anchor in National Park Service waters.

Where a mooring is not available and anchoring is not permitted, anchor in sand only (if you anchor in coral or on a seagrass bed you are subject to a citation by National Park Service rangers.

Vessels are not permitted to enter or anchor in any swim area marked by No Boat buoys. Anchor at least 250’ from all buoys.

During rough sea conditions or storms, moorings must not be used.

For dinghies, use only the marked channel (red and green markers) to go to the beach. Do not anchor in the marked channel or elsewhere in the swimming area and do not tie your dinghy to any living flora.

Water-skiing, boogie-boards, and use of personal watercraft are prohibited in National Park Service waters.

Spearfishing, the collection of fish and taking or damaging natural resources are not allowed in National Park Service waters. No fishing of any kind is allowed in Trunk Bay, St. John. Possession of a spear gun within National Park Service boundaries is prohibited.

Caribbean Etiquette

Proper etiquette is important when visiting foreign lands; lack of it can be embarrassing at the least and can create serious misunderstandings at its worst. For instance, when greeting people as you board a bus, give a hearty Good morning all around (if indeed it is morning) and it will be returned. The rule is greetings first, business later. Not offering a greeting first may be received as rude. If you approach a home that has a fence, stop at the front gate and say loudly Inside. If you receive no answer, try again. If there is still no answer, the folks are either not at home or do not wish to be disturbed.

And by the way, when two people are speaking, as with good manners everywhere, it is extremely rude to interrupt. West Indians don’t do it, neither should you.

Many Americans judge a man by his handshake, which does not work in the Caribbean. Here a soft, gentle hand embrace is more the norm. I have heard some folks (Canadians and Americans, never the British) say that they are surprised that West Indians do not smile. This leads to the misconception that the person does not like the cruiser. This is ridiculous. West Indian manners call for a reserved face to be shown, saving the smile for something funny or someone they are familiar with. The lack of a smile should not imply a negative attitude to the visitor unaccustomed to the lifestyle here in the Caribbean.

Now let’s discuss a very important subject, it will be a part of a lot that you do here in the Caribbean. Let’s take a moment and touch briefly upon the Caribbean pastime of liming. If you’re invited to join a group for a drink or a bite to eat, by all means, do! Hang out! You’ll be liming! People in the Caribbean can be found liming everywhere, in the streets, in restaurants and bars, at home, or even on your boat. Liming is just chilling, hanging out...get the picture?

I cannot end this section on etiquette without mentioning dress. What we cruisers take for granted in the way we dress while aboard is quite different from what is expected of us in public in the Caribbean. In town, a bathing suit is not acceptable and men should wear shirts as well as shoes. We should all dress as we would in going to our local mall when we go into any town in the Caribbean. Shorts and shirts is fine, bathing gear is not and is considered inappropriate. On some of the islands, particularly the French islands, it is not unusual for women to go topless on the beaches and even aboard their own boats, and yes gentlemen, it is rude to stare!

Chartering

Chartering in the islands is big business, and not very difficult to arrange. Winter is the season for chartering; prices are higher then and reservations should be made well in advance for November through May. Prices from May to November may be as much as 40% lower, but don’t fret, the winds will still be steady. The Christmas/New Year’s holidays are the busiest, followed by the final two weeks of February, and the Easter holidays. Bookings for these periods may require a year’s advance notice.

You can charter just a boat, called a bareboat, or a captained vessel where you do as little or as much work on board as you desire. If you choose to go bareboat, you will likely have to prove to the charter