Caribbean Compass Yachting Magazine - December 2021

DECEMBER 2021 CARIBBEAN COMPASS PAGE 14
US NATIONAL PARK SERVICE
— Continued from previous page
Find marinas and a fun dock bar with seating in the mangroves. Fish feeding is
allowed! The local Budget Marine store is nearby, as well as an excellent grocery
market and a veterinary clinic. Independence Boat Yard offers cruiser friendly
services and slips, plus marine services and haul outs.
On St. Thomas you can anchor near the airport for convenient crew changes.
As you continue east past Benner Bay and Jersey Bay (watch for the marked rocks)
there are two small islands. The west side has Christmas Cove at Great St. James
Island. This is a small cove, and is a favored mooring spot, with several unmaintained
moorings. Some anchoring is possible.
Take the cut between St. Thomas to the north and Great St. James Island to pass
through to Red Hook, toward the northwest, or go eastward across to St. John. You
can also continue eastward along the island group to round up into the passage
between St. Thomas and St. John. One landmark is Little St. James Island, made
infamous by Jeffrey Epstein.
Head north in the deep passage to either the east side harbors of St. Thomas or
the west side of St. John. Ferry and other boat ferry traffic have active routes here,
as do some cruise ships, so be aware.
Christiansted, St. Croix — The Prettiest Town of All
DESTINATIONS
Heading to or sailing around St. John, be sure to keep a close eye on your map
and GPS locations — do not stray into BVI waters. Covid has made the normal “right
of innocent passage” problematic in the past, so check the current regulations.
Red Hook
Red Hook has IGY’s American Yacht Harbor and Vessup Bay has anchorage areas.
Red Hook has all amenities, medical offices and excellent restaurants.
You can catch the ferry to and from St. John here. The beaches and
beach bars in this area are well known. Sapphire Beach is just to the
north of the harbor.
St. John
Much of the island of St. John is a US National Park. For Park
information visit www.nps.gov/viis/index.html
Cruising boats usually favor the northern park areas, starting with
Cruz Bay and traveling clockwise around St. John, with Hawksnest,
Cinnamon, Francis and other bays having moorings. See the
Interactive Map at https://bit.ly/3DWHKQ5.
There are mostly moorings in the park, but two areas are marked
as approved anchorages on the interactive map. And, sadly, the
moorings are in high demand, with rumors of boats squabbling over
them — they need more!
Frances Bay, like all park areas, has well-spaced moorings, and
beach, some nice snorkeling, and walking trails.
Leinster Bay, the next bay east, has fewer moorings and is quieter,
with walking trails and Waterlemon Cay. You then can sail around
the east side of St John, with options of stopping in the various bays
and coves on the south side of the island, and then return to St.
Thomas with tradewind assistance.
Final notes
Since many other island countries require recent PCR tests for
entry, its advisable to depart from a USVI port where these tests are
available. American Yacht Harbor at Red Hook has PCR testing for
customers, as does Yacht Haven Grande in Charlotte Amalie. Various
medical facilities Charlotte Amalie also do testing. It’s just something
else to add to your cruising plans.
A recent article, https://bit.ly/30NHsfk, describes some of the
ongoing challenges. Several of the non-park “restricted” anchorages
on St. John have ongoing user conflicts. A popular floating taco bar
has moved to the outer edge of Coral Bay due to the anchoring and
mooring conflicts. Be aware.
If you are concerned about anchoring regulations or issues in the USVI but want
to cruise in US territory, there is the option of checking in at Puerto Rico (at Marina
del Ray on the east side or Marina Pescaderia on the west side) and cruising the
southern coast of Puerto Rico and Culebra. Use the “search” feature at www.
caribbeancompass.com to see articles on this area.
Visiting the US Virgin Islands currently includes changes and challenges, but
with the effort of the USVI government during the pandemic to keep the people and
the economy healthy, with access to Covid testing facilities, and the wonderful
marine environment, cruisers will still find the island life they enjoy. Be aware,
follow the rules established to keep everyone as safe as possible, and visit the
Virgin Islands!
For more detailed information, including sailing routes and things to see and do
ashore, see Cruising Guide to the Virgin Islands by Simon Scott, available at
chandleries or from www.cruisingguides.com
by Don Street
St. Croix is by far the most interesting of the three
US Virgin Islands, and Christiansted is the most
attractive town in all the Eastern Caribbean.
The lower part of Christiansted was declared a US
national historic site in 1952 (see https://en.
wikipedia.org/wiki/Christiansted_National_Historic_
Site). The façades of the pastel-colored
18th-century Danish-style buildings constructed by
African slaves cannot be changed, so the town looks
pretty much as it did in 1780 when it was the capital
of the Danish Virgin Islands.
As far as I know, Christiansted is the only major port
town in the entire Eastern Caribbean that no cruise
ship carrying over 200 passengers has ever visited —
the big ships draw too much water to enter the harbor.
A big ship would have to anchor outside the reef in deep
water where it is too rough to ferry passengers ashore.
As you approach Christiansted note that the
entrance channel is well to the east of town. Once you
pick up the sea buoy, set a course of 164° magnetic,
which will lead you up the channel. The radio mast
indicated on Imray-Iolaire chart A234 is no longer
there, but Fort Louise Augusta is. Note that the
soundings are in fathoms and feet NOT metres.
Follow the buoyed schooner channel, round up and
anchor right off the beach in the northeast corner of
the harbor; there are six to eight feet of water two
boat lengths off the beach. Or continue on in and
anchor off St. Croix Marine. Do not think of sailing
between Protestant Cay and town and anchoring
west of Protestant Cay. That area is filled with local
boats on moorings and is subject to a strong
reversing current.
Also note that in periods of heavy weather, water
piles in over the top of the reef and exits to the east of
the reef. In such periods there can be a strong
northerly current in the entrance channel that can
make things very choppy. It also creates crazy currents
in the harbor, so use a Bahamian moor.
Once you get settled, spend a day exploring the
town. Stroll the boardwalk, have a snack in Kings Alley
Walk, and visit the tourist office to ascertain if the
Landmarks Society (www.stcroixlandmarks.org) is
running any tours of the old estate houses. If they are,
View of Christiansted from the Steeple Building.
take the tour; it will be a most interesting glimpse into
the island’s history and culture.
On a Wednesday or Saturday rent a car and follow
the north side road through the mahogany forest and
visit the Lawaetz Museum (www.llgfarm.com), which
was the Lawaetz family plantation home from the
1800s through to the 1960s.
Continue on to Frederiksted, St. Croix’s second town
— attractive, but not as attractive as Christiansted.
Head on back east along the centerline road stopping
at Estate Whim, a restored sugar plantation. The
wealthy owner of Estate Whim reportedly put on such
a display with his carriage and outriders that it
surpassed that of the King of Denmark. The king then
passed a law limiting the number of horses you could
attach to a carriage and the number of outriders that
could accompany the carriage.
Then continue on to the eastern end of the island;
Udall Point is the easternmost point of the United
States. On your way back to Christiansted stop at the
St. Croix Yacht Club and admire the wonderful area
available to the club for small boat racing, windsurfing,
kitesurfing and diving on the reef.