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From: eve@ssc-bee.UUCP (Michael Eve)
Newsgroups: net.travel,net.rec.boat,net.rec.scuba
Subject: Re: Sailing in the Caribbean
Message-ID: <183@ssc-bee.UUCP>
Date: Mon, 9-Jul-84 13:13:50 EDT
Article-I.D.: ssc-bee.183
Posted: Mon Jul  9 13:13:50 1984
Date-Received: Wed, 11-Jul-84 00:58:52 EDT
References: <1368@sun.uucp>
Organization: Boeing Aerospace, Seattle
Lines: 69

....
My scuba club chartered a Morgan 41 (?) out of St. Thomas during the 
Thanksgiving holiday three years ago.  We had the boat for 10 days and
had a great time.  Not being sailors, we also hired a captain ($50/day)
who also had worked for Jim and Kathy Church so he knew all the dive sites.

The weather was good by Seattle standards, but not so great for diving.
A storm was in the area giving us great winds for sailing, but made it too
rough to dive on the Atlantic side of the islands.  The temperature was in
the upper 70s and low 80s with mostly sunny skies.  Despite the storm, we were
only rained on one day.


We provisioned the boat ourselves and saved a substantial amount of money.
Probably cut our food bill in half, and we still had food left over.  We
didn't spearfish (several local fish are toxic) so that didn't reduce our
food bill any.  There is a large supermarket in Charlotte Amalie (sp?) just
a block from the marina, and throughout the trip we were always near stores.

The dollar was accepted everywhere we went, both British and American Virgin
Islands, likewise travelers checks. Seem to recall one restaurant on Virgin
Gorda wouldn't take plastic.

The charter company we used was Sea Breeze, I think.  They provided us a nice
boat, mostly working (the bilge pump didn't work, and the freezer served mostly
as an ice chest).  As you probably know, the rates are the lowest that time of
year. The Sheraton Hotel at the marina is a pit.  I don't know if it is even
still in the chain.

I've only taken two trips to the Caribbean (Virgin Islands and French West
Indies).  I found both places to have similar diving. Lots of staghorn coral,
parrotfish, etc.  In the Virgin Islands, we also found a sea turtle, a school
of squid, a stingray, and several small sharks.

Our route took us from St. Thomas to St. John (very pretty at the National 
Park), and into the British Virgin Islands: Tortolla, Virgin Gorda, Cane 
Garden Bay (remember the song by Jimmy Buffet, our captain played it
constantly), Jost van Dyke (with Nippy's tee-shirt dingy delivery service).

The most memorable part of the whole trip was Thanksgiving night when we
were anchored just off the wreck of the Rhone (used to film The Deep).
There is a graveyard on shore where the crewmen are buried. The graves look
pretty shallow, and are covered with bleached driftwood that looks like
bones. Anyway, the wind starts picking up about evening and by midnight is
really roaring. We start dragging both anchors and are headed toward the
graveyard when the captain breaks out the life jackets and orders up anchor.
With the anchors up and the sail only about a third out, we took off like a
banshee and went scooting across the Caribbean heeled over at 30 degrees.
For nonsailors, it was very exhilerating. We made Roadtown in two hours, and
when we woke in the morning, the place was packed with other boats which
had arrived after we did.

In general, the anchorages are very good, very sheltered. Salt Island (where
we were) is an exception.  The weather was supposed to be an exception;
usually, much less wind.  Many nights you will either have the anchorage to
yourself or share it with another boat or two. Lots of sandy beaches.

Oh, I just remembered. Right before the great domino match in Honduras,
some Canadian friends rented a boat at Roatan just off Honduras. Said the
diving was great, very unspoiled. We were going to lead another scuba
sailing trip there when Honduras activity stepped up. Also, the arrival
of a little one, was a small deterrent (we were willing, but who would
share the boat?).  The charter agency at Roatan claims there is no
problem locally, and his rates are really low.

When you get back from wherever, I would like to know how it went.

Mike Eve
{what gobbly gook goes here? Is it required?}