18:27.2N 64:26.4W

 

We sped through the Virgin Islands, going directly from Vieques to St John during a lull in the trade winds.  One day in the USVIs, to clear out of the US, and then we departed for Guadelope.  Actually, we first headed eastwards through the calm waters of the BVIs, dropping the anchor overnight at Virgin Gorda, which is a better departure point for the beat to Guadeloupe.

 

This time the wind was in our favour, a solid 15-18 knot north-easterly.  Once we got clear of the confused waves bouncing off the BVIs then the passage was relatively smooth.  We took the route down the western side of the island chain, which meant we had calmer seas but also meant that the “night lees” affected us.  We had one period of motoring for half an hour in the lee of St Kitts, and a slow hour of sailing in the lee of Montserrat.  Even so, leaving Gorda at 0800 we were anchored at Deshaies by 1600 the next day.

 

Anchored at Spanish Town, the sun setting behind Tortola

 

We had a flock of Brown Boobies for company throughout the first day, circling around the mast and fishing in the shadow of the sail

 

You don’t usually get clumps of weed this big in the Caribbean