Position:  18:25.66N   64:47.45W

Jost Van Dyke, BVI

 

..from Crown Bay, St Thomas, Virgin Islands

 

Weather conditions good?        ..CHECK!

Boat equipment all working?    ..CHECK!

VI clearance confirmed?            ..CHECK!

Provisioned stowed?                 ..CHECK!

Water topped up?                     ..CHECK!

Fuel topped up?                        ..CHECK!

 

..Bob D on board?                     ..CHECK!

 

It was great to welcome Bob D back onboard for our sail to our final destination, Annapolis, Chesapeake Bay.

We’ll be welcoming Bob G from Bermuda onwards. Probably the trickiest part of the trip. We have to cross the Gulf Stream and we’ll have to time the conditions well for that!

 

Everything sorted, weather beautiful and sunny with a nice mid teens blowing from the east there was nothing left for us to do but cast our lines and set off for Bermuda at 10.30am local time from Crown Bay. The plan was to head east along the southern side of the island of St Thomas and then head north west through the islands until finally we entered open water and a direct line to Bermuda. As expected we had to motor the first leg against the easterly wind, just a few miles – then the sails could come out. BUSY BUSY waters through the islands of St Thomas and St John with mega yachts anchored out in the middle and criss-crossing boats everywhere.

Finally though we passed the island of Jost van Dyke to our starboard and we were off!

 

We had really got to know this area and the bays of St John such as Francis Bay, Cruz Bay and our internet bay – Caneel Bay, where the famous Caneel Hotel very generously allowed anchored boats free internet use.

By the way ..The Caneel Hotel used to be the island home of Rockefeller. He owned most of St John island and donated his land to the nation as a national park as long as he could build a flashy hotel there for his rich friends.