The Spanish Virgin Islands - Nov 2009

Sailing west from the sheltered and familiar anchorage of Sopers Hole, West End Tortola, BVI, we cruise past the coast of St Thomas and then its a short hop across to Culebra, the first of the 2 larger Spanish Virgin Islands.
The Spanish Virgin Islands (also called the Passage Islands) are part of Puerto Rico. Despite being so close to the very busy and commercialized St Thomas in the USVI, the Spanish islands feel undeveloped, unspoiled, and off-the beaten-path. They are a new destination for us, and we're looking forward to the visit.
With reasonable weather, no north edge to the wind and no swells, we take the northern side of St thomas. Theres a few small islands and some rocks and reefs to avoid, but the light is good, so no problems. In poorer weather conditions, the southern side of the island is the leeward side and more sheltered from the winds and waves.
As you approach Culebra, you have a choice of access routes - theres some extensive reef to avoid. The main entrance is around the SE side of the reef and through some very clear channel markers and into Ensenada Honda. But theres a shorter and more scenic route in, passing between Culebrita and Isla Norte. Good light helps and knowing exactly where you are is a really good plan - theres a lot of rocks and reefs to catch the napping sailor.

But we pass through easily and motor up inside Culebrita and tuck into the mangrove-lined lagoon behind Los Pelas for a comfortable first night stop. We discover that the PR/Culebra parks folks have nicely placed lots of mooring balls in the popular anchorage areas. This avoids damage to the reefs - which we later discover to still be in fine shape. It also makes things easy for us first-time visitors.
It was 6 hours from BVI to Culebra, all told.

After a good nights sleep in a very calm and protected anchorage, we're ready to  move on.
We pop back across to Culebrita and pick up a mooring ball there, dinghy into the beach, and go exploring. Its a nice spot, with some good trails, and we hike up to the old lighthouse for the views and the photo opps.

After lunch we head out, and work our way thru the well-marked channel into Ensenada Honda. We drop anchor in about 10' of water, tucked in behind Pirate Cay. We're just off the main town of Culebra, so we head ashore to complete clearance requirements.
Clearance into the SVI is relatively easy - a short walk up to the airport to complete the necessary paperwork with the Customs and Immigration folks there.
Then we wander around the small town. It's definitely on the quaint and undeveloped side, which is really nice after visiting many more commercial ports in the Caribbean. But there are downsides - tough to get wifi and internet anywhere - and we need to check in with home and the daughters. But we do find some stores to do a little reprovisioning and have a nice meal out at Mamacitas restaurant.
After a couple of days in Culebra, its time to move on again, and we head out, back thru Ensenada Honda and out and across to Vieques. Vieques looks really appealing - particularly the eastern end which used to be a US Naval gunnery range and has a couple of fine looking anchorages. We checked in Culebra and were advised that there were no military areas any more and no restrictions to worry about. My old Pilot book for the areas gives us excellent instruction on how to safely get into the anchorages, so first stop is Salina del Sur. Looks like our books were right and it is a lovely spot. A couple of other boats - cats - anchored there already, but they leave and we have the spot to ourselves for the night. Next day, when Kerry goes ashore, he meets 2 reps from the US ordinance and is told that the whole area is a Wildlife Refuge and entry is restricted. They actually give us a little map that shows the Wildlife Area. So, its return to the boat and up anchor and away.
Now we're a little confused and our plans are really messed up. we hoped to also anchor in Bahia Icacos on the islands north coast, but that is also Refuge. We could head west along the south coast, but its a longish distance downwind, and then a beat back. So, we decide instead to cross back to Culebra - it seems more accomodating to visiting sailors.
The weather is looking interesting though. Very heavy  and dark clouds over St Thomas, and its heading our way. At the half-way point its getting squally, and off the northern side of the squall line are a series of waterspouts, the first of which is looming closer. We've seen and dodged a few of these before, but never seen a line of 4 or 5. The sails are down and stowed, and we motor around the first spout and dash across ahead of the 2nd, as fast as a Yammar marine engine will allow. By the time we've motored up to Culebrita again, we're back into blue skies and sunshine.
Funny how days change. We end up with a lovely last stay at Culebrita. The water is beautifully clear, the reef is in great shape, and the fish life is still very good. Hil is little off-put by a near encounter with a shark, but it doesn't hang around. The anchorages here are quiet - we have one boat for company and thats it.



Now we head back to BVI, and then a longer head back to St Maarten.
After the passage back past St Thomas, we enter in to Sopers Hole to get a fuel topup, but theres a big wait so we move on and beat up the Sir Francis Drake Channel and into Marina Cay, where we do get fuel and stop for a sleep.

Another early start the next morning, but we can't pass one of our favourite spots without stopping briefly. Most tourists and bareboat cruisers who visit BVI make a daytime stop at the famous Baths on Virgin Gorda. They are beautiful - lovely little beaches and rock pools amidst a tumble of large boulders. But they are popular and always busy. Been there done that, lots of times.
Just next door, if you have a boat and the weather is right, is an idyllic mini version - Fallen Jerusalem - the name is enough to tempt you to check it out. It usually has 1 or 2 Marine Park balls for visitors to use. And then its own mini beaches and tumble of boulders - but you'll have this spot of paradise to yourself.

And having checked to make sure its still there, and still beautiful, we move on again.
We're planning to clear the east end of Virgin Gorda while its still earlish and the light is still ok. Then we'll make the crossing of the Anegada Passage as an overnight trip. The weather forecast is good, and we don't want to miss an opportunity for an easy passage back to St maarten.