Anchorages

ST. THOMAS, USVI

18.3381° N, 64.8941° W

St. Thomas, 32 square miles of beautiful. The door to sailing the US Virgin Islands. Many shades of blue as you head out of bays and coves with the wake of your boat mixing and swirling the water like paint being prepared for painting an exquisite portrait of the perfect passage. After all that sailing, there’s no better place to drop anchor.

Steeped in history, some of the coolest parts of history being the pirates of course, you can stand anywhere on the island and realize why so many has fought for St. Thomas’ allure. You don’t want to leave as you experience the island’s food, culture, landscapes and of course, the people. It is one of many islands, but understandably can be anyones favorite.

Go Marina

I’m sure you’re prepared for this before you’re set off on your journey, but in case you didn’t.

The island offers plenty of marinas at your disposal. Take care of pump outs also hook up to power and water. Sailing ocean passages can be fun but we know it can be a lot of work. Before you can play, there may be some maintenance that needs to be done.

Is your engine leaking?

 Get the parts you need.

Maybe you need some new seals, gaskets or hoses. And after all that leaking you may need more oil or even a filter. Here is a shortcut to take care of some of those problems.

Check out this list of Marinas:

– Electricity, Water, Fuel and Pumpout available –

NAME OF MARINA	# OF SLIPS	MAX SIZE	DOCK SIDE DEPTH	PUMP OUT	FUEL
American Yacht Harbor (340) 775-6454	106	110′	–	–	yes
Boater’s Haven Marina (340) 775-6144	86	60′	6.5′	yes	no
Crown Bay Marina (340) 774-2255	99	200′	20′	yes	yes
Fish Hawk Marina (340) 775-9058	4	50′	6′	no	yes
Independent Boatyard (340) 776-0466	80	50′	7′	no	no
Pirate’s Cove Marina (340) 774-4655	30	55′	–	no	yes
Sapphire Beach Marina (340) 775-6100	67	65′	10′	no	yes
Yacht Haven Marina (340) 774-6050	160	400′	–	yes	yes

Go Mooring

Hey, we all don’t have the clams (bad pun, I know) to stay at a marina the whole time. Especially if we need to check in with customs (which isn’t free), do some heavy-duty provisioning since there could be no where else to pick up essentials while underway, order parts for repairs from your friendly informative website such as this one, or want to add a little more excitement to your activities list by upgrading your toys, once again from your friendly website.

Now that you’re made it safely to the mooring ball, I hope your anchor and windlass hasn’t given you any problems. If they have, this might be the time to take care of it. You’re near land and might have WiFi service, so this is the chance to replace those things while you’re can before you start sailing again.

Have a look at this, maybe it’s the answer.

MANTUS Anchor

Definitely sets in Sea Beds, Roll bar for Self-Righting, Lifetime Warranty !

Lewmar H3G Windlass 12v RC8MM(5-16) Gypsy

One-piece installation – Stainless steel drum – Low maintenance Sealed Waterproof Unit – Boats up to 48ft

Check out these mooring locations

Nazareth Bay

18.3181° N, 64.8548° W

–

Elephant Bay

18.3234° N, 64.9538° W

–

Santa Maria Bay

18.3642° N, 64.9971° W

–

Magen Bay

18.3612° N, 64.9241° W

After Passage, Coming ashore.

If you’re haven’t filled up on all the fish you caught along the way, St. Thomas has plenty of places to enjoy the island cuisine. Obviously you should engorge yourself with the culture but you should follow suit with the local delicacies, and some say, it’s second to none. You have to try the conch

fritters!!

Well now since you have filled up on some of the best food on the island, you have to walk it off, and if you’re on St. Thomas from April – May, you will dance off those calories during the celebration of Carnival. Music carrying through the streets. Vibrant colors of elaborate and ornate costumes. It’s an experience that shouldn’t be missed.

If you’re more with connecting with nature then maybe some natural sights is more your league. There are historic ruins to explore, and why not get lost in a tropical jungle. Not many people can say they kayaked through a mangrove lagoon at night, you can be a part of an exclusive club. You could take that same kayak for a sunset paddle through a bird sanctuary on St. Thomas’ East End in Benner Bay.

Round out the evening with a little nightlife. I should say “a lot of nightlife” since St. Thomas definitely shows itself to be a pretty lively spot after hours. The bars and clubs keeps the drinks flowing and the people smiling. It would be quite the time soaking in the energy pulsing through the city.

If you enjoyed the sailing, then you will love the those same reefs and beaches you passed along the way. Needless to say, but St. Thomas boasts some of the best diving in the world. Anywhere you drop anchor will put you smack dab in the middle of another world beaming with life. Be amazed by the corals and schools of fish living amongst the reef. Enjoy the hunt for lobster and make this a special dinner, but you must stay focused. You can be distracted by the awesome patterns on the fish that reside in those reefs and make sure you keep an eye out for it’s larger, sharp-tooth residents who cruises the reef like they own the ocean, but are very docile as you stare in awe.

LIFE IS SHORT, LETS LIVE IT ADVENTUROUSLY.

Geared Up

With all these activities on the island of St. Thomas, one has to be prepared. There is the right tool for the job and there is also the right gear for the activity.

Walking around town or wandering off the beaten path requires some durable and also comfortable footwear. Check these out. Your feet will be happy to put in some extra miles with these strapped to them. The durability can handle all types of terrains. The lightweight breathable fabric keeps you cool and being waterproof, they keep your feet dry.

Merrell Women’s Accentor Low Hiking Shoes

Merrell All Out Blaze Aero Sport

The sun feels great on the skin but can be a killer on the eyes, so Stop the glare and look good doing it. 

These shades are stylish and very comfortable on the face. 

Do these fit your Sailing style?

SOJOS Classic Aviator Mirrored Flat Lens Sunglasses

FEIDU Mens Polarized Aviator Sunglasses

St. Thomas should be on your “must see” list.

You have done this ocean passage and learned so much sailing to St. Thomas. There are so many amazing things to experience on the island and it’s so easy to be enchanted by the islands culture, wildlife and people. Once you’re there, pulling up anchor may be the last but also the hardest thing to do.

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