13 noviembre 2020
There’s no doubt that the British Virgin Islands offer some of the best cruising to be found anywhere on the planet. Plenty of breeze, easy-peasy navigation, good snorkeling, lots of good restaurants, and a plethora of good harbors make the BVI a great choice for a winter’s sailing adventure. The only downside, if there is a downside, is that the place can get crowded, especially during peak season. And if you have sailed in the BVI already, it might be nice to try someplace different.
Located slightly off the beaten track tucked snuggly between the US Virgin Islands and the eastern end of Puerto Rico, you’ll find another handful of islands commonly referred to as the Spanish Virgin Islands or Passage Islands. Ceded to the United States in 1898, the area is primarily made up of the islands of Culebra and Vieques but there are plenty of other surrounding islets and cays to explore. And while the British Virgin Islands are distinctively British, the Spanish Virgin Islands are distinctively Spanish. You don’t hear about these islands that much but for anyone looking to escape the crowds of the BVI and try something new, they are well worth checking out which my family and I discovered firsthand a few years back.
We began our sailing adventure from the town of Fajardo on the very eastern end of Puerto Rico where we picked up our boat, a Jeanneau 409 called Island Girl that we chartered from Sail Caribe based out of the very nice marina of Puerto del Rey.
After a brief introduction to the boat and a good chart briefing, we hoisted the sails and headed for Culebra. If there is a downside or should I say inconvenience to sailing in the Spanish Virgins, it is that every destination is up-wind from Fajardo making for a sometimes long and tough beat to windward. Such was the case for our first sail to Culebra located just about 18 miles dead upwind. With the winds blowing a steady 15 to 20 and seas running 3 to 4 feet, we took the advice of those in the know and motor-sailed our way to Culebra’s south shore and into one of the many recognized anchorages that can be found along the entire southern coast. I’m going to stop right here and say that another great thing about cruising in these islands is that there are plenty of moorings to be had, all of which are, now hold on to your Tilly Hats, FREE. That’s right free, as in no charge! How about that sport’s fans? A pretty good deal right?
We have the anchorage all to ourselves as my daughter Mollie enjoys a swim off the bow pulpit.
Young Graham can't get enough of the warm Caribbean Sea and hunting for sea-life
Perhaps one of the sweetest harbors to drop anchor in is on the small island of Culebrita located just a stone’s throw to the east of Culebra. Here you’ll find pristine white sandy beaches, crystal clear turquoise blue water, and lots of healthy intact reefs teeming with fish, sea turtles, coral, and conch. There are hills to climb, a great lighthouse to explore, and the natural charm of what the BVI was like 40 years ago.
We ended up spending 5 nights just cruising around from one quiet harbor to the next before ever going into Culebra’s main harbor and only town, Ensenada Honda. And you know what, we didn’t miss it.
A few years ago, we were fortunate enough to have had a similar experience cruising through the beautiful Apostle Islands on Lake Superior, where there were no beach bars, no on-shore boutiques, no restaurants, no nothing, except natural, unspoiled beauty. It was truly an awesome trip where we totally unplugged, enjoyed each other’s company, and we're happy just to be. This is what cruising is supposed to be all about and what you can find in the Spanish Virgins.
At the end of the day, we never managed to get to Vieques. We could have but to be honest, we enjoyed sailing around Culebra and Culebrita so much, we figured we would just have to come back and check out Vieques the next time around.
On the way back to Puerto del Ray, we made a final overnight stop on the small island of Palomino where we once again found a lovely harbor, free moorings, great snorkeling, and as a bonus, a beautiful full moon to shine its light on us. What more could we ask for?
For information on chartering in the Spanish Virgin Islands, please contact Sail Caribe. They have a nice fleet of Jeanneau monohulls to choose from. And once you leave the dock… simply unplug, relax and enjoy all that the Spanish Virgins have to offer. I can't wait to go again, hopefully, this winter!
On we go…
