Return to The Virgin Islands

What better way to get this blog rejuvenated than to post about our recent trip to the US and British Virgin Islands? We've been in Texas for 4 months and really missing our floating home. When Steve and Deb invited us to spend 10 days with them on Alternate Latitude in the Virgin Islands, well, how could we say no?

We went with some of our other sailing friends from Kemah so we dubbed ourselves the Kemah Krew and hopped a plane and headed to the islands.

The notorious Kemah Krew consisted of Troy and Deana, Cory and Tammy, who live on s/v Menestheus, Capt. Rick Weiler and of course, our hosts, Steve and Deb on s/v Alternate Latitude. Alternate Latitude is a 44 foot Voyager Catamaran so there was plenty of room for us all and we had a fantastic and fun filled 10 days of sailing, snorkeling, swimming and just plain having too much fun.

Kemah Krew

Alternate Latitude

The Virgin Islands are fantastic cruising grounds. Easy sailing from one beautiful island to the next. White sand beaches and turquoise waters make sailing there a dream. We have been there on Storyville twice and spent several months cruising those islands. One thing that was noticably different on this trip was that we were there in the off season. When we were there on Storyville every anchorage was full with charter boats and mega yachts everywhere and sometimes, depending on where you were, you had to hope that there would be a mooring available. During the off season there are so many fewer charter boats and many full time cruisers are further south waiting out hurricane season. It was strange to see the empty anchorages, but nice to have them all to ourselves at times.

We flew into St. Thomas and sailed to Jost Van Dyke, Tortola, Virgin Gorda, Peter Island, Norman Island and St. John. What a fantastic trip and just what we needed. Some time on a boat, on the water in the beautiful islands. Oh how we've missed them. We couldn't have asked for better hosts or better friends to spend the time with.

Panoramic Views of The Virgin Islands

Swimming With Turtles

Perfect Beaches

Flying the Spinnaker down the Sir Frances Drake Channel

If you are looking for a vacation that you will never forget, think about chartering with Steve and Deb on Alternate Latitude. They can show you all the cool spots in the Virgin Islands, whether you want to party at the best beach bars or kick back on a beautiful white beach or snorkel with sea turtles. So click on the link to find out how to have a fantastic vacation, and be sure to tell them that Storyville sent you!

One of the coolest things we did was swim with the turtles at Buck Island. They were so cool and we loved every minute of watching them calmly swim and eat sea grass. Here is a video.......

Buck Island Turtle Video from Deana Jones on Vimeo.

Hark, now hear the sailors cry, smell the sea, and feel the sky, let your soul and spirit fly, into the mystic. ~ Van Morrison

 

 

Posted with Blogsy

Charter Alternate Latitude and sail the Virgin Islands!

Have you ever dreamed about sailing in the US or British Virgin Islands? The islands are beautiful and relaxing and the water is cool, refreshing and so blue that words can't do it justice. We did lots of snorkeling while we were there and saw incredible fish, turtles, rays, cuttlefish and more. The beaches are world class with palm trees ringing white sand beaches. It really is picture postcard perfect. It's an experience that we will never forget, and of course, for those of you who know us, you know that we are planning more sailing in this area early next year. 

If you have followed our blog from the beginning of our cruising experience, then you will remember our friend Captain Steve Schlosser. Steve left Texas with us in December of 2010 on his Tayana 37, s/v Anchor Management. We had a great time in the Bahamas and were really sad when Steve left us to continue on down to Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands. There, he made a decision to sell Anchor Management and buy a bigger catamaran with plans to charter in the Virgin Islands. He found a Voyage 440 cataraman with 4 separate cabins, each with it's own head. His new boat, s/v Alternate Latitude is big and beautiful and Steve is ready to start booking charters in the Virgin Islands.

For our friends Steve has agreed to give a 10% discount on any charters in the Virgin Islands! Just use discount code "Storyville". So, tell all your friends and be sure to click this link to check out his web site and read all about Alternate Latitude and book your next vacation today! - Alternate Latitude

If you want to experience offshore sailing, or spend a few days in the Bahamas aboard Alternate Latitude, check out the web site for opportunities to sail with Steve on his way down to the islands.

This summer Alternate Latitude will be available for charter in and around Galveston Bay.

Whether you want to sail, party, shop, eat great food, snorkel beautiful reefs, experience the Baths, or take quiet walks on the beach, you can do it all in the US and British Virgin Islands.

CLICK HERE TO SCHEDULE A FUN FILLED VACATION - ALTERNATE LATUTIDE - and don't forget to use your discount code "Storyville".

Under The Sea

 We enjoyed some great snorkeling in the British and Spanish Virgin Islands. One of our favorite places was Culebra in the Spanish Virgins. I got a new underwater camera for my birthday and I had so much fun taking pictures of the beautiful underwater world. I highly recommend my new camera, the Canon D10, and now (of course) there is an even newer version. I REALLY love the looks and features of the new one. Isn’t that the way it always works? You buy an electronic device and practically the next day they come out with a better one? Anyway, in case anybody needs ideas for a Christmas gift (hint, hint), take a look at the Canon D20!

I didn't get much blogging done while we were sailing this winter/spring. I guess we were having too much fun, plus, I use the age old excuse of poor internet. Hopefully we have been able to make progress with the internet issue by our purchase of the The WirieAP. We have only used it here in Luperon so far, but we can't wait to get out there after hurricane season and check it out in other harbors. It sure is nice to have internet on the boat instead of lugging the computer to a local restaurant/bar and trying to get everything accomplished before drinking too much beer! Hopefully the Wirie will help me keep the blog more current.

There were so many pictures that it was really hard to edit them down. I will post them to the blog using my Flickr account. So click on ******* this link ******** and enjoy a slide show of some of the beautiful sea life that we saw in the Virgin Islands.

By the way, we just added our blog to the Sailing Blogs website where you will find many similar blogs as well as all kinds of blogs about boat building, racing and well, just about anything to do with sailing.  Click on the icon at the right and give us a "boost" or a comment!

For whatever we lose (like a you or a me), it's always our self we find in the sea.

~e.e. cummings