Maps
Return to US Virgin Islands
After a couple months in Puerto La Cruz to avoid hurricanes that didn't materialize, we left to go to Tortuga (just North of Puerto La Cruz). Yes this was a change in plans. We had planned to head back East and retrace our steps, but the reality of beating into the wind and waves changed our minds. What a good choice! The island of Tortuga was incredible. We haven't had beaches and water like that since the Bahamas. After a few days in Tortuga, we followed a good weather window to Los Roques, where we had a nice spinnaker run (our first time downwind since leaving). Los Roques was great snorkeling and fishing. The trip to the Aves was also a downwind leg (nice for a change). The Aves were similar to the other Venezuela Islands, but we had a goal of Bonaire (to meet friends), so we left after one night for one more down wind leg. Once turning the corner at the Southern tip of Bonaire we had a great reach to the anchorage. After a few weeks in Bonaire (see text on Home page), we headed to St. John in the US Virgin Islands. The trip started a little roughly with the seas on the nose, but after 12 hours everything settled down. It got to the point half way through the trip where the seas were actually mirror flat. We did more motoring than we had planned, but it was very comfortable. We arrived in St. John in exactly two and a half days. We have been in the US and British Virgin Islands for a couple months and are now headed to the Spanish Virgins and Puerto Rico. The plan is to head back quickly, but basically retracing our route to Florida.
Eastern Caribbean Trip (BVI's to Venezuela)