5-DAY ITINERARY IN THE VIRGIN ISLANDS

Depart St Croix and shape a course north toward St John across open water where the trade winds generally blow from the northeast at around 15 to 25 knots in season. The approach to St John brings the island’s steep green hills and deep indentations into view, with bays such as Caneel and Francis offering clear water over sand and extensive national park moorings. The long initial passage gives the crew time to settle into the yacht’s routine before a quiet evening in a protected bay.

Daily Highlights:

• Open sea crossing from St Croix into the main Virgin Islands chain
• Swim and snorkel over white sand patches and fringing reef in a park anchorage
• Short hike ashore on St John’s trails through old plantation ruins
• Dinner on board under a sky free from city light

From St John, clear into the British Virgin Islands and cross the short stretch toward the Sir Francis Drake Channel, then turn along the channel toward Cooper Island. Distances between these islands are modest and conditions are usually sheltered, with low chop and steady trades funneled along the channel. Manchioneel Bay on Cooper Island offers a well protected mooring field, a gently shelving beach, and coral heads that attract turtles and rays close to the moorings.

Daily Highlights:

• Scenic channel run with views of multiple islands on both beam
• Snorkeling among coral heads near the mooring field with frequent turtle sightings
• Afternoon ashore at Cooper Island Beach Club for coffee, rum tastings or boutique browsing
• Sunset from the west facing beach with the Sir Francis Drake Channel in view

This is a compact hop along the inner side of the channel, ideal for a slower start or extended morning in the water off Cooper Island. The route to Trellis Bay on Beef Island keeps to generally sheltered seas with only a short time under way. The bay itself is encircled by low headlands and dotted with mooring balls, with depths that shallow gradually toward the beach and a backdrop of art studios and casual shore bars known for lively full moon events.

Daily Highlights:

• Lazy departure from Cooper Island with optional mid morning snorkel
• Short but engaging pilotage into Trellis Bay’s mooring field
• Time ashore to browse local artwork and metal fireball sculptures
• Evening drinks on board or at a waterside bar with the bay lit by anchor lights

Leave the shelter of Beef Island and head north toward the low profile of Anegada, which rises only a few meters above sea level and appears as a thin line on the horizon until you are close. Anegada is a coral atoll rather than a volcanic peak, ringed by Horseshoe Reef and extensive shallows that require careful entry along marked channels and in good visibility. Once inside, the anchorage off Setting Point offers sand bottom, long beaches and access to the island’s small beach bars and lobster shacks.

Daily Highlights:

• Blue water passage from the main islands toward the outer reef line
• Study of reef contours and channel marks on approach to Anegada
• Afternoon on long, lightly developed beaches with warm, shallow water
• Local lobster dinner ashore, a classic Anegada experience

Keep the yacht based at Anegada for a final day, using short repositioning moves along the coast or remaining on the main anchorage while exploring ashore. The north shore offers expansive reefs and grass beds that host rays, turtles and varied fish life, while the interior salt ponds are known for flamingos and other birdlife. Low relief and long sight lines give a very different feel from the rest of the Virgin Islands, making Anegada an atmospheric place to end the itinerary.

Daily Highlights:

• Optional short repositioning cruise along Anegada’s reef protected coast
• Snorkeling from the yacht or by local boat to outer reef sites
• Time ashore to explore by bicycle or open air vehicle and visit lookout points
• Final sundowner on board, watching the sky fade over the bank and reef