December 27-29, Leinster Bay St. John

This is the fifth and final post on the December Cruise in the US Virgin Islands.  On Tuesday December 27th, we sailed from Francis Bay to Watermelon Bay, then on Wednesday to Great Cruz Bay, then on Thursday to home (Boston, by plane).

On Tuesday we had a marvelous sail eastward up The Narrows on the N side of StJ, into Sir Francis Bay Channel. It was a hardy beat against the wind but with the current, sending sunlit sparkles of spray flying as we clipped off the tops of the choppy waves. For sport, we totally smoked a 60’ catamaran. Just sayin’. Not having any plans to clear into BVI customs, we banged a 180 in Flanagan Channel --mid-way between the E end of StJ and Norman Island (BVI), and gybed back down our track to Watermelon Bay. I can’t get enough of this warm water sailing.

Picking up a National Park Service mooring inside of Watermelon Cay, we found ourselves a mere few hundred feet from one of the best snorkeling spots on StJ (as reported by the Rum & Reggaes’s “Caribbean”). If our flight wasn’t leaving on Thursday, we might still be there. We all agreed that this was the most gorgeous spot we’d been to. As you swim into Watermelon Cay, the bottom is littered with 6-10 inch starfish. The reef was loaded with fish of all types. Amazing beauty in a very protected spot.

Heron at Watermelon Cay, Leinster Bay St. John

On Wednesday we went ashore in the dinghy and hiked a great shore-side trail to Annaberg Sugar Plantation Ruins. http://stjohntour.com/AnnabergSugarPlantationRuins.html

The guides served us the local sweet tea and freshly split coconut and cut us a piece of aloe plant to squeeze on our cuts and burns. Walking around the ruins high above the bay, we seemed adrift in time, surrounded by history and cellphones.

Two Bugs Dancing:

Huge Termite Nest in Tree: 

Gecko Standing Watch: 

Tourist Trio: 

On Thursday, our last day aboard, we sailed back to the mooring in Great Cruz Bay. Under jib alone, we slowly slid close by Francis Bay, Trunk Bay, Hawksnest Bay, Caneel Bay and Cruz Bay. The slower the better. We were soaking up the rays hoping to stretch out the experience. The Bostonian in the Red Sox cap drifting beside us on a Hobie Cat felt the same way.  Twenty-four hours later we were shivering in a Boston cab, ready to plan the next cruise.