1/14/21

 Good news!  Some of our friends that we isolated with in the Ragged Islands, Bahamas last spring arrived here in St. Thomas from Bermuda!   So, just after Christmas we've been busy.....

The fort on Hassel Island is a convenient dinghy ride from the anchorage at Charlotte Amalie, St. Thomas.  

The fort at Hassel Island

From the fort we can look back at the anchorage.  Notice the empty cruise ship pier to the right.

Here we are (except for Jerry who's taking the picture) - from left Rita's tail, Karen, Chris (Dustyn and Brandon's friend/crew for the Bermuda to St. Thomas passage), Dustyn, Brandon, Charli, Andy, and Devon.

From the downtown anchorage we moved over to Honeymoon Beach anchorage on Water Island.  

Crowded anchorage at Honeymoon!

Another island, another fort.  This one taken from the fort on Water Island.

Then out to Saba Island to snorkel.  Only a couple of miles to the west from Water Island.

Anchored at Saba.  It ended up being just an overnight stop - too rolly!

Andy and Charli brought a bottle of champagne to toast to Brandon and Dustyn.                                                  - their 17th wedding anniversary!

We sit on the rocky beach, sip our champagne, tell stories, slap at the bugs, and watch the sunset.

New Year's was celebrated a couple miles away at Lindberg Bay.  

First toast to New Year's at sunset at the beach at Lindberg Bay.

  Note Persephone, Ada, Avalon, and Pura Vida in the background.

Then dinner and drinks aboard Avalon.  Scrumptious!  We had ribs, beef roast, pork roast, roasted potatoes, rice and carrots, homemade dinner rolls, sautéed fresh mushrooms & zucchini, spinach salad, homemade applesauce....YUM!

The week between Christmas and New Year's we heard a public service announcement every half hour on the local radio station.  It was a warning to not shoot guns into the sky.  The bullets can come down and hurt someone, something, or even kill someone upon impact.  We wondered what that was all about until New Year's Eve.  We've since learned that the local tradition for years now is to shoot guns into the sky at midnight.  From just before midnight until 1:30 am we heard continual gunshot - shot guns, fully automatic, rifles, all manner of guns.  And lots of them!  We dinghied home just after midnight taking cover in the dinghy best we could, glad to be back on Persephone as the shots continued to ring into the night.  Happy New Year!

What better way to start the new year - our friend Kari and her partner Derek came to Persephone for dinner before we left Lindberg Bay!  A wonderful visit full of laughter, reminiscing, and catching up.

Kari and Karen back together again!  Great to meet Derek!

Next stop for everyone - Christmas Cove.  The Pizza Pi boat that Jerry and I were anchored behind last time we were here is a novelty - where can you order pizza made onboard a boat.  They will even deliver if you want.  We joined everyone aboard Avalon for pizza night...

Pizza Pi pizza aboard Avalon.

The next day we hauled anchor and set sail for St. Croix - about 35 miles south.

A few showers as we leave - Ada is just behind under the rainbow.

Jerry caught a cero (mackerel family) 

and a blackfin tuna!

What to do with all that fish?  Dinner for everyone aboard Persephone for fresh fish!

Brandon slices some of the tuna to make a sashimi appetizer.

Seared tuna for dinner.  Karen, Dustyn, Brandon, Charli, Andy

The next day Andy contacted a car rental place, we all piled into a mini-van, and Brandon chauffeured us around the island (remembering to drive on the left).

Here we are - ready for an island tour!

Point Udall is the eastern most point of the US.

The structure behind us is a sun dial.

Back to Christiansted for lunch at Singhs Fast Food

Outdoor seating by the parking lot.  

This is a chicken roti - a traditional Indian dish.  The wrap is a dough that has Dahl puri (split peas made into a mash with curry and other tasty stuff) in a layer inside the wrap.  Then the wrap contains a stew like substance made with chicken, potatoes, and spices.  Tasty!

Then back to the van with no particular destination in mind.  Brandon and Dustyn decided to try and find West Scenic Drive.  What we found was scenic!  We ended up on a one lane dirt road going up a mountain.

Our view from the back seat!

Jerry took a video......

We found out where we were when taking pictures with our phones.  It labels location: Eagle Hill.

Here we are: Eagle Hill, cell phone tower site

With spectacular views!

We can see forever!

The tour continued through the rainforest type region of the island, down to Frederiksted, onto the Captain Morgan Rum Distillery.  Sadly, this distillery was closed.  Our Captain Morgan (Andy Morgan) will have to come back for a tour of the factory after covid.  We did stop at a distillery on the way home - Sion Farms Distillery where we got a tour and a happy hour drink.  They use breadfruit to make their vodka.  We were the only customers there.

Their operation is visible from their tasting room.  Thanks to Lock One Distillery back home Jerry knew exactly what to ask about their distilling process.

The drinks were good and the water they serve is the best on the island due to the intense water purification method they use to make their vodka.

Back to the boats for a good night's sleep and a sail the next morning to Frederiksted on the west side of St. Croix.

Here's Ada on a perfect day for a downwind sail along the coast of St. Croix.

Looking at the hills of St. Croix.

I think I see Eagle Hill with the cell phone towers in the distance!

We anchored near the cruise ship pier in Frederiksted and walked the town.  I went snorkeling on the pilings of the pier and saw my first seahorse!  The beaches along Frederiksted are perfect for looking for seaglass.  The waves wrap around the north end of the island and make their way to crash along the shores.  Every day the bits of glass gets tumbled.  We found seaglass and also found that those waves make for a rolly anchorage.  After a few days we said goodbye to Ada and Avalon and set sail for St. John.  Another beautiful trade wind sail, 10-15 knots just forward of the beam.  No fish this time but a nice sail.  Just before sunset we put the anchor down just off Hansen Beach on St. John between a couple of large charter yachts.

Sailing to St. John

Here's the video version of sailing to St. John...

Persephone anchored at Hansen Beach, St. John

We've found a new favorite spot!  We're protected from the swells, it's peaceful and surrounded by the hills of St. John.  Charter boats come in to anchor, they stay for a night, and are off the next day.  The number of charter boats sailing around the US Virgin Islands is at an all time high due to the British Virgin Islands being closed.  The BVI has always been The Place to rent a boat for a vacation but not during covid.  It's nice to find a place that's not as busy as the other anchorages we've stayed at.

We'll hang out here for a bit with hopes to catch up with our friends when they sail back from St. Croix.

Karen and Jerry