Has anyone sailed From Virgin Gorda to St. Martin in October? The plan is to sail to Gorda sound and clear out of the BVI's there and leave from Gorda sound around 11:00pm to make it to ST. Martin during the daylight. If anyone has made this trip any advise would be appreciated.
Virgin Gorda to St. Martin
- Thread starter Southpaw
- Start date
I left Spanish Town around 5pm and arrived shortly after sunrise on the french side but I had a nice reach instead of a normal beat. So, in other words, I think 11 pm is way too late to leave. If you have to beat into the wind, leave in the morning. If you can sail the rumbline then leave just before sunset (always nice to get out before the sun goes down).
Have to agree with Franklin, you're gonna need more time especially considering the easterly winds @ 10-20 knots. Navionics shows the heading, after leaving North Sound, around 110* for 80 NM. You'll need to make a number of close hauled tacks which will only increase the distance. Could be a real fun ride. You can shave off a few hours if you start off a ball at the Baths. Getting out of Leverick, especially starting from a ball or anchorage at Saba Rock can be time consuming.
We love the area around Bitter End YC and Saba Rock. Had this boat on the last trip:
We love the area around Bitter End YC and Saba Rock. Had this boat on the last trip:
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Franklin did you take a charter boat? Did you pull the dingy or did you put the dingy on the fore deck?
No...my own boat.
In the Abacos it is protected waters so there so I towed it (I only drag the dink for short trips in protected). For open water I used to put it on the foredeck but hated it covering my hatches and blocking my vision so now I just leave it on my davits tied down really good with the outboard on the rail. The charter boats always drag it everywhere they go except the open waters of French Polynesia where the cats have davits and the monohulls put it on deck.
Bocas and Abacos is a great place to charter for a week. The waters are protected and lots of places to go.
Tonga 2 weeks I think is better but I think many do yearly 1 week charters. They have 50+ anchor sites and during their winter time it is swim with the whales season. A really cool place.
French Polynesia I think is better if you spend a month or two. So much to do and see but the island groups are far apart. Marquesas is 6 days from Tahiti but you can stop in the Atols just two days out. The Western Society islands is almost a day from Tahiti/Moorea area. It would be a shame to cut out some Island groups but I can you could do it in 3 trips....Marquesas on one trip, Atols on another, and Society Islands the last... each needing at least 2 weeks. Then again...you don't have to sail to Society Islands as they have charters there as well so maybe a week there.
One of these days I'm going to charter a cat just to see what they are like offshore. They are really gaining in popularity among cruisers. There must be 10 of them here in Tonga waiting to cross down to New Zealand which is almost a guarantee of sailing through a 50+ knot storm.
In the Abacos it is protected waters so there so I towed it (I only drag the dink for short trips in protected). For open water I used to put it on the foredeck but hated it covering my hatches and blocking my vision so now I just leave it on my davits tied down really good with the outboard on the rail. The charter boats always drag it everywhere they go except the open waters of French Polynesia where the cats have davits and the monohulls put it on deck.
Bocas and Abacos is a great place to charter for a week. The waters are protected and lots of places to go.
Tonga 2 weeks I think is better but I think many do yearly 1 week charters. They have 50+ anchor sites and during their winter time it is swim with the whales season. A really cool place.
French Polynesia I think is better if you spend a month or two. So much to do and see but the island groups are far apart. Marquesas is 6 days from Tahiti but you can stop in the Atols just two days out. The Western Society islands is almost a day from Tahiti/Moorea area. It would be a shame to cut out some Island groups but I can you could do it in 3 trips....Marquesas on one trip, Atols on another, and Society Islands the last... each needing at least 2 weeks. Then again...you don't have to sail to Society Islands as they have charters there as well so maybe a week there.
One of these days I'm going to charter a cat just to see what they are like offshore. They are really gaining in popularity among cruisers. There must be 10 of them here in Tonga waiting to cross down to New Zealand which is almost a guarantee of sailing through a 50+ knot storm.
Well we made it to St Martin and back. Not the way that I would have liked to but we did it. It took us 25 hours to get to St Martin & 15 hours to get back. The winds were between 6 & 2 knots so we had to motor sail but at least the sea was fairly flat