Sailing on St. John

The annual 2012 St. John racing season is upon us!  Kicked off this weekend with St. John Yacht Club’s 39^th Annual Around St. John Race, the regatta name tells it as it is: a race starting from Two Brothers’ rock formations just outside Cruz Bay harbor and circumnavigating the island of St. John clockwise on a southerly route.  The race took the spinnaker and non-spinnaker class boats about 3 ½ hours to complete and boasts the unique experience of seeing the entire beautiful island of St. John from crystal clear, turquoise waters. Thirteen boats registered for Around St. John this year with the spinnaker class award and raffle award going to Wild ‘Ting, a Dufour 40 out of St. Thomas, and the non-spinnaker award going to Botox Barbie a Hunter 54, also from St. Thomas.  The awards event, held at Banana Deck in Cruz Bay, included a raffle for all entrants.  The prize?  A boat haul-out to any boat yard of choice – a $400 value – not too shabby for a day of racing on pristine St. John waters at 12 knots!  

Nothing fake about this girl: Botox Barbie in a quiet moment 

Wild 'Ting crew -- enjoying their busy 2012 race season!

Regattas competing with regattas?  Also this weekend, the neighboring BVIs’ hosted the multi-day Dark and Stormy Race, usually racing from Tortola to Anegada and back (although this year the “and back” was cancelled -- due to lack of wind!).  Many Coral Bay vessels chose the Dark and Stormy this year -- Around St. John is the longer haul of the two for boats moored in Coral Bay Harbor.

The next Virgin Islands race of the season will be the Coral Bay Yacht Club Commodore’s Cup on Derby weekend May 4-5, 2012.  If you are here on St. John and don’t have your own boat to race, simply show up at the Captain’s meeting and sign up to crew -- most boats won’t refuse extra hands on deck and you will have a unique opportunity to be part of the action, not to mention the unique perspective of enjoying St. John at sea! For more information about the CBYC race call Commodore Steve Hendren 340-513-4955.  St. John Yacht Club information is found at http://www.stjohnyachtclub.org/

Kids will love Unique St. John Activities

Thar she blows!  The sails of Silver Cloud, that is!  Affectionately known as the pirate ship of Coral Bay, Silver Cloud will set sail once again as the highlighted feature of the 16th "Almost Annual" Guy H. Benjamin Elementary School Benefit Flotilla on Saturday, March 24, 2012,  sponsored by the Coral Bay Yacht Club!  The benefit is an event that kids young and old wait all year long for: a fun day of sailing, reggae beats on the beach, great grub, and fun for the whole family!  Locals, visitors to St. John, everyone is invited!

Choose to either daysail aboard local volunteer sailboats ($40) departing from the brand new Coral Bay Dinghy Dock starting at 9am or arrive via land at the gate ($20) and party with a purpose: all proceeds go to the Guy H. Benjamin School.  And buy a raffle ticket towards a $500 cash prize.  All, for a good cause.  Either way, end up at Vie's Beach and Campground on the East End of St. John at high noon.

Sway to Inner Visions Band, enjoy burgers and hot dogs grilled by Coral Bay Yacht Club's very own Captain Will, or gobble down tasty West Indian cuisine made by Guy H. Benjamin School parents.  Bring your own beverages or enjoy "cash bar" on the beach.  Since all proceeds go to Guy H. Benjamin School, in addition to an unforgettable day for all the kids in attendance, all Coral Bay kids are the recipients of the Guy H. Benjamin School Benefit!  Special thanks to Skinny Legs, official clubhouse of the Coral Bay Yacht Club, for providing hamburgers and hot dogs galore!  Mmmm, I can taste one already!  See you there! General information Mary 340-513-8141

Roseway Sails into St. John USVI

Schooner Roseway under sail (photo from the ship's website)

Roseway at anchor Caneel Bay, St. John USVI

It's a beautiful day on St. John USVI and looking out to sea you may spot the Schooner Roseway with its amber sails billowing in the wind and be transported to the days when schooners sailed these waters.  The Roseway spent a week off St. John USVI as part of its mission as a nonprofit organization teaching school children about the history and culture of sailing www.worldoceanschool.org.

This beautiful 137ft schooner was host to local students here on St. John USVI where they learned about the adventures the Roseway has experienced since its inception in 1925.  In recent years the schooner has made its winter home St. Croix and sails north to Boston each summer to take day charters out of Boston harbor.  It's been a treat for St. John students to experience a registered U.S. National Historic Landmark and we wish Roseway smooth sailing back to neighboring St. Croix.