Saint Croix, Christiansted

After waiting in Saint Thomas for the weather and sea state to improve, we finally found a good day to head south to Saint Croix, the largest of the U.S. Virgin Islands. It was a 38.6 nautical mile journey southeast in the Caribbean Sea, on a beautiful sunny day. The winds ranged from 15-18 knots and we were able to sail on a close reach, with engines off, the entire 6-1/2 hours at an average speed of 7 knots.

The seas were a little rolly, as they hadn’t settled down as much as we thought they would after the heavy winds had passed, but it was a great sail, nonetheless. We really like the fact that our helm station is on the flybridge because it is so much more comfortable up there than down below when the swells are high. It was a great day of sailing, and it was refreshing to be back on the water!

We arrived in Christiansted Harbor on the north side of Saint Croix. The entrance channel to the harbor is rather twisty and narrow, but it does have good depths. I read that it can be tricky or dangerous to maneuver if the winds are coming from the north with any serious velocity. On the day we arrived, the winds were coming from the east/southeast and were quite calm, so we had a leisurely entry.

We anchored in Christiansted Harbour and found a quiet spot, away from the crowds, in clear teal-colored waters. We could easily see the sandy bottom, twelve feet below the keel. We even saw a shark sucker, small tropical fish, and a massive sea turtle near our boat. It was beautiful, and we were mostly protected by a large reef that divides the Caribbean Sea from the harbor. In northerly winds, it would be pretty rolly, but it was mostly calm when we were there. I would have jumped off the boat to swim, but there was so much brown seaweed (aka sargassum, a type of algae) floating on the surface, that it wasn’t very inviting. It was much cleaner closer to shore.

Protestant Cay was close to our anchorage. It is a four-acre island in the Christiansted Harbor with palm trees and a beautiful beachfront. The island houses a resort, small shops, and a restaurant.

Christiansted is the largest town on St. Croix and we were eager to explore it. We first went to the Christiansted National Historic Site on the waterfront. Gracie got to run in the grass while I toured the timeworn buildings from the Danish colonial era: the Customs House, with a graceful stairway, and Fort Christiansvaern, built in the 18th century to protect the town from pirate attacks. It was interesting to see the cannons and the bulwarks that remain. The grounds are nicely maintained and you could tell the locals take pride in their history.

After touring the historic site, we walked around downtown Christiansted. We enjoyed good burgers and garlic parmesan fries for lunch at Shupe’s dockside restaurant. Then I browsed the shops while Kory took a taxi to Home Depot. All of the boutiques allowed Gracie to enter with me, so I didn’t have to tie her up outside. She lounged in the shops’ corners and enjoyed the air conditioning while I perused the racks.

After a day of sightseeing, shopping, and eating, we were ready to head back to the boat. We got a lot of exercise walking around town, and were worn out from the heat and humidity. When we arrived at the dock to get our dinghy, we spotted a school of tarpon fish being fed chicken wings by one of the local restaurants. These fish are huge and would easily have eaten Gracie if she were to have fallen in. She was quite intrigued, but we held her leash tight to ensure there were no disasters. Normally, these fish wouldn’t pose a problem, but there were dozens of them being stirred up in a feeding frenzy. It was mesmerizing to watch.

Back at the boat, we enjoyed sea planes taking off and landing on the water. Kory, being a private pilot, was quite fascinated. He pondered what it would be like to operate a seaplane himself. Christiansted Harbor is the home of the St. Croix Seaplane Base and Seaborne Airlines U.S. Virgin Islands, the only multi-engine sea plane airline operating in the U.S. It was exciting to have a front-row seat, and it was the perfect ending to a great day in Christiansted! Next stop–Frederiksted!