Sail US- Virgin Islands.

The US Virgin Islands sit at the top of the eastern Caribbean, a short hop from the British Virgin Islands but under US jurisdiction, which changes the paperwork more than the water. You clear in once, then sail a compact triangle of St. Thomas, St. John and the smaller cays between them. Distances are short. You can lift the anchor after breakfast and be swimming somewhere new by lunch. The water runs that flat turquoise over sand, deeper blue over grass and reef, and you learn to read depth by colour within a day.

We base out of Frenchtown Marina on St. Thomas, a working harbour with fishing boats, a fuel dock and enough provisioning within walking distance to load a week's charter. It suits sailors who want warm, reliable trade-wind sailing without long passages, and who like the option of crossing into the BVI when the mood takes them.

St. John is the anchor of the trip. Two-thirds of the island is national park, which means mooring balls instead of anchoring in the good bays and reef that has been left alone. Maho, Francis and Waterlemon on the north shore are the ones most people point at, and for reason: sea turtles over grass, easy holding on the balls, a short row ashore.

St. Thomas gives you Charlotte Amalie for provisions and a bustling harbour, plus Christmas Cove off Great St. James for a quiet first or last night close to base. Water Island and Honeymoon Bay sit minutes from Frenchtown if you want to shake down the boat before committing to a full day.

East of St. John, the Sir Francis Drake Channel opens toward the BVI. Norman, Peter and Jost Van Dyke are all within a comfortable reach once you have cleared customs. Many charters spend part of the week USVI, part BVI, and treat the border as a formality rather than a wall.

The trades here blow from the east to north-east, typically 12-20 knots through the main season, which runs roughly December to May. That is steady, warm sailing on a beam or broad reach for most of the popular routes, with short beats when you head east. Seas in the channels are moderate; the north shore of St. John can pick up swell in a northerly, so read the forecast before committing to Maho for the night.

Summer and early autumn are quieter and cheaper, but they are also hurricane season, which peaks August to October. We are honest about this: the sailing can be lovely and calm in June and July, but you charter with one eye on the tropical forecast, and availability tightens as operators haul boats. December through April is the reliable window and the busiest.

The fleet here is bareboat. If you hold sailing experience and a competent crew, you take the boat yourself and run your own week. This is the format that suits the Virgins best, because the distances are short, the navigation is line-of-sight, and the anchorages are forgiving.

We do not run crewed charters out of this base. If you want a skipper for the week or a captain to ease you into local knowledge, that can sometimes be arranged separately on request, but it is not the standard offering. For most guests, bareboat is the point: your own boat, your own pace, nobody else's schedule.

Costs vary by boat size, season and how far ahead you book. Peak weeks over the December-to-April window sit at the top of the range; shoulder and low season come down noticeably. As a rough guide, a week's bareboat monohull runs from the low thousands of euros in low season to considerably more for a larger catamaran in peak. Catamarans command a premium over monohulls of the same length.

On top of the base charter, budget for fuel, provisioning, national park and mooring-ball fees, and any cruising permits. Customs clearance into the BVI carries its own fees per person and per boat. For a firm quote on a specific boat and week, price on request over WhatsApp — we would rather give you a real number than a guess.

Day 1 — Board at Frenchtown, provision, and sail the short leg to Honeymoon Bay off Water Island or Christmas Cove to settle in. Easy first night close to base.

Day 2 — Cross to St. John and pick up a ball at Maho or Francis Bay. Snorkel the grass beds for turtles, walk ashore into the park.

Day 3 — Round to Waterlemon Cay for the best snorkelling on the north shore, then a quiet evening on the ball.

Day 4 — Clear customs and reach across the Drake Channel to Jost Van Dyke or Norman Island in the BVI. Longer sailing day, still under three hours.

Day 5 — Work the BVI anchorages at your own pace, then start the leg back west.

Day 6 — Re-clear into the USVI, anchor off St. John or Christmas Cove for the last full night.

Day 7 — Short morning sail back to Frenchtown, fuel up, hand back the boat. Adjust freely — nothing here is more than a half-day apart.

Fly into Cyril E. King Airport (STT) on St. Thomas. There are direct connections from several US mainland hubs and one-stop routes from Europe, usually via Miami, New York or San Juan. From the airport it is a short taxi to Frenchtown Marina.

As US territory, the USVI needs no separate passport control for US citizens, and no cruising permit within US waters. Crossing into the BVI requires passports for all crew and a clearance in and out with the associated fees. Provisioning is straightforward on St. Thomas; stock the boat before you leave the dock, as the anchorages have limited resupply. Message us on WhatsApp with your dates and crew and we will sort the boat.