sailingjuno.com

  • Just a cool picture of a cruise ship

    The Virgin Islands hold a special place in my heart. The first time I set foot on a sailboat was in the British Virgin Islands (BVI) back in 2007. Robert and I were invited by our friends to join them as a third couple on a weeklong bareboat charter aboard a Moorings Beneteau 473. What an exotic experience for me at the time! It was my first time visiting a tropical island and stepping on a sailboat. Who could have imagined that 19 years later, Robert and I would be sailing our own boat in these waters?

    After our first group bareboat charter in the BVI, Robert and I went on to charter four more times in the same area—sometimes with friends and other times just the two of us. Each time, we flew into Charlotte Amalie and took a ferry to Tortola. Because of this, we never had the opportunity to spend quality time in the U.S. Virgin Islands (USVI). This time, however, we planned to explore St. Thomas and St. John with leisure.

    We chose to anchor Juno in one of St Thomas’ main anchorages just outside the bustling downtown of Charlotte Amalie. This location offered convenient access to the Yacht Haven Grande dinghy dock and nearby shops and services. Additionally, we enjoyed a daily spectacle of large cruise ships maneuvering and docking at the terminal, along with a display of numerous luxurious megayachts.

    On most days, there were 2 to 3 enormous cruise ships arriving and departing at the main cruise ship terminal, each carrying 3,000-5,000 passengers. Wow!

    We used Yacht Haven Grande Marina’s dinghy dock almost daily to run errands. The dinghy ride was also a free boat show of super-yachts and mega-yachts. The largest and most impressive of all was Breakthrough. Launched in 2025, Breakthrough measures 119 meters in length and is notable for being the world’s first hydrogen fuel cell-powered mega-yacht. It was commissioned by Bill Gates and was later sold by Melinda Gates. Would you like to charter it for a week in St Bart for your family and friends? No problem. It will only set you back by €3,500,000! It’s hard to imagine the lifestyle of the ultra-rich, as they seem to live in a completely different universe.

    Before we arrived in St. Thomas, several cruising friends cautioned us that the locals might not be very friendly, likely due to over-tourism from the numerous cruise ships arriving and departing daily. However, my experience was quite the opposite. I found that most locals were genuinely friendly. For instance, I had the best laundry experience at a seemingly rundown laundromat, simply because the operators were incredibly kind and helpful. This highlights how a few positive human interactions can significantly shape one’s impression of a place.

    To celebrate Christmas, we relocated Juno to a beautiful anchorage that was ideal for the occasion—Christmas Cove. This cove is situated on the west end of Great St. James, providing protection from the winds and waves of the Caribbean Sea. We enjoyed a few blissful days swimming and snorkeling, watching kids and families from nearby tour boats playing in the water. It was all innocent fun and joy, creating a striking contrast to the dark history associated with the neighboring Little St. James Island, often referred to as Epstein Island.

    Christmas Cove, St Thomas, USVI
    Christmas Dinner at Christmas Cove – ham, steak and a side of sweet potato with pecan, YUMMY!
    A perfect rainbow
    A perfect sunset

    After a few days in Christmas Cove, we returned to Charlotte Amalie to pick up my friend Margaret, who had flown down to spend a week with us to circumnavigate St. John.

    St. John is just a couple of hours away by boat and is quite different from St. Thomas. With two-thirds of the island designated as a national park, it is much less populated. We cruised along the northern coast of St. John, stopping at Honeymoon Beach and Waterlemon Bay. The weather was unusually favorable for our visit. Instead of the typical 20+ knots of “Christmas wind” common this time of year, we enjoyed a gentle breeze, calm conditions in the northern anchorages of St. John, and excellent sea conditions for SUP, snorkeling, and swimming. Compared to the neighboring islands in the British Virgin Islands, St. John is more laid-back, less crowded, and equally stunning.

    We met a couple on another Amel 54 and became quick friends. The group had a great hike to the ruins of a sugar plantation.
    I woke up super early one morning. The anchorage was completely quiet. A full moon was setting. I jumped on the paddleboard and paddled around Juno in the early morning stillness. It was magical. @Waterlemon Bay, St John, USVI

    After exploring the northern shore of St. John, we rounded the corner and sailed Juno to Great Lameshur Bay. The southern coast of St. John is more remote and less frequented by commercial tour boats and land-based tourists. Upon our arrival, we discovered that we had the bay all to ourselves. After sunset and before sunrise, the anchorage was pitch-black, completely free of light pollution. It felt as if we were castaways on a deserted island in the middle of the ocean.

    The next morning, we went on a dinghy and snorkeling expedition around the rocky shores of Great Lameshur Bay, which was interesting both above and blew the water.

    Little Lameshur Bay
    Little Lameshur Bay

    Before we knew it, it was time to return to civilization with a two-hour journey back to Charlotte Amalie. Margaret was set to head home the next day, while the crew of SV Juno would continue east to explore the British Virgin Islands. Before saying our goodbyes, Margaret and I took some time to shop in the famous duty-free jewelry district of Charlotte Amalie. A diamond souvenir or two would be the perfect way to commemorate a wonderful holiday, don’t you agree?

    Dinner at the hilltop to celebrate both Robert and Margaret’s birthdays!

    After saying goodbye to my dear friend, we weighed anchor and set our route to the next port – Spanish Town, BVI.

  • Juno viewed from shore in Bonaire
    Juno from shore.

    The sail from Chaguaramas, Trinidad, to Bonaire is around 425 nautical miles. The journey took three days. It was a nice downwind sail with fairly consistent wind and calm sea. During the trip, we had some dolphins play at our bow, caught a mahi-mahi, and picked up a couple of stowaways, one of which went straight in the cabin and slept for 8 hours.

    This little guy slept inside the cabin – an expert hitchhiker

    After some struggles with a very short mooring buoy pendant, we finally secured Juno to the buoy. Now it was time for a vacation!

    My first impression of Bonaire was an immediate wow. The water was crystal clear! All the waters around Bonaire are part of a protected marine park. As such, anchoring is strictly prohibited to protect the reef system around the island. The mooring field is conveniently located right next to town, over the narrow, sandy seafloor. The bow of Juno sat above the sand, while her stern was right above a steep slope covered with colorful reefs. We could see fish swimming right under Juno. Every evening, night divers from the nearby diving school glided beneath our keel, their dive lights creating an underwater light show.

    Bonaire has a desert-like climate. It rarely rains. The low humidity really makes everything seem brighter. When Robert and I caught up with our cruising friends, Sasha and Blair from SV Silver Moon, for dinner, the first thing we said to each other was, “Did you see that container ship at the commercial dock? It’s so fresh and clean—no rust at all!” What a difference from Chaguaramas, where it was humid, industrial, and the water was dark and murky.

    Our first few days in Bonaire were filled with touristy activities. We drove around the Washington Slagbaai National Park with our cruising friends, visited the Donkey Sanctuary, tried Land Sailing, and did some boutique shopping in town.

    Donkeys were used in the island’s salt-making operations in the 18th and 19th centuries. After cars and trucks were brought to the island, these working donkeys were released into the wild to fend for themselves. One can still see wild donkeys roaming on the roads. The Donkey Sanctuary cares for injured, sick, elderly, or young donkeys. Donkeys in the Sanctuary were very gentle, curious, and sweet.

    For the first time, Robert and I tried land sailing with a group of cruisers. Land sailing is much faster than ocean sailing! These small carts can reach speeds of up to 80 km/h in a recreational setting, while the world record is over 200 km/h! Just like dinghy sailing, it is possible to tip over. I am grateful that no pictures exist to prove that I was the one who tipped over and needed to be rescued.

    From childhood until my mid-forties, I was never comfortable in the water. While we were still dreaming about the cruising life in Miami a few years back, I finally learned to swim. In Bonaire, we took a free-diving course to learn some new skills. It was enlightening to learn that I can hold my breath for over 2.5 minutes, and likely more with practice. 2.5 minutes is more than enough time to dive down and take a closer look at a beautiful fish. Understanding this intellectually is one thing; being able to perform a swift duck dive elegantly is another. I gained newfound respect for those who can dive gracefully without scaring away the colorful reef fish.

    Cindy practicing static breath hold under Juno

    Bonaire is one of the top diving destinations in the world. After the initial island touring, we settled into a daily routine of snorkeling in the late afternoon to cool off and exercise. The exercise was absolutely necessary, as we also discovered a local gelato shop and visited it way too often!

    Gio’s Gelateria is our absolute favorite in the Carribean.

    Diving in Bonaire is unlike diving in many other locations. On the island, most dives are conducted from the shore. Divers simply put on their gear and walk into the ocean. Each dive spot is clearly named and marked both onshore and in the water. There are over 60 designated dive sites on the main island, as well as an additional 26 sites on Klein Bonaire (the small island west of the main island). Diving is truly the island’s main sport. Robert and I explored the underwater world beneath Juno and the famous Salt Pier. Additionally, I took an Advanced Open Water course to refresh my skills and learn a few new techniques.

    Getting ready for a shore dive @ Salt Pier with cruising friends from SV Mira.
    Diving at Salt Pier, Bonaire. This was the first time I used a GoPro during a dive. The footage was a bit wonky, but the dive was epic.
    This photo was taken during a night-dive dinghy expedition to Klein Bonaire to observe the Ostracods with a group of cruiser friends. In the photo, I was geared up and waiting for the sun to set. Ostracods are minuscule, shrimp-like crustaceans that emit bursts of bioluminescent light. This was my first night dive. The light show was not as impressive as we had hoped, but the experience of sitting on the ocean floor in the dark, with sea creatures swimming around me, was the most surreal.
    Right next to downtown, there is a community lap pool built in the ocean. What a great idea and what a sunset!
    Bonaire has a desert-like climate. Cacti grow everywhere. We saw some very intricate cactus fences – I bet they are quite effective against unwanted intruders.

    Below are some random pretty pictures.

    Salt piles

    Six weeks passed quickly, and by the end of our stay, we felt like locals. We developed a routine that included evening strolls, Friday night gelato, and Sunday Mexican Train Dominoes with cruising friends at the lovely Yhanni’s Arepas. I felt very fortunate to travel on our own sailboat and to experience places like Bonaire at a leisurely pace.

    There are a few downsides for cruisers on Bonaire. The most common complaint is the cost. While we can usually anchor for free or obtain a low-cost cruising permit on most other islands, in Bonaire, we had to pay a daily mooring fee, which added up over time. The time has finally come for us to move on to the next Dutch island—Curacao.