We’ve previously spent a bit of time in the northeast Leeward Islands of the Caribbean. We chartered a boat and visited St Martin and Anguilla, and we’ve chartered in the British Virgin Islands both alone and with friends.

Before leaving we stopped by the Sint Maarten Yacht Club to watch the opening and transit of boats through the narrow Simpson Bay bridge
This was the largest yacht we saw maneuvering through the Simpson Bay bridge- it was a tight squeeze

So with a goal of spending a couple of months in the Bahamas before hurricane season sets in, we blazed our way east after fixing our outboard in St Martin.

Dinner on our last night in St Martin

Oso is just fast enough to make the 80+nm passage from St Martin to the BVIs as a long daysail, leaving at sunup and dropping the anchor an hour before sunset to rest for the night. From there, it’s just a lazy downwind sail through the protected waters of Drake Channel in the BVIs to arrive in the US Virgin Islands.

Quick and easy sail up the Drake Passage through the British Virgin Islands (note Mike in his camouflage shirt…)

And just like that, we’re back in the US by boat for the first time since leaving Charleston for Europe in May 2022.

Anchor down and enjoying twilight in St John