Wind In Your Sails: Part V

On the third day of our adventure we left Cooper Island for beautiful Virgin Gorda. The BVI offers the most consistently ideal sailing conditions for sail charters. Trade winds blow on the norm from ten to twenty knots throughout most of the year. More important than wind speed is the wind direction. The wind blows almost constantly from the east down in the Virgin Islands. Sailing into the Sir Francis Drake Channel the wind will be blowing on your left ear as you look ahead. The Sir Francis Drake Channel is approx 9 miles long and 4 miles wide. Blocking the Atlantic Ocean is the island of Tortola, and shielding us from the Caribbean Sea swells are eleven other islands. This geography makes for perfect sailing conditions – a lively 2-3 foot chop and constant trade winds. It is very sunny here (about 85 degrees), but the winds keep it comfortable.

One of the most awesome sights to behold when sailing the British Virgin Islands are The Baths at the southern tip of Virgin Gorda. There are conflicting theories as to how these incredible rock formations came to be. Some say The Baths resulted from a meteor shower, others credit volcanic activity. There appears to be some evidence of lava flows which could have happened centuries after a meteor shower ... but what do I know? I’m not a geologist!


Okay, so The Baths are just a pile of "really big rocks" on a beach ... but when sailing up to them, you'll understand. They really are simply magnificent! Snorkeling is pretty good at The Baths too. There are marvelous Elkhorn coral formations and plenty of nooks and crannies to explore.
From the beach we followed the trail to the elegant but casual Top of the Baths restaurant whose open air verandah has magnificent panoramic views atop the hill. Fortified by a leisurely lunch we spent several hours exploring The Baths. Our next destination is the uninhabited Seal Dog Islands. To be continued…