Sunday morning we set sail for St. Thomas. Culebrita's weekend party was getting going again by 9am, power boats were arriving in droves, so we thought we'd clear out and open up space for the crowds in the bay. We had one long lingering squall as we left the Spanish Virgins. After about 45 minutes of drenching rains and clocking winds, the skies cleared and we had a light south wind that pushed us ever so gently east to Charlotte Amalie; a beautiful sail. The anchorages west of Water Island were full, so we motored through the cut between St. Thomas and Hassel Island and anchored in the main harbor -- a little rolly -- but endlessly entertaining with the cruise ship arrivals and departures and all the tour boats buzzing in to pick up their excursion passengers.
Monday we headed into town and did the self-guided walking tour of the old city taking in the legislature building (formerly a Danish barracks), Fort Christian, Emancipation Park, the Governor's mansion, the 99 steps, Blackbeard's Castle, a LOT MORE steps, and St. Thomas synagogue. Of course a visit is not complete without walking through all the old arcade buildings, former warehouses, now housing the duty free shops. This is a town transformed between the hours of 9-5 as the cruise ship passengers hunt for the perfect baubles and tax-free liquor. Back to Anhinga in late afternoon to collapse!
Charlotte Amalie, St. Thomas, USVI: +18° 20' 11.88", -64° 55' 41.82"
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