Anchor Lines

Some subscribe to “the glass is half full” theory. I tend to take the positive stance that it is half full and waiting for me to fill it up on my own, just as full as I care to make it.

 

Visitors from around the world flock to the U.S. Virgin Islands on a yearly basis to enjoy the cool tropical breezes, the perfect sunrise and sunsets and the warm Caribbean hospitality that much to the disbelief of some, is the cornerstone of our tourism offering and the main reason ‘wanna-be’ islanders return year after year.

  But if your journey to the Caribbean only includes shopping, hiking and lounging by the pool of your vacation villa, you are not taking advantage of the full experience available to you and your glass full of memories will always remain half full.

You have not truly seen the beauty of our islands until you see it from the bow of a boat!

  Don’t get me wrong, I am a firm supporter of hiking along the aged tropical green trails that may be found throughout the National Parks of St John. No photograph or painting has yet to provide me the solace that walking along a pristine white sand beach can provide, and I still after all these years stand in awe of the red sun sinking into the ocean, and have pulled my jeep over on far too many rides home, to wait on the elusive green flash.

 But there is something out of body that happens to the soul once the engine has been turned off, the wind has blossomed the main sail, and you are one with the elements aboard a boat. It is as if a deity of whatever belief you subscribe to, has sent a hand down from above, to gently but firmly nudge you along. In a world full of petty competition and greed for greed’s sake, which all too often encroaches upon our little piece of paradise, our moments of true freedom have been so greatly curtailed that for some, it has past into the annals of forgotten lore that has been inherited from proceeding generations.

  There are many reasons man has taken to the sea for centuries. And while modern technology has provided us with a much safer and more accessible means of enjoying the boating experience, it has not replaced the pure thrill of being on a vessel under sail or power that is headed into the wind and taking you farther away from shore.

  Museums are for preserving the tangible evidence of marauders, explorers and privateers that once roamed these waters. But to place yourself on the sea, aboard a boat, is to truly appreciate and experience the power and nature of the open water, and to see through the eyes of those who traveled here before you, the beauty that is the U.S. Virgin Islands as seen from the water.