Mahoe Bay Villas on Virgin Gorda

The Mahoe Bay villas on Virgin Gorda are in a great spot -- the beach is perfect for swimming and there is also wonderful snorkeling offshore.

Wickford High-Rises

Photo by Willi Waw.
These plastic-covered plastic boats at Wickford Shipyard look like snow-covered high-rises as they wait for their release in the spring.

The Baths on Virgin Gorda

The Baths on Virgin Gorda photo by Willie Waw.

This is one of the most popular cruising sites in the British Virgin Islands -- huge boulders are scattered in this area and it's great spot for swimming, snorkeling, and following the paths though the caves. Go in the morning or late in the afternoon to avoid the crowds.

Sea Smoke in Wickford

Sea Smoke in Wickford photo by Willie Waw.

Cold north winds produce sea smoke (surface fog) over relatively warm water on Narragansett Bay. The Newport Bridge is visible over Jamestown.

View from Emerald Crest

View from Emerald Crest, photo by Willie Waw.

Another beautiful day and bay on Tortola -- you can see why sailors like to navigate during the day in the islands. Looks like a great spot for anchoring and snorkeling.

View from Elysium

View from Elysium, photo by Willie Waw.

A beautiful view from the Elysium Estate on Tortola's northeast coast -- Little Bay Beach is below.

Saba Rock and Bitter End

Saba Rock and Bitter End, photo by Willie Waw.

A cruising sailor's haven and racing sailor's heaven -- North Sound and the Bitter End Yacht Club on Virgin Gorda in the British Virgin Islands.

Cruising sailors come here for protected waters, great dining at Saba Rock resort (small island on the left), at Leverick Bay, and at Bitter End Yacht Club (center), and for the snorkeling along the reef toward the top of the photo.

Racing sailors come to Bitter End to participate in racing clinics and sessions such as the Pro-Am or families just vacation there and have access to many kinds of sailing vessels from windsurfers and Lasers to racer/cruisers.

This photo was taken from near Leverick Bay Resort with its many rental villas available through wimco.com.

Trunk Bay in St. John

Trunk Bay in St. John, photo by Willie Waw.

Beautiful Trunk Bay Beach on St. John, USVI. It's a wonderful swimming and snorkeling beach.

The Big Dog off Tortola

The Big Dog off Tortola, photo by Willie Waw.

I caught a shot of this big, comfortable cruising cat (named The Big Dog) from Villa Jacaranda on Tortola. This catamaran is big enough to have three groups of people in separate seating areas while underway.

December Sunrise on the Bay

December Sunrise on the Bay, photo by Willie Waw.

Another unusual sunrise over Jamestown in Narragansett Bay -- it has been a very warm December in the northeast.

Long Bay Beach

Long Bay Bch, photo by Willie Waw.

Long Bay Beach in Tortola as seen with a telephoto lens from Sunset House -- St. Thomas is in the background.

Wickford Frostbite Fleet

Wickford Frostbite Fleet, photo by Willie Waw.

Sixteen small Sea Dogs were out racing on this warm December afternoon. The races, usually sailed inside Wickford Harbor, are hosted by the WIckford Yacht Club. Since it was mild and the winds were moderate today, the fleet ventured outside the harbor to turn around the bell buoy (which is larger than the boats).

Mahoe Sunset

Mahoe Sunset, photo by Willie Waw.

This sunset shot was taken in front of the Mahoe Bay villas on Virgin Gorda in the British Virgin Islands -- Tortola is in the background. This is a perfect beach for swimming, snorkeling and relaxing.

Heather II fom Toronto

Heather II fom Toronto, photo by Willie Waw.

While on Speedy's ferry from Tortola to Virgin Gorda, we passed Heather II, a well-equipped cruising boat from Toronto.

View from Infinity

View from Infinity, photo by Willie Waw.

Here's the view from an amazing villa on St. Thomas with a view over Charlotte Amalie harbor. The villa is MA INF - Infinity -- it's a special place...

View from St. Thomas

View from St. Thomas, photo by Willie Waw.

Just back from a 10-day tour of the Virgin Islands where we visited 70 villas and hotels on St. Thomas, St. John, Tortola and Virgin Gorda -- there are so many beautiful villas and most have stunning views.

This photo shows the view from villa MA IND -- Indochine -- on St. Thomas. Link here to learn more about villas in the Caribbean and Europe.

Catfish in the Bay?

Catfish in the Bay?, photo by Willie Waw.

This is the first fishing catboat I've seen -- two sailors out on a crisp fall day cooking along under sail with fishing poles out.

They might be more fishermen than sailors since there is a huge outboard motor hanging from the transom in case they slow down below trolling speed while sailing.

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Note: I'll be going flyabout on business for almost two weeks, so the blog is officially on holiday until November 12th. I'll be visiting 60 rental villas and hotels in the Virgin Islands (St. Thomas, St. John, Tortola and Virgin Gorda). Link here to find out why.... I should have a few nice shots when I return.

Endeavour in Newport

Endeavour in Newport, photo by Willie Waw.

Built in 1934, J-Class Endeavour was recently sold by former Tyco CEO Dennis Kozlowski to pay off part of his court-ordered restitution and fines for looting the company.

Link here to learn more about the $13.1 million sale and here for more about the history of the Endeavour.

Red Sky Sunrise

Red Sky Sunrise, photo by Willie Waw.

Another interesting Rhode Island sunrise and sailors' warning -- the rain was heavy a few hours later.

Note how sunlight plays on the strato-cumulus layer in the top half of the photo.

Gaff Ketch Pelagic in WIckford

Gaff Ketch Pelagic in WIckford, photo by Willie Waw.

"Pelagic", a bright yellow Robert W. Davis gaff ketch, was sailed from England and restored by Stephen Millett, owner of Wood & Water, a wooden boat construction and restoration shop in Wickford.

Link here to see more photos of Pelagic and to learn more about Wood & Water of Wickford, Rhode Island.

Schooner Madeleine and Castle Hill Light

Schooner Madeleine and Castle Hill Light, photo by Willie Waw.

Schooner Madeleine from Newport heads out into Block Island Sound late on a fall afternoon.

Schooners Aurora and Adirondack also operate from Newport and carry passengers on daysail trips.

Lightship Nantucket in Newport

Lightship Nantucket in Newport, photo by Willie Waw.

The recently-restored lightship 'Nantucket' visited Newport for a few weeks in late summer and fall.

From 1975 - 1983, she was stationed 45 miles southeast of Nantucket Island to keep transatlantic shipping from foundering on the dangerous Nantucket South Shoals. Prior to that she was on the West Coast off San Francisco and Cape Mendocino and later back on the East Coast off Portland, Maine.

Visit her website here for more information.

Yacht Brandaris

Yacht Brandaris, photo by Willie Waw.

Brandaris was launched in 1938 as the private yacht of shipyard owner and designer Willem De Vries Lentsch, Jr. She made history during World War II when she escaped German occupation, and then returned from England to participate in Operation Dynamo, the evacuation of British and Allied forces from Dunkirk in May/June, 1940.

Her keel-less design (note leeboards) with 3 foot draft, immense strength and very broad beam proved invaluable as she packed the troops to the gunwales in their escape from attacking Axis forces.

She is now available for day charters from Wickford, Rhode Island.

For more info on the Brandaris, link here.

Beetle Cat at the Dock

Beetle Cat at the Dock, photo by Willie Waw.

A recently-restored Beetle Cat is ready to sail at IYRS in Newport. More than 2000 have been built in Massachusetts during the past 85 years and many older cats have been restored in Newport.

Link here to learn more about the long history of the Beetle Cat and to find out where new ones are being built now.

Market Cornered for Used Beetle Cats

Market Cornered for Used Beetle Cats, photo by Willie Waw.

The International Yacht Restoration School in Newport has been buying up Beetle Cats in need of restoration to use in training students. At least 15 cats are lined up on the racks behing their main building off Thames Street.

Link here to learn more about Beetle Cats at IYRS.

Madeleine in Newport

Madeleine in Newport, photo by Willie Waw.

Schooner Madeleine gets underway for a daysail in crisp weather in Newport.

Link here for more on the Madeleine.

Sea Smoke on the Bay

Sea Smoke on the Bay, photo by Willie Waw.

Morning temperatures in the 40s (F) and warm water temperatures result in an eery-looking low fog on Narragansett Bay in late September.

Sunfish Finish

Sunfish Finish, photo by Willie Waw.

The two leaders make for the finish line in a late summer race in Narragansett Bay; you can tell they're racing because they have white racing sails. Most Sunfish sailors with white racing sails hardly ever go out unless they are racing.

I don't know why that single little fluffy cloud is above the fleet -- looks like someone painted it onto the print with Whiteout...

Narragansett Bay Yawl

Narragansett Bay Yawl, photo by Willie Waw.

A fair breeze drives a handsome yawl into Wickford Harbor -- looks like he may be single-handing.

Schooner Coronet at IYRS

Schooner Coronet, photo by Willie Waw.

Schooner Yacht Coronet -- built in 1885 for industrialist Rufus T. Bush -- is being restored at the International Yacht Restoration School (IYRS) in Newport.

Link here to see a beautiful painting by John Mecray of Coronet blasting along in a good breeze. And visit the IYRS site here to learn more about the restoration and all of the great work they do.

Coronet has been called the oldest, largest and most original grand yacht in the world. Arthur Curtiss James owned the yacht in the 1890s; he sailed it twice around Cape Horn.