BVI experts- SVI and PR forums?

Hi all, I know this is not BVI specific (I have also asked in the USVI forum ) . …so admins- remove if you must .

We are embarking on a SVI and Puerto Rico sail on our next visit and really can’t find the same great information as I have been following in these forums . Anyone know of other sites / resources I can review? Feel free to send private messages if you can help

Thanks in advance

No but it's on our radar for a future trip, please share your experiences!

We've wanted to do the same for several years. We were planning a BVI -> SVI -> St. Croix -> BVI trip but have not been able to pull it off due to COVID restrictions getting out, and back in to the BVI. Hoping to give it a go next year.

Hi Kim, this is a not-very-active Culebra forum. You might want to post some questions and see if you get any responses. http://www.islaculebra.com/forvm/list.php?f=1.

I've been to both Culebra and Viequez a few times. I prefer Culebra and its out islands, Culebrita and Cayo Luis Pena - very quiet and beautiful. Rather than anchoring in Ensenada Honda, I prefer Bahia de Sardinas, on the SW end of the canal that bisects Culebra. It's quiet, well-sheltered, a short dinghy ride through the canal to the bars, restaurants and stores, you'd probably be the only boat there, and it's more scenic than Ensanada Honda.

Enjoy!

Have you tried Cruisers Forum - https://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/f19/ . A search there should turn up some useful info.

Kim, we sailed around the SVI in Nov. 2020. We thoroughly enjoyed it even though the islands were entirely closed - found 2 grocery stores, but otherwise nothing else was open. Here were a few details/mini trip report.

Sailed a cat out of Farjado with Dream Yacht - our starboard engine was out most of the trip, and anchoring and maneuvering in tight spaces was challenging
Anchored at Green Beach (Vieques) first night, quiet and nice setting with good holding.
Sailed to Sun Bay near Esperanza - good holding and decent protection for up in toward the right side of the beach. Wild horses up and down the beach we enjoyed the hike into
the town which was charming (beached our dinghy and tied to a tree). Wish we could have acnhsome of the restaurants along the water, but all closed. Also, we would have liked to have done the bioluminecent tour - I think they will pick you up by the beach right there.
We then sailed to Culebra - there were many other anchorages along the south side of Vieques that looked nice, but we were hoping to see a little more activity in Culebra (wasn't the case). Warning, as there are countless fish traps along the south side of Vieques which became a game of identifying and dodging them.

In Culebra, we stayed on a ball at Pta Tamarindo. The ball was fine, but closer to shore than I would have liked. Great snorkeling there. And also a good spot to hike over to Bahia Flameco (relatively easy hike with a little climb up and over). Flamenco is a huge and beautiful beach - pictures with the old tanks. Police officers were on the beach ensuring that everyone was there for excercise purposes - would not allow us to sit down. So I walked up and down the beach with beer in my yetti. Tamarindo was a very neat spot, BUT we took with us countless flies that never left the boat after that. Never had it like that in the BVI or USVI or Bahamas.

The next day we were heading to Culebrita, but running out of supplies. Dropped a crew off in Bahia De Sardinas on a dinghy and they ran in town Dewey to restock at the only grocery store. Our engine died for the third time as we were anchoring in Culebrita. So I did not get to enjoy it as much as I would have liked, since I was messing around with the engine (fuses kept blowing and I was out of them).

Went back to Dakity for the evening which is a great anchorage and a dingy ride to town - we went one more time and would like to go back when the usual spots are open (Dinghy Dock, Mamacitas, etc). We hopped around for a couple of more days and tried to go back to Culebrita, but this time the swell was up, then our engine died as we approached, so we deemed it was not a good idea to go in.

The last day, we spent on Isla Palominos and finally got to see a little activity. Despite being in the middle of covid, locals were achored right off the beach, playing music, BBQs, and just having a great time. Although everyone stayed "socially distanced" on their own boat or just on the beach. We enjoyed being there.

Then back to Farjado, but thankfully the engine did not die on me as we took her to the docks.

Definitely a very different trip than anything we have done, but really enjoyed it.

Thanks you for the great information !

Another question I have is about clearing in. Our partners on the boat are there now and cleared using the CBP ROAM from west end Culebra but they are all US citizens.

Do any of you know if it more tricky if not? We have Canadian passports. The last time we tried to clear using the App in Cruz Bay they made us present in person. Wasn’t clear why .

Thanks again

I am not 100% positive and others may have more recent experience, but I think that if you have to file an I-94 to enter the US, that you cannot use CPB Roam. See https://www.cbp.gov/travel/pleasure-boats-private-flyers/pleasure-boat-overview/roam. If this is correct, my guess is that you will have to go to the Customs/Immigration office at the airport on Culebra. I think there is also one on Vieques at the airport there.

The last time we went, CPB was not in effect and we had to call Customs from the anchorage in Ensenada Honda. We provided the boat registration, names and passport information and were given the ok in about 10 minutes. We were all US Citizens. Regardless, the Customs Officer had the righ to request that everyone present themselves in person.

CPB Roam should work for US citizens and if your boat is has a decal. However, the CPB officer has the option to either approve online or required you to appear in person. We tried to clear in using Roam at Cruz Bay (St. John) a couple years ago and had to appear in person. I'm pretty sure it was bc a couple of our crew had non-us passports (one UK and the other SA).

Yup that’s what I figured ! Thanks folks very helpful