Checking out of BVI

[Joshooowa]

Hi Everyone,
Quick question......
If we check out of Virgin Gorda I know we are supposed to leave the BVI's in 24 hrs. We were hoping to sail to Anegada and spend a couple days there and make the crossing right from Anegada to St Martin. Will they give us a problem in St Martin if we checked out of the BVI's a few days before we arrive in St Martin? Is it a better sail from Anegada to St Martin or do you usually still have to motor sail?

[MarkJ]

Just say you are going immediately, and the when you clear in St Martin make sure you clear in on the French side in Marina Royal inside the Lagoon at the Capatanarie (office) INSIDE Marina Royal.
They don't mind how long its taken you to get from the BVIs.

[Teknav]

...ummm...Mark...it is called "la capitainerie"...<cah-peeh-tain-neury>. When you do paperwork from the French side, or any French island..."la douane" (Customs)...doesn't really care about time, as long it is done. Sail away! Mauritz

[Joshooowa]

Is it a better sail from Anegada or still a motor w/sail beat? Does it serve us to not return to Virgin Gorda before the crossing?

[Zanshin]

Josh - your angle might be better if the wind is anything north of east. But remember that the reef around Anegada has grabbed over 300 known boats so you'd either need to sail around the north of the island (better angle but longer distance) or sail quite a bit south to the clear the reef and that would put you just a few degrees better than the sail between Virgin Gorda and Neckar Island.

I would agree with Mark and Teknav, I've cleared in at the Capitainerie many times and I can't really recall a single time where they looked at my papers.