Since Don and I have spent the last few months here in the US Virgin Islands and probably will be in the area until May I thought I would post a few pictures and share a little about the islands and their history. Maybe more history than you want but feel free to just skip to the pictures!

The US Virgin Islands are made up of three large islands, St. Thomas, St. John, and St. Croix along with numerous smaller islets. Purchased in 1917 for $25 million from the Danish, the United States was concerned that foreign powers, namely Germany, would establish naval bases close to American shores. The US government also wanted to establish another military outpost in the Caribbean as a safeguard for the newly constructed Panama Canal.

Originally inhabited by the Arawak and Caribe Indians, historically Columbus is given credit for "discovering" the Virgin Islands in 1493 on his second voyage to the Americas. Having stopped in St. Croix for fresh water and seeing all the numerous islands visible to the naked eye he summarily christened the islands "The Virgins", encompassing all of the present day British Virgin Islands as well. In honor of St. Ursula and the 11,000 virgins who died in the 4th century in battle against the Huns at Cologne, the Virgin Islands became part of the Spanish empire. The Spanish used the many natural harbors and anchorages for traveling to and from the New World, bringing gold bullion from South America back to Spain. Eventually the gold supply from Peru dwindled and the Danish and British took over the Virgin Islands, hoping to colonize the heavily Spanish West Indies.

Plantations of sugarcane, cotton, indigo, pineapples, and of course production of rum raised the need for a cheap labor force, and the importation of African slaves began. Life on a plantation was extremely harsh and a slave's life short. Even with the increasing numbers of slaves being provided, the plantation economy did not thrive as it did in the United States. Drought, hurricanes, pirates and privateers, and the American and Napoleonic wars all made it difficult for the finished products to reach their destinations, mainly Europe. After the abolishment of slavery by the British in 1772 the ever increasing numbers of slaves in the Dutch Virgin Islands rebelled for their freedom at the same time the sugarbeet made sugarcane an over-priced commodity. For the next century the newly freed slaves struggled to survive off the land and sea, while the still prosperous European plantation owners fled.

Once again the geographical advantages of the Virgin Islands came into play in its prosperity. Ideally situated in the temperate trade wind belt and having literally hundreds of anchorages within a few hours of each other, the Virgin Islands are now the prime area for the charter and cruise ship industries. In an area where once Columbus, Sir Francis Drake and Blackbeard dropped their anchors, now thousands of charter boats and cruise ships take advantage of the turquoise water, balmy breezes, and gorgeous sunsets.

Don and I spend our time anchorage to anchorage, never more than a two hour trip, sometimes not even enough time to bother putting up a sail! While finding parts, fuel, water, and produce can take up an entire day, at least we are lucky enough to do it in paradise.