Welcome to the Yacht Guide May issue.

As in all things, there are winners and losers but there is also how we play the game. With the majority of sailing regattas under the belt and that aspect of the season slowing down, it is time for a little reflection as we move into summer.

Traditionally the island slows down in the summer, or at least the flow of tourism does.  Perhaps this year more tha...
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Atlantis Adventures to Cease Sub Tours  -  In what is clearly an ominous sign for the Virgin Islands tourism industry, Vancouver-based submarine tour operator Atlantis Adventures has announced the closing of its popular reef tour business in the USVI.  According to Gary Cram, Atlantis's general manager in St. Thomas, “it is our intention to cease submarine tour operations ...
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Okay, the day’s sailing is over and happy hour is on. The sun is setting on the horizon and already the belly is rumbling for a little bit more than cocktail peanuts. Grilled lobster is ashore at a waterfront resort, and it’s your turn to shout for dinner.

Seven people for a table at eight and possibly a hundred bucks a head (no junior discount for lobster) and yes, you are looking at ...
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While out on the water with visitors in December, my friends and I argued about the perfect music for an afternoon sail. One friend wanted reggae, another suggested sing-alongs, while I sought something deeper—a soundtrack that reflected the beauty of our surroundings but still had a dark undercurrent, mimetic of the often overlooked dangers of the sea. Since we couldn’t agree, our cap...
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The Watering Hole  -  According to the Oxford English Dictionary, there are two definitions of watering hole—one literal and one figurative. The so-named Tortola wine bar manages to be both definitions at once. The literal definition of a watering hole is a naturally occurring depression in which water collects, where animals come to drink. Though the outdoor seating area of The Wa...
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Hooked Up and Holding  -  What's better: taking a mooring or dropping your anchor? Every sailor has his own opinion, of course, but if faced with a choice, many experienced sailors prefer to drop an anchor. The reasons are fairly simple—if you know your boat and its gear then you can drop a hook with confidence. Who knows what lies beneath the mooring ball? It could be tied to ...
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