From Annapolis to the Spanish Virgin Islands: Discover Your Next Sailing Adventure
By: Deborah Veiga
From Annapolis to the Spanish Virgin Islands: Discover Your Next Sailing Adventure
Our recent participation in the Annapolis Sailboat Show left us feeling grateful, inspired, and excited to welcome new friends to Puerto Rico. Thank you to everyone who visited SailCaribe Yacht Charters! We loved meeting so many fellow sailors, hearing about your adventures, and introducing you to the beautiful islands we call home.
Throughout the show, one conversation kept coming up: “Where should we sail next?” For visitors looking for a new Caribbean sailing destination, discovering Vieques, Culebra, and Culebrita opened up a whole new set of possibilities.
Spanish Virgin Islands Yacht Charters: Somewhere New to Explore
Many sailors we met were familiar with the British Virgin Islands and U.S. Virgin Islands but were surprised to learn about the beautiful cruising grounds just off Puerto Rico’s eastern coast.
The Spanish Virgin Islands offer a quieter Caribbean sailing experience, with stunning bays, undeveloped shorelines, inviting beaches, and snorkeling spots throughout the islands. They remain largely unspoiled, with a relaxed atmosphere that encourages you to slow down and enjoy each stop.
As several visitors described it, the experience sounds “like sailing back in the ’50s.” That sense of discovery is exactly what makes this corner of the Caribbean so special.
Easy Access to Our Puerto Rico Yacht Charter Base
Visitors were even more surprised to hear how convenient it can be to begin a Spanish Virgin Islands yacht charter.
With nonstop flights to San Juan (SJU) from many major U.S. cities, getting to Puerto Rico is straightforward. U.S. citizens traveling directly from the U.S. mainland do not need a passport, making planning that Caribbean escape even easier.
From San Juan, a ground transfer brings you to our base at Safe Harbor Puerto del Rey in Fajardo, where your sailing vacation begins. Depending on your flight arrival, scheduled boarding time, and charter arrangements, you could arrive in Puerto Rico and be out enjoying the sailing that same day.
It was a possibility that caught everyone’s attention: fly in, step aboard, and let the vacation begin.
Sailing Vieques and Culebra: Peaceful Anchorages and Local Flavor
A yacht charter exploring Vieques and Culebra offers a wonderful balance of natural beauty and welcoming island life.
Spend your days exploring beautiful bays, swimming in clear Caribbean water, and discovering snorkeling spots along your route. When you feel like heading ashore, both islands offer great local restaurants and small supermarkets for picking up provisions.
The atmosphere is quieter than in the busier cruising areas of the BVI and USVI, but there are still plenty of opportunities to enjoy a delicious meal, meet local people, and experience Puerto Rican hospitality.
Whether your ideal day includes snorkeling, a leisurely lunch ashore, or an afternoon relaxing aboard, these islands make it easy to settle into your own rhythm.
Culebrita: A Hidden Gem of the Spanish Virgin Islands
Photo Credit: Sailcaribe Yacht Charters
No conversation about our favorite sailing destinations would be complete without Culebrita.
My personal favorite, this little island captures so much of what we love about sailing in Puerto Rico: beautiful turquoise water, a stunning sandy beach, and a peaceful setting that invites you to stay a little longer.
Arriving by yacht gives you time to appreciate it all, swim, explore, relax aboard, and take in the scenery.
Culebrita is a true hidden gem, and one of the places we most look forward to sharing with our guests.
Your Own Lagoon or Jeanneau, Cared for by SailCaribe
For some of the sailors we met in Annapolis, the conversation went beyond their next vacation to the possibility of owning a yacht in the Caribbean.
Imagine returning to the Spanish Virgin Islands aboard a yacht of your own. Through Atlas Yacht Sales and SailCaribe Yacht Charters, you can buy a new Lagoon catamaran or Jeanneau sailboat and place it in our yacht charter management program in Puerto Rico.
Our team handles the day-to-day care, maintenance coordination, and charter management, giving you more time to enjoy being on the water. When you are away, charter bookings can help offset ownership expenses while your yacht remains in experienced hands.
For U.S. citizens, placing a yacht into a qualifying charter business may also offer potential federal tax benefits, including depreciation and, where eligible, Section 179 deductions. Eligibility depends on your individual tax circumstances, business structure, qualifying business use, and applicable rules.
Curious about what yacht ownership could look like for you? Contact us to explore Lagoon and Jeanneau models, learn about our management program, and discuss your sailing plans. We would love to help you take the next step.
Tax disclaimer: This information is for general informational purposes only and does not constitute tax or legal advice. Charter placement does not guarantee tax benefits. Before purchasing a yacht or relying on any potential deduction, consult a qualified tax attorney and CPA familiar with U.S. federal and Puerto Rico tax rules to evaluate your eligibility, personal-use limitations, and ongoing requirements.
Discover the Spanish Virgin Islands With SailCaribe Yacht Charters
Founded by my husband and me in 2007, SailCaribe Yacht Charters grew from a love of sailing and a desire to share the Spanish Virgin Islands with others. From our Fajardo, Puerto Rico base, we welcome guests for bareboat and skippered yacht charters, with personal attention and local knowledge to help make their time aboard memorable.
Our conversations in Annapolis reminded us how many sailors are looking for exactly what these islands offer: beautiful cruising grounds, a relaxed pace, and somewhere new to explore.
To everyone we met at the show, thank you for letting us share a little of our home with you. Now, we would love to show it to you in person.
