Sail United States Virgin Islands.

St Thomas, St John and St Croix sit close enough together that a week's charter can move slowly and still cover real ground. Distances between anchorages are short — most days you're under way for two or three hours before the anchor's down and you're in the water. The National Park covers most of St John's coastline, so anchorages there stay undeveloped: no beach bars crowding the sand, no resort noise carrying across the water. We like the USVI for charterers who want warm, clear water and short passages rather than long open-water legs. It's also a straightforward first Caribbean charter — English-speaking, US dollar, no separate visa process for US citizens, and provisioning in Red Hook or Charlotte Amalie is easy. The trade-off is popularity: Trunk Bay and Cinnamon Bay fill up by late morning in high season, so an early start earns you a quiet mooring.

Most charters start from Red Hook or Charlotte Amalie on St Thomas's east and south coasts — both have marinas, fuel and provisioning close to the dinghy dock. From there it's a short sail to Christmas Cove off Great St James, then across Pillsbury Sound to St John. St John's north shore holds the best-known anchorages: Caneel Bay, Cinnamon Bay, Maho Bay and Francis Bay, all inside Virgin Islands National Park and reachable within a day of each other. Coral Bay, on St John's quieter east end, is the low-key alternative — fewer boats, a handful of bars, good holding. St Croix lies about 40 nautical miles south across open water; it's a different island with its own diving and history, but the crossing puts it outside most one-week itineraries unless you start there directly.

The USVI sail year-round on steady east to south-east trade winds, typically 12-18 knots. Winter (December to April) brings the brisker "Christmas winds" — trades can build to 20-25 knots for days at a time, which makes for fast reaching but a bouncier ride in open water like the St Croix crossing. Summer (May to November) is calmer and hotter, with lighter winds and warmer water, but it's also the Atlantic hurricane season — June through November, with the highest risk August to October. Storms are tracked well in advance and bases have clear protocols, but it's worth knowing before you book a late-summer week. Water temperature barely moves, low-to-mid 20s°C to high 20s°C year-round, so wetsuits aren't needed for snorkelling in any season.

Bareboat is the default here — no licence is required by law, but charter companies will ask for a sailing résumé or a recognised qualification (ASA, RYA or equivalent) before handing over the keys, and they'll check it against the boat size and season. If your experience is thinner or you'd rather not navigate customs and mooring fields yourself, a skippered monohull or catamaran covers that gap; the skipper handles pilotage and local knowledge, you handle the swimming and the sundowners. Catamarans are common across both bareboat and crewed fleets — stable at anchor, good for families, and the shallow draft matters in some of the reef-lined bays. Fully crewed charters with a skipper and cook exist too, mostly on larger boats, for guests who want the week run for them.

A week's bareboat monohull charter in the USVI typically runs in the region of €3,500-€6,500 depending on boat size and season; catamarans and skippered boats run higher, roughly €6,000-€13,000, and fully crewed weeks more again. Winter (December-April) and the Christmas-New Year fortnight command the highest rates; summer is markedly cheaper but sits inside hurricane season. On top of the charter fee, budget for provisioning (we can arrange pre-stocking), fuel, mooring fees in the National Park (there's a nightly charge on the park's ball moorings), and, if a skipper isn't included, a crew gratuity of around 10-15% of the charter fee. Exact rates depend on the boat and week — price on request for current availability.

Day 1: pick up the boat in Red Hook or Charlotte Amalie, provision, and make the short sail to Christmas Cove for the first night at anchor. Day 2: cross Pillsbury Sound to Cruz Bay on St John to clear in with the National Park and pick up a mooring ball, then round the corner to Caneel Bay. Day 3: Cinnamon Bay for the sugar-mill walk, on to Maho Bay for the afternoon and an overnight mooring. Day 4: Leinster Bay and Waterlemon Cay for the morning snorkel, then down to Coral Bay for a quieter night and dinner ashore. Day 5: back around to Trunk Bay early, before the day boats arrive, then on to Honeymoon Beach. Day 6: a slow sail back towards St Thomas, stopping at Christmas Cove again if the wind allows. Day 7: return the boat in Red Hook or Charlotte Amalie by mid-morning.

Most charters fly into Cyril E King Airport (STT) on St Thomas, which takes direct flights from several US east coast cities as well as connections via San Juan. From the airport it's a short taxi to Red Hook or Charlotte Amalie, where most charter bases are. If your route crosses into the British Virgin Islands — a popular add-on via Jost Van Dyke or Norman Island — you'll need to clear customs at both ends; the base can brief you on the paperwork and the nearest clearance point. Arrive the afternoon before check-in if you can: a night ashore takes the pressure off an early flight and a same-day departure.