Conference unifix::sailing

    
    I was  planning a late october trip that has since fell through.  I
    would not worry a lot about hurricanes, they are not all that common in
    the V.I.'s. If one heads your way the charter company will give you
    directions.  If it looks realy bad that they will send most likely send 
    you ashore, and they will move the boat to Hurricane Hole (St Johns) or
    another well sheltered area.
    
    
    I cannot find the cruising guide for the area so I am not sure how much
    rain it typical.  Remeber you will be in the tropics and rains tend to
    be short very intense.  I had a friend who went down in october a
    couple years back and had a great time.  She said that it rained most
    every day but it never lasted very long.
    
    
    Forrest

    My bro and his wife live in St. Thomas.  Yeh, a real hardship! 
    He sold his computer co. and now runs the MIS and computer system
    for all of Frenchman's Reef resort.  Anyway, they've been living
    there now abt. 3 yrs. and I'll be speaking with them over the w/e
    so I will ask specifically abt. those 2 weeks.  It is usually more
    torrential than the rest of the year and does tend to last a lot
    longer than the occasional tropical gusher--more like a deluge.
     I know this past fall was a stinker, but again, that could have
    been in Nov.  Will reply again on Monday.
    
                           Signed,
    
                           Gail Young
                         "Gail Warnings"

    We have chartered the last two weeks of October for the last three
    years and have yet to be disappointed.  Yes, it is the end of the
    hurricane season but as mentioned earlier these are not frequent
    , typically years between storms.  It will rain every day but as
    most trade wind locales the storms are often localized and can be
    sailed around.  We found that the majority of the rain fell at night
    especially storms of any length.  I would not hesitate to go back
    down at that time of year.  If finances permit we will probably
    book for late October again.  If  a tropical storm does hit, you
    are less than a day away from good shelter anywhere in the islands.
    Hurricane Hole on St. Johns,  Jersey Bay on St. Thomas are reportedly
    best.  The winds tend to be flukier and the humidity higher since
    it is the "rainy" season.  The Virgin Islands are technically desert
    islands due to the limited rainfall annually.  Much of the water
    is produced in desalination plants or captured from roof tops. 
    Bottom Line:  Go in October without trepidation and have a blast.
    
    If you want more info give me a call.  I have a couple of cruising
    guides, charts and literature that I would be happy to let you read
    over.
    
    Brian  "St. Kilda"

    Hi Jeff,
    Spoke to my bro and sister-in-law over the w/e.  For the past 3
    yrs. they have not had bad weather during the first 2 weeks of Oct.
    In fact, there hasn't been a "real" hurricane there in yrs.  Gilbert
    totally missed them.  Most of the "rainy" weather has stretched
    out into November lately.  In fact they were saying that last month
    they had more rain than they do during the "rainy" season.
    
    Bottom line is, they feel the first 2 weeks in Oct. is ideal and
    as everyone else has said, you're always a half day's sail or so
    from shelter.  HOT TIP:  The whole area is like you died and went
    to heaven, but definitely go to The Bitter End on Virgin Gorda--it's
    magical!  Enjoy and I'm green with envy!!
    
                                   Gail Young
                                  "Gail Warnings"