Page 74 - Cityview_Jan_Feb_2014

Caribbean Dream

Story and Photography by Nathan Sparks

M
If you want to try a y first journey to Working with a charter company

the Virgin Islands was in 2004. called Sail Caribe, located in the
sailing adventure for I spent more than 10 days sailing port town of Fajardo on the island

through the islands from Tortola east of Puerto Rico, planning this trip
yourself, you might not along Virgin gorda, past Prickly Pear couldn’t have been easier. We booked

Island to the Last Resort. The trip end- our flights from Knoxville to Char-
want to start by sailing halfway ed far too soon for me—I realized you lotte, then flew into San Juan, the

around the world. I recently took could spend a lifetime in these islands capital of Puerto Rico. Sail Caribe ar-
and never truly be able to see it all.
ranged a van to meet us at the airport.

a week-long trip to the Spanish I had always wanted to return, and We stocked up for our sail in town
last year, I finally fulfilled my promise to before heading down to the Puerto del

Virgins, and it couldn’t have been my son Ethan (16)—and to myself—that Rey Marina, the largest marina in the
we would take a sailing trip to the Virgin Caribbean, to pick up our boat.
more perfect. If you’re looking
Islands. Along with my good friend and Little did we know that this was
Cityview senior photographer Jimmy the home of the Sunset, the ship that
for an accessible, fun, and
Chiarella, his son Joey (16), Ethan, and portrayed both the Black Pearl and the
my younger son Troupe (6), we took
Queen Anne’s Revenge in the Pirates of
beautiful sailing destination, look
a week to see the less commercialized the Caribbean films. Seeing it made a
no further—and check out our side of this gorgeous island chain—the great start to our trip—and it was luck-

Spanish Virgins.
ily the only pirate ship we saw!
guide to the must-see spots in

the Spanish Virgins.

If you rent a sailboat or yacht, there’s
no need to pay for hotel rooms. Our crew

spent each night on board at anchor.

72 cityviewmag.com january february 2014