A view from Peter Island shows a sailboat heading toward Ginger Island in the British Virgin Islands. Photograph © Todd Gipstein/CORBIS

British Virgin Islands
By Walter Cronkite

Trade winds and good weather have drawn sailors to the Virgin Islands for centuries. My wife, Betsy, and I have been sailing the British Virgins since the early 1960s. Like other enthusiasts, we've discovered that these islands offer some of the greatest sailing in the world. One reason for this is the Sir Francis Drake Channel, which is really not a channel at all but a vast bay encircled by islands. The waters here are protected from the strong wave conditions you would normally have in the Atlantic, but at the same time there is a highly dependable, almost constant wind, which usually blows from the northeast. It's also enjoyable to sail here because the various distances between the islands make it possible to plan a day's excursion of almost any length, from an hour and a half to several hours. Back when we first came here, Betsy and I had to charter a boat at St. Thomas in the U.S. Virgin Islands. Since the '60s, the British Virgins have become more populated—although many of the islands are still basically uninhabited—and today there are more charter boats. One of the pleasures of cruising this area is seeing how much the local people care about their islands. They have taken numerous steps to preserve the environment, such as placing moorings to protect the reefs. The British Virgins certainly keep pulling us back.

The information in this story was accurate at the time it was published, but we suggest you confirm all details before making travel plans.