“At St. Thomas, the town is the island and the harbor is the town.” William Gifford Palgrave St. Thomas, with its deep natural harbor and strategic location, has been an important center for shipping and trade for centuries, and its success can be attributed to the many wharves available for easy access. The wharves, in […]
Maritime History ⚓︎
The Loss of the Virgin Gorda Sloop, PERSEVERANCE ~ 1912
The Loss of the Sloop, Perseverance So many boats have been claimed by the sea that it’s impossible to document them all! Here are some I’ve researched and written about that sank tragically: The Syria, Pride of Tortola, RMS Rhone, Kite, the Faith, Come Back, Spider, Fancy Me, the Islander, the Edgewood, the Malakka, and To Windward. There’s even more that […]
The Fate of the “Pride of Tortola” ~ 1966
The Pride of Tortola The Pride of Tortola was a 65-foot island schooner once owned by Rudolph Hodge. She was an important part of the inter-island trade between the British and US Virgin Islands, delivering everything from perishable food supplies to building materials. She certainly had an adventuresome time during her years on the sea. […]
The Little Sloop, SORA Sails to the US Virgin Islands ~ 1942
The Sloop, Sora This little yacht arrived at the Creque Marine Railway for service in 1942. She was a pretty sailboat believed to be from New York. Her bottom was painted green with a white waterline, blue topsides, and she had a mahogany cabin on top. During the summer month of June, she was spotted by […]
M/V Kungsholm, The First Ocean Liner to Visit St. John ~ 1958
The Swedish-American liner, M/V Kungsholm, looked like one of the largest ships in the world when it was anchored in tiny Caneel Bay. She was gigantic! Maybe because this was the first time in the history of the islands that a luxury ocean liner visited both the island and a US National Park. Filled to maximum capacity […]
The Mystery of the Missing Crew in Anegada ~ 1921
Ocean Mysteries Tales of finding floating ships with sails fully set and no one on board have added to the bewildering mysteries of the sea. Interestingly, they are not as rare as one would imagine. The Marie Celeste A classic instance, of course, was that of the American merchant ship, Mary Celeste. In 1872, this well-manned […]
5 Distinctive Features of a Tortola Sloop ~ 1957
Tortola Sloops Did you know that the true origins for the design of the Tortola Sloop are a mystery? According to Professor Edwin Doran’s research, this type of vessel has five distinctive features. ⚓ First, is the absence of a bowsprit. ⚓ Secondly, is the shape of the mainsail. It was called “Leg of Mutton” […]
Amazing Harbor Painting of St. Thomas by Carl Ludwig Bille Up For Auction ~ 1868
Danish West Indies ~ Paintings Beautiful paintings of the Danish West Indies are rare, but they do come up for auction every once in a while. As soon as they’re discovered, I share them here on the blog for you. You may remember some of these artists that I’ve featured. Paintings by Larry Gluck Charles […]