Every time I glance through the old newspapers, I stumble upon the sad news of the loss of another inter-island boat. It’s a wonder that anyone survived to reach the ripe old age of sixty or seventy! The Loss of the Anegada Sloop, Fiddler Sadly, the sloop, Fiddler of Anegada, about two tons register, was […]
BVI Boats
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. […]
Remembering the RMS Rhone ~ 1867
Remembering the Rhone One of the most tragic hurricanes to ever befall the British Virgin Islands happened 151 years ago. The year was 1867. My great-great-grandfather was 9 years old. His name was Henry Osmond Creque. Six of his siblings along with his parents were huddled together for safety in a cramped, two-roomed cottage. It […]
New Book Launched, Twice She Struck, The Story of RMS RHONE
New Book Launching I recently attended a fascinating presentation on the launching of a new book about the fate of the RMS RHONE ~ 1867 Congratulations to Dr. Mitch Kent on a well researched and beautifully presented timeline of actual events that occurred before and after the Rhone’s demise off Salt Island. I spent the […]
The Disappearance of the Fishing Sloop, KITE ~ 1901
Note: This image is a part of the Estus H. Magoon Collection, Item No. 1398. It was used to share this story and is not an actual image of the Kite.. The British sloop, Kite was a popular vessel sailing between the islands of Tortola and St. Thomas during the 1890s. Like so many island boats, it […]
Lost at Sea! A Jost Van Dyke Sloop Vanishes Without a Trace ~ 1916
Imagine saying farewell to your loved one at the dock as they boarded a boat, then discovering later that they never made it to their destination. On a dark and rainy evening in January of 1916, Mr. C.H. Berrian hugged his wife goodbye as she boarded a boat destined for West End, Tortola. She had been […]
The Disappearance of the Sloop, SPIDER ~ 1916
St. Thomas was struck by one of the most destructive hurricanes in the history of the Danish West Indies! ⚡ The unforgettable date was October 9, 1916. The Spider Captain William Creque, the brother of our direct ancestor, sailed right into its fury. On that fateful day, he was the captain on board the Spider. The 45-ft sloop […]
The Sinking of the Schooner, FANCY ME ~ 1926
Launching The Fancy Me The Fancy Me was a locally-built schooner that became infamous when she was lost in a hurricane with most of her passengers who were returning home to their families. It was one of the most tragic events that occurred in the maritime history of the British Virgin Islands. The schooner was built on Hassel […]