CaribbeanCruisingPuerto Rico & the Spanish VI

Is it a ship or is it an island?

By August 7, 2016 No Comments

If you are every sailing on the south side of St Thomas you might see what looks like a large schooner to the west. This is Sail Rock. It is the halfway waypoint between St Thomas and Culebra in the Spanish VI.

I have had sailors aboard that have decades of experience ask me about “that ship over there”. When I tell them it is actually a large rock they are surprised. Having sailed by it several time in either direction I can tell you the water is very deep all around it as it juts straight up out of the water with the rock sloping to one side giving it it’s signature sail shape. It is covered with birds as they find it to be quite the sanctuary and I suspect it is 200 feet tall.

If you are ever sailing from Culebra to St Thomas or vice versa then you do not even need to have GPS or a chart plotter. Just head straight for Sail Rock and pass it on either side. From this point you will adjust your heading 10-20 degrees and head to the opposite island. It is roughly 10 miles from each side to Sail Rock.

So what do you think? Would you think it was a sail or a rock from a distance?

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