The Virgin Islands are known for its pirate lore. Pirates real and fantasized have made their home sailing the Sir Francis Drake channel. In fact, the channel is named after a pirate. On our tour, we will sail past Dead Chest a little rock island off Peter Island. You might have heard the quote, "15 men on a dead man's chest, YoHoHo and a bottle of Rum". Robert Louis Stevenson wrote 'Treasure Island' using the Virgin Islands as his backdrop. In the story, Blackbeard marooned 15 of his men on this island with a pistol and a bottle of rum. Most men fearing death by sea monster chose not to learn to swim in those days. When the rum was gone and they were starving they attempted to swim to nearby Peter Island. All drowned and washed up on what is known today as Dead Man's Beach.

 

Further down the channel, we will catch a mooring ball in front of the Caves. Another story tells of buried treasure hidden in the back of these caves. They sit below Spyglass hill which is another reference to the 'Treasure Island' story. 

 

Very curious schools of Yellow Tail Jack and Sargent majors will great you when you jump in and snorkel the gin-clear waters.

 

After the Caves, we'll motor over to The Indians a rocky outcropping in the middle of the channel. This area constantly makes for great snorkeling due to the movement of water around the rocks. This constant movement brings in nutrients that make for great feeding for all the tropical fish. There is a small swim through on the southeast side which makes for some fun pictures! 

 

After your snorkel around the Indians, we will have lunch. We'll head back from here and it's time for rum punches!!