Sail in the St Thomas International Regatta

If you are reading this post, then I know you love new adventures. The St Thomas International Regatta in the Caribbean should be added to your bucket list. Attend it, be part of it, or have a beach day and watch from one of the beautiful beaches on the Eastside St Thomas, or from one of the closer beaches to Cruz Bay, St. John. Don’t let daily life stop you from pursuing a dream. Start planning now because the reward is happiness.

When Is the STIR?

Yearly around late March,  The St Thomas Yacht Club & The St. Thomas Sailing Center throw a full weekend event consisting of various sailing races throughout the waters of St Thomas & St. John, which is known to be one of the best sailing places in the world. Sailors from all over the world come to participate from surrounding Islands, the British Virgin Islands, The United States, Puerto Rico, Canada, Switzerland, Germany you name it… even former Olympians participate.

My Experience

This year my boyfriend & I  were invited by David McDonough, who’s been sailing for over 50 years. As he welcomed us into the event, he introduced us to the crew. A neighboring sailor from Puerto Rico & one badass chic from Annapolis Maryland. He gave us our oversized uniforms & lunch bags. Thankfully I had leggings and my sweet bright orange Helly Hansen shoes to keep me stable and protected from scraping my knees.

Since David included us as crew, we were handling the sails & sitting on the rails. This is key to racing a 37ft Pearson sailboat named Trinity III in the STIR 2021. The race was a wild ride. It took us about 5 hours to complete which resulted in us placing last in our category. Back at the Yacht Club, they had food, drinks, and a saxophonist with great talent. The moon was almost full and the awards were given out. Congratulations to Fox! The beautiful black sails are a sight for sore eyes.

The #1 Rule to Sailing

Have Fun!

Coming in last was not a feeling of losing yet it was a feeling of success and being part of the Regatta is rewarding. I now can check it off my bucket list. I can only explain how amazing that feeling is because experiencing it yourself will explain it all. There is something about being on the waters of the Caribbean that keeps me living here. If you have a bucket list, the 2022 International Regatta is a must and you should be adding it to your list.

If you visit St Thomas, US Virgin Islands I highly suggest visiting the STYC & Sailing Center. You can take a quick sailing lesson from some of the greatest sailors around, ask for Bruno or one of the Daves. Or, get the ultimate sailing experience with David McDonough himself. Tell them I sent you. Check McDonough’s StJohnSailingtours here. If you live here, look into becoming a member because the community is inviting, the restaurant staff and food are amazing & the adventures are endless.