Named after a Danish Queen, Charlotte Amalie is the capital city of the US Virgin Islands and a major seaport. It is the most popular cruise-ship and duty-free destination in the Caribbean with more than 1000 cruise-ship visits per year. Every day, thousands of passengers flood the 78 sq km island. The town has many of the original Danish buildings and mansions on the hillside overlooking the harbour. Picturesque alleys and stairways lead from one street to another. From the harbour’s edge, the town buildings, whitewashed with red-hipped roofs, spread across the narrow coastal plain and blossom over a cluster of pointed hills.
Blue Beard’s Tower, Charlotte Amalie, St Thomas, US Virgin Islands.
Blackbeard’s Tower, Charlotte Amalie, St Thomas, US Virgin Islands.While in Charlotte Amalie, we found the 99 steps which were constructed using ship-ballast brick in the mid 18th century. The stairs lead to Blackbeard’s castle. In the 18th century, this five story masonry watchtower was allegedly the lookout post of pirate Edward Teach, alias Blackbeard, who found St Thomas a useful haven from which to ambush unsuspecting merchant ships. From there we visited Haagensen House, a restored 1830’s town house holding a small museum that splendidly evokes Danish colonial life and other historic houses as well as the World Amber Museum and a store offering authentic coins discovered in ship wrecks.
Mal and Kerry at Black Beard’s Tower, Charlotte Amalie, St Thomas, US Virgin Islands.
We took advantage of our time in the Virgin Islands and hauled ‘Hasta La Vista’ out at Nanny Cay, Tortola, BVI’s. We lived on board for five days repairing and painting her bottom. The topsides were polished and the mainsail shortened.
