holger danske sailboat

Published on June 16th, 2020 | by Editor

The Plan and the Newport Bermuda Race

Published on June 16th, 2020 by Editor -->

While the 52nd edition of the Newport Bermuda Race was cancelled in 2020 , there remain 51 editions of memories that have come from this 635nm course. Prior to the scratched June 19 start, Scuttlebutt is celebrating the race’s history by sharing the stories… here’s one from Twig Burke:

On June 20th is the fortieth anniversary of Holger Danske winning the 1980 Bermuda Race in what the yachting public would herald as a huge upset! The owner’s son, a young Richie “Willy” Wilson who was the vessel’s skipper & navigator managed to win the prestigious St. David’s Lighthouse Trophy on his first trip down the rhumb line from Newport to Bermuda in a historic race.

As a member of the crew on this 42-foot double-ended ketch alongside several friends and new acquaintances assembled by Wilson, I remember that race like it was yesterday.

The story requires a brief background on the yacht known as Holger Danske, named in reference to a Danish Folklore hero. The owner, John J. Wilson, Jr. (“JJ”) had commissioned famed yacht designer K. Aage Nielsen in 1964 to build him a “comfortable offshore cruising yacht” capable of transatlantic voyages.

Built at Walsteds Baadevaert in Denmark, Commodore Wilson would log five transatlantic crossings with Holger Danske before he would entrust his wooden ketch to his 30-year-old son Richie to enter the 1980 Bermuda Race.

The crew consisted mostly of one design sailors who learned the sport at the Pleon Yacht Club (the oldest Junior Yacht Club on the planet!), a cook from France, a Medical Doctor from Virginia, a sailing buddy from Annapolis, the vessel’s boat captain, and a longtime friend and shipmate of the owner who had extensive experience on the boat…and was undoubtedly entrusted by “JJ” to keep an eye on his prized possession!

As vessels gathered in port prior for the 32nd running of what has become known as the “Thrash to the Onion Patch”, the scuttlebutt on the crowded wharves and docks of Newport was if BUMBLEBEE V, a maxi sled that hailed from Australian, could best the blistering first-to-finish time of 2 days, 19 hours, 52 minutes and 22 seconds set by Sumner Long’s ONDINE only 6 years prior. And when they came upon Holger Danske resting in port amongst a maze of yachts, they probably had her pegged for The Cooks Trophy, reserved for the last place finisher. That thinking had no place in the mind of young skipper Richie Wilson…he had a plan.

Race day arrived on the third Friday in June of 1980. The 160 yachts entered in the contest made their way to the designated starting area sailing past Newport’s historic Fort Adams, and creating great spectacle for the crowds watching from Castle Hill. Upon arrival at the starting area each vessels crew were busily removing sail covers and stretching sail in anticipation of the starting sequences for their respective class.

As we maneuvered in and out of the fleet assembled in the starting area, it was a bit daunting to be moving in mass with the likes of Acadia, Arieto, Kialoa, Merrythought, Scaramouche, Tenacious, and Williwaw, all greyhounds who had sailed months earlier in the once famous SORC (Southern Ocean Racing Conference).

The SORC was where the grand prix machines and sailing professionals of that era gathered to do battle in Florida and the Bahamas, and on the even years returned to Newport in the spring hell bent on winning the coveted St. David’s Lighthouse Trophy.

And there we were, escorting the best-looking girl at the dance…Holger Danske …with her wooden spars, flawless topsides reflecting off the water, and varnished cap rail and butterfly hatch gleaming in the morning sun…with young Wilson at the helm full of nervous anticipation. To the greyhounds in our midst, with their “too cool for school” crews in their team uniforms, we were just road kill… “stay out of our way…we have a race to win”!

Willy, who had been a crew member onboard Jack King’s famed MERRYTHOUGHT for the previous two years when he was living in Annapolis, gave a sincere “good luck” shout to his friend Jack as they crossed bows, to which some of the crew responded “have a good cruise”! Unbeknownst to them, under that wry smile of Willy’s, after months of planning, research, and study…he had a plan…and it was about to unfold.

Holger Danske was in Class F, which rolled off the starting a little after noon…and it was now ‘game on’ for Willy! We started in a light rain with fog rolling in an out, not much breeze…making it hard for the Danish folklore hero to awaken and realize the potential Nielsen had designed into her, and what the young skipper knew she was capable of.

Willy, who had given up the helm after the start, was undeterred and immediately wedged himself into the navigator’s berth where he would go to work for the next 3½ days. He had a plan to execute and wanted to be ready when the predicted Wind Gods showed up!

By early evening we were ghosting along in a dying breeze that followed the sun. Our cook, who was showing signs of motion sickness (not the best start for a cook with about 625 miles left to sail), began scooping beef bourguignon into dinner bowls. With our first meal onboard complete, we settled into our respective watches and got ready for our first night of sailing. A few hours in and the Wind Gods made their first appearance, teasing us with conditions that would allow Holger Danske the giddy up needed to help Willy execute his plan.

With a freshening breeze that would produce a favorable angle of sail, Willy stuck his head up from down below and barked “tack here”! The helmsman complied and the crew of mostly small boat sailors threw in a tack and began to put up additional canvas that comes with a ketch, from both the main and mizzen masts, rigging rope blocks on the varnished hand rails, trimmed the hell out of the old girl…and the speedo began to tic upwards.

Willy would continue to stick his head up through the companionway throughout, instructing the helmsman with an updated compass course…and whoever was steering would dutifully comply, while at the same time consciously working the breeze and wind angle to keep the speedo moving upwards. It was now becoming obvious to all of us that this was not just our inaugural race to Bermuda. Willy had a plan, and it was starting to reveal itself!

Reaching along in a welcomed weather front, we were treated to a night of Moon tans, constant course ‘fine tuning’ by our young navigator, and the crew pushing the “comfortable offshore cruising boat” towards Bermuda at an ever-increasing pace. And for our Saturday morning breakfast and watch change, we found ourselves enjoying the company of some who were a bit surprised to see us hanging on.

The Wind Gods continued to shine favorably on Holger Danske throughout the day on Saturday…and the speedo responded with a series of 8 to 10+ knot readings (an ironically slow speed for Willy, who would more than double that number on his trips sailing multihulls in and around the world years later!).

Willy continued to work the science of the stream, looking for favorable current that would provide a southeast boost, with canvas set from every possible halyard, and the Danish folk hero responding to her lines…we found ourselves barreling down the course headed for Bermuda at what we thought was a pretty impressive clip. Wilson’s plan was working, which now included the added component of a favorable wind that was building and producing the perfect angle of sail…power reaching…and we were all pumped!

Sunday morning had Willy stealing an occasional cat nap while continuing his wrestling match with the Gulf Stream. And the crew was working in concert with Wilson’s course suggestions to maximize the vessels speed, always working to maintain if not exceed that magical 10 knot number on the speedo.

The Nielsen ketch was eating up distance and logged 200+ miles over the bottom in the previous 24 hours. Willy’s navigational skill combined with use of Loran-C (the first time these electronics were allowed by race organizers) and his pre-race homework on the Gulf Stream was paying off. The crew became increasingly optimistic when vessels which had Holger Danske competing for the Cook’s Trophy were within sight! Willy’s plan was working, and other boats in the race were noticing too!

Monday brought more horsepower from the Wind Gods, with Holger Danske continuing to eat up distance. Having just finished another magnificent night of Moon tans, brownies, and cookies that Richie couldn’t eat because of food allergies, and subtle course changes that contributed to another 200+ miles over the bottom, Holger Danske had a bone in her teeth and we were all feeling quite good about the boats performance.

This would only be reinforced when we found ourselves sailing in the company of another Marblehead boat, Stampede, which was owned by Westy Adams and navigated by Jonathan Curtis (brother of famed sailor Dave Curtis). Curtis, like Wilson, was one of the best navigators in the ocean racing game at the time. If we were hanging with Stampede, we were doing a number of things right. It was coming together for Willy…his plan was working…and we were believing it.

With three days now behind our Nielsen canoe-end stern and the Wind Gods continuing to deliver, we continued to power reach late into Monday night and very early Tuesday morning, pegging 10+ knots with regularity. The finish line, now hours away, had us begin the process of estimating our time against the fleet.

A crewmember grabbed the scratch sheet, Willy turned up the VHF so we could listen to vessels reporting in, and we began checking off the boats we believed ole Holger Danske had saved her time on. With check marks starting to dominate every page of the scratch sheet, it was becoming increasingly evident that we were doing a lot better than the crowds on the docks had expected, along with the 159 other boats that had wished us a good cruise!

To get to the finish line we had to jibe over, and with the spreader lights on (more like street lights on Holger Danske!) we performed our first and only jibe 630 miles into the race…flawlessly. With a new compass course to Kitchen Shoals and the finish, and Willy, who at this point could stand in for the Ancient Mariner as a result of his sleep deprivation, was now at the helm, a bit bleary eyed but with anticipated excitement.

Holger Danske, with her owner’s son at the helm, proudly slid across the finish line completing the race in 87 hours, 43 minutes & 14 seconds. At this point it appeared that Willy’s plan for a respectable finish was accomplished (he would later admit that he always believed Holger Danske could win!) and we were anxious to confirm just how well we had done!

With dawn breaking and a long motor into Hamilton Harbor, knowing that we had given it our all…Wilson hopped off the helm, went down below and re-appeared with some crew shirts and champagne that he had superstitiously hidden away without any one’s knowledge prior to the start.

Clad in our fresh team colors, and reinvigorated by some fancy champagne…we motored to the Royal Bermuda Yacht Club feeling ‘high spirited’! As we pulled up to the Club’s main dock, we came upon BUMBLEBEE V who had taken line honors, but short of Ondine’s record by 2 hours & 15 minutes.

Next to this state-of-the-art maxi sled, which was the antitheses of what Willy’s father and designer Nielsen had designed into Holger Danske, was an empty slip awaiting the arrival of the winning yacht. With a nod from several officials in blue blazers, white pants, and straw hats…Richie Wilson was formally asked to back down into the winner’s slip!

Willy’s plan had worked, he had become the youngest skipper to win the Newport to Bermuda Race (that record would be broken by a 22 years old Kyle Weaver in 1992), with a strategy to tame the fickle Gulf Stream, work with a formidable crew who would push the boat, and take any favor offered by the Wind Gods.

The Danish folk hero had awakened and was the overall winner of the 1980 Bermuda Race! Willy was awarded the St. David’s Lighthouse Trophy, the Class F Trophy, and the George W. Mixter Memorial Trophy for the navigator of the yacht winning the Lighthouse Trophy.

While most have argued that it was a favorable MHS rule that created the path to victory for Holger Danske in 1980, it should be noted that on elapsed time we… • Beat all 21 boats in our class (F) • Bested 24 of the 26 boats in the next largest class (E) • Was faster than 30 of 35 in Class D • And half of the vessels in Class C

And don’t be fooled into thinking that the Bermuda Race victory by Holger Danske was a fluke. It was the result of a skipper/navigator who did his homework, executed a plan, and trusted a crew to do its job which allowed a “comfortable offshore cruising boat” to perform to her designed capabilities.

Did luck play a role? Perhaps…but as they say, especially in sailboat racing…luck is where preparation meets opportunity and that’s how Richie “Willy” Wilson and the crew of Holger Danske became the improbable winners of the 1980 Bermuda Race.

One final note: The bonds of friendship between Captain and Crew have remained strong through the years. At each ten-year anniversary, Skipper & Navigator Richie “Willy” Wilson organizes a reunion to celebrate friendship, youth, love of sailing, love of adventure, and the victory he had always believed was possible. And that, in a nut shell, is what sailing is all about!

Bermuda Race Crew Names (Left to Right): Port side Richie Wilson, Jon Chorey, Peter Warren; Starboard side rear: Sandy Tierney, Jim Drewry, Twig Burke; Starboard side front: Al Constants, Myles Jessel; Missing: Boyd Winslow and Thurston Hartford

Scuttlebutt wants to share your great tales from the past, and to encourage you, the prize chest is expanding with race gear and Scuttlebutt hats for the favorite stories. Submit your memorable moment to [email protected] .

Tags: Holger Danske , NBR2020 , Newport Bermuda Race , Twig Burke

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Holger Danske rises as Denmark SailGP Team launches boat in Sydney

The denmark sailgp team, presented by rockwool, unveiled its supercharged f50 catamaran in sydney on tuesday..

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K. Aage Nielsen Yacht Design

Walsteds are proud to announce that we have signed a contract with the daughters of K. Aage Nielsen, Boston. Walsteds Boatyard and Rockport Marine, Maine are pleased to have the rights to use the drawings of K. Aage Nielsen’s classic boat designs as well as the rights to build these.

K. Aage Nielsen is one of the greatest american-danish yacht designers and since his youth in native Denmark, Nielsen devoted his life and considerable talent to create some of the most prized traditional sailing yachts ever built.

Walsteds and Nielsen always had great respect for each other and Nielsen’s motto “good enough is not enough” was entirely in line with Walsteds standards. Altogether we built 21 boats in a variety of sizes to K. Aage Nielsen’s accurate and very detailed plans. All boats went to USA.

“Holger Danske”, 1963 a masterpiece by K. Aage Nielsen Yacht Design, Boston.

Holger Danske is the image on the sail of the Danish SailGP team.

Holger Danske rises as Denmark SailGP Team launches boat in Sydney

SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA, 18 February 2020 – The Denmark SailGP Team unveiled its supercharged F50 catamaran in Sydney on Tuesday, as preparations for the first SailGP race of Season 2 gather pace.

The Danish crew will join six other nations on the start line on 28-29 February as the adrenaline-filled, global racing championship kicks off for 2020 – and as the boat launched in Australia, the team revealed a special guest as part of the eye-catching boat livery.

The red and white flying catamaran features an iconic design on the 24-metre wingsail – an image of Danish national symbol and mythological warrior Holger Danske – ensuring that the boat will turn heads as the team starts its training for the opening race in Sydney at the end of the month.

Holger Danske, also known as Ogier The Dane, is a famous Danish knight. According to Danish folklore, he sits waiting in the dark cellar of Kronborg Castle – and, when called upon, will return to defend his country’s honour.

“Today is a huge day for the Denmark SailGP Team, for our title sponsor ROCKWOOL, and for Danish sport as a whole,” said helmsman Nicolai Sehested (30).

“We’re proud to be flying the flag for Denmark. It is something special to represent your country on a global stage like SailGP – and it gives us even more confidence to know that we’re going into battle with Holger Danske on our side.”

Sehested is the youngest helm on the Season 2 start line, but joins the league having carved out a stellar reputation as a skilled operator behind the wheel, honing his talents in two editions of The Ocean Race and several seasons on the World Match Racing Tour.

The Denmark SailGP Team, presented by ROCKWOOL, features more than 80 percent homegrown talent. Sehested is joined by countrymen Olympic gold medallist Martin Kirketerp (DEN); former America’s Cup sailor Rasmus Køstner (DEN); and twin brothers Lars-Peter Rosendahl (DEN) and Hans-Christian Rosendahl (DEN).

Former America’s Cup and The Ocean Race competitor Tom Johnson (AUS) is the only non-Dane on the crew, and brings valuable experience having raced with USA SailGP Team in SailGP Season 1. The team is managed by Olympic silver medallist Jonas Høgh-Christensen (DEN).

“The crew has been working hard, in an extremely tight timeframe, to be ready for Sydney – and now the boat is launched, we can spend more time training in Australian waters before racing begins next week,” said Høgh-Christensen.

Mirella Vitale, Senior Vice President Marketing and Communications at ROCKWOOL, said: “It’s exciting to present the Danish SailGP Team in the iconic  Sydney Harbor. We’re confident in the ability and experience of the team and believe they can achieve great things this season. This event provides ROCKWOOL Group a global platform to raise awareness and share our optimism around solving today’s sustainability challenges, especially in urban environments.”

Having announced its participation in December, the Danish team has had just eight weeks to prepare for the fastest sail racing on the planet. Sehested is positive that his crew can not only compete, but may even spring a few surprises.

“Our goal is to have a good race in Sydney, and continue to learn the boat and grow as a crew. We have to be realistic – most of the other teams have years of experience together, racing in these boats – and we sailed together for the first time last month.

“This is a huge challenge, but we’re quietly confident. We’re not here to make up the numbers. We know we can push the other teams right to the line and we can’t wait to get started.”

For the ultimate race companion, download the SailGP app from the App Store/Google Play. The 2020 eSailGP Championship will launch on 25 February, with training opening a few days before real-life racing kicks off.

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Holger Danske rises as Denmark SailGP Team launches boat in Sydney

Holger Danske

Won Newport to Bermuda race in 1980. Crossed the Atlantic Ocean 8 times, as well as the Pacific.. Currently cruising Tasmania, Victoria & Bass Strait.

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Holger the Dane - The Danish legendary hero sleeps under Kronborg Castle

In the darkness beneath Kronborg Castle, the legendary hero Holger Danske sleeps like a stone. According to myth, the great warrior wakes up when Denmark is in extreme danger, but until then he is mostly peaceful. So take a tour of the dark casemates and say hello to him!

"Where is he?", the boy asks when he and his family arrive at the Dark Gate, "Holger Danske, where is he?" For some visitors, this is the most pressing question when they visit Kronborg. The boy and his family quickly find the entrance and make their way down the dark tunnel.

A clammy, damp chill hits them, and deeper down, the glow of oil lamps flickers.

They step through the opening and there, right there, he sits, the great Holger Danske, calm and majestic. They stand for a moment and look, and then slowly walk closer.

Statue of Holger Danske at Kronborg Castle

The large statue of Holger Danske in the Casemates is a cast of the original bronze statue made by the Danish sculptor H. P. Pedersen-Dan in 1907. The cast of the statue of Holger Danske was first made in plaster, but as the humidity in the Casemates is very high, the plaster could not withstand it. The statue of Holger Danske that you visit down in the Casemates today was thus made of concrete in 1985.

Who is Holger Danske?

In the deep underground passages of the casemates, the national hero Holger Danske has slept for hundreds of years and, according to an old legend, he will only wake up on the day Denmark is threatened by enemies. Only then will he open his eyes, stand up and raise his sword.

The legend of Holger Danske goes back almost 1000 years. The first time we encounter Holger Danske (or Ogier le Danois ) is in the French Rolandskvad, La Chanson de Roland, from 1060. Here, Holger Danske is a minor character and appears as one of Charlemagne's warriors. 

Later, Holger Danske becomes the protagonist of the heroic poem La Chevalerie d'Ogier de Danemarche (1200-1215), in which he is referred to as the son of Gudfred, king of Denmark and enemy of Charlemagne. Charlemagne takes Holger Danske hostage, but the noble Holger Danske returns and saves France before the decisive battle against the Saracens. After the heroic poem about his great exploits, he is often mentioned in European literature. Holger Danske also appears in the Danish Chronicle (manuscript from 1480, first printed in 1509). The story of Holger Danske is told here with several additions, including from the folk song Holger Danske and Burmand .

In 1534, the Danish writer and publisher Christiern Pedersen published a translation of a French prose novel about Ogier (1496), entitled The Chronicles of King Olger Danski . It is this version of the tales of Holger Danske that ends up being the main source of the legends of Holger Danske as known to the Danes. The legends tell of the national hero Holger Danske and his great exploits, as well as how he emerges from his underground hideout to save the nation if it is in danger. In fact, the legends of Holger Danske became a favorite Danish folk book that lived on well into the 19th century. In the legends, Holger Danske appears in several different places in Denmark, but the story is gradually localized to the Casemates under Kronborg Castle. In 1846, a fairy tale by Hans Christian Andersen also places Holger Danske in the cellars of Kronborg. The fairy tale tells that if Denmark is in danger, Holger Danske will draw his sword and defend his homeland.

3 quick facts about Holger Danske 

Holger Danske is a legendary hero who sleeps in the Casemates under Kronborg Castle. It is only when Denmark is in danger that he will wake up and draw his sword.

Where is Holger Danske sitting?

Holger Danske sits in the cellars under Kronborg Castle. The cellars are also called the Casemates.

Why is Holger Danske sitting in Kronborg?

The legend of Holger Danske was over time localized to the Casemates under Kronborg, and in a fairy tale by Hans Christian Andersen from 1846, Holger Danske was also placed in the basements of Kronborg. When the original statue of Holger Danske was erected, it was therefore decided to make a copy, which is located in the Casemates at Kronborg.

• HOLGER DANSKE

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The current position of HOLGER DANSKE is at North America West Coast reported 2 min ago by AIS. The vessel is sailing at a speed of 1.0 knots. The vessel HOLGER DANSKE (MMSI 338029196) is a Sailing vessel and currently sailing under the flag of USA .

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HOLGER DANSKE current position and history of port calls are received by AIS. Technical specifications, tonnages and management details are derived from VesselFinder database. The data is for informational purposes only and VesselFinder is not responsible for the accuracy and reliability of HOLGER DANSKE data.

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Holger Danske Hotel

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Christiansted, St. Croix USVI

Donna, a former webmaster of our website, experienced everything St. Croix has to offer. She wrote this article so you may use her vacation as a tool to plan your own fabulous vacation!

“I recently had the privilege of visiting St. Croix for the first time and wanted to share my experience. Never having visited an island before, I had no idea what to expect. Being the webmaster of this website, I was familiar with the pictures I had been given. But to experience this island in person was an experience I will never forget. It is my hopes that in reading this, I can assist you in planning a vacation to exceed your wildest dreams!

My first impression upon landing in St. Croix was of complete surprise. In my mind, I expected a flat island, with a beach and a few hotels. Unfortunately, we flew in at night, so I wasn’t able to get my first glimpse of this beautiful island from the sky. So I was very surprised to see that we landed in a very busy small city, with no high rises with neighborhoods dotting the hillsides. Our taxi drive from the airport to Christiansted was a little nerve racking because there, they drive on the left, which took some getting used to.

Once we arrived at the Holger Danske Hotel, we quickly checked into our room, for we were anxious to begin our exploration of the island. The hotel was exactly as the pictures showed. Located right in the heart of Christiansted, directly on the boardwalk, we were in the perfect location to see and experience everything that the area had to offer. Our room was lovely with a king size bed, a kitchenette, and a nice, private balcony overlooking the mountains. We didn’t plan to spend much time in our room, we had an entire island to explore, and were very anxious to do so.

Our first step: Angry Nates. Angry Nates is the restaurant attached to the hotel. Known for its international cuisine and friendly atmosphere with live entertainment on the weekends. The salmon was prepared to perfection and the drinks even better. The group of locals and tourist round the bar were very lively and friendly. You can view Angry Nates website here .

Our next stop was a walk down the boardwalk. On the left of the boardwalk is a busy harbor with dozens of large boats and ships. It was a beautiful site to behold in the moonlight, as the picture here shows. During the daylight hours, the action never stops as boat after boat comes in from a day fishing and charters going out. You can also watch the seaplane take off and land bringing visitors to and from the other islands. On the right of the boardwalk are hotels,restaurants and bars. On our stroll back to the hotel, tired from a long day of travel, we were drawn to the live music outside Angry Nates. We had the pleasure of listening to Rob Paper, one of the many local celebrities on the island. With a voice like James Taylor and a heavy influence of the Grateful Dead and Bob Marley, he was one of the most gifted guitar players and singers I have ever heard. My only regret is that we didn’t find out where he was playing again, we were just too tired to stay for more than one set. Here is his picture and in case your wondering who you are listening to: none other than Rob Paper himself! He’s definitely a treasure worth exploring!

DAY 1: After an early breakfast at Angry Nates, we set off exploring Christiansted. Our first stop was Fort Christiansted National Park. Located just off the boardwalk the rich history and the beauty of this location is wonderful. The day was a little overcast as you can see in the pictures. But the temperature was 83 degrees and for us coming from Buffalo, NY, it was just perfect!

Off the boardwalk is the town of Christiansted. Quaint streets lined with cobblestone sidewalks, some dated back hundreds of years. The first thing I noticed was the cleanliness of the streets and sidewalks. No littering, no graffiti and no smell of garbage anywhere.( Later found out that this was the same for the entire island) Specialty shoppes, souvenir shops and jewelry shops all have something to please everyone. And in between, tucked away in little alleys are the most quaint little open air restaurants with food to satisfy every pallet. I loved discovering and exploring this part of Christiansted because you could continuously discover hidden delights. The natives, the Cruzans, are the friendliest people with constant smiles and southern hospitality.

DAY 2: Rented a car and drove to Sandy Point Beach. This is about a 20 minute drive to a beach and game preserve that is literally almost deserted! If you see a handful of people on this beach at all, that’s a lot. Starving for the beach and the sun, we were in our glory! This is a place to go to recharge your batteries, or even rekindle the flames of romance! The water was 83 degrees and smooth as crystal clear aquamarine glass. Not a hotel or building in site in either direction. Take a picnic lunch and cooler full of the local beer Caribe. You can rent snorkel or scuba gear in town to experience some of the best diving on the island. This is a day I will always cherish. I can’t say enough about the beauty I have experienced! As for romance, well, the picture speaks for itself.

Second stop for the day was Paul & Jill’s Equestrian Stables for a tour of the island on horseback. Never having sat on a horse in my life, I was more than a little skeptical but was determined to see every inch of this island and where we went, deep in the rain forest, only horses could travel. I have to make known that it was a huge comfort to me to learn that on St. Croix there are no snakes! Learning this helped me to relax and enjoy the ride. For 2.5 hours we road through the rain forest and concluded the tour on the beach. Our hosts were so gracious. This is something the whole family would enjoy!

DAY 3: Got up early and started our own driving tour of the island. Stopped at the Buccaneer Country Club for a fabulous brunch. Whether you play golf or not, this place is a definite must just for the view alone. The clubhouse is on top of the mountain, overlooking the ocean with breathtaking view and wonderful food. After a beautiful scenic drive, we ended our day at the Chenay Bay Resort. Located just a short distance from the hotel, this spot features a wonderful open air restaurant and bar with a gorgeous white sandy beach.

Our next stop was to drive to Point Udall. The eastern most point of the United States, this popular tourist attraction is located up a winding road that runs high along the water front with panoramic views of the ocean below.

Final stop for the day: Divi Carina Casino. After losing my money on the slots, we headed for the Divi Carina Bay Beach Club. Beautiful beach with a restaurant and bar right on the sand.

DAY 4: Got a cooler and snacks for a 1/2 day boat trip to Buck Island National Park. This island takes about 20 minutes by boat to get to and is surrounded by spectacular reefs for snorkeling and scuba diving. Our host was Big Beard and the boat was a huge catamaran. First stop was on the calm side of the island where the water was a breathtaking emerald color. This gave us all a chance to get some snorkeling lessons if needed or just enjoy snorkeling and swimming in calm waters. After a half hour, we headed for the other side of the island where the water was a little rougher, but the reefs and the fish were also bigger. It was comforting to learn also that there has never been a shark attack on St. Croix. So relax and enjoy this spectacular island! We ere especially blessed on the ride back to be accompanied by dolphins!

DAY 5: Took a ride to Carambola Golf Club for lunch and golf. Designed by Robert Trent Jones, Sr., this 4000 acre course will humble even the professional golfers! Breathtaking views, plenty of water and sand with a tropical scene all around. Even though this course is in the middle of the mountains and not on the water, this course is our personal favorite. Even if you don’t golf, the ride there is worth it for the scenery and food alone. The conch was fabulous as well as the tuna. Don’t leave without visiting Wendy in the pro shop!

DAY 6: Tan Tan Tour: This is a half day or full day jeep ride up to the highest mountain tops, down to the tidal pools and everything in between! You will go where only a 4 wheel drive vehicle can go with a tour guide keeping you entertained and educated all along the way. Got some spectacular pictures and memories to last a life time. You will not get a more thorough tour of the island than this. We chose the 1/2 tour that ended with lunch at the Domino Club where we go to see the beer drinking pigs. Don’t worry, they only get non-alcoholic beer.

Ended this perfect day lounging at the pool of the Holger Danske Hotel and happy hour at Angry Nates.

DAY 7: Salt River Kayak Tour: See where Columbus discovered the island. This started out to be a serene river tour where our tour guide kept up a continual educational banter of the flora, vegetation and history of the area. I was worried that paddling the kayak would be too much for this frail body of mine, but it was very easy. Traveled through some open water to a lagoon. This was a half day tour and well worth being able to see another part of the island.

DAY 8: Rented jet skis from Island Flight Adventure Tours. This was a 2 hour guided tour that went almost from one end of the island to the other. On the way back my husband snorkeled while being pulled by a rope. We stopped at Chenay Bay resort for drinks and sun.

Our next stop was the Cruzan Rum Factory. This was a guided tour through the factory that ended with a rum tasting at the bar. My personal favorite: Cruzan Rum Cream. You can take home a 6 pack, duty free, which we did.

That evening was the Christmas boat parade. The sea plane had been flying people in all day from the other islands to enjoy this annual festival. There were 20 boats in the parade, all decorated with Christmas lights. We watched the parade from the pool balcony of the Holger Danske Hotel where we had the best seats in town! After the parade was over, we took a walk down to the end of the boardwalk where there were Christmas carolers and “jump ups” dancing. The jump ups are people in colorful costumes walking and dancing on stilts. This is an island tradition that is a pleasure to see. The history behind this tradition is that the slaves used to do this as part of their religious celebration, which was forbidden by the slave owners. To get away with this, the slaves disguised this as a festival, covering their faces so that the slave owners would not recognize them. To this day, several times a year you will see the jump ups dancing and celebrating on the streets of St. Croix! This night, the carnival atmosphere was very uplifting and put us in the holiday spirit.

FINAL DAY: For our final day, we drove to Fredericksted to enjoy a day at the beach. Just a short distance away from Christiansted, Fredericksted has the #10 best pier diving spot in the world, with beaches that are literally deserted. With snorkel gear and a cooler we were ready for a full day in the sun. Ended up at the Sunset Grill for lunch with live entertainment on the beach. I loved this spot. Workers raked the beach to keep it clean with lounge chairs available to use. The water at this end of the island was calm as turquoise glass! This is a favorite spot of snorkelers and scuba divers.

My job was to experience all that the island had to offer so that I can better market the Holger Danske Hotel and the island. I discovered that St. Croix is the hidden jewel of the Caribbean. Totally undiscovered and completely unspoiled by commercialism. In today’s world of fake, commercial paradises, St. Croix is the real deal!”