The Virgin Islands Illustrated: A Sailing Odyssey [Paperback]

Nancy Harris (Author), David (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 1, 1999

The Virgin Islands Illustrated takes the reader along on a sailing trip through the U.S. and British Virgin Islands with cruisers Nancy and David Harris. Through maps, 181 photographs, and a lively, entertaining text, the book offers visits to popular island destinations, including The Baths on Virgin Gorda, the sea caves of Norman Island, St. John's magnificent Virgin Islands National Park, the fabulous snorkeling and diving waters off the Dogs, and the gorgeous wild beaches of Anegada.

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

In his first book, Sailing Through Paradise, Harris told the story of his solo voyage from Florida to the Virgin Islands on Top Cat, a 32' catamaran. The Virgin Islands Illustrated picks up where that book left off. It chronicles Harris's month sailing and touring around the Islands (St. Thomas, St. John, Norman Island, Salt Island, Virgin Gorda, Anegada, and St. Croix) with his wife, Nancy, who flew down after he arrived. Written in unspectacular prose, the book is both a travelog and a guidebook of sorts. Each chapter is introduced by a map, and there's a brief introduction describing the equipment, gear, and food needed for such a journey to give neophytes an idea of what's involved (logistically, if not nautically). The text is also liberally illustrated with snapshot-quality color photos. Recommended for public libraries in the region and those with heavy sailing-related traffic.AThomas K. Fry, Penrose Lib., Univ. of Denver
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.

About the Author

Cruisers David and Nancy Harris learned to sail on the cold waters of Lake Michigan while living in Chicago. Soon afterward, they bought their first boat, a tiny trailerable daysailor. Many boats and three children later, they became the owners of a cruising catamaran, Top Cat, and have since sailed around (and across) Florida and to the Bahamas.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 192 pages
• Publisher: Tortuga Books (September 1, 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 189356102X
• ISBN-13: 978-1893561021
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 6 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.9 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 1.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,143,850 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

11 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Not a very useful or entertaining book, May 23, 2001

By 

S. Bradford "scottfbradford" (Arlington, VA USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Virgin Islands Illustrated: A Sailing Odyssey (Paperback)

I was quite disappointed with this book for several reasons. First, it is not a travel or cruising guide. There is virtually no specific information on restaurants, shops, anchorages, dive sites, etc. Second, it is not a nature guide. The authors offer brief and vague descriptions of the flora and fauna they encounter, but readily admit that they are not sure what several species are. Finally, this book is not very entertaining or well written...Reading this book is akin to going over to someone's house to look at pictures of their latest vacation and have them offer a terse (but redundant) narrative of their activities. How many times do they have to tell us they had a sandwich and a beer for lunch and then split another beer between them? The book is written with short, choppy sentences that give it a "Dick-and-Jane" feel that I found quite annoying. There are several maps and pictures in the text, but no nautical charts. Also, the pictures are often grainy and the colors are dull. I just don't see the point of this book.