Customer Reviews

A Winter in the Sun (And a Few Pitfalls of the Caribbean Cruising Lifestyle)

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I found this book to be full of very humorous and interesting accounts regarding sailing in the British Virgin Islands. Having recently returned from bareboating in this area, I can vouch for Robinson's choice of settings for a book of this type. The BVI's are truly one of the world's most beautiful areas for sailing.

I thoroughly enjoyed Robinson's stories and found his writing style to be very readable and entertaining. His humorous accounts of onboard guests and ship/shore experiences made it hard for me to put the book down! I still chuckle when I recall Robinson's account of a visit to a local island bakery and the cake with all the decorative sprinkles (actually ants).

Anyone interested in a good overview of the area, including things to see and do, I strongly suggest this book. It is really a good read and quite perhaps, the perfect book to take along on your flight to Beef Island!

The author has taken his personal cruising journal of a past period, the winter of 1980-81 and has created a book that documents his thoughts and activities in a chronological fashion. Although it does provide insight into his life and career in sailing journalism, it does miss the mark in terms of usual ideas for the would be island sailor today. The book does provide good armchair cruising although I personally found it a slow read. The author does provide some useful tips on various anchorages in the Virgin Islands but the text does not provide much island detail outside a brief stay in Antigua. It probably is far removed from the cruising patterns of the typical sailor who is cruising the Carribean basin on a realistic budget. At any rate, it was enjoyable reading and certainly provides insight into the author's family and cruising friends

This book is chapter after chapter of ..."we sailed here...we sailed there..." with too much pay-off to friends being mentioned, and too little insight, reflection, facts, knowledge, or wisdom. Many, many better cruising books out there. Skip this one.