Historical Sailing Tours

with author Stanford Joines, St. Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands

Historical Sailing Tours

with author Stanford Joines, St. Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands

Pirate History & Sailing

St. Croix Sailing Adventure Tours

After thirty years of sailing Caribbean waters and diving pirate shipwrecks, Stanford Joines, author of The Eighth Flag (A history of the Caribbean 1493-1750) is ready to take you into the Golden Age of Piracy. Sail in the wake of Blackbeard, Bellamy, and Black Ceasar on the beautiful waters of Salt River Bay, St. Croix, for two and a half centuries the pirate nest of the Lesser Antilles.

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The Book

The Eighth Flag

Cannibals. Conquistadors. Buccaneers. Pirates.

The struggle for power, freedom, and wealth that shaped the Caribbean for two and a half centuries has, since John Barrie created Peter Pan, been relegated to the same literary section as Barney the Dinosaur; yet, underneath the soil of the modern world, the roots are still there. I started pulling them up on St. Croix, and the roots led to more roots, and more. Islands connected, nations connected, and legends came to life.

About the Book

About the Author

Stan Joines

I have practiced storytelling for 31 years in front of the toughest audiences on the planet. My career has been teaching high school history, music, and sailing, twenty-seven of those years in the Caribbean. I have sailed the waters, dived on and probably identified two pirate shipwrecks, and sailed through hurricanes. My voice is different from that of sedentary researchers or inexperienced fantasy writers. My voice is real.

What Others Are Saying

I learned more about the tragic and fantastic history of the Caribbean in the first thirty pages …

I learned more about the tragic and fantastic history of the Caribbean in the first thirty pages of this book than I ever learned in my history classes in school. Well written and easily accessible, this book helps the reader to see the natives in their pristine world, before the… Read more “I learned more about the tragic and fantastic history of the Caribbean in the first thirty pages …”

James Bush Jr.

Brilliantly written. Absolutely amazing

Brilliantly written. Absolutely amazing! This is an impressive display of local history. It should be included in the school curriculums. Gift shops and hotels would benefit from the sales of this book. Include it in welcome baskets for new residents of St. Croix!

Mary G Sluss

Entertaining and Informative Read – A “Must Read” for those living in the Virgin Islands, and those who wish they did.

Entertaining read of both St Croix and regional native and pirate history. I’ve lived on St Croix and read other books about the island and region. This one not only tells the island’s little-known infamous history, it includes insights from the author’s sailing and diving explorations and insights. This is… Read more “Entertaining and Informative Read – A “Must Read” for those living in the Virgin Islands, and those who wish they did.”

A. MAC

Real unbiased history

Well written by a man who knows and loves St Croix!

Amazon Customer

Real History!

What a great read! Stan makes the history of St. Croix come alive with this well-researched book. If you love the Caribbean, read this book. Better yet, come down and experience it!

Acuman3001

St Croix was the pirates secret hideaway in the Caribbean for more than two centuries!

Absolutely fascinating – St Croix was the pirates’ safe hideaway in the Caribbean, and the Danes pretty much omitted it from history. Stan tells the lively stories of more than 200 years of pirates coming and going. Everybody came to St Croix – Drake, Morgan, Blackbeard, Martel, and many more,… Read more “St Croix was the pirates secret hideaway in the Caribbean for more than two centuries!”

Crucian

PIRATES

Whenever you pick up a book on the history of St. Croix it pretty much starts with Denmark having the Virgin Islands. Very little is written about the history of the island of St. Croix before that time. Finally Stan Joines researched and wrote about it. Readers are able to… Read more “PIRATES”

Leonor C. Gillette

An interesting perspective on pirate history

A unique approach to pirate history. Fun to read, great for the beach!

Lara

History about Pirates and Sea-hero’s in U.S. Carribean ST. Croix Colonial history (17th cent.)

The book is about an exciting and unknown part of 17th century: Pirates and Sea-hero’s in U.S. Carribean ST. Croix Colonial history (esp. 17th century. . Everything in the book is true to history, no falsifications. It is written in a pleasant and eloquently narrative style and layout.

Amazon Customer

The Blog

Colonizing Sainte Croix: you think Jamestown and Plymouth rock were difficult start-ups?

1631: 80 hopeful ENGLISH settlers from Barbados to farm tobacco. They put into the west end, Sandy Point, where turtles could serve as an easy food source. Fishermen from Puerto Rico were making regular runs to Sandy Point as well, so they discovered the English after only four months. SPANISHRead more “Colonizing Sainte Croix: you think Jamestown and Plymouth rock were difficult start-ups?”

St. Croix’s Pirate Shipwreck: Jean Martel

From the Calendar of State Papers, 1717: “John Martel, with a sloop of 8 guns, began pirating after operating as a privateer in the War of Spanish Succession, cruising mostly in the Mona Passage between Puerto Rico and Hispaniola. He took several prizes, including the John and Martha, Captain Wilson,Read more “St. Croix’s Pirate Shipwreck: Jean Martel”

Santa Cruz: The “Warrior Princess” and the Battle of Salt River

On the morning of November 14, 1493, at “the hour of eating,” they sailed along the north coast of “Ay-Ay.” Columbus renamed the island “Santa Cruz,” and the fleet put into what is now called Salt River Bay, where they saw beautiful green hills rolling down to sapphire water, flocksRead more “Santa Cruz: The “Warrior Princess” and the Battle of Salt River”