Cruising the Virgin Islands
Joe Russell, was raised in the San Francisco Bay area. After a serious hydroplane racing accident in the mid 60 s, he wisely took to a slightly slower form of boating sailing on The Bay. This led to the delivery of Yonder, a Calkins 50, from Alameda, California to St. Thomas in 1968. During the succeeding 30 years in the Caribbean and beyond, Joe has sailed most of the countries and islands in the area while writing features for Cruising World. Sailing to the South Pacific as skipper of ther 38-foot cutter, Christina, let to the publication of Joe s Exploring the Marquesas Islands (Fine EdgeNautical Publications.) A Coast Guard licensed Master, Joe has run charter vessels throughoutthe Caribbean. 2007 found him Captain of the square-tops l training schooner, Heritage of Miami, taking young adults on week-long training cruises throughout the Florida Keys as well as day trips in Biscayne Bay.Mark Bunzel - Like many who return again and again to the Virgin Islands, Mark has discovered over the past 25 years of charter cruising in the islands that one can come back again and again to the Virgin Islands and have a different experience each time. In his writing Mark presents recommendations for the many unique experiences the Virgin Islands can offer beyond sailing to unusual locations like Anegada. He has explored and likes to write about places where one can moor alone in a special out-of-the-way anchorage like Money Bay on Norman Island, take an art class at a small studio on shore in Trellis or Maho Bays, or visit a special beachside restaurant in a quiet cove for a memorable dinner.In 2002, Mark escaped a demanding career in high-tech in Silicon Valley and in the entertainment and media field in Los Angeles. He was a successful management consultant to various high-tech companies such as Intel and Microsoft and the major film studios such as Disney, Sony Pictures, and MGM. He moved to Anacortes, Washington and the San JuanIslands to start a new career as a writer and publisher of boating and cruising guide information. Mark is the Publisher and General Manager at nautical and recreational publisher Fine Edge producing nautical cruising guides, how-to books, recreational planning maps andformative websites. In addition, Mark regularly writes for Northwest Yachting Magazine, Power Cruising, Pacific Yachting, Latitudes andAttitudes, Dockside, and other magazines on interesting cruising destinations.Mark is a U.S. Coast Guard licensed Captain and has charter cruised a variety of sail and power vessels in many locations around the world ranging from the coast of Vietnam, the Greek Islands, all through the Caribbean, Honduras, Mexico, the Bahamas, the Intercoastal Waterway, the Chesapeake, and through the pristine fjords of the Inside Passagethrough British Columbia and Alaska. The Virgin Islands continue to be one of his favorite cruising grounds.