The island was originally settled around 1500 BC by the Ciboney people. They were later replaced by the Arawaks and then the Caribs. Christopher Columbus sighted the island in 1493 on his second voyage to the "New World". The Caribs seem not to have survived the first decades of contact with Europeans, either due to disease or deportation and extermination. Pirates likely made use of the island as an occasional base in the next 150 years.

• Back on the ship

  St. Thomas

• Shore from ship

  St. Thomas

• On deck

  St. Thomas

• On deck

  St. Thomas

• Larry Wall and Neil Bauman on deck of ship

  St. Thomas

• Mark, Damian, Bill, and rest on deck

  St. Thomas

• Group on deck

  St. Thomas

• Airplane over St. Thomas

  St. Thomas

• Guys on deck

  St. Thomas

• PerlWhirl group photo on deck

  St. Thomas

• Larry Wall

  St. Thomas

• Group Photo with Larry Wall in front

  St. Thomas

• Crow\'s Nest

  St. Thomas

• Crow\'s Nest

  St. Thomas

• Neil Bauman of GeekCruises

  St. Thomas

• Bill gets a lady on the floor

  St. Thomas