1944 /1949 St. Thomas Harbour - Virgin Islands, West Indies Nautical Chart
DESCRIPTION
This British Admiralty nautical chart of St. Thomas Harbour was first published in 1944, with this new edition in 1949, based on United States Government surveys to 1941, with small corrections added through 1953. Centered on the approaches to Charlotte Amalie, it offers a detailed hydrographic and topographic depiction of one of the most significant deep-water ports in the Virgin Islands during the mid twentieth century.
Hydrographic Detail and Harbour Navigation
The chart shows dense depth soundings in fathoms extending across St. Thomas Harbour, Long Bay, South West Road, and surrounding channels. Shoals, reefs, rocky patches, and dredged areas are precisely plotted, and the pale blue tint marking shallow waters highlights navigational constraints throughout the harbor. A large compass rose assists mariners in plotting bearings, while clearly defined anchorage areas distinguish inner harbor anchorage, outer anchorage berths, and zones reserved for naval or regulated use. Numerous buoys, lights, beacons, and channel markers guide vessels approaching Charlotte Amalie. All corrections appear as printed updates; no pasted-on paper panels accompany this chart.
Topography and Inland Features
The steep hillsides and ridges characteristic of St. Thomas are shown with detailed hachured relief, illustrating how the island’s terrain encloses and shelters the harbor. Charlotte Amalie appears in street-plan form, with wharves, piers, and waterfront structures lining the northern shore. Hassel Island, Water Island, and the smaller coves and points that shape the harbor’s interior are clearly identified, reflecting their role in vessel movement, anchorage distribution, and harbor management.
Historical Context
Published during the Second World War and updated into the early 1950s, this chart reflects St. Thomas’s strategic role as a United States naval and commercial port following the transfer of the Virgin Islands from Denmark in 1917. Charlotte Amalie served as a key harbor for military operations, shipping, and inter-island trade, supported by its deep, well-protected anchorage. The mid century revisions document the continuing modernization of navigational aids, harbor facilities, and maritime regulation during a period of heightened military importance and growing commercial activity.
CONDITION
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