Don Street is a legend in his own time; a lifetime sailor, Street has spent 60 years cruising, charting and writing about the Caribbean. Forty of those years were spent aboard his 46 ft. engineless yawl, Iolaire, built in 1905. He has made 12 transatlantic crossings, all of which were hand steered with no autopilot.

In the early 1950s he explored the Eastern Caribbean and created the first charts of the Caribbean islands published as “Imray-Iolaire” charts which were the first charts published since the British Admiralty charts from the 1700s. These charts were instrumental in creating the Charter business in the Caribbean. I know of no one – with the exception of Ted Turner – who can take credit for launching such a large business. But Street is too modest to claim that.

Donald M. Street Jr. – Biography
Here is an excerpt from “all at sea” (All At Sea):”…After stints with some of the most famous sailors in the world, Don came to St. Thomas as a Land Surveyor followed by the “charter business, exploration business and writing business.” There he bought Iolaire, from the late Captain Bob Crytzer and began cruising, writing and providing data for Caribbean charts. Chart coverage for the Eastern Caribbean historically was haphazard until Don created the Imray-Iolaire chart series. During the past several decades almost every move Don has made has been recorded in sailing history.His newest book Seawise was republished in 2004 with a Prologue updating each chapter as to what Street has learned in the last 50 years and a Epilogue that, according to Street, “complains about and lists the deficiencies of modern cruising yachts.” Likewise, his soon to be released “Transatlantic Crossing Guide – A Guide to the Atlantic islands, Transatlantic Crossings, getting to and leaving the Caribbean from the East Coast of the U.S. and an Introduction to the Caribbean ” will give the long distance sailor much needed advice. In addition to his charts, Street has written a number of books and articles in the yachting press, starting with ” Cruising Guide to the Eastern Caribbean” published in 1964, and followed by cruising guides to a number of other areas including the CapeVerde islands.

Sail Magazine Article

Sail With Don Street