Greetings to you all from the British Virgin Islands. It is nice to receive comments from you our friends, mainly that you enjoy reading our exploits. Long may it continue.
Today we have enjoyed beautiful warm (well hot really) sunshine, blue skies and crystal blue seas, so clear that you can see the fishes swimming around the boat. Not of course meaning to rub it in or anything, particularly as we understand that snow has been falling in Blighty. We all know that the sun has to shine somewhere and we can warranty that it is, here.
In my last update I mentioned that Paul had earned us a ride out on Lone Fox, the classic boat that he had spent much time on. Come Friday morning we formed part of the crew. The boat still had work to be done and so we left Simpson Bay a bit later than planned and arrived at Philipsburg at about 9.15, dropped the anchor on a bouy and set off for the start line. A bit hectic but we made it and got a good start. Lone Fox and it’s crew performed well and glad to say that we got line honours and were first on corrected time also. The same result followed on Saturday and Sunday and therefore we won the regatta overall. A good result. If you want to see pictures go to the St Maarten Classic 2009 regatta web site and you will find them. We have been invited back to race at Antigua Classic week in April. I don’t know if I will be there but I am sure Paul will if he possibly can.
During our stay in St Maarten we met some really nice people and we thank them for making us so welcome. The yacht club where everyone met had its happy hour from 4.30 to 5.30 daily and the highlight of the day was to watch the big boats come through the gate as it was literally next door. From there they moved onto the Soggy Dollar bar where the happy hours continued until 7 o’clock. After that very few of them could walk through the bridge entrance let alone drive the boat.
Next on the calendar is the British Virgin Island. As the weekend had been rather hectic we decided to relax on Monday and that we would leave late Tuesday night making landfall on Wednesday morning on the 90 mile journey. You will probably not be surprised to hear that the journey was absolutely abysmal. Horrid seas and strong winds. Seems to be the story of our lives. Paul seems to think it is me. Probably he is right. He normally is. Anyway we arrived on Wednesday morning into Virgin Gorda. Along side the boat a curious turtle poked his (or her) head out of the water on numerous occasions. Absolutely fantastic. Paul and Glyn went ashore to check into customs and pick up some bits and pieces whilst I stayed on the boat, keeping the turtle company, well just being lazy really.
We stayed at that anchorage for Wednesday night and on Thursday morning retraced our steps back to Gorda Sound, a quieter anchorage the entrance of which is through a reef giving calm water, but still the inevitable cruise ships were at various locations. At least we knew where not to go. Friday morning we headed to the south of Virgin Gorda and spent a very nice day at the Baths. In my opinion this is an unnamed wonder of the world. The rock formations are truly amazing. When we were here in 2001, the sun was at a different angle casting a more luminous colouring, but nevertheless it is a wonderful land/seascape.
On Sunday we anchored in The Bite, Normal Island. Anyone who has been to the BVI will know that this is the home of Billy Bones and the Willie T (William Thornton to give it the correct title). The cannon is still sounded at the start of happy hour but sadly it is no longer called Billy Bones but now it has been renamed to The Bite Pirate. Not a particularly memorable name. I think Billy Bones must have been captured by the mutinous crew who now demand US$5, yes five dollars for a bottle of beer, which works out to about £6.75 per pint. The other disappointing thing was Willie T. Last time we were there, drunken revellers used to jump off the top deck into the clear waters below, to swim with the sharks and other large fish that frequent the waters. This was stopped as it was considered a dangerous pastime. I think they were afraid that you might frighten or hurt the sharks. However sailing passed her we noticed that the Willy T has shrunk. We were told that the original ship needed extensive repairs and was taken to a shipyard for the work which only lasted for a year. They took her to the anchorage that I am sitting in tonight, to sink as a dive site. Unfortunately hurricane Omar which went through the Caribbean in October 2008, ripped her to pieces and she is no more.
No one can say that we have not had to get through some adversities through this trip. Another bared its ugly head on Saturday when a power boat went through the anchorage flat out and the bouncing of the stern of our boat crashed down on top of the float of the dinghy bursting it. The four inch split looked irreparable. With heads hung low, the challenge was how to get around this without the prohibitive cost of going into a marina as without the dinghy it is impossible to get to land. A temporary repair was made with the kit that came with the dinghy, it has after all only had 7 months use, having bought it for our trip. It lasted for short while but we needed something a little stronger. Mr Magic eventually appears to have repaired it following the purchase of two dinghy repair kits. Not to count our chickens, so to speak but we are hoping that it will survive the next few months at least.
I also have to report that Glyn has now left the boat. Recently he lost his Grandmother who was particularly dear to him, and since her death he appeared to be in another world and things got to a point where it was best to go our separate ways.
I am now sitting in the cockpit in Great Harbour, Peter Island. Contrary to it’s name it is quite a secluded deep water anchorage where, during the day you can hear the sound of the wild goats on the hill sides surrounding the bay. The sun has gone down and it is dark and all you can hear now is the lapping of the waves on the nearby shore and the gentle tones of Enya. Over the water I can see the numerous lights of Tortolla.
A few minutes ago I had a bit of a fright when I heard something rather loud from the stern of the boat. It sounded as if someone was close by, but we think it must have been a rather large fish swimming around the boat. They do tell you not to swim at night as there are rather unfriendly things in the water. I have however survived another fright
We will continue to sail the BVI waters for a while and then head over to the US island of St John, where we hope to meet up with Captain “one and done” Bill on the yacht Seven Sisters, who we met in Trinidad in November.
We hope that you are all well and looking forward to the Spring. It will come eventually, so keep your chins up and don’t forget us.
Bye for now and be safe.
Helen and Paul
The Cathedral at The Baths, Virgin Gorda
