Tuesday motored past Necker Island, around Mosquito Island and through the reefs to Gorda Sound and picked up a buoy off Vixen Point. Dingyed around the point to say hello to Liam and Liz on Odessy. I last saw them in November in Las Palmas. Ashore to the Sand Box Cafe expecting to get a drink and supper but looked half derelict and only one guy serving drinks with no food. Had a good sundowner though and supper on board again. Early morning swim to Prickly Bay beach then over to Bitter End for breakfast in the lovely Yacht Club. To Saba Island for the Cruising Association (CA) bash. About 30 of us from all over congregated for lunch organised by Chris Lloyd, the local Honorary Local Assistant (HLA) and Liam. Great lunch overlooking Eustatia Sound and Bitter End. Back for a siesta then ashore at dusk for a BBQ on the beach until late.
Bright morning on 14 April with light airs so motored all the way passed the Dogs and the north of Tortola to Cane Garden Bay. Ashore for a walk around the town and a rum punch at De Wedding Bar and Restaurant watching the pelicans diving off the reef. Back along the sand to watch the sun go down behind Jost Van Dyke Island and CA dinner and dancing at Myeers by the beach. Magic.
Lazy sleep in listening to the cocks crowing and gulls crying until too hot to be in the boat so swim, then ashore. Coffee in Quitos by the dingy dock and emails which turned into early lunch. Met up with Michael, a lone sailor on Misty. Supper at Myeers again, then on to Quito's to listen to the man play (Quito Rhymer and The Edge) and back to watch the stars with a new iPad app, Sky Guide, very clever. Early morning swim then took a shower at Myeers in the cafe area with rather loose bamboo screens. Quite a joke with the bar girls!
A few provisions from Bobby's and departed before lunch for the short trip over to Little Jost Van Dyke. Dingyed over to Sandy spit and walked around the island (not a great distance). Watch the antics of a super yacht called 'Far Enough' with a huge water slide and its 36 foot tender with three 300hp outboards called 'Too Far'. Dinner on board then over to Spanish friends on a beautiful Brava 50 for drinks. Back late and more star gazing, able to identify the Southern Cross and the North Star!
Motored around to Great Bay on Jost Van Dyke for checking out of BVI customs. Expensive breakfast in Corsairs run by rather surly Americans but two Bananaquit birds (official bird on the Virgin Islands) kept me entertained. Then across to Cruz Bay in St John's, USVIs to clear into customs. Around passed the resort on Caneel Bay to Trunk Bay. Picked up a buoy inside Johnson Reef and snorkeled around Trunk Cay seeing turtles and a manta ray. No-one else in the bay. Monday 18 April.
Rolly breakfast so set off early for the short trip around Mary Point on St John's and through the Narrows with Great Thatch Island (BVIs) a couple of cables to Port. Around Angel Point and into Watermelon Bay picking up a NPS (National Park Service) buoy behind Watermelon Cay. Paid the $26 at the floating pay station and lovely walk to see the ruins of the Annaberg Sugar Mill. Boiling rooms, rum distillery and slave quarters. Magic snorkel around Watermelon Cay in the early evening when no-one around. Saw many types of coral, parrot fish, a sting ray, sergeant major fish, blue tang, foureye butterfish, green back turtles and many more. Curry for supper and a quiet night with no stars as much cloud cover.
Hot morning and motor sailed around the east of St Johns and into Coral Bay then across and found an anchorage (now outside the National Park) at the outer end of Coral Harbor in 7m on sand. What a weird place. Many good boats but many old wrecks cheek by jowl. Ramshackle dock and old cars and detritus all around. Walked along a path to the road to find Pickles Deli closed but the Love City Market open for beer and rum. Took a bus into Cruz Bay and back to Coral Harbor and a walk to other way revealed the old Morovian Church restored from the slave times and a cluster of shops based around 'Skinny Legs' bar. Friendly and busy in a scruffy way and began to like the place after all. After a Virgin Summer beer back to the boat around around Rams Head into Salt Pond Bay and picked up a NPS buoy tucked into the beach behind some rocks. Pasta supper and calm night.
Windy and overcast morning but sun came out and walked around the salt pond to the windward side of Rams Head. Beat to round the eastern tip of St Johns in 20 knots and a short sea so pleased to be sailing down wind and picked up a buoy in Sopers Hole, Totola. Back in the BVIs. Shower at the marina and Pussers Rum at the bar. Scaramouche was fully booked and looked a bit posh so over to 'Fish'n Lime' for an excellent sushi and grilled tuna. Friday 22 April 2016. Woken at 06.15 by the first ferry. Breakfast in D'Best Cup and a beat up the Sir Francis Drake Channel to Trellis Bay for the full moon party. But the bay was full of catamarans, the sky completely overcast and the wind onshore. So plan B. Up the Little Camanoe passage with rocks close by on both sides. Then into Lee Bay for the night. Just one other boat and reminiscent of Brittany with the swell blowing into the rock caves on either side. More swell made the anchorage uncomfortable but a spectacular thunder storm kept the boat in the bay until lunchtime. Then across to the Virgin Gorda Marina in Spanish Harbor. Interesting entrance around seas breaking on the reef but all quiet and convenient in the marina. Shower for the first time in a while and walked into town but expensive and empty restaurants so back to the Bath and Turtle Tavern for supper.
Nanny Cay
Salt Island
Long Bay
Mosquito Island
Saba Island for lunch
The CA gang at Sandbox Beach
Cane Garden Bay
De Wedding Bar and Resturant
Cruz Bay
Annaberg Sugar Mill
