2 Things @ Once

Sailing the British Virgin Islands, Day 5

Wednesday, 15 April 2009

Sail from Marina Cay to Cane Garden Bay, Tortola

• Breakfast and boat preparations early in the morning as a choir of rooster calls echoes back and forth across the island. We're on our way before nine o'clock.
• We motor along Beef Island and cut through the Camanoe Islands (Little Camanoe on the left and Great Camano on the right) then head west, past Monkey Point on Guana Island, traveling along the north side of Torotola to our next destination, Cane Garden Bay.

• The trade winds are unusually strong for the area (25 knots) and even with the sail reefed, the boat heels quite a bit with the lower rail of the boat nearly in the water. Quite an exciting sail!
• After a brisk back and forth, we take down the sails and head into Cane Garden Bay where there's lots of beach activity and a few jet skis buzzing around.

• This is a popular overnight spot and by the afternoon, most of the mooring balls have been filled.
• After lunch, we lounge around on deck, reading, napping, card playing, napping, and more reading.
• Laughing gulls provide a good bit of entertainment. They alight on the dinghy and laugh, laugh, laugh. Flocks of them float by in the water.
• Colorful houses dot the hillside. Pelicans and frigate birds swirl like hawks over the island. I enjoy watching the cloud shadows play over the green hills and canyons of Tortola. As the boat swings gently back and forth, the view before me is constantly changing.
• Cocktail hour on the boat as we watch the sunset. Then we dinghy over to shore to have dinner at Quitos. Burgers all around on the open-air balcony overlooking the bay and a view of our boat.
• Back on the boat, we chill out with music and conversation, stargazing and watching the lights on shore until it's time to turn in.

Sailing the British Virgin Islands, Day 4

Tuesday, 14 April 2009

Sailing from Virgin Gorda to Marina Cay

• A new routine has been established--breakfast on deck, with cereal, bagels, fresh fruit and coffee.
• We make a quick trip to the marina market to re-provision ice. It seems the fridge isn't working so well and we buy a styrofoam cooler to keep food on ice.
• Jenny and Rick plot our day's course, a short sail past the Dog Islands ("the Dogs"), across Sir Francis Drake Channel and into Marina Cay.




• Winds are the heaviest we've seen yet (20 knots) and we reef the sail to keep from heeling too far. (Translation: we decrease the sail area by taking the sail down about half-way, preventing the windward side of the boat from hiking up too far.) Not everyone in our party is excited for an opportunity to sit on the "high side."
• The scenery is absolutely gorgeous, as we pass by one island after another.
• It's a bit of a tricky maneuver to get in around Marina Cay--a small island surrounded by a reef and encircled by other, larger islands, but wow, the view that opens up as we swing around the cay from the North-East is stunning. The island is trimmed with palm trees and bright red roofs of the market, gas dock, Pussers restaurant and hotel on the east side.




• We score a choice mooring near Mother Turtle Reef, with an unobstructed view of Tortola across the water, the prettiest we've seen so far.
• The varying blues of the reef are gorgeous, the ever-changing blues of the channel contrasting with the jewel green of the reef and Beef Island looming large and dramatic in the distance. This is exactly how I imagined the Virgin Islands to be.
• Our welcoming party is a school of fish, repeatedly jumping out of the water.
• Hot dogs on the grill for lunch followed by down time, napping, reading and relaxing.




• Around three in the afternoon, we take our first venture out in the dinghy, over to the cay to explore and do some snorkeling. Rick and Mary take a walk around the island while Jenny, Karen, Anne, and I snorkel in the reef just below the seaside restaurant.
• Nothing too spectacular to see until I spot an eagle ray! It's huge with a big nose, a very long tail, and a large wingspan, gently flapping up and down. To see it so close is thrilling, amazing and scary all at once, awesome to watch him glide along with an easy stroke. He's in surprisingly shallow water and has a small, thin blue fish following close by, near his back. When I recover from the shock, I gesture wildly to my friends, coming up above the water to point out the big, scary flying fish!
• I'm a wimp--he's so near, in such shallow water, and came up on me so suddenly that it's a little too up-close-and-personal with underwater nature for me and it's not long before I'm out of the water.  :-?
• Also saw many dark purple and red anemones in the rocks near the shore. Watch your step!
• On the walk back to the dock, I log a new bird for my Life List, the Bananaquit. I've also seen the semipalmated plovers, brown booby, and magnificent frigatebird.
• Back on the boat for a bit more relaxing on deck, hanging laundry, reading and taking photographs during the magic hour as the sun sets.

• Cocktail hour and then back in the dinghy again, this time with the added challenge of driving among the moored boats in the dark.
• Dinner at Pussers restaurant, the famous home of the pain killer. The food is excellent, most of us opting for the ribs served Caribbean-style with spicy BBQ and ginger sauce. Conch fritters, another local delicacy, to start.
• Our waitress is friendly and a bit overworked; the food is slow to arrive--the kitchen seems to be operating on "island time". Nearly three hours later, we're back in the boat and the tired crew turns in.
• Unfortunately, we don't log much quality sleep time since the boat rocks and rolls through the night with waves slapping against the hull all night.

Sailing the British Virgin Islands, Day 3 (Part II)

Monday, 13 April 2009

• The Baths, a collection of huge rocks and boulders on the south end of Virgin Gorda, is a popular place for hiking, swimming and snorkeling. Popular with cruise ship tours, it can get crowded, so we've planned our visit for late in the day. Rather than take the dinghy and wade to shore, (not something I relished doing with my camera gear), we opt to arrive by land, taking a 10-minute taxi ride from Spanish Town.
• The island night life is getting started early. Loud music is playing everywhere, as we happen to be in the BVIs on a holiday weekend (Easter Monday). Our taxi has to make a bit of a detour to avoid a slow-moving parade.





• The cab drops us off and the driver agrees to return at six to pick us up.
• A short walk down through boulders to the beach and The Baths. Unfortunately, we've arrived too late to walk through the Caves, which close after 4:30, so we content ourselves with the beautiful beach.
• Rick, Karen, Anne and Jenny snorkel around the rocks while Mary walks down the beach and I take photos. It's a perfect time to be here, very few people and great light at the end of the day.
• We return to the yacht club to make good use of the shower facilities and then enjoy dinner on board, delicious grilled chicken.
• Unfortunately, Spanish Town is party central this weekend and we're serenaded by the dueling sound systems of two outdoor bars. Non-stop reggae blaring until midnight. A complete opposite from the tranquility of our quiet anchorage the night before. We all make a note to scratch Spanish Town off our list of repeat visits.

Sailing the British Virgin Islands, Day 3 (Part I)

Monday, 13 April 2009

Sail from Peter Island to Spanish Harbor, Virgin Gorda

• The sun and the crew are up at 6:30 a.m. Coffee and breakfast topside.
• From the boat, wildlife spotted on Peter Island include wild goats and brown pelicans.
• Anne, Jenny and Rick familiarize themselves with the workings of the cockpit GPS, something we're not used to sailing with at home. They plot our course to Virgin Gorda, with a stopover at Cooper Island for lunch.
• By 8:30, we've got the boat stowed and we're underway.

• A nice sail through the Sir Francis Drake Channel, past Dead Chest and Salt Island, over to Cooper Island where we pick up a mooring ball and have lunch. The view of a rocky outcropping between Cooper and Salt Island behind us is absolutely spectacular. Shimmering blue green water, bright blue sky and puffy white clouds. To the north, rainstorms look to be heading down the channel toward us, but no one minds. We chill out on deck, waiting out the weather.
• After a couple of hours, we head off again, chasing continuing bands of rain clouds, but up ahead the sun is shining on our destination, the island of Virgin Gorda.
• We pop up the sail and the jib, the crew beginning to fall into a rhythm on the new boat. With Rick at the helm, Jenny mans the sail up on the foredeck while Anne raises the mainsail. I tail and take over for her to get the sail all the way up. (This is a much larger sail than we're used to and none of us has the greatest upper-body strength.) Then Anne and Jenny let out the jib. We're flying now.
• We sail in the best wind we've had so far. The sky clears, the temperature returns to a balmy warmth and we're jetting past Ginger Island and Fallen Jerusalem.





• All eyes out for "traffic" on the water (not much to speak of) including lobster traps bobbing on the surface. The GPS keeps us on course.
• Coming in to Virgin Gorda Yacht Harbor is a bit of a trick, with its narrow entry around a shallow reef right at the mouth of the harbor.
• Though we've called ahead for a slip, it's not clear which one is ours so we just take the first one we see. Our entry is less than picture-perfect and we employ all the bumpers one after the other to keep the boat from hitting the corner of the dock. Yikes.
• After paying for our slip and picking up the key to the bathroom/showers, we top off our water tanks and arrange for a cab to take us the the island's premier attraction, The Baths.

Sailing the British Virgin Islands, Day 2

Sunday, 12 April 2009

Sail to Peter Island, Overnight in Great Harbour

Happy Easter!

• A few brief periods of rain showers throughout the night. Nothing gets you up faster than rain falling on your face through the open hatch overhead. Usually the storm was finished by the time we'd gotten all the portholes and hatches closed and we'd go around opening them all up again.
• Grabbed some coffee before our 7:30 boat briefing. A Sunsail staff member gave us the onboard rundown of (hopefully) everything we'll need to know to take command of the boat (charging batteries, using the toilets, radio frequencies to monitor, how to call for help, etc.) We impressed him by having not one but two note-takers on board. I try to absorb as much information as I can.
• Our captain, Rick, and first mate, Jenny, head off to the "Captain's Briefing," a mandatory meeting where Sunsail gives them a status update of weather and conditions in the area, as well as tips for where to go and what to avoid.
• Promptly at 9 am, our delivery of provisions from Bobby's Market arrives. Two cart loads of supplies include a case of wine and two cases of local beer, Red Stripe, which just happens to be this Chicago crew's on-board summertime beverage of choice.
• A flurry of of groceries ensues. Think of it as unloading four shopping carts full of stuff (dry goods, fruit, veggies, frozen meat, snacks, paper products, and lots of bottled water.) It's a little like a big puzzle figuring out where to stash everything in every nook and cranny of the boat.
• A final quick run to the nearby market to stock up on SPF800 sunscreen.
• Repairs on the fridge/freezer are complete and the batteries fully charged; the mechanic gives us the thumbs up and we're good to go.

Then the real fun begins, shoving off and figuring out where the heck we were headed.

• Our destination was Great Harbour, but a domino effect of confusion results when conflicting GPS readings, old maps and guide books (only two years old, mind you) with out-dated land marker info and no mooring balls where we were told they would be have us zig-zagging back and forth between coves of unknown name.
• Finally, trusting one photo clue from the chart book and the hand-held GPS, we head into our destination point on Peter Island and drop anchor in the SE corner of the bay.
• There are a handful of boats at anchor in this quiet, relaxing overnight spot. Napping and book reading commence.
• The first swim! Everybody's in the water. Though it's a bit chilly to dip your toe into, once in, it's wonderfully refreshing. The water is very salty. Swam a 360 around the boat then hosed off with the shower on deck.
• Dinners will be split between restaurants and meals we cook on board in the galley with an emphasis on the BBQ grill hanging off the deck. Our first night "at sea," Karen and I have KP duty. We grill steak, onions and peppers for fajitas while the rest of the gang enjoy cocktails on deck. After a full day out on the water, everyone has a good appetite and the meal is a success, with plenty of leftovers for tomorrow's lunch.
• The sun sets by 6:30 and we dine by the deck lights.
• Stargazing before bed. Once again, our sleep is interrupted a few times during the night by brief rain showers.

Saturday 3 p.m. ~ Planning Ahead

Sailing the British Virgin Islands, Day 1

This weekend, I have my first big planning meeting for our sailcation in the British Virgin Islands. In doing research to plan our route through the islands in April, I thought it would be a good time to revisit last year's trip. Installments of my 2009 trip journal and photos to follow in the days to come.

Saturday, 11 April 2009

• We fly from Chicago to Puerto Rico and then on to Tortola where we will claim our boat in Road Harbour. Passports required, since we'll be in the British Virgin Islands. Biggest challenge (next to figuring out just how much food to provision a 48-foot sailboat with a crew of six for a week) was fitting all my gear into a duffel bag big enough to hold everything but small enough to stow (not check) on the plane. (No one wants to be held up at the marina, waiting for a luggage delivery.)
• First hurdle cleared when all our luggage fits in the overhead bin. (The medium adventure duffel bag from L.L. Bean turned out to be a great buy. You can stuff a lot in it (especially when combined with packing cubes) and it stows away easily in the plane and on the boat, where storage is at a premium.)
• After a short layover in San Juan, we board an island hopper for the 40-minute flight to Beef Island, Tortola.
• Other than a helicopter ride in Hawaii, this is the smallest aircraft (eight passengers) I've ever flown in. The flight was smooth and gave us a nice overview of the Virgin Islands.
• Clearing customs is a snap, especially if you don't use green pen to fill out the form.

• Sunsail (the charter company) picks us up at the airport for the 10-minute ($9) shuttle ride to the marina.
• We've arrived! Our boat (The Wandering Eye) is almost ready. They're tinkering with some technical problems, having to do with the refrigerator.
• The crew explores the boat and hangs out on deck, enjoying the warm breeze. (Though it's April, for us midwesterners, spring is a good month off, so we're just thrilled to be in the sunny warmth, free from bulky winter coats.)
• The sun begins to set and we all note that it's setting earlier than it does in Chicago. (It's not until a few days into the vacation that it dawns on me why--we're near the equator, where no matter what time of year it is, you have 12 hours of sunlight. Duh.)
• Technical problems with the boat persist and they'll have to continue looking at it in the morning. (Boats chartered by the week are turned around quickly, kind of like floating hotel rooms; guests return their boat in the morning, unload their stuff, and check out. Cleaning and maintenance crews tidy up, restock the boat with the basics, and attend to any repairs before the next crew boards the boat that evening.)

• We don't unpack too much, since we may have to switch to another boat, depending on the outcome of the fridge problem. Luckily our provisions (purchased on-line from a local grocery) won't be delivered until tomorrow.
• There aren't any dining options within walking distance and it's getting late, so we opt to have dinner at the restaurant overlooking the marina. The food is decent, nothing spectacular and overpriced. We all enjoy our first (of what would be many) painkillers, the local specialty drink, a frothy mixture of rum, orange juice, pineapple juice and cream of coconut, dusted with nutmeg.

Birding Friday

This evening, I'm bundling up in a couple three layers and taking an owl prowl, something I've never done before. In fact, come to think of it, I don't know that I've ever seen an owl in the wild. Fingers crossed for tonight.

So, with that, I thought it would be fun to post some photos from this past summer, when I had an interesting and memorable warm-weather birding experience.

During a quiet sail in September, this little migrant landed on our boat when we were about two miles off shore. He rode along with us for about 45 minutes, hopping all around the boat, up one side and down the other, from bow to stern, feasting on the many spiders tucked into the nooks and crannies on board. Fuel for his long flight south.

I think this is a Blackpoll warbler, which means he was migrating from upper Canada to South America!

Saturday 3 p.m.: Dry Dock

Down at the dry dock, unloading everything from the sailboat so it can winter in the warehouse, wrapped in plastic. It's amazing how they stuff boats in there, with mere inches to spare.

Time to Put Away the Pool Toys

There's a thunderstorm warning and a tornado watch in effect right now, so I best get off the computer and will make this post a brief one. (Not to mention, it's past my bedtime and I'm dead tired.)

Today was absolutely gorgeous--warm and very windy--and I spent the better part of the day outside helping to dismantle the boat in preparation for sending it up the river and taking it out of the water. No more fooling ourselves; summer is finally over.

Mother Nature is driving the point home here tonight. Thunderstorms are on the leading edge of a front sweeping down from Canada, bringing Fall with it. Today's 78-degree temp will be replaced with a high of 59. Brrrrrr.