BVI Week 2

CYOA Sailboat Charter

Fri, Apr 4

A busy day!

Get up (early), pack, drive the rental car to Cruz Bay, turn the car in, get on the water taxi to St Thomas, taxi to the yacht charter location, leave Clara, taxi to rental car agency, come back and pick up Clara and go grocery shopping.

We had been told that the best place to get provisioning was Sav-U-More, which is on the other side of Charlotte Amalie from where our charter. With only a rudimentary map, we eventually ended up at the right place, but it wasn't easy.

There was another basket full

The receipt for the groceries extends across the cabin

Now the fun starts – buying provisions for 8 people for one week. I have trouble provisioning our boat at home for an overnight sail to Cape Lookout. The thought of provisioning of this magnitude is overwhelming. But Clara relishes it and seemed to actually enjoy it. Thank Goodness! That's the last time I want to do that.

However, if we had CYOA provide the provisioning, it was going to be over $2,000 and so far, we have spent just a little over $1,000 and it seems we have most everything we'll need.

After bringing the provisions back to the boat, I left Clara to store things, and I went to the airport (about a 5-10 minute drive) to pick up the crew.

Our crew: Joe and Vickey Barwick, Art Klose and MK Lawrence, Craig and Terri Griffin.

Left to right:  Dave, Clara, Terry Craig, Vickey, Joe, Art, MK

All but the Griffin's have been on previous trips, so everyone falls right in like we had just finished our trip 3 or 4 years ago.

After supper at the restaurant here at the marina, everyone quickly started drifting to their cabins after a long day.

Sat, Apr 5

We are sailing!! (or at least we're on the sailboat). No sailing today, and our destination is upwind into a 20-25 knot wind.

After some last minute provisioning, we had a great boat orientation which lasted 2-3 hours. This is quite a boat. It is new – only been chartered 6 times before. A beautiful layout and perfect for 4 couples.

Our orientation included going out in Charlotte Amalie harbor and raising and lowering the sails, which was quite interesting in a strong breeze and new crew.  The lazy jacks are a huge problem when raising the sails - the sail battens get hug up in the lazy jacks as the sail is raised, then we have to lower the sail a little to get the batten unencumbered by the lazy jacks, change course a few degrees to get the sail to move away from the lazy jack, then try to haul up the before the sails falls over to the lazy jacks on the other side.

We eventually (a couple days later) figured out that the best way to raise the sail is to lower the lazy jacks (the lazy jacks are essential when lowering the sail as they keep the sail from falling on the deck rather than dropping nicely into the the basket formed by the lazy jacks).  But we got through it and were soon on our way, motoring to St John.

Once we got outside, the waves really pounded us for about an hour, then we got in the lee of some island on the Northern side of St John and it started smoothing out.

We are anchored in Leinster Bay on the North side of St John. As are all the anchorages here, (or moorings in this case) they are in beautiful locations, and this one does not disappoint.

As soon as we were on the mooring, 7 of us were in the water – a little cooler than Salt Pond Bay, but still pleasant. The snorkeling is fair here, but nothing like Salt Pond.

Dinner is always a special occasion on the boat

Watching dinner closely!

After a great dinner of pork chops, the crew quickly started disappearing to their state rooms. We are all tired and want to be rested for a new day tomorrow.

Sun, Apr 6

Just another day in paradise!

We are now in the BVI (British Virgin Islands).

We motored across from Leinster Bay to West End in Tortola to check in with immigration. It seems ridiculous to have to clear customs into the BVI from the USVI when it's only a few miles between the islands and they all seem to be the same to us.  We weren't told that there would be a fee for entry. Ended up that we paid $220.75 to get into the BVI. But it's worth it.

After dealing with the bureaucracy, we're on our way to Norman Island. We tried to raise the sails with the idea that we might do a little tacking to Norman, but the winds are strong and this boat is not rigged very well to raise this massive main sail in a strong wind. The stays in the sail keep getting caught in the lazy jacks, causing us to have to lower the sail past the stay, then try to catch it perfectly to raise the sail (as described earlier). After a while, we just gave up and motored over.

Norman is a traditional favorite and the waters are beautifully clear. After a quick snorkel along the rocks near our mooring, we all crashed for a while. And then around 4 pm, we take the dinghy over to the caves. This is always a beautiful place. There are three different “caves” into which you can swim. It is interesting, and somewhat eerie.

Dave and Clara snorkeling into the caves

Craig

The fish congregate around snorkelers outside the caves because so many people feed them.

MK snorkeling on the surface

Tonight we have steaks, great fellowship and fun.

The guys gather on the stern in the evenings

Mon, Apr 7

Today we sail!!!

And boy, do we ever. Winds are 20-25 knots straight out of the East and this big hunk of fiberglass moves through the water beautifully, getting up to 11 knots for a short burst.

We tack up Sir Francis Drake Channel.  Several times we change our destination as we sail further east and the fun continues – our destination changes hourly:  first Peter Island, then Cooper Island, and finally into Marina Cay, one of our favorite destinations. The ladies like it because there is a small Pussers shop and they feel shopping deprived.

Dinner at Marina Cay is always special

Marina Cay provides a beautiful setting for dinner

We have dinner ashore, a relaxing evening, and early to bed, which is becoming the norm.

The ladies enjoy an afternoon nap

Tues, Apr 8

Sail and Snorkel! Or Snorkel and Sail!

The ladies work the sails

And the guys help a little!!

What a day.

On leaving Marina Cay this morning, we stopped by the dock to replenish our water supply, which took a while. So, most of the crew got off the boat for a while to walk around. When we got ready to depart, Art fired up the engine, we threw off the dock lines and away we go. After we get about 200 feet away from the dock, we see this figure come running out on the dock slinging his arms. A quick check and we find that we're missing our cook, Craig. I think we would have missed Craig by tomorrow at breakfast. Anyway, we dropped the dingy and like nice guys, went back and picked him up.

I guess we should always count heads before leaving the dock.  Craig looks a little desperate as we sail away from the docks.

Rescued by Captain Barwick

Then it was a short motor trip to a large group of rocks between Tortola and Virgin Gorda called The Dogs for a short stop snorkeling. This is probably the best snorkeling we've seen since we got here – even better than Salt Pond Bay. Beautifully clear water, colorful coral and all kinds of fish.

Then we hoist the sails for a couple hours up wind sail to North Gorda Sound. We never expected to make it this far East, and I'm sure that from here it will be a downwind Westward sail.

A great view while shucking corn

This is a big, comfortable boat and even in 6-8 foot seas, she rides great. So that pounding to windward hasn't been uncomfortable.

You never know who is going to be looking in your bedroom window!  Each of the aft cabins have a "window" looking out between the hulls into the ocean.

Did you say you are a plumber?

Wed, Apr 9

Just another day of perfect weather, great sailing, good food, snorkeling and good friends.

I just don't know if it can get any better!

We left North Gorda Sound, raised the sails and ran downwind wing-on-wing for 11 miles, turned port and ran on a broad reach to Sandy Kay, dropped the sails, anchored, and swam/dinghied to this 13 acre hill of sand between Tortola and Jost Van Dyke. This is what you think of when you think of an uninhabited island in the middle of the Pacific – broad beautiful sandy beaches, lush tropical vegetation and a rocky shoreline on the side of the prevailing winds. A trail winds through the vegetation providing the opportunity to circumvent the island on a short walk.

Art, MK, Craig and Terry make it to the top of Sandy Cay

Although only a small island, the vegetation is lush and beautiful

After a fun couple of hours, we raised the anchor and motored to another of the favorite anchorages, Cane Garden Bay, on Tortola.

Cane Garden Bay is a protected anchorage/beach on the North shore of Tortola that is one of the idyllic, picturesque villages and shores in the Caribbean.

Soon after arrival several of us dighied ashore, did some shopping, had drinks and relaxed.

Then back to the boat and swimming and floating around.

There are barracuda usually hanging out beneath the boat when we anchor or moor.  Although very fierce looking, I've never known anyone to have a bad encounter with them.

Meanwhile, above the surface, there is a beautiful sunset

A certain crew member pops up like a gopher from their hole.

The interior of the cabin is spacious and comfortable.

Craig, Art, Joe and Dave

Tonight, gourmet hot dogs.

Can it get any better?

Thurs, Apr 10

Back to the US of A today.

As soon as we got through the reef entrance to Cane Garden Bay, we hoist the sails for another downwind sail along the North Shore of Tortola to Whistling Cay on the South Shore of St John.

Clara and I had snorkeled here before and remembered it as being great. As soon as we picked up a Park Service mooring, we were all in the water. And it is as we remembered – terrific. This may have been the best yet, at least as good as The Dogs, and better than Salt Pond Bay. We all hated to leave, but we still had to clear customs back into the US. I told the crew before we snorkeled that we should not go to shore here because we would have entered the country illegally because we had not cleared customs – no one did.

Joe and Craig dive

This is the part I had dreaded. We have to clear customs at Cruz Bay on St John. Because of the crowded harbor, charters like us are supposed to pick up a mooring in the next bay to the East (Caneel Bay), get in the dinghy and motor to Cruz Bay. All the moorings closest to Cruz Bay were occupied, and we ended up having to moor another mile away from our destination.

And we all had to go to customs to re-enter. So all 8 of us pack into the dinghy and head the 2 miles to customs. It took only a couple minutes to clear customs, so back in the dingy for the 2 mile ride back to the boat.

Then drop the mooring and motor to Red Hook on the Eastern tip of St Thomas where we are staying on the dock tonight.

MK has made arrangements for us to visit with a Carteret County resident, Doug Flemming, who has a home on St Thomas.

It was nice to get back to the land of long, warm showers and scrape the salt off our bodies and get the air conditioning running on the boat.

We enjoy an evening with Doug and Virginia at their home on St Thomas

Doug picked us up and took us to his home for drinks and hors douvers's then we all went out to dinner.

Something different from the other days, making it another interesting day.

Fri, Apr 11

The weather looked doubtful this morning, with rain showers around the area. But after we departed the dock, the weather cleared, the winds increased and we are sailing – some serious upwind sailing. Initially our destination was Christmas Island, about a 20 minute trip, but after we got the sails up, it was too good to stop, so we sailed upwind to Salt Pond Bay on St John in a vigorous 20 knot wind in 8 foot seas – probably the best sail of the week.

Joe and Vickey

Craig and Terry

Art and MK

Dave and Clara

After snorkeling for an hour or so, we headed back downwind. Unfortunately, the wind dropped down to 10-15 knots, so we had a nice leisurely sail back to Charlotte Amalie.

This ends a week of revisiting old friends, making new friends, and experiencing what the Virgin Islands has to offer.

Four couples with diverse backgrounds have come together for this short period in our lives, lived together, eaten together and experienced new adventures together.  We each take something different away from this.
But most of all, we've had fun!

Tonight we are on a mooring back where we started in Charlotte Amalie Harbor near the CYOA base. Tonight David Dye, who is sailing with me next week came in and later in the evening, my son Slade got in. They are both crashing with us tonight and tomorrow we'll go to Roadtown in the BVI for our next week of adventure.