British Virgin Islands
February 1st, 2007
Alan's Log:
Sadly I had to return to the BVI's alone. Joan had ACL surgery in the U.S. just after Christmas and needs a few weeks of dedicated rehab before she can head south. So I invited good friend Brad to join me for a couple of weeks and help me sail Moonstruck while I wait for Joan's return.Yesterday Brad left for home after 10 days of action packed vacation. We spent a great 3 days in the BVI's snorkeling, beaching and hiking our way around Jost, Tortola and Virgin Gorda as well as the requisite stop at Willy T's. However after a few days, the lure of French food and top-free beaches led me to pull out the passage map to St. Martin. Before I knew it, we were on our way, Brad's first sea voyage, an over-night passage of 80 NM. Brad bravely stood a night watch while successfully fighting motion sickness and we arrived with the dawn in Marigot, St. Martin.
We spent 5 days in all in St Martin; Brad shopped in the duty-free havens of Marigot and Phillipsburg; we stood at the end of the runway at Simpson Bay beach and were sandblasted by a commercial jet preparing to take off; We ate, and ate; We rented a car for 3 of those days and toured the island, stopping several times at Orient Beach where Brad got to know the friendly owners of the KOKOMARINA Beach Bar.
We had several dinners in Grand Case. One great , "La Noche" and one highly recommended but overpriced, disappointing and just plain bad, "The Fish Pot". We met a friendly group of French Gendarmes at "Le Pub" and resisted their entreaties to join in their charming game of "smell my finger"!! Finally we sailed to Friars Bay for lunch then spent the next day at Tintamarre Island for a spell of R&R before heading back to the BVI.
Back in the BVI we arrived with the dawn which presented an irresistible opportunity. I had planned to take Brad to The Baths on Virgin Gorda but my prior visits have all been marred as we would inevitably arrive at the most crowded time and wind-up following a group of slow-moving cruise-ship passengers through the boulders as they all stopped one after another to take a picture of every rock, ruining the experience. So here was an opportunity; arriving at dawn there were no cruise-ship passengers, and not a single other yacht moored off the beaches. We tied up and I dropped Brad off at the beach where he had a pristine experience. By the time we left there were 10 yachts anchored and the smell of bacon was in the air. We motored off to Marina Cay where we spent Brad's last night, then to Trellis Bay and the airport.
It was a fun visit and very welcome company as I otherwise would have been hunkered down in the BVI's awaiting Joan's return. Unfortunately Joan has had no such diversions and is more than ready to return next week.
Thanks Brad, and it should be mentioned that Brad is quite the photographer and took the majority of the photos below (all the good ones). I do plead guilty to the girl with the writing on her back.
