A true tropical paradise

Jiim Just 10 days ago we were enjoying peaceful times anchored in Benures Bay, so nice we stayed two nights there. Today, Tuesday 25 April, we are nearing the end of a 3-day passage to the Turks and Caicos Islands. As I write this on the afternoon of the third day, it is again peaceful, reminiscent of the first few days of our Atlantic crossing. But the last two days have been anything but peaceful. In the space of 48 hours we experienced a lightening storm (near but thankfully not over us), veering, increasing wind and ever increasing seas, and today a calm sea with next to no wind. So these conditions have reminded us of our Atlantic crossing 16 months ago when all various sail sets had to be tried to cope with changing weather and sea conditions. But we have missed our extra crew, their humour, height, strength, tactical talk, endurance and baking abilities. All good experience for us of course, but it took its toll on the First Mate, caught napping on watch yesterday afternoon when the weather had at last abated. Nothing that a hearty fry-up couldn't deal with…

Now a brief résumé of the intervening period since leaving Benures Bay. First a quick provisioning trip into Road Harbour on the main island of Tortola. The cruise ship, Norwegian Gem, moored close by was just a tad bigger than Follyfin.

Not wishing to join the Norwegian party, we popped over to Cooper Island for the night. Easter Sunday provided us with a frisky up-wind sail to Gorda Sound again, our purpose to join a Cruising Association (CA) cruise in company organised by the Honorary Local Representative. On the way, we had to dodge a chartered motor catamaran who obviously thought the rule ‘sail takes priority over motor’ did not apply to him, hell bent as he was on crossing our path at right-angles to get to his destination. The weather was due to change for the worse so a sheltered anchorage was required and achieved there, in the lee of Prickly Pear Island again - a mere stone’s throw from Branson’s Necker and Mosquito Islands (see previous post) and Eustatia Island, owned by Mr Larry Page, and of course you all know who that is… just Google it! 

The next couple of days were overcast and not at all the weather expected in the BVI in April. In the event Follyfin was the only CA boat which turned up on time for the meet at Saba Rock. So instead, on the first evening, we enjoyed good company ashore and a delicious Caribbean BBQ dinner at the Bitter End restaurant as guests of Christopher and Vivienne Lloyd. On the following day, with the weather improving, we sailed 12nm north on our own (instead of ‘in company’) to the paradise island of Anegada. With Follyfin’s lifting keel, we were able to anchor in the inner harbour with only a couple of other boats, leaving the masses crowded together on moorings.

View from Inner Harbour

The masses outside!

Anegada is renowned for its north coast beaches and its lobster. Sampling the former, we took a taxi to Cow Wreck beach. Stayed awhile and then took our time walking back along the beach to the anchorage on the south-west side. As can be seen from the following photos, it is an unbelievably beautiful sea-scape, crystal clear shallow turquoise waters over fine white sand, and ideal for swimming, which we did several times on the way. A true tropical paradise.

Was calm for us!

The Conch rules

OK!

The Beachcomber is still alive and kicking!

As for the lobster, a picture speaks a thousand words, and the beach location is idyllic, despite masses in the background.

Addendum: Wednesday 26 April

Arrived in Grand Turk at 22:30 last night having motored for the final 8 hours of the passage. Eventually anchored safely in the dark - not a piece of cake!

A plague of crickets on ‘em!

It's Good Friday today, 14 April 2017, and we are sitting in the beautiful, peaceful Benures Bay on the north coast of Norman Island. This, together with Peter, Salt and Cooper Islands are known as the ‘Channel Islands’ because they form the south-eastern border to the Sir Francis Drake Channel around which the majority of the British Virgin Islands are located. Names such as Treasure Point, Privateer Bay, Deadmans Bay, Money Bay, Dead Chest Cay and Pirates Bight indicate the activities for which they were popular before the advent of tourism. Indeed it is said that the well documented piracy of a huge treasure, much of which had been buried on Norman Island, provided RL Stevenson with inspiration and information for Treasure Island - ‘Fifteen Men on the Dead Man’s Chest….’ and all that.

Today this bay might well be renamed Pelican Bay. 

Both yesterday evening and this morning we have witnessed the extraordinary aerobatic abilities of these birds during several feeding frenzies around our boat. The water is so clear we can see shoals of small fish coming up to the surface, swimming for their lives whilst a much bigger fish chases them from beneath. The pelicans simply sit on the surface and pick off the stragglers or patrol in the air above the surface turbulence and dive like darts to catch any silvery fish that catches their eyes. A far cry from watching the pelicans being fed in a sitting position in London Zoo! Must say the prey fish look just the right size for our supper but alas we have no bait nor a suitable net.

Last Saturday night we enjoyed the peaceful Long Bay (see previous post). Not so peaceful Sunday morning though. A great rusty hulk, the Kodiak Queen was towed and anchored in the deep water just 100 metres away from us and all and sundry came to have a look, including a noisy red helicopter. We concluded that the mysterious jumble of wire netting on the surface is a modern sculpture but hardly an enhancement to the overall view.

Moving on, the next two nights at anchor in Gorda Sound, one in Drake’s Anchorage alone behind a reef and one in the lee of Prickly Pear Island, were unremarkable and peaceful, apart from a change in the weather as a depression passed across the BVI bringing heavy rain during Sunday night. Both these anchorages are within a mile or so of Necker Island and Mosquito Island, both owned by young Mr Branson. Apparently he has formed the Green Carbon War Room with the aim of “greening” the Caribbean, island by island. Not sure if his little red helicopter, seen buzzing round the islands, is helping very much.

Cam Bay on Great Camanoe island was our next anchorage, chosen because it is off limits to charter boats and according to the pilot book is a “small, delightful anchorage” with only enough space for 4 or 5 boats. The description was accurate - crystal clear shallow water for swimming and snorkelling, with a beautiful outlook.

However it turned out to be not off limits to skippered charters, of which there were two sharing the anchorage with us. This brings me neatly on to the title of this post. You will notice that I have used the word ‘peaceful’ three times so far; two skippered catamarans, full of about 10-12 twenty- to thirty- something year old Americans each, are anything but peaceful! Not only that, since relaunching Follyfin two weeks ago, we have had a nightly chorus of cricket chirping on board. It seems that having eliminated the cockroach infestation, we now have a resident population of crickets on board Follyfin. At first we thought ‘how sweet’ and were rescuing the dear little things then liberating them to the open air but they are still with us and it has now gone beyond a joke. And then when we reached our next anchorage, Brewer’s Bay on the north coast of Tortola and dubbed ‘one of the most beautiful unspoiled bays in the Virgin Islands’, we found yet two more skippered cats already there. What with one of the ‘crew’ ululating at regular intervals and the skipper speeding past the stern of our boat towing his water skiers and creating an almighty wash, well all we could do was wish a plague on them!

The following day, yesterday, we ventured some 3.5nm west to Jost Van Dyke Island looking forward to a relatively quiet anchorage behind Green Cay, billed as the quintessential Caribbean anchorage with light turquoise water, a small sand island with a few palm trees and no services… “it doesn't get better than this!” Alas it does - because the anchorage, though beautiful, was heaving with power and sail charter boats, their dinghies with powerful outboard motors and constant noise and wash. Now I know it's the Easter holidays and that we are of mature years - young families must be allowed their fun! - but all we ask for is some respect for the environment and a little consideration for other boaters!

Needless to say, we only stayed for lunch and a quick swim before moving off. Had to motor all the way as there was no wind but a heavy downpour of rain. 

Arriving at Benures Bay, this beautiful, tranquil place - found no charter boats, no noisy outboards, just pelicans, lots of fish large and small, and about 10 other boats with like-minded crews respecting the peace and quiet. Wonderful!

Bathing in The Baths

Well we didn't see the green flash (see previous post) after all as we began the overnight passage to Virgin Gorda; otherwise all went according to plan. As usual the wind direction did not allow us a straight shot at the Ginger Island passage. The two changes of tack extended the distance by 20 nm but with an average speed of 6.6kn and a steady force 5 ENE wind, first landfall was made by dawn and we still arrived in plenty of time to see our way in. Of course we were both exhausted but no matter, we made it!

The decision to choose Spanish Town on Virgin Gorda as our first anchorage in these islands was two-fold: to clear in with Customs and Immigration and to visit the famous ‘Baths’. The former was yet another extremely unpleasant experience (unlike in lovely Anguilla), whilst the latter was a wonderful geological revelation.

Concentrating on the positive, the following series of photos captures, I hope, part of the unique nature of this several million years old granite phenomenon. Better anyway than any words can describe. Apparently boulders like these at sea level occur only here and in the Seychelles but no doubt the well known geologists amongst you will be able to check on that.

Walking the trail through the boulders along the shoreline from The Baths south to Devil’s Bay afforded a swimming/snorkelling opportunity from a perfect little beach. The underwater granite boulders were a sight to behold but unfortunately my camera does not go underwater!

Of course The Baths is a massive tourist attraction and large parties of Americans are brought here to see them. The boats that bring them have to anchor off and the passengers have to swim ashore carrying their essential ‘devices’ etc. in waterproof bags. We chose to walk the 2.5 or so miles from Spanish Town so we could see more of the local colour.

Morning

Afternoon

The walk there was in early morning, not toooo hot, but the walk back at 12:30 was, well, I leave to your imagination - mad dogs and Englishmen…. We decided not to eat at the specialist seafood restaurant we passed,

though to be fair, this was not typical of the majority of eateries we saw. Instead chose a bakery, another colourful local establishment,

which doubled as a snackery. We were treated most kindly with huge glasses of iced water and a massive take-away meal of bbqed chicken legs (me - yum), pig’s feet (Skipper - yuck), rice, macaroni cheese and papaya salad, all for the princely sum of $8 each and which we were able to eat inside, thank goodness.

For the most part, the vegetation was of the dry land type, i.e. cacti, succulents, grasses etc. Saw one interesting cactus, reminiscent of the Turks Head cactus seen on Île Forchue near St Barts.

which I have nick-named the Turking Heads cactus. Other suggestions are welcome via the Comments facility below…. Regarding fauna, many lizards were spotted, both large and small, revelling in the heat and dryness.

Returning to Follyfin, we quickly weighed anchor and headed under power 4nm north on the same western shore of Virgin Gorda to Long Bay, which is only tenable in very settled conditions. With only one other boat sharing the anchorage, we enjoyed a magnificent sunset

but regret, again no green flash!

And now to explore the BVI.....

The Green Flash

No, not the Dunlop Green Flash tennis shoes some of us more mature people may remember; rather a trick of the setting sun down here in the West Indies. It is a momentary flash of light - green as the name suggests - emitted from the tip of the setting sun as it disappears behind the horizon. Of course, the horizon has to be completely clear in the right atmospheric conditions to see it but once seen, never forgotten. We had never heard about this phenomenon (not even ‘it's-the-physics-of-it’ Michael Bennett!) until I read about it in one of the sailing guides for this area. And now as we sip our sundowners every evening looking out west, we wait with baited breath … will we see the green flash this evening or not? So far we have only seen it twice but with a few more sundowners I'm sure we'll see it several more times!

Having completed the usual customs and immigration paperwork on Tuesday morning, 4th April, we set sail from Dutch administered Sint Maarten bound for Anguilla, now administered by Britain. Dropped anchor in the north corner of Road Bay.

Follyfin, centre stage

Looking south to the rest of the bay

The sand is white and powdery soft and the water is warm and turquoise blue as you can see. The place has a very nice ‘feel’ to it, greatly helped by the welcoming people in the Customs and Immigration office. When we enquired about fresh fish, one of the women there even offered to buy us some in the fish market some distance away as she was going there during her lunch hour. Now that’s friendly!

We had a walk round this very small island; saw the salt ponds which was the main industry on the island until 1986. The pump house is now a bar...

There are some well kept houses,

and some not so well kept.

It's our 42nd wedding anniversary today (5 April) so we treated ourselves to lunch out at Roy’s Bayside Grill on the beach.

Rum punches plus lobster salad for me and excellent burger for the Skipper.

Then back to the boat for a swim and some zzzzz. How better to spend an anniversary?

Tomorrow we head to the Virgin Islands, some of which are American but the majority are British. Discovered by Columbus on his second voyage to these parts in 1493. Apparently, seeing the numerous islands, he named them “the Virgins” in honour of St. Ursula and the 11,000 virgins who, threatened by the marauding Huns in 4th century Cologne, sacrificed their lives rather than submit to a fate worse than death. The distance from here is about 85 miles so it will be an overnight passage, leaving here about tea time and aiming to arrive soon after dawn. All the Virgin Islands are fringed with coral reefs so it's very important to arrive at one’s destination either with the sun behind you or overhead so you can see what’s underwater! The forecast is for a light easterly wind which will suit us perfectly, and we will be looking out for the elusive green flash as we sail westwards!