Since joining the other three South African boats, Alleycat,
Shiloh and Khaya Moya, it has been a non-stop party! We have met other South Africans
and at one stage there were seven South African boats in the anchorage! We have
an advantage as Alan and Marita on Alleycat have done this area before so know
the best anchorages and stops.
There are so many fantastic anchorages in BVI and a short
sail from one to the next, one could spend a year here and not see the same anchorage
twice. We stopped at many and describing each one would mean little to you all.
I have highlighted some of our favourites and the pictures of the other speak
louder than words.
After our first night just outside Spanish Harbour we headed
to Savannah Bay to check in. Savannah Bay is on Virgin Gorda. Historically it
was one of the bases from which Blackbeard harassed and plundered the Spanish
Galleons that passed through the reef laced waters carrying gold back to
Europe.
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The check in was uneventful and we were soon on our way to
visit Richard Branson on Necker Island his private Island. On the way over we
could hear someone on the radio calling and asking to speak to ‘Sir Richard’ so
we knew he was in residence. Anchored in a small bay between the island and a
sandbank which to our amusement had large plastic palm trees planted on it, we
took to the water for a snorkel and to walk on the sandbank. Apparently he has
imported Lima’s and giant tortoises to the island, as well as Flamingo’s and
other birds. We could see huge areas covered and enclosed by shadow netting and
assumed that was where he was keeping some of the animals.
Back on the boat we
could hear the staff on the island talking on the radio looking for the right
colour champagne bucket to take it to the party on the beach in. They were also
looking for tobasco as well as bananas and cream and napkins. We were very
tempted to swim over, each with a bottle of tobasco and see if it qualified us
for an invitation to the party.
Necker Island is only a day anchorage and seeing we were mingling
with the rich and famous we decided to spend the night off of Eustatia Island
owned by the Google brothers.
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| How Allan remembers Port from Starbord! |
Eustatia Island, Prickly Pear Island and Bitter end together
with a long coral reef form the borders of Eustatia Sound, a shallow area of
crystal clear water with a channel winding through it. That evening we took the dinghy’s across to
Bitter End to explore the marina and have sundowners at the bar! Wow after $1 a
beer in happy hour and $2 normally, in St Maarten, here in BVI it was $3 a beer
in happy hour and $5 out of happy hour! The exact same beer! Ouch!!
As usual ‘the boys’ needed ‘stuff for boats’ so the next
morning we sailed over to Road Town. This is the capital of the BVI and located
on Tortola. Road Town is the on the west side of Road Harbour. There are ten
marinas in Road Harbour. The north side is the home base of the Charter
companies, The Moorings and Sun Sail.
Road Town has the main requirements for food, chandleries
and shopping but is still far behind St. Maarten!
It seems being behind the rest of the world is not a new
phenomenon for the town. In 1834 on the 1st August, at the Sunday
Morning Well, the emancipation of the slaves was announced. The slaves were
finally free and only 27 years after slavery was abolished!
In 1853 the town was
burnt virtually to the ground, almost every building destroyed by fires lit by
angry rioters protesting increased cattle taxes! Not only the town but they
went on to burn most of the plantations as well! Nothing much has changed in
the world has it? J
Directly across from Road Harbour is Great Harbour on Peter
Island. We headed there in the afternoon to anchor for the night. It is well
protected and usually free of Charter boats as it is quite deep and has no
mooring balls. Most charterers prefer to use mooring balls. The best anchorages
for us are those banned from use by the charter companies as they are behind a
reef or need some navigating to enter and they are worried the inexperienced
captains end up on the reef, those are the ones we like the most because they
are not overcrowded and the area is more pristine and secluded.
Here we were introduced to yacht Extasea with Mike and Muffy
and yacht Madiba, both are South African yachts doing private charters here. An
evening of drinking, dancing and laughing aboard Alleycat ensued.
Deadman’s Bay on Peter Island was our next stop. This is a
stunning anchorage of white sand and palm trees. A Steel band playing on the
beach at the resort was our lullaby. A hike to the top of the island the next
morning we rewarded with stunning views of the anchorage.
André and I had been dying to scuba and sailed over to the wreck
of the Royal Mail Steamship Rhone the next day, promising to meet up with the
others later. The Rhone was an Ocean Steamer 310 feet in length. It was sunk
off of Salt Island during a hurricane in 1867. After 140 years under the sea it
remains remarkably intact, with much of her rigging, the steam engine and
propeller visible. Gilded with colourful sponges and multi-coloured corals it
is known as the most impressive wreck in the Caribbean. What a great site!
The Bight on Norman Island is often referred to as Treasure
Island by the locals, with legends of buried pirate treasure. A letter dated
1750 states treasure recovered from Norman Island comprised of 450 000
dollars, plate, cochineal, indigo and tobacco, much of it having been dug up by
the Tortolians.
A floating ‘treasure’ here is the infamous William Thornton,
or the ‘Willy T’. A steel schooner converted to a restaurant and bar! The
anchorage is very popular with the ‘rent a cruisers’ and the anchorage was full
of boats many flying the beautiful rainbow flags of gay pride. We met these
amazing young men at the Willy T that night. Apparently 100 of them chartered
14 boats, named themselves the ‘Gay Armada’ for their charter. They obviously
were having an incredible time; we enjoyed watching the leader of the group
being ferried around in a dinghy all dressed up in a long sheet wrapped like a
toga, a crown and at least 8 inch high heels. Most of them were lawyers from
New York with their partners.
The Willy T entertainment and claim to fame is the late
night shots from willing young wenches navels, or snacks of whipped creams
topped with a cherry from their nipples. Our men were disappointed as they
thought with the Gay Armada in town the willing wenches didn't stand a chance.
But as we were about to leave they got their wish to see shots being drunk from
navels and boobs of gorgeous girls. A sign on the bar reads, “men without tops
no service, woman without tops, free drinks”
Another party must at Willy T is jumping naked from the top deck
of the boat into the water. How there are no accidents or drowning’s we have no
idea. Some of them can hardly walk upright they are so drunk and are jumping 5
meters or so into the water.
Great Harbour on Jost van Dyk was a must. We had to visit
the infamous ‘Foxey’s’, a restaurant on the beach with live music, entertaining
cruisers since the 1960’s. Extasea were there with their 6 charter guests and
we were invited to join their table to celebrate Muffy’s birthday. So 11 South
Africans and 6 Americans made up a group. To our delight Foxy himself was doing
the rounds and came over to greet the crowd.
He asked André where he was from and he replied South
Africa. Foxy’s reply: “Africa? Man I love slavery! If it wasn't for slavery my
black ass would not be where it is now; I would probably be living in Soweto or
something!”
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| Foxy with Andre and Shirley |
We had been to ‘The Baths’ when we were here last and swore
to return on Rat Catcher. We finally made it with the three other South African
boats on the 12th March. This has been one of our favourite places.
The Baths on Virgin Gorda are an incredible formation of large granite
boulders. The sea washes in between the rocks forming large pools within sun
dappled overhangs. A trail through the rocks takes you under and over the
boulders across white sparkling beaches with glimpses of turquoise seas.
“The Baths
truly come alive on cruise ship days when the uniform grey rocks blossom with
the brightly flowered prints of Hawaiian shorts and gaudy sundresses as the
area is overrun with the three species endemic to cruising – the Overfed
(Passengeris volumus), the Newlywed (Passengeris dizzyus) and the Nearly Dead
(Passengeris Elderi).
Luckily or sadly we were not there on cruise ship day.
Trellis Bay on Tortola is the site of the monthly ‘Full Moon
Party’, the anchorage begins to fill up about 4 days before the party, it is so
popular. We had anchored around the corner in Cam Bay, a beautiful anchorage
behind a reef with just a small channel to enter. Yep no “rent a cruisers”! We
snorkelled and beach combed the shores while waiting for the full moon party to
start. We have started a new tradition among the group of beach combing
deserted beaches. At Cam Bay we found deck cushions blown off of some rent a
cruiser boat and a swim noodle. Washed and dried they are perfect on our
cockpit bench!
The day of the party Alleycat had hitched his dinghy to a
mooring ball to reserve it for us and we motored over. Allan says a number of
boats shot his dinghy to death with a pantomime of shot gun load and pull when
they found the last mooring ball in the anchorage was blocked by a dinghy!
Thank you Allan!! Being the 16th March this was also the start of
André’s 3 day birthday celebration! The boys decked out in dreadlocks and caps
to ‘blend in’ with the locals. This incredible celebration culminates in the
setting fire to huge 8 foot spirit effigies standing in the shallows.
Day two of André birthday bash took us to Leverick Bay on
Virgin Gorda sound and the home of ‘Michael Beans’ the pirate entertainer’s “Happy
Arrr” show at Jumbies Bar. Michael is a live-aboard cruiser who’s anchor grew
roots here; he plays to packed houses Mondays to Thursdays weekly and all
proceeds from his show he donates to building a school and education in Haiti. (http://www.goodsamaritanofhaiti.com)
A very interactive show; great fun and
lots of rum were had by all.
That was our ‘good bye’ to the British Virgin Islands and we
set sail the next morning to the United States Virgin Islands. St. John Island,
Cruz Bay is the main town and apparently the best place to clear customs.
After clearing in we made a quick stop for lunch of Blue
Cheese and Bacon burgers. We also discovered to our disappointment and
amusement, that in this area when they say your burger comes with chips, they
actually mean a packet of crisps on the plate next to your burger. If you want
‘chips’ you have to ask for ‘fries’.
There are only a few roads on St Johns and most wind up at
glorious white sand beaches framed by tropical forests of the Virgin Islands
National Park. Two thirds of the island is within the National park ensuring the
pristine appearance.
We were soon on our way out of the busy town anchorage to
Hawksnest Bay. The only three boats in the anchorage of white sands, clear
water and palm trees. Perfect for swimming and snorkelling we had just tied
onto our mooring ball (no anchoring in the National Parks unless the wind is
over 20 knots) and we took to the water.
It was Andre’s birthday and a Mexican evening aboard
Alleycat with mince, tacos and salads was planned as a surprise. We girls had
found chocolate brownie mix in BVI and Marita on Alleycat had agreed to make it
as his surprise birthday cake with birthday candles and all. Big thanks to
Alleycat and Shiloh for making it special.
Our friends Gideon and Brett on Panache were in the area and
motored over the next morning to lead us to their favourite anchorage, Francis
Bay. Four South African boats on moorings we planned a beach braai the next
night. The following day we were joined by two more South African boats that
joined the braai.
No-see-ums are prolific on the beaches here and make their
presence felt as the sun starts to set. Off, the local insect repellent does
not deter them at all. It seems unreal that something you can hardly see can
cause so much irritation and pain. We were all soon swatting and scratching to
no avail. The only way to get some respite is to stand right in the smoke of
the fire but every small patch of skin the smoke does not touch is fair game to
millions of No-see-ums.
We took one of the trails from the beach that winds up
through the ruins of a Danish-colonial sugar plantation dating back to the 18th
century when rum and slavery ruled the Caribbean. Its awe inspiring to think
the thick mountainside had been cleared and levelled into terraces to grow the
sugar cane. Although the land has been
taken back by nature and natural vegetation one can still see the lines in the
growth hinting at where the terraces were.
Brett and Gideon had told us about Newfound Bay, they had
discovered. Tucked in behind coral reef, the narrow channel to enter made sure
it was secluded most of the time. We left the others in Francis Bay and sailed
around to anchor in Newfound Bay. There was one other boat we later learned
were locals out for the weekend. The snorkelling was the best we had seen in
the Virgins. The coral alive and multi-coloured and a variety of fish, some we
had not seen before. Large turtles, sting rays, nurse shark and the strange
‘upside down’ mangrove jelly fish.
The highlight of our snorkelling there was the sighting; not
more than seven meters from me; of a Reef Shark eyeing the menu. I first
thought it was a Nurse shark and while waiting for him to settle so I could
show Andre I realised it was an about six foot ‘real’ shark. He was watching me
watching him and swimming past angled slightly toward me. I called Andre to
come and see and as he started swimming over the shark swam off.
The beautiful Turquoise waters, white sands and atmosphere
of the British Virgin Island is lost in mere words. Let the photo’s speak for
themselves.
