Our position is 18:26.564N N 64:45.103W
The wind was still strong when we left Anegada so we had a rather
rough and rolly passage downwind to Trellis Bay. Once again we passed by the Dog
islands – Great Dog, Seal Dogs, West Dog and George Dog. I still wanted to
anchor off George Dog, just because it is such an incongruous name for an island
(and probably also for a dog) but conditions were untenable again, but we were
joined by a small group of dolphins, which made up for it. They were smaller and
browner than the ones we are used to seeing off the European coasts, but played
off the front off the boat just the same.
I had
hopes Trellis Bay would be interesting, as the pilot made much of it and its
full moon parties, but as it wasn’t full moon we didn’t see any of that. What we
found was a very crowded anchorage, just next door to Tortola’s airport, and a
lot of rain. It rained intermittently most of the evening after we arrived. We
went ashore and visited the main attraction, Aragorn’s studio, where a lot of
crafty activity takes place and people come to learn from the master. You can watch people working and the
product is beautiful, but very pricy, and not worth getting so wet for. It was
too wet to venture out to the acclaimed restaurant on an island in the middle of
the bay as well so we ate aboard and went to bed. The morning was brighter so,
after a session ashore in the internet cafe catching up on some work for me and
the same on the boat for Ted, we set off to sail to Norman
Island.
In contrast to the previous two days conditions were light and the
distance was short so we were there and picking up a buoy in time for a trip
ashore and a Painkiller at the beach bar and then a dinghy ride round the point
to investigate whether promised caves were worth coming back to snorkel in. The
caves were a bit disappointing as they didn’t go very far in – more like
recesses than caves - but Ted enjoyed the sight of someone taking nude
photographs of his girl friend on a pebbly beach.
The next morning we decided to sail the 5 miles across the Sir
Francis Drake Channel to Village Cay marina in Road Town, Tortola and enjoy
access to water, electricity and shops for a short time. Most people we know had
said they didn’t really like Road Town but we decided to give it a go anyway.
The sight of 2 huge cruise ships as we approached didn’t fill us with confidence
but we proceeded anyway. A radio call to the marina elicited the fact that they
had a berth but that we should wait outside for 15mins and they would call us
in. 30mins later we got fed up with waiting and contacted them again. A
different voice said we could come straight in and then misled us as to whether
we should be coming in on the right or left side of the pontoon. Eventually we
were all sorted out and in the right place, but just across the water from a bar
with a live band playing extremely loudly and this continued for the entire
afternoon. Neither did the promised wifi work effectively – according to the
marina office the cruise ships were using it all, although I would have thought
they’d have had their own – so the high spot was the well stocked supermarket
just down the road.
By the next morning we were happy to leave and sail down the south
coast of Tortola, through the Thatch Island Cut and across to Jost van Dyke. We
chose to go first to an anchorage between Jost van Dyke and Little Jost van
Dyke. The two islands are joined by a shallow reef and we enjoyed seeing the
pelicans and brown boobies diving for fish in the shallower waters – probably in
the largest numbers we have seen together this season. We got the last (and nearest the reef)
mooring alongside a large catamaran. It was only later, looking back out from
shore, that you could see how small Moorglade looked alongside. We went ashore
to try and find something the guide called the bubbly pool, where the sea is
forced in through rocks creating a sort of Jacuzzi experience. It was a bit late
in the day and the sun wasn’t really shining in the bay and it works best at
high tide, which it wasn’t, but you could get the general idea. Then it was back
to the beach bar for drinks and to the boat for food.
The next day we needed to move to Great Harbour on Jost van Dyke,
so we could clear out of the BVIs and head for the US version. We were greeted briefly in the approach by a
very slow moving dolphin (we were going quite slowly as the wind was a bit
light), which didn't hang around for long. The harbour was lovely and
this time there was a choice of mooring. In fact we changed our initial choice
as another boat left one further inshore. Again there were many pelicans and
boobies fishing along the shore. We contemplated hiking into the hills
overlooking the harbour and perhaps walking along the ridge, but it just seemed
much too much like hard work so we just walked up and down the beach and decided
against lunching ashore, intending to return later. However fatigue took over
and once again we ate on board in the evening.
The next morning saw us fairly bright and early shopping for fresh
bread (baked on the premises at Pamela’s Bakery and the best we have had for a
long time) and at the police station (home of customs and immigration but no
visible policemen) to clear out. Then it was off to see if we would be allowed
to set foot on American soil.
Passing the Dog
Islands in bad
weather
A bit better in crowded Trellis Bay
Iron Fire baskets used for the full moon parties
looking across
Trellis bay to the airport. "Last Resort" on the right
The Bight
dinghy dock, Norman
Island
Our dinghy painter dangles in the clear water off the dock.
The caves in
the evening sunlight
Approach to
Road Town
Tortola
Village Cay marina, Road Town
Leaving Francis
Drake
Channel
Thatch Island Cut Jost Van Dyke in the background
The reef
between Little Jost and Jost viewed from our
mooring
The anchorage from the reef. Tortola in the background
The Bubble
Pool
The anchorage
in Great Harbour, Jost Van
Dyke
The Police Station/ Customs Office Great Harbour
Main Street,
Great Harbour
