Now it’s the 11 April, where did a month go? We sailed, swam, snorkeled and soaked up sunshine and really got to know the British Virgin Islands. It's such a wonderful part of the Caribbean, why would you want to leave? Our cruising permit expired after a month, so we sailed across to St Johns Island in the US Virgins, to get our passports stamped and next day sailed back to Spanish Town in the BVIs, where we got a second month’s cruising permit. One day at Marina Cay we saw a blue Spotted Eagle Ray, another day at Anegada a little sandpiper sat on a winch and ate out of Keir’s hand, another day at Savannah Bay there was a wedding on the beach; fireworks from Necker Island, we caught up with friends we met on boats a year ago, Oriole, Lorrigray, Sogne del Mare, and made new friends on boats. We saw turtles, iguanas, pelicans diving, frigate birds chasing terns. The water is so many shades of blue and green its impossible to describe it, and our watermaker managed to keep pace with demand for showers. 

Keir flew home to Scotland and Janet came from NZ to join us for a fortnight, and cousin Caroline came from Washington for a week.  We swam ashore at the Virgin Gorda Baths with our cameras in plastic bags, we snorkeled at the wreck of the Rhone, Saba Rock, Lee Bay, Guana Island, and Treasure Cove on Norman Island. Every place was different, with wonderful corals, sea fans and brightly coloured fish, including parrotfish, angelfish, butterflyfish, blue tangs and clown wrasse. We shopped at Sopers Hole, Bitter End Yacht Club, Spanish Town, Leverick Bay and Marina Cay. We all sampled local drinks and ate conch fritters, crab cakes, Jerk ribs, Mahi mahi fish, BBQ, Tacos and Rotis; and swam no less than 3 times a day. One evening we swam ashore to a little desert island off Little Jost van Dyke island, another day we sailed right round Tortola island. So many wonderful days.

On 5 April we sadly said goodbye to Caroline, and Janet on 6 April. I think its true to say that we had taken over 1,000 photos. Chris Parker who runs the weather net on the radio said there was a good weather window, so we motored to Spanish Town to check out of Immigration and Customs. As we were checking out, I said to the Customs officer, "we're off Restless" and he said, "Yes, I know you, I've seen you around quite a bit."  He said he remembered us because he is not restless, quite contented, and when he's old (like us) he wants to sit in a rocking chair on his porch and play with his grandchildren. That's a picture I will keep in mind, him in a colourful house on a white beach.

We provisioned and prepared for our passage, 70 short miles to St Maarten,  lifted the dinghy on deck, had a last quick swim to cool off, and by 3 pm set off sailing overnight, and yes there was a moon. Roland caught a (30 lb) King Mackerel at dusk while leaving the BVIs. We arrived in St Maarten about 9 a.m. on 7 April, cleared immigration and got a week’s cruising permit, then motored into Simpson Bay lagoon, which is full of about 80 superyachts. We dinghied into the Dutch side of the lagoon, to look around, and the next day dinghied into the French side of the lagoon, and walked into a street market, with loud music and colourful locals.

9 April was Roland's birthday, and we dinghied to the French side where there was a Sunday market, then took a half-hour ferry ride with our passports to Anguilla, where our friends Helen and Alan took us for a roastbeef birthday lunch on the beach, where we re-met sailors and friends we met at their house at a BBQ last year. We had a swim, cuppa tea at Government House, and Alan drove us back to the ferry. We found a WIFI spot at Jimbos Restaurant, and Roland received a lot of birthday emails. The next day Helen came over by ferry to St Maarten for the day, and she drove us around the island and up through the middle, walking on some of the beaches and taking photos, then we went to lunch at a French restaurant and put her back on the ferry, hoping to meet up again in a couple of weeks in Antigua.

We are waiting for a ‘weather window’ to sail to Barbuda and to Antigua in time for the Classic Yacht Regatta which starts on 20/4, and is followed by Antigua Race Week.