The BVIs are the Butlins of the Caribbean. Full of charter boats you can manage a week or so, then it's time to leave.

Anegada, the 'drowned island' was beautiful and sleepier. All of the BVIs are beautiful, but it has become overcrowded. The only thing we tried, but failed to achieve was to not anchor next to a Moorings charter boat. Our first meeting with 2 of their boats was Anguilla. Nudity is not permitted, but that didn't stop the German crew stripping off for a deck shower during the day. Both boats then yelled to each other for about 2 hours and anchored too close behind a local powerboat so that a wind change saw their anchor go under it and they pulled themselves into it. The owner turned up and asked them direct if they had hit it, which they vehemently denied. Our photograph only showed them a bit too close (with a bare bum) and someone in the water who had been fending off.

Our next encounter was at Saba rock when 50' Moorings boat that turned up late and anchored between us and another smaller cruiser. Again one of them stripped off, but thankfully it was night-time so we just glimpsed skinny white flesh. They swang about over both our anchors , but we needed to move as we were just 20 feet from the beach and the onshore wind was picking up. Their engine was on, so Murray asked them to move, but their only reply was that they would swing away again eventually.

The following night yet another Moorings boat decided to start their engine at 0500, waking us up. On being asked politely to switch it off the skipper declared they needed to charge their batteries as they were leaving at 7. He then became abusive, but persistent requests and pointing out that they could just as easily charge the batteries during the day eventually resulted in him turning it off.

At Normans Island a woman thought screaming was a normal part of conversation in a crowded anchorage at night. Another boat asked them to quieten to receive the reply 'We are boat people, this is what we do'.

We had a great time in the BVIs overall, but wanted something more tranquil. We certainly achieved this at our next stop.