Social Whirl in North Sound, Virgin Gorda

Serafina
Rob & Sarah Bell
Tue 17 Apr 2012 01:51

Sat, Sun & Monday – 14th, 15th & 16th April

 

On Saturday morning quite a few boats around us joined the exodus from the Sound, which surprised us as we had been studying the charts and reckoned that North Sound was a fairly good place to be with the impending wind, and if you are not a charter yacht with time limits, it seemed a good idea to wait it out here.   We however took this opportunity to edge in a bit closer behind the protection of the hill and let out a lot more chain.   Then we went ashore to enable Rob to send off various bits of work and for me to pursue the possibility of a leg wax.

 

Yes it was possible but the whole exercise became a complete farce:  took three times as long as I am used to (and at the same cost three times as much) leaving me with patchy hairy legs, with sticky bits and lots of white towelling fluff attached - a highly attractive look as you can imagine.   So after some discussion it was agreed they would waive the fee and two days later I am finally rid of the glue!   The rest of the day was spent getting paperwork up to date and Rob ploughing on with work.  

 

While the wind continued to increase, but although there was a lively chop, there was no real sea to worry about and Serafina did not sail around the anchor too much.   Although we did decide that raising the dinghy alongside as we usually do would not be prudent, so we locked Doris to the stern.

 

The following morning we had a rather wet trip into the Bitter End despite wearing chest high waterproofs so that we could buy a few items from the extortionate grocery shop to enable us to entertain Craig and Karene from Il Sogno in the evening.   Our return trip was worse as we were confronted by a small returning ferry who chose to press on, rather than make a small detour

round us, so were engulfed in a large wave over the bow. Many thanks.  

 

In the evening Craig and Karene gamely agreed to make the soggy trip upwind to Serafina and we had a lovely evening;  they are certainly a very informative couple, and quite open about any shortcomings of America (they are American) - we are learning an astonishing amount now we are nearing our departure. Agreed we might have done all this before, but our sort of boating lifestyle means we manage to plan at least one step ahead - and that's about it!

 

On Monday we started to sort out space for Simon and Caroline Evans who join us on Tuesday, only for them to email us to let us know that their flight from the UK had been cancelled for technical reasons.  Eventually they have been able to tell us they are flying tomorrow and should still make their connecting flight from Antigua to Tortola in the evening.   We had thought to get nearer to Road Town on Tortola in the afternoon, to make a dash into the supermarket quicker but have agreed on a very early start tomorrow morning, when the seas should have dropped off a bit.   On any other island we would normally catch the local bus but the BVIs do not have a bus system (although apparently it is now in the planning stages) and the short trip from Beef Island to Road Town, perhaps 6 miles, costs $27 per head each way in a taxi!!!

 

We also caught up with Musketelle (Peter and Barbara, New Zealanders) a yacht we first met in Marmaris, Turkey and then we bumped into them again, in a pub on the Thames during the London Boat Show in early 2010, and then finally we fitted out together the following spring in Marmaris.   They were anchored just behind us and are preparing to set off to Panama and take their boat home after 7 years of sailing.

 

In the early evening we met up with two other yachts, La Contenta and Sarah Jane at Saba Rock, as part of a Cruising Association informal arrangement which was a forerunner to a party tomorrow night on Tortola but which we won't be able to make.   I also joined in with the Tarpon feeding during happy hour again and now have the delicate aroma of fish on my hands.

 

This sounds like more like a social diary than a sailing blog - but what can you do if you are sat in a bay waiting for a blow to go over?