The Baths, Peter Island & Norman Island.

Serafina
Rob & Sarah Bell
Thu 20 Mar 2014 14:22

18:18.9N 64:37.0W

 

Tues & Wednesday 18th & 19th March

 

0600 hours and we were up and heading down to the Baths at the southern end of Virgin Gorda.  We picked up the prime mooring, had breakfast and set off to swim through, round, over and under the extraordinary rock formations that make up this wonderful experience.

 

By the time we had decided to call it a day, the place was alive with people and every one of the moorings was occupied with 4 or 5 more boats circling looking for the moment when someone left to pounce and grab the mooring buoy for themselves.  We had thoroughly enjoyed the swim and walk through the ‘caves’ and can fully recommend it to anyone visiting the area.

 

From here it was a very rewarding broad reach down to Peter Island and we swung in to the fairly empty bay and anchored close to our favourite spot.  We were just settling down to a light lunch when Il Sogno rounded our stern and anchored next to us.  This was a totally unexpected bonus and we were thrilled to see Craig & Karene fresh from their long winter of trials and tribulations with mast problems down in Antigua.

 

So in the evening we invited them to a BBQ on board Serafina and at the end of things we had to say a very sad goodbye as they are now headed north making their way via the Bahamas back up to the USA, whilst we of course are about to give up this whole way of life!

 

Leisurely start to Wednesday and we sailed slowly down to Norman Island, but first we noticed that there were some unused buoys at the Indians and so we picked one up and spent a very enjoyable hour swimming over this impressive site. It was still only late morning however and so motored the half mile into the Bight on Norman Island, picked up a mooring buoy and jumped into the dinghy and nipped ashore for a hearty lunch at the replacement Pirate Café – the other burnt down in the autumn and this is a temporary (and much more characterful) shelter while they rebuild a bigger and better permanent restaurant.

 

After lunch we took the dinghy round Treasure Point where we then snorkelled in the three caves in Privateer Bay, before heading home for a rest!

 

Ewan headed off in the early evening in the dinghy to visit Willy T’s which is a ‘legendary’ bar on an old boat in the bay here and has obviously found someone to chat to!  We are anchored a fair way up-wind from the noisy bar, but not far enough it seems….