British Virgin Islands

9th February Cruz Bay American Virgin Islands   18:20.047 N 64:48.201 W  Distance sailed 52 miles

On arrival in the BVI we immediately began to enjoy the feeling of safety, the cooler air and the lack of mosquitos at this time of year. With time available to us we decided to cruise the islands for a couple of weeks. Shelduck spent 3 days in Road Harbour, provisioning, then on the 29th on to Nanny Cay where I got advise and bought most of the material to connect Shelduck to US electrical power using Ian Kenny's present of a transformer. Next day  to Jost Van Dyke where we first searched White Bay for a mooring but there were none free. I went there because I had remembered many happy days anchored in White Bay in Cork Harbour in my youth. On to Little Harbour which was empty, possibly because there is no beach, and Anne made a perfect job of picking up a mooring. i had decided to use mooringd in the BVI to limit the damage to the seabed and so that we could enjoy a good night's sleep. Wind was still blowing 15 to 20 knots day and night.

Friday 21st a short passage to Cane garden Bay, so beautiful, and next day Marina Cay. Not a marina but a wonderful small island famous for the 1953 book Our Virgin Island. Sunday 1st up early for the sixteen mile passage to Anegada, first sailing through the narrow channel between Great Camare and Scrub Island where a huge resort and marina has recently been built. The entry to Setting Point, Anegada, through the coral heads is tricky but well marked, Shelduck was met by Barry who collected the mooring fee and suggested we have dinner in his restaurant, which we did. Lobster, or Crayfish, again and very good. Barry was a very dark skinned sixty year old with an Irish great grandmother. I gave him a Tricolour to hang outside the restaurant. Next day we went to see the north of the island by taxi and saw it's coral and limestone composition. At it's highest point Anegada is only twenty eight feet above sea level. These two days turned out to be the highlight of our BVI cruise.

Tuesday 4th on to Bitter End where the marina was full and the squalls kept coming so we retreated to Vixen Point and then on Thursday back to Road Harbour.