Spellbinder's Web Diary - Sunday 30th March Road Harbour, Tortolla, British Virgin Islands, with 10,000 miles under the keel

Sunday 30th March Road Harbour, Tortolla, British Virgin Islands, with 10,000 miles under the keel

Spellbinder

Sun 30 Mar 2008 11:58

Last Sunday, we managed our trip to Anse de Colombier beach in the afternoon, and while Sue took in the sun on the beach the menfolk took the path across the peninsula to Anse de Flamands on the windward side. An attractive sweeping beach, with a hotel at the far end, where we booked ourselves in for Sunday lunch. Opinion of St Barts improving after our initial thumbs down to Gustavia. Back for a swim, and supper onboard. A quiet night, with another round of Black Maria, the latest card game to consume us.

Dullish morning Easter Monday, so pottered onboard until it was time to dinghy ashore and walk across to the hotel for lunch. Turned out to be a quite outstanding meal, excellent French cuisine, and a very chirpy young French waiter who told us he came from Honnfleur, and had learnt his English on a school exchange trip to Plymouth. The hotel owner also metropolitan French, only ten rooms, and already booked out for next Christmas, the trade is 80% Americans. Seems the US influence predominates in these more northerly islands. Wandered back very slowly for a very light supper, and more Black Maria.

Tuesday morning, we had to head back down to Gustavia, to clear out of St Barts, and then sailed across to St Martin with a following wind. Cloudy again, weather continues to be unsettled. Only 17 miles, so we were anchored in Simpson Bay, on the Dutch part of the island, by 2.30. Ashore for customs, and a brief look into the lagoon, to find it full of super yachts. The main attraction of the island seems to be its duty free status, but for us it was another thumbs down. Remained onboard for the evening.

Wednesday morning sent in a shore party to visit a yacht chandlers, and to have a look at the shopping possibilities. Back without significant success on either account, so we set off after coffee for the 19 miles to Anguilla and enjoyed a 4 hour sail to Road Bay, where we anchored off Sandy Ground village. Ashore to Johno's bar on the waterfront, to watch the sunset. Fell into conversation on the existence of the green flash with a very friendly American family, who turned out to be Roosevelts, they told us they had US Navy contacts because of their family support for the aicraft carrier F D R. No green flash this time, lack of rum, or just not the right conditions. Drinks turned into supper, lovely fresh grilled fish.

Ashore the next morning to sort out a place for Sue and John to spend a night, and then we took a taxi into the main town on Anguilla - The Valley. Quite unlike anywhere else we have visited, very spread out in US style, with everyone driving not walking. Had a chat to a lady selling fruit and veg in a small market, she and her produce were from Dominica, nothing significant is grown on Anguilla, and it is worth her while to come over for a spell, and have family send produce to her. The supermarkets seemed to be all US sourced products, and with direct flights from Miami, the USA is clearly the dominant influence in Anguilla. Back for lunch onboard, and then it was soon time to ferry John and Sue ashore, leaving just the two of us for the passage across to the Virgin Islands.

We set sail at 5.30, waving good bye to John and Sue on the beach, and were soon settled for the 90 mile dead downwind sail under full genoa only, as the easiest option for two handed sailing. Three hour watches evenly divided up the hours of darkness, which were alleviated by a bright half moon after midnight, and with the wind gusting up to 20 knots we made swift progress. By light, at 6am, we were just a few miles off the Virgin Isles, and so we had an easy approach into the Francis Drake channel, and across to Road Town bay, Tortolla, where we anchored off the customs jetty at 0920. Ashore to deal with the authorities, and then after a restorative cup of coffee, motored round the corner into the Village Cay marina.Domestic afternoon, laundry etc., and an investigation into why we have had two instances of sudden voltage drop with the batteries.

At 1030 the previous night we logged our 10,000th mile, so we settled down for a celebratory drink onboard, and then ashore for dinner in the marina restaurant, very good. Then it was time for an early night, and what proved to be a 10 hour sleep.

Saturday was more domestics and battery maintenance, and some exploration of Road Town. More and more US influence, lots of enormous chunky US vehicles, and few pedestrians. All US produce in the supermarket, but some local touches as well, so we will hold on to our opinions until we have explored further afield. Marjorie finally reached us at after 11pm, having flown in via Antigua, so now we are ready to explore the BVI's.