The Bitter End

Tatt av vinden
Bjørn Larsen
Sun 26 Apr 2009 23:44
The Yacht club name is beginning to get a double meaning. This is our last
night here. Thursday we have decided to go to the marina in Road Town and
prepare for the crossing. So we have just a few days left for exploring the
BVI. But after all we have spent more then two weeks here already. We have
had a great time here too. More snorkeling and bathing than in any other
islands. Our days have been more focused on the sea than on the interior of
the islands here. Leveric Bay and Bitter End Yach Club both are very nice
places. But nothing compares to Jost van Dyke - Great Harbour and White Bay.

We have loved the snorkeling here. For Eva here in the Caribbean it has been
the first time for real snorkeling. For Bjørn it has been the first time,
here since he was 12 years old, or something like that. Now he regularly
dives and check the anchor, and he has cleaned hole the bottom of the boat.
But mostly we have just admired the marine life.

Today we tried to walk on Prickly island, which is a nature reserve, but
there were no trails, so we just had to follow the beach and find our way
through the mangoroves. We did not see any iguanas, just the usual goats,
and quite a lot of conch shells in the water. Yesterday however we saw an
iguan just here in the Bitter End. Pictures will follow.

Gorda Sound, where the Bitter End Yacht Club is located, is very nice, but
the prices here are very high. Today we paid $10 for two cappucinos. And
$3,40 for two tomatoes! The only pleasent surprise regarding prices was that
the mooring costs only $20 dollars for the night. $5 less than in the other
places we have visited here.

We have today decided that on first oppotunity after 5th May we shall start
the crossing to the Azores. That is on the day one year after we sailed out
the Oslo fjord. And maybe it is better we get to sea before the Pig-flew
reaches Tortola. We may have to wait for the right weather window though.
The Azores High is less stable than good is for the moment, so we cross our
fingers. We have hired personal weather service in Oslo for this crossing.
"Fri vind" has a lot of experience in the field, and we feel this as an
extra safety.

It is almost five months since the last crossing (except for an overnight
sail from St. Martin to BVI) and at the moment close to three weeks at sea
is almost impossible to imagine. But even if we love it here, and have had a
great time, we also look forward to get back to Europe. We are not homesick,
but we look forward to getting home and meet our loved ones again. That is
not until mid August though. We also want to spend some time on our way from
the Azores, via Spain, to Northern Europe.