Sopers Hole
X86
Rich Carey
Wed 10 Jan 2018 12:01
18 23.128N 64 42.152W
Blasty blast. Wrote this post and somehow deleted it. Now repecking whole thing again :-(
Left Prickly Pear at 07:00 for 3 hour easy downwind to Tortola to check-in. Should have anchored and used tender to go to immigration, but space was tight with sunk boats etc, so tied up at fuel dock in Village Cay busted ass Marina. Man o man, I get how wooden pontoons can be wrecked, but smashed up concrete ones ... Plus securely tied up boats sunk in position, 20 meter masts snapped and smashed across yacht roofs, a 50 foot Catamaran upside down - seeing is believing.
K&C attended getting a top up (only used 60l diesel since St Lucia :-) ), and I went to immigration. Therein, received a hearty bollocking for bringing the boat in (official strong warning), but that was nicer than the 'boat seizure' or $10k fine they wafted at me. I thanked them for their 'welcome to the BVI' generosity, and got on with filling in the two forms per person. 6 forms later, hand cramp & down-turned mouth (and having not mentioned the dog for fear of being arrested on the spot), they let me go. The vet came an hour later, and was surprised immigration had let us tie-up without his permission ... just as well these guys don't talk to each other. All paper acquired, buggered off quick smart.
Tried to get into Nanny Cay Marina, three miles down. Full. Victory Cat is there for bottom cleaning, and we spotted them on binos as we passed, and had a chat on messenger phone later.
Went an hour further down coast, to Sopers Hole.
Pre Irma photos show a beautiful brightly colored yacht haven. We got Dystopian usual - a perfect film set for 'The Walking Dead' or an Xbox first person shooter. However, also as usual, we got lots of space, a perfectly placed mooring buoy, and a choice of table, as the only patrons of the only open restaurant.
All's well on x86, after a short travel and long stress day.
Left Prickly Pear at 07:00 for 3 hour easy downwind to Tortola to check-in. Should have anchored and used tender to go to immigration, but space was tight with sunk boats etc, so tied up at fuel dock in Village Cay busted ass Marina. Man o man, I get how wooden pontoons can be wrecked, but smashed up concrete ones ... Plus securely tied up boats sunk in position, 20 meter masts snapped and smashed across yacht roofs, a 50 foot Catamaran upside down - seeing is believing.
K&C attended getting a top up (only used 60l diesel since St Lucia :-) ), and I went to immigration. Therein, received a hearty bollocking for bringing the boat in (official strong warning), but that was nicer than the 'boat seizure' or $10k fine they wafted at me. I thanked them for their 'welcome to the BVI' generosity, and got on with filling in the two forms per person. 6 forms later, hand cramp & down-turned mouth (and having not mentioned the dog for fear of being arrested on the spot), they let me go. The vet came an hour later, and was surprised immigration had let us tie-up without his permission ... just as well these guys don't talk to each other. All paper acquired, buggered off quick smart.
Tried to get into Nanny Cay Marina, three miles down. Full. Victory Cat is there for bottom cleaning, and we spotted them on binos as we passed, and had a chat on messenger phone later.
Went an hour further down coast, to Sopers Hole.
Pre Irma photos show a beautiful brightly colored yacht haven. We got Dystopian usual - a perfect film set for 'The Walking Dead' or an Xbox first person shooter. However, also as usual, we got lots of space, a perfectly placed mooring buoy, and a choice of table, as the only patrons of the only open restaurant.
All's well on x86, after a short travel and long stress day.
