Virgins in Gorda
X86
Rich Carey
Tue 9 Jan 2018 00:28
18 30.241N 64 22.243W
I doubt it. There certainly aren't that many yachts anyway. That so far has been an unfortunate consequence (hurricane), for the locals (lack of water bourne tourist dollars), but not so bad for us. We don't get the beach life, beach bars, restaurants, etc - but we also don't get the hoards.
Our current stop for two nights, off Prickly Pear Island, near the famous/now destroyed 'Bitter End Yacht Club', has 12 yachts where there would normally be 40 and a queue hopeing for departees.
We had a comfortable 12 hour cruise from St Martin to the BVI's, and passed Richard Branson's 'Necker Island' as we approached Virgin Gorda. Branson got battered like everyone else, his grand home very clearly in need of extensive repair.
There was a shallow short cut to our target - very tempting after a longish day - but we were sensible and skirted around to a more established passage into the bay we're now in. That said, we passed a power boat, well aground (within hours it looked), right at the entrance to the bay - oops!
We'd judged it well (leaving at 04:30), and had an hour and a half to find a good spot, anchor, and get Bosun ashore for a run/wee/poop afore black time.
Today was wonderous. First day in the Caribbean that felt like true Caribbean. Low wind, no rain, clear sky, turquoise sea, bright sandy beach. Bosun was in heaven. Late afternoon it went back to mini apocalypse. Strong wind, big rain, lots of boat movement, but we were rock solid on our 45lb Manson Supreme and 79 meters of 8mm chain - so we kind of enjoyed it!
All's well on x86, on a very contrasty day.
I doubt it. There certainly aren't that many yachts anyway. That so far has been an unfortunate consequence (hurricane), for the locals (lack of water bourne tourist dollars), but not so bad for us. We don't get the beach life, beach bars, restaurants, etc - but we also don't get the hoards.
Our current stop for two nights, off Prickly Pear Island, near the famous/now destroyed 'Bitter End Yacht Club', has 12 yachts where there would normally be 40 and a queue hopeing for departees.
We had a comfortable 12 hour cruise from St Martin to the BVI's, and passed Richard Branson's 'Necker Island' as we approached Virgin Gorda. Branson got battered like everyone else, his grand home very clearly in need of extensive repair.
There was a shallow short cut to our target - very tempting after a longish day - but we were sensible and skirted around to a more established passage into the bay we're now in. That said, we passed a power boat, well aground (within hours it looked), right at the entrance to the bay - oops!
We'd judged it well (leaving at 04:30), and had an hour and a half to find a good spot, anchor, and get Bosun ashore for a run/wee/poop afore black time.
Today was wonderous. First day in the Caribbean that felt like true Caribbean. Low wind, no rain, clear sky, turquoise sea, bright sandy beach. Bosun was in heaven. Late afternoon it went back to mini apocalypse. Strong wind, big rain, lots of boat movement, but we were rock solid on our 45lb Manson Supreme and 79 meters of 8mm chain - so we kind of enjoyed it!
All's well on x86, on a very contrasty day.
