18:23.85N 64:38.18W  As the sun was rising this morning, we arrived in the Sir Francis Drake Channel, which is the center of the British Virgin Islands.  The pictures show....with the helm, Peter Island close, and St. John, in the distance; with the shrouds, Tortola; and then at anchor in Road Harbour as we went into Road Town to clear customs.  Arbella will be docked at Nanny Cay, on Tortola, under the watchful eye of Graeme Maccallum and CYM; they took care of our "53" for a number of years!  Vicki and I very much look forward to coming down at the end of January and spending a couple of weeks sailing and snorkeling in these beautiful waters.  We are very fortunate!  But....now....I head to Annapolis, and a day later, Denver where our family will all come together for Christmas!  ATLANTIC HISTORY:  Columbus "discovered" Tortola in his second passage to the New World; "Tortola", the name Columbus gave the main island, means "land of the Turtle Dove".  This is the largest of the Virgin Islands archipelago.  The BVI's are still under the British Flag, with financial services being their main source of income.  They provide some of the easiest sailing, and greatest snorkeling in the Caribbean Sea.  MERRY CHRISTMAS to those who have been following our blog!!  Captain Mike