TravelTalkOnline Forums Trip Reports (Read Only) BVI Trip Reports and Photos Trip Report, Third Installment

*Jan. 7,2003. No rain overnight that I remember, a short night though. Calmer winds today and we're under way by 9:15am heading to The Baths or Fallen Jerusalem. Along the way a huge sea turtle surfaced and everyone got a good look, this was the 4th or 5th one we'd seen but by far the largest, pretty neat. We didn't have to get too close to decide that the Baths were too crowded. With a cruise ship in Road Town, who knows how many over from STT, plus all the boats moored we head for Fallen Jerusalem. <br><br>There are two small rock strewn beaches here, one you can only get to by swimming. Diane and I decide to visit the larger beach while Kent snorkeled, the anchorage was empty so we had the entire beach to ourselves. It's not a good beach for swimming as it drops off fast and the waves were a little large but it's a very nice beach to have all to yourself. There are hidden spots behind the rocks where the water meets the sand and you are completely alone on this deserted island, absolutely beautiful. Ann and Brian snorkeled also and, all three said the snorkeling was great but we didn't mind missing it. If you can spend some beach time here alone with your sweetie you won't regret it. <br><br>We head for Marina Cay after a wonderful afternoon at Fallen Jerusalem. Shamu has a private mooring here but someone was hooking the ball as we approached, all the other moorings were taken. It took more than just a little convincing to get them off the ball. There was a little communication problem, they were Italian I think. They kept pointing to the dock trying to the dock trying to say they said it was Ok. Brian kept pointing to the name Shamu on the bow and then at the ball, "Shamu," "Shamu" Finally they dropped the ball and moved up to the fuel dock where they spent the night. They were NOT happy campers. Looks like someone is renting Shamu's ball and pocketing the money, or so it seems to me. <br><br>Dinner on the boat then up to see Michael Beans, arrrrrrr. The place was packed, arrrrrrrr, standing room only, arrrrrrr. They were pumping out more painkillers here than at the Soggy Dollar Bar, arrrrrrr. Had a lot of fun and Kent entered the conch blowing contest but was eliminated, arrrrrrrr. The show is great fun if you're there, arrrrrr. As far as I could tell there are no jolly rogers for sale on Marina Cay, they could sell a ton of them at the bar if they had them, arrrrrr. Drinks on the boat then to bed, arrrrrrr.<br><br>*Jan 08, 2003. No rain last night. We'd planned to go to Anegada today but it wasn't going to happen. Mike was all set to, eat our spray, I mean follow us up on Freebird. The forecast was for nine to twelve foot building northeastern swells. Brian was worried that we'd get into Setting Point Ok but possibly not get out the next day. After heading out from Marina Cay through the channel between Scrub Island, we change course and head for Virgin Gorda. We stopped at Long Bay on Virgin Gorda for snorkeling and lunch. <br><br>After lunch we're on our way to Gorda Sound for the night. Brian gave us a dinghy tour of Gorda Sound. We stopped at Leverick Bay, beautiful place and very good rum punch at the bar by the pool. Brian dropped us off at Bitter End Yacht Club for a while. We really enjoyed walking along the waterfront, nice shops and a lot of activity. I had to have another rum punch, not the greatest at $7.25ea. <br><br>We heard that Saba had just purchased a bunch of Atocha coins and had some good deals so we check them out and decide not to decide till morning when some of the rum punch had worn off. <br><br>Dinner on the boat then back to Saba for some entertainment. There was a steel pan band playing, steel pan versions of old disco songs, what more could you want, they were pretty good actually. When we were ready to head back to Shamu for the night we checked out the spotlights where the tarpon circle. There was a couple of Saba cooks or kitchen employees watching the tarpon. I overheard one say "we could throw in some blood," that sure sounded a little strange. What we saw next was unbelievable. A huge shark, approximately eight feet long swam through the illuminated area in a straight line! Why can't these damn digital cameras boot up faster!!! I said, "Did you see that!!" One of the Saba guys said, "Oh that was a small one, there were some really big ones here last night. We threw in a chicken and a big one ate it in one bite." I have no idea what kind of shark it was but it was incredible to see. Brian arrives in the dinghy and it's boat drinks and bed, maybe I'll try night snorkeling tomorrow night. <br><br>*Jan. 09, 2003. Just a little rain overnight, barely enough to close the hatches. Little tiny bugs swarmed me at 6:00am while up on deck as I am writing this journal. I retreat to the cockpit for bug spray and it either worked or the swarm had moved on. <br><br>Kent, Diane and I were waiting at the door to the shop on Saba when they opened. A half an hour later the three of us walk out with two genuine Atocha coins and one reproduction. Saba is happy and we're happy, these coins are beautiful.<br><br>Brian fills Shamu with fresh water and we're on our way to Anegada. He called ARH earlier and they said conditions were flat at the entrance to Setting point, and the swells will be diminishing today. Last year we sailed straight out on the right side of Saba through a cut in the reef but Brian took us out somewhere else, I wasn't paying attention, sorry. We throw out a line and hope something hits. The sailing silence is broken by the sudden sound of the fishing line peeling off the reel. Kent grabs the rod and Brian comes up with a bottle of rum to dispatch the critter. There's some discussion about what's on the end of the line. Brian says something about seaweed and sure enough it was, seaweed, darn! I never realized catching seaweed could be so exciting though. It was a quick sail and Kent was first to sight land. The color of the water as you approach Anegada amazes me and I think that if I sailed here a hundred times it still would. <br><br>Loblolly is on the agenda so soon were on our way, a nice shower came through while we were waiting for the taxi. There're only a few other people at Loblolly. Kent and I enjoy taking numerous casual glances at a topless visitor, after she leaves we check out the beach. We brought our snorkel gear but the water is pretty rough, we decide to save our energy and lime about for a while. We probably could have snorkeled with no problem though. Beware of the benches, Diane was liming so hard that the bench she was sitting on fell over backwards. We see something in the water washing up on the beach, Diane goes down and grabs it and brings it up. It's a piece of plywood, we decide to hide it so we can use it as building material for the beach bar we're going to build here. Every so often one of us gathers up enough energy to take a walk on the beach, I think we're finally getting into island time. While sitting on one of the benches staring out at the sea and the monstrous breakers out on the reef, I saw a large ray leap out of the water swinging it's tail before splashing back down and disappearing. After we exhaust the supply of beverages we brought from Shamu we walk up to the Big Bamboo. Beers for me and Kent and I order a rum punch for Diane. The bartender sits down after he fixes Diane's rum punch then gets right back up and makes one for himself then sits back down to enjoy it. I just thought that was humorous, we must have made him thirsty. While we're waiting for the taxi back to ARH Diane walks down the sand road going in the direction of the beach. A little while later she calls out for me, I quickly follow the sound of her voice. When I get there I see that she has a bunch of hermit crabs lined up in a straight line in the sand and she is holding a small stick. She says "watch this," then she touches each crab with the stick and as she does the crab grabs the stick with it's pincher, she lifts the crab a few inches off the sand then it lets go and drops gently back on the sand. She repeated this with each crab. I found this as amusing as she did, Anegada is not at the edge of the world but you can see it from there as is evidenced from the simple things that we enjoyed here. I will add that Diane says does not like Anegada, too dry, flat, salty and desolate, but secretly, I wonder.<br><br>Back on Shamu; we clean up and put on our best Hawaiian attire for a wonderful dinner at Neptune's Treasure, this is Ann's night off. Before the five of us leave we watch a dinghy captain run into the reef on their way to Neptune's. Make sure you plot your dinghy course in the daylight, there are two you need to miss. Cloudy tonight, no stars, I was looking foreward to stargazing.<br><br>There seemed to be a little more trash on Loblolly than I remember from last year, plastic cups, straws etc. I think some trash cans at the top of the beach would help but that's easy for me to say because I won't have to empty them. <br> <br><br><br>