Trip report Sunday 6/15 through Monday 6/23 to maybe (?) Anegada and Virgin Gorda (VG), family of 3, Dad JMQ, Mom AMQ, and 15 yr old daughter A, aka TrackGirl (TG). Second time to BVIs for us. This was a last minute trip booked on Memorial Day.

Thanks to all who contribute here on a regular basis – motivated us to go and guided our choices. A little long winded here, but hopefully a fun read.

DAY 1 – travel day
Best last minute rate by far was out of JFK through SJU connecting to STT where we would have to ferry to Tortola to stay overnight to catch 7am ferry to Anegada on Monday.

Normally I try to get non stop to STT whenever possible and I’ll do that from any of the NYC airports or Philly, or if I have to go through SJU, I’ve looked for and gotten no plane change in SJU – just land and drop off some, pick up some, then onto STT.

Didn’t have those choices this time with last minute but told myself that 8am on a Sunday mitigates a lot of the car AND air traffic and we had 75 minutes to make the connecting flight to STT. If we missed that then there were several later American Eagle (AE) flights that afternoon they could put us on to catch that last ferry to Tortola which I thought I knew ran pretty late.

Sure enough drive out to JFK from central Jersey between 5-6am on a Sunday (Fathers Day) is no problem whatsoever. Don’t think I would ever attempt similar during the week – its taken me 3+ hrs to get out past JFK during weekday rush hour.

Use a new off site parking service that was recommended by tpcook here (thanks!) was ½ the price of all others. I checked out the neighborhood where it was located, and I figure if good enough for him, then I’ll take a shot, but take the company car just in case (!) The parking guy had a Jaguar and Volvo in his small lot so I figure if someone wanted to break into the lot, they would take cars like those before my P.O.S. Chevy Impala.

The new American terminal at JFK is very nice, but still rather chaotic because of the way they have the self check in lines set up (not clearly delineated, poor signage).

Check 3 bags by 6:18 and watch them heave them into huge pile behind them rather than right onto the conveyor belt. I get a fleeting bad feeling but don’t say anything.

Why do we have 3 bags to check? Good question. We’ve done the Caribbean with 1 or 2 checked plus carry on, but with surprise nature of trip plus pressures and distractions of last few weeks everybody just kind of threw their own bag together without much thought, plus we haven’t had a bag go missing in 20 yrs. We come to regret this.

Plane boards on time, seems to be minimal ground traffic, but we are going nowhere fast, and luggage carts are still sitting on the tarmac. They announce they are having trouble with a cargo door. I recall now that the planes AA runs to the Caribbean from NYC tend to be older than dirt and its no wonder they have equipment problems, plus they must be pretty fuel inefficient too.

As we approach an hour late, I start getting concerned. I call AA from the plane, put a hold on a later flight to STT in case we miss the booked flight, ask about going into Tortola direct instead. They tell me that will be $120 more each, which would be mitigated somewhat by eliminating the cost of the ferry, but I decide not to book that yet.

After we finally take off 1:45 late, start wondering if they will hold the original flight. We make up some of the time, but land 15 minutes after the original STT flight is scheduled to leave. As we step off the plane, they tell us original flight left, and hand us 2 new tickets for only JMQ and AMQ for the later 3 something STT flight, but we need 3 tickets. Told to go down to gate to sort it out. Can get a third ticket, but learn all 3 are on long standby.

Told there are later 5 and 7 something flights, but quick check of Tortola ferry print out I have with me shows last ferries on Sunday are 5:45 from CA and 6:30 from Red Hook. That wont work as we want to be in Tortola for the 7am Anegada ferry the next morning.

Go to service desk to plead our case as nicely as possible. Agent is sympathetic and agrees to try to book us onto a flight direct into Tortola (Beef Island EIS) instead, no extra charge, which would be sweet.

Why didn’t I book JFK-SJU-EIS in the first place? That was well over $200 each more, and lunch at Gladys Cafe in STT, then late afternoon ferry to Tortola sounded like a nice way to ease into the trip.

I urgently remind agent she has to get our bags pulled NOW before they go to STT. After a few calls down, she reports back they can only find 2 of 3 bags (we don’t know which ones) and she cannot ticket us through to EIS without all of our bags. S**t. Do we chase the bags to STT, knowing we have to blow off Anegada, etc. etc.??

We must’ve looked pretty upset because she offered to talk to the supervisor to see if she could get approval to send us through to Tortola with only 2 bags with the hope that the 3rd will be put on a later flight to Tortola. That would be pretty sweet if it happens. She gets approval and we make snap decision to roll the dice and go to Tortola. Run downstairs to American Eagle gate, they are loading already. I start thinking it will be a miracle if the other 2 bags make it.

On way there, we start thinking about how to cope with missing bag. Complacency, surprise nature of trip for my daughter, plus distractions and pressures leading up to trip make us regret violating golden travel rules of cross packing or 2 days of clothes for everybody in a carry on. And hasty booking made me overlook lack of later ferries on Sunday. Maybe whoever is missing bag can buy some basics in Roadtown…wait a minute, stores will be closed early on Sunday, and we anticipate that there will be VERY limited shopping on Anegada if and when we get there. uh oh.

Wife AMQ is Queen of the Glass is Half Empty Society and is sure it will be her bag that will be missing. Luckily she still weighs within about 8 lbs of teenage daughter TG. I don’t miss the opportunity to point this out several times and we have a good laugh about what she will look like in those clothes (I think not bad) and ask if she will wear 3 tops at once like TG.

What if it is my bag? “Who cares? You wear the same shorts for days on end anyway!” No respect, even on Fathers Day.

We fly on AE puddle jumper through haze to EIS. Watch bags come off – there is JMQ, and there is AMQ, where is TG? Uh-oh. Not there.

She is pretty upset, mostly because AMQ as Forecaster of Doom did mention at one point that sometimes you never get your bag back, so TG starts worrying she might never see her stuff again, including all the new outfits she got at PacSun etc.

Of course we are told it might be on a later flight, but we say we want to start the paperwork anyway so go to the baggage claim counter. First woman there nice, seemed pretty competent, starts doing the entries, then all of a sudden had to disappear to “help out on the tarmac”. She hands us over to a young girl who starts the process all over again but clearly has little idea of what she is doing. An example – she cant figure out how to put more than one contact number in, because we want to leave cell, Tortola hotel, and Neptunes number.

By the time we get the paperwork done, the other flight has come in and one of the taxi guys I had chatted up a bit gets me back through customs into the baggage area – not there. Although there is another flight or 2, I am now convinced the bag went to STT, but when I make the logical to me suggestion they call STT to ask about it, they look at me like I’m from outer space. Now I cant remember if they went through the motions of making the call or not, but that didn’t work.

I think we are just about done here, sun is setting, we are hungry, get the friendly cab guy to Marias by the Sea in Roadtown. Pretty long ride from Beef Island, only $30 including bags. In the cab, he immediately passes judgment on the young baggage claim person who was helping us “she don’t know what’s she is doing!” and he gives me the name of the best supervisor I should ask for when I call back. Sure enough in Roadtown all stores are closed early on Sunday.

At check in, Michelle behind the counter at Marias hears our plight and offers to assist anyway she can by calling the airport to follow up etc. So she calls again, bag not there, she takes a copy of our claim from and says she will call again later before they close, and will alert others at desk if bag is delivered to Marias in next day or 2 so we can get it when we return from ANG on Weds.

Room is big, clean, partial view of harbor. Eat dinner downstairs at Marias on their covered deck that overlooks the harbor, rather nice evening with near full moon glistening off the water, good rum punch, think we got 2 grilled grouper and 1 grilled snapper – all good.

Trying to enjoy ourselves despite our situation and kicking ourselves for not being smarter about it all. We work on the mental state of TG and start to realize that maybe her bag was the best to be without as the sharing wont be so bad going that way, and try to reassure her that most bags do eventually show up.

TG and AMQ point out the hard to replace stuff she has vs. I could just go blindfolded into a Kohls and randomly grab stuff and replace my wardrobe in 15 min. Again, no respect, but at least humor is helping us cope.

Back up in room, ever helpful Michelle calls us at 10:30 to report she called airport again, but that bag wasn’t there at closing. Oh well off to sleep for early ferry to ANG. Hopefully AA will get it back to Tortola by Weds, then we would have to return to Tortola instead of getting off in Virgin Gorda as originally planned.

So off we go for 2 nights in Anegada without her stuff, which included her contact lens solution and our suntan lotions. Drug stores were closed in Tortola late Sunday and early Monday day 2 when we were up at 6 to catch 7am ferry to ANG. Lotsa folks getting on ferry, then most got off in VG, commuting to work no doubt. Ferry leaves VG for the run to ANG, and indeed you cannot see ANG til you're almost right on top of it.

Off ferry, big friendly guy asks are we the JMQs? Yes we are. It was Dean of DW Jeep Rentals, he grabs bags and walks us over to our Suzuki rental. After he loads bags, wife AMQ goes to give him a few dollars tip and he just starts laughing. I tell her he's the owner and she says what do I know I'm just a dopey tourist and he really laughs at that.

We follow him to his place to do the paperwork, get to meet his delightful wife, see her pottery etc. I explain lost bag situation so we can ask where can we find contact solution and they sympathize and laugh with us.

Dean says he might have something for us that he bought one time by mistake. He retrieves a small vial of Visine contact re-wetting eyedrops that we figure we might be able to do something with.

So its off to search for some stuff for TG. We make the rounds to Sue's Purple Turtle, the gift shop at ARH, a couple other small shops, and even to the clinic in "the settlement". Most have no idea what we are talking about when we ask about contact lens solution, but ask for and get a couple of specimen jars at the clinic, so maybe she can squeeze another day out of them using the Visine from Dean so they don't dry out overnight.

Actually at the Purple Turtle, we did score a one piece bathing suit that fit TG that in the cash only sale basket for only $25 (whats the chance of that??) plus ANG butt shorts, and sun tan lotion.

Back to Anegada Reef Hotel near the ferry dock for decent breakfast including a little unusual but good BLT with egg sandwich.

Check into Neptunes - all transactions are done at the bar. My kind of place. We get 2 rooms side by side upstairs (they don't do triples). Basic, clean with mini fridge and window A/C. I cant get any cell service here so after explaining why I have to call Beef Island airport in Tortola (EIS) to check on missing bag, I ask to use phone at the bar, no problem. Round 1 of no real answer and/or the run-around from them, if fact a rather rude response that sinks TGs spirits a bit.

Off to Cow Wreck Beach on the other side of the island. I discover that I forgot to pack my CDs which is a small disaster for me being as I always take the time to make a special mix CD or 2 for a trip featuring a mix of new and old music. Radio reception is spotty at best. Bummer.

Hey all you ANG vets…what’s the best speed to drive those powder covered washboard roads at? The ride seems less jarring if you go a little faster but then you tend to slide around and fishtail a bit, almost like driving a little too fast on a few inches of snow. But it sure would be fun to throw an AWD Subaru around on those roads.

TG takes a nap at Cow Wreck, we enjoy the bar, do some snorkeling, currents and tides make it a bit challenging. Got to meet Walker, he gave me some tips on best snorkel spots.

There is a good surf break out beyond the in-shore coral. Absolutely loved the sound of the surf on the ANG beaches. It touches something that is hard wired into our Jersey shore DNA.

Lunch and good drinks at Cow Wreck. We split a salad and fish sandwich. Ya gotta love the kind of place where the bartender nods at you to go help yourself to a cold Carib behind the bar when she is too busy at the blender.

Back at Neptunes, round 2 of calls to EIS I am told bag is coming in on a later flight so this raises everybody's hopes.

Dinner tonight is at the Lobster Trap 2 beaches down from Neptunes. Neptune said they didn’t have any that night as it was getting near the end of the season and they were running into a lot of egg laden female throw backs. The lobster at the Trap was the Best Caribbean Lobster Ever. Nuff said.

Day 3 June 17 Breakfast at Neptunes is just OK. Round 3 of calls to EIS I am now told bag is due in on a ferry later that day and "will be held at the customs building on Tortola". This comes direct from the "good supervisor" the Tortola cabbie told me about so I choose to believe it and pitch it that way to TG. We shall see.

Stop by the flats out near Dean's place, pretty cool, looks like you can walk all the way to VG or Tortola.

Over to Flash of Beauty, Big Bamboo, and Loblolly beaches. Snorkeling a bit of challenge here during full moon extra low tide as a lot of the coral almost touches the surface. You find yourself in a spot where you are looking around to see a path through the coral that you will still be able to clear/get over.

Back to Cow Wreck again in late afternoon through the scrub land of ANG - no flamingos in the huge salt ponds, see a couple of very skinny feral cows. Cow Wreck is a great beach bar.

Dinner at Neptunes - fresh caught Mahi and snapper. All good. Again lotsa folks coming in on dingys to Neptunes dock for dinner.

Day 4 June 18 we have to leave on the morning ferry instead of the late afternoon ferry in order to go back to Tortola for the missing bag.

When we check out, the nice folks at Neptunes say I hope you find your bag. I had seen Dean's wife the day before at Neptunes and mentioned this to her and asked if we could do something about the rate paid minus any CC fees he would incur because we would now only have the vehicle for 48 hrs. She said she would tell him that and we should just leave the car at the ferry dock. I wrote up note to leave for Dean in the car, but lo and behold he is at the dock, sees me and cheerily gives me a $60 refund in cash. How nice.

I had also called Guavaberry (GB) to advise them of change in plans so they could arrange pick up. I asked if the morning ANG ferry stopped at VG on the way to Tortola because I offered to go solo over there to eliminate some backtracking for all. Valerie at GB was sure that the morning ferry didn't stop at VG anyway because she goes over to ANG regularly. Guess what? It did stop, and about a half dozen people got off.

As we pull into Tortola, I ask the powers that be for my daughters' bag to be there. Off the ferry, outside the customs terminal, porter I used on Monday asks if I need help, I say I need to fetch a missing bag that was sent over from STT, he says ask that uniformed woman just inside, and he follows me in.

After customary pleasantries, I ask her about the bag and she just sort of look sort of blankly past me with no real response. The porter sees this and says "come with me". We go through an unmarked door to an office where he explains what we are looking for, they lead us quickly to a holding area and there it is! What a relief. I make sure to thank and tip this porter appropriately.

I could tell that wife AMQ would really like to do some shopping and maybe even lunch in Roadtown (there are some nice shops there) and catch a little later ferry back over to VG, but TG is anxious to get her hands on her stuff so being a good Mom, she defers to TG. We grab some pastries and cappuccinos (yay civilization!) at Capriccio del Mar across from the terminal before heading over to VG for the rest of the vacation.

I have to give TG major props for the way she handled this all. At one low point, she was still able to say, "Well I could be taking my Math final right now" which is a good way to cope with things (she was exempt from taking her finals because she had straight A’s enabling us to blow off last week of school to go on this trip).

Next part: Virgin Gorda. Less excitement, will be shorter.

Photos here: http://picasaweb.google.com/jmackq/0806BVIAnegadaVG