Lots to catch up on – my laziness and lack of a decent internet connection are really the only reasons I haven’t written in a while.

WIDAGO spent the latter part of March exploring the BVI cruising circuit: Anegada, Bitter End & North Sound Virgin Gorda, Dogs, Indians, Cooper, Peter, Norman, and JVD. This time of year, the British Virgin Islands, as are many warm escapes, are flooded with folks looking for a respite from the ceaseless cold, and snowy winters. We managed to pick the peak few weeks to cruise the BVI. This was great for many reasons: the islands are running at full speed, markets are full of provisions, and friendly faces are everywhere.   Even though mooring fields were quite full, and reservations required for dinner in the more popular areas, we were still able to find anchorages in solitude, as well as quiet snorkeling spots.

If you haven’t been to the northern most island of Anegada, it is well worth the trip. Just a few hours to sail, this island is unlike its mountainous siblings in the rest of BVI. To me,  Anegada more closely resembles the Bahamian out islands: low elevation terrain, scrub grasses and cacti, beautiful pink sandy beaches. Cow Wreck Beach/Bar was great – super family friendly, decent food, and always a cold Caribe. If you decide to visit, be sure to call and make reservations for dinner before 4pm, as almost all the restaurants prepare to order. Provisioning really doesn’t exist up there, so bring your cheese plate with you.

 

Our next stop was North Sound in Virgin Gorda: Bitter End, Saba Rocks, Leverick Bay, Prickly Pear, Biras Creek. We could have easily stayed for a few weeks in this area. All within an easy dinghy ride of one another, this part of Virgin Gorda provided ample activities and restaurants to choose from. William and Gordon shared a great afternoon racing Optis just off of Bitter End. Guyon and I treated ourselves to a massage at Leverick Bay – also a fun Friday pig roast and Jumbie Show. The new marina, Yacht Club Costa Smerelda, had an unbelievable mountaintop view of the sound, great sundowners, and was almost deserted – allowing us to enjoying what felt like private dining service.

 

Rather than staying with more occupied areas around the Dogs and Baths, we opted for a serene anchorage in Savannah Bay. The boys enjoyed a little beach hang, and practiced their bluff rolling skills. One of the greatest parts of the BVI, is that everything is close: sometimes just a thirty minute ride to the next stop. We were fortunate enough to not be on any strict schedule, and had the chance to explore for multiple days in places where most folks only stayed the afternoon.

 

 

We were lucky to have our schedule line up with my cousins from Massachusetts and New Hampshire. The Buxbaum’s, veteran charter cruisers for 20 years, were down with their daughter and son-in-law. We were really lucky to spend time with them, and follow them about the southern course of islands. Unlike ourselves who are  living on a boat, when you are only down for a short time, you move fast. Daily double snorkel dives, fabulous happy hours & dinners, and mostly a great chance to see extended family I hadn’t seen in too long.

 

 

We finished our BVI cruising by heading back over to Jost Van Dyke to experience the infamous Soggy Dollar Bar & Foxy’s. I’m not complaining because that would be obnoxious, but daily Painkillers at lunch, lead to afternoon napping, and a general lazy constitution. I will say that the Painkillers at Soggy Dollar were by far the best, but I was not sad to give my liver a rest, and get back to boat school and work.