Back and Forth in the Virgins

With the kids gone we stayed at Long Bay a couple of days so we could attend an outdoor Jazz concert at Yacht Haven. It was a good time with lots of people and several groups who were quite good. We then decided to go back to the BVI for “Christmas in July” which occurs the week of July 25th! This is a holiday in Puerto Rio and many of the people come over to the BVI in big sport fisherman boats. We were in the BVI for it a couple of years ago and it was non-stop partying with 50’ – 80’ sport fisherman boats moored stern to the beach lining many of the bays. They had sponsors who gave parties on different days at different bays. So we were looking forward to attending the celebrations again this year. We headed off to Cane Garden Bay and there were only a half dozen boats there. We were told there were no sponsors this year so there were not that many boats coming over. Also the crossing from Puerto Rico was very rough so many boats did not want to come. We headed up to Leverick Bay and again there weren’t that many boats. They had music until 3 AM but that was all. The next day we moored off the Sand Box beach  bar and ran into a dozen boats with people from Chile as well as a couple boats from Puerto Rico. We had a blast with them playing beach volleyball and swimming. We were introduced to Mendella beer from Puerto Rico. It is really quite good. They all left the next day but we stayed to hike some trails behind the Bitter End Yacht Club.

Beach Party at the Sand Box

Old Sugar Cane Terracing

 We found areas of terracing that were made back in the sugar plantation days to grow sugar cane. We went back to Leverick for the Friday night Bar B Q and Jumbies. That was fun, but my camera started to act up so the pictures are poor. I had a slight leak in the underwater case when I dove with the kids and got a couple of tea spoons of water in the case.

The Bar B Q pig

The Jumbies

The Party

We decided to sail back to Maho Bay so we had a nice broad reach back to the USVI. It is a great bay so the next day we did some hiking and snorkeling after a dinghy run to Cruz Bay to check e-mail.

Maho Bay Beach

Pretty plant on hike

The next morning we got a call from my son Aron telling us that we need to check our e-mail as old friends of ours, Randy and Erin Vargas, were in the BVI! We went to the Eco-Lodge at Maho Bay and used their computers to check out the e-mail. Sure enough they were sailing the BVI and planned to be in Leverick Bay that afternoon. So we slipped our mooring and headed back to Leverick Bay. Of course the wind was right in our face the whole way up so we had to motor the whole way. When we got to Leverick Bay we contacted the Vargas and ended up taking a mooring right behind them at Bitter End Yacht Club. We had fun with them catching up and meeting the other family  they were sailing with. We also caught up with Travis and Jordan, their son and daughter, and met Tony, their other son, for the first time. We hadn’t seen them in 20 years!

The Group with Randy and Erin in the middle

They are off!

 We ran around in a dinghy taking pictures of them sailing Hobie cats. 

Travis and Tony go off on boards

The competition is tight

Ohh they capsized

 We then moved to Leverick Bay to enjoy the pig roast, Bar B Q, and Jumbies,  they put on each Friday. However, due to rain the Jumbies didn’t show up. There was music and dancing so a fun time was had by all. The next day we all sailed down to the Baths and walked through the boulders ending up at the Top of the Baths Restaurant for Lunch. The time passed to fast and they had to be back to turn in their boats in Road Town so we said our good byes and promised not to let another 20 years pass without getting together. Then we had a great downwind sail together to Road Town where we continued on to return to Maho Bay.

Going through the Baths

August 23rd Isaac slid by to the south of us while we hid in Brewer's Bay St. Thomas with 2 anchors set. It wasn't bad. squalls with 30 Kt winds and one blast of 53Kts. We got through fine.

The end of the line

The End of the Kids’ Visit

We fly the Gennaker

We had to get back to St. Thomas as Aron’s family had to catch a plane the next day. Now everyone was familiar with the boat so we sailed off the mooring and out of the bay where we set the Gennaker and had a run all the way to Brewer’s Bay. We got there in time for lunch and then off to the beach. The day ended with Eric making grog for everyone and then popcorn and watching the movie Captain Ron.  

Cloe is worn out on the sail

Lunch is big

Boys start their last swim together

The end of their swim

Eric and Aron did their morning mile swim and we all enjoyed a morning on the Brewer’s Bay beach.

The kids love the trampoline

Cloe waits

The kids played on the trampoline together in the morning.

Tali flies

Madison dances

Cole jumps

Leslie and Tali relax

Everyone likes the tramp

Carl enjoys his time with the kids

Then we weighed anchor and headed to Lindberg Bay to get Aron to the airport. We went ashore for lunch and Aron checked the status of his flight. To his horror the flight was scheduled to leave 30 minutes before he thought they were leaving! Lunch was quickly completed and as he and his family hike down the beach Eric and I went back to the boat and retrieved their luggage and met them at the end of the beach. They made their flight, but it was a close thing. Those of us remaining enjoyed the beach, pool, and drinks before heading back to the boat and returning to Brewer’s Bay to anchor for the night. That night we watched Pirates of the Caribbean with more popcorn before calling it a night.

We found a squid on the deck in the morning

Our last full day with Eric and family, I swam with Eric on his mile swim. That’s a long way! Then it was some beach time with the kids before heading to Yacht Haven for a slip so they could get an early morning taxi to the airport. It was blowy and a bit rough so in deference to the crew we motor sailed down the lee side of Water Island and through Haul Over Cut to Long Bay and the marina. Eric pulled the boat up nicely and ever so gently kissed the dock in a perfect landing! It was now time to walk around and see some of the land side of St. Thomas. The day ended with dinner and drinks at a local place, Hubbly  Bubbly, and off to bed. It was up early to get bags ashore for the kids to get their taxi. Then they were gone and their great visit with us was over. We missed them immediately and from a distance watched their plane climb into the sky and disappear.

Eric and family leave

Visit From the Kids and Their Families

We left Leverick Bay and headed to Cane Garden Bay. On the way we were shocked to find a group of people paddle boarding on the back side of Tortola towards Jost Van Dyke Island in 3 -5’ swells and chop. They were doing pretty well as we were sailing in a 10 kt. wind with the jib up and they were passing us! After a night in Cane Garden we headed to the USVI and took a mooring in Great Cruz Bay. It being afternoon we walked to Woody’s for their $1 beer and well drinks Happy Hour. It’s the best deal in the USVI! The next day I did a scuba dive with Cruz Bay Water Sports. It was a nice 2 tank dive to some great coals and sponges. The next day we went to St. Thomas to prepare for the arrival of our kids. We spent a couple days getting provisions, checking out a couple of activities and topping off the fuel and water tanks.

Granddaughter Madison

Grandson Cole

We anchored in Lindberg Bay right by the airport so we could pick up Aron and his family as they would be the first to arrive. We brought the dinghy to the west side of the bay and I walked to the airport to meet Aron and Katie and their two kids, Madison and Cole. We all walked back to the dinghy and we ferried them to the boat to change into swim suits then it was off to the beach and pool until dinner time. The next day found us snorkeling and playing on the beach. Madison is a great snorkeler and we snorkeled the whole bay seeing lots of corals and small fish as well as a big Sting Ray, a small Green Turtle and three Lion Fish.

Aron and Katie

Lion Fish we saw snorkeling

Cole rings the start of the sail

Madison also rings the start

The next day, with Aron at the helm, we motored through Haul Over Cut into Long Bay where we anchored among the pirate fleet.  We dinghied into Yacht Haven to catch a Safari Taxi out to Coral Gardens, an aquarium park. The bus let us off at the end of the road so we walked the half mile to Coral Gardens. It is a really nice little place with great exhibits of Sting Rays, that you can feed, Turtles, Sea Lions, and other displays including a walk around circular reef. We had lunch there and literally had to step over and around all the iguanas! They are everywhere! When we had seen all the exhibits and lectures we went out to the local beach next door, snorkeled and fed the fish.    It was getting late so  a walk back to the bus stop and back to the boat for dinner and bed.

Cole steers us down Water Island

Madison takes us to Long Bay

Leslie and Cole feed the Sting Rays

Turtles are a big hit a Coral Gardens

The kids slept late, 8 AM, so I guess we wore them out at Coral Gardens. After an ice run Aron took the helm again and we headed back to Lindberg Bay to pick up Eric and family. We did pretty much the same plan as with Aron and I met Eric and Kelly and their two girls Tali and Cloe at the airport. We whisked them in the dinghy to the beach where Aron’s family awaited while Eric and I stowed their gear before heading into the beach and pool. With dinner time approaching, we went back to the boat and moved to the other side of the airport to Brewers Bay which was a much calmer anchorage for cooking dinner on the grill and staying up until midnight talking and catching up on events. It had been 7 months since we had all been together.

Granddaughters Tali and Cloe arrive

Eric Arrives

Kelly arrives

Eric carries luggage to the beach

Everyone enjoys the pool

Tali and Masdison are good snorkelers

Eric made T shirs for all the kids with their pirate names of Mad Rose, Tali Bonney, Black Cole, and Cutless Cloe!

Kids get their new T Shirts

The next day started slowly and after breakfast everyone went to the beach to play in the sand and snorkel. After lunch we weighted anchor and headed towards St. John, however as we sailed out of the lee of the airport we were met with stiff winds in our face and choppy seas. The crew was unhappy so we turned around and did some sailing in Brewer’s Bay before going back and dropping anchor in our old spot.

Kids take control of the boat

The little ones take on the steering chores

Then Monday we were up early to a nicer day and sailed out to St. John. The wind was almost in our face, but we had a couple of nice tacks which took us to Trunk Bay in St. John. There we took the dinghy into the beach and while Cole and Cloe played in the sand, Tali and Madison snorkeled the underwater trail. Kelly went to the snack bar to get hot dogs for the girls and was attacked by a couple of birds who made off with one of her hot dogs! Those birds are very bold and quick! With the beach close to closing, everyone took showers and we went back to the boat and motored over to Maho Bay in time for Eric, Aron, Kelly and myself to arrange for a Scuba trip the next morning.

Aron pays the mooring fees

Carl shows a starfish to the kids

We had a light breakfast and took everyone to the beach then the four of us headed to the Eco-lodge for our Scuba trip. The dive had a lot of interesting corals and sponges and little fish, even some arrow crabs, but not much in the way of larger fish. We returned to lunch on the beach and Eric found a coconut which he opened and shared with some people we met on the beach from RI. We all spent the afternoon in the sand and water and left only at sundown to go to the boat for dinner and spent the early evening on the trampoline looking at stars and searching for satellites.

Kelly on the dive

Eric can't do anything without Rum

Aron on the dive



Nice Angel Fish