We had a perfectly delightful downwind sail from Antigua to BVI departing on the morning 28th of April and arriving on the afternoon of the 29th. Winds ranged from 12-16 knots for majority of it making it a perfect opportunity to break out the Parasailor. These are the times we are thankful we have one as it allows us to get up to 8 or 9 knots of speed in light winds.
The wind did die off enough during the night that P was able to take it down on his own and we had to motor for about 6 hours. It was during these shifts that we delighted in seeing the bioluminescence again in the water. Some were the little ones that looked like fireflies in the water and others were like big blobs of up to a foot round which I believe must the jellyfish type. Along with the clear skies to see the stars made for a wonderful night passage.
We grabbed a mooring near the ferry terminal and cleared everyone in at customs and immigration. Once that was done we motored around the cruise ship dock and discovered a slew of new moorings in the place where we used to anchor. Oh well, we knew we wanted to get propane in the morning so we took one for the night. The bonus for us was we were the only ones there for the night and at around 10pm we saw a fireworks display put on by the locals to celebrate their new cruise ship dock, along with much music and partying. What a treat! (P – the only downside was the amount of ash we found on the boat in the morning – consequence of having a front row seat downwind.).
The following morning we all went ashore. Paul and Charlie took on the task of refilling two of our propane tanks while I went to the big Rite Way grocery store and bought fresh produce and a few other necessities. Once done we had a quick sail over to North Sound, Virgin Gorda.
Happy to be back I quickly got the kayak down and took Charlie ashore for a walk along Bitter End. I had hooped to use their pool for a quick dip, but was told ‘no dogs allowed near the pool, restaurants, or beaches’. Okay, no big deal, I returned to the boat and swam off the back.
May 1st we get free use of the mooring balls at Bitter End as part of being a member of the Salty Dawg Rally, one of the many perks. We also watched several other Dawgs start to arrive here to begin to prep for the return rally back to the U.S. We joined again this year for the return. So we are here in North Sound until the 12th of May, then will make our way over to Tortola prior to the 15th of May. On the 16th, weather permitting, we’ll be making passage back north.
Lastly, in follow up to my previous post, Paul’s mother recovered from her virus during her children’s visit. We hope she stays well so we can visit her again in late June.
Sounds like you had a marvelous time on this last journey. Can’t wait to see you when you arrive in the NorthEast! Drop a line when you guys arrive on the mainland. It’s going to be so wonderful to see you both and Charlie, or course. Jack is going to fall in love…