Friday 31 January 2014

Virgin Gorda having fun

23 January 
Arrived at Spanish Town Virgin Gorda a 47 nm sail average SOG of 7 ish knots. 
The anchorage isn't really that big but we tucked ourselves in the corner dropping the anchor well clear of the mooring balls. After checking in and paying the fees we strolled about in Spanish Town, its not very big or exciting but we did find a place to use the internet. 




We managed to make contact with Gina from Feijao another yacht we know from Cartagena, her partner Lenny had taken the boat to Grenada while Gina stayed here as she works on Necker Island for Mr Branson. Lenny is steadily making his way back to Virgin Gorda and should be here at the end of the month.
The following evening we met up with Gina and went out for dinner at Coco Maya which had delicious Asian food. The setting is stunning, the beach has big white beds, chairs and a fire is lit so its very picturesque. 


We wish Gina a big thank you to Gina for helping us with the chaps delivery.





So off we set again, short sail 4nm to Gorda Sound / North Sound and anchored off Prickly Pear Island away from all the other yachts which are hanging off mooring balls, we like to be away from the charter boats for privacy and the danger of them hitting us.

We took the dinghy into Bitter and and Saba Rock a tiny Island resort and had a stroll about, most places have free wifi if you buy a drink. However prices are very high, beer at 5 - 6 $ each and I had a cocktail at 12$ then they stick on 15% service charge and then they expect a tip! So we won't be drinking too much ashore.

Saba Rock, a tiny island with a big price tag for the guests














The whole place it geared to very rich resort guests, the "cruisers" go shore for free internet and happy hour, say no more. I peeked inside one shop selling the normal attire for the beach, T shirts, shorts, little flimsy dresses and swimwear, I doubt I will buy anything at those prices, a simple cotton dress at 208 $ and T shirts at 65 $, I have seen better quality in Chinese bazars back home.




This is where I'm posting this blog from





So during the day we take the boat to hang off a free mooring ball at Bitter End and back out again to the anchorage well away from the hustle and bustle.


Lots of activities if you want but at a price

Always something to do here, "the internet" of course




29th January 
Took the boat into Leverick Bay to check it out, its opposite where we anchor at night, as the wind is coming from the east it makes the place very rolly, its a bit of a challenge getting into the dinghy but hey ho in we go!

Just had a couple of drinks and lunch a treat and used the internet to update the blog and contact the family.

Plans to leave for the next stop a long sail to St Maarten will be after the predicted high winds and after catching up with Lenny and Gina from Feijao.

Its a real chore having to wait for the right weather
I may add more photos to this later

BFN

Don and Glenys 

Agua Therapy

Buck Island off St Croix

23 January Buck island: 17 47N   64 37W
We headed across to Buck Island a short trip from St Croix going very carefully around the reef, when we arrived there were a few small motor boats and a couple of day charter yachts and a few folks on the beach. We had applied to the marine authorities to visit and anchor there, you are allowed to go ashore but can't be ashore after 6pm. 



The area is protected as the turtles lay their eggs on the beach. We had a great time snorkelling along the reef, no sooner had we jumped in did we saw sting ray, crabs and flat fish. 


Such a pity the camera we normally use for diving failed so we couldn't even take any photos from ashore as we swam ashore.




The reef was alive with parrot fish, jacks, angel fish and lots of wrasse. Afterwards we took the dinghy ashore and had a stroll about, if we had know about this place before we would have spent more time there, the only thing missing were palm trees, not quite the man friday island but almost.
Its a deserted island, no facilities, no people, a comfortable anchorage even though we only had .3 of a metre at times.

Lamb for dinner, (PM for you John it works well)


BFN
Don and Glenys

Agua Therapy

Wednesday 29 January 2014

St Croix Christiansted & remaining days here

Saturday18th:
Drove into Christiansted and strolled around found yet another Fort / museum then had a nice lunch.

Sunday January 19th:
Off out in the car for a drive to the rain forrest, I must explain that due to the state if disrepair you can't drive too fast its sort of a built in speed ramp well not ramp big holes, all over, both sides, guess tyres don't last for very long neither does the suspension unless you have a 4 wheel drive of course.
The rain forrest is easily reached but with very few stopping places unless you go "off road" which we couldn't do in a hire car, I knew we should have had a jeep!


Christiansted harbor 




Sometimes we see some odd sites, well whilst in the car park of a place in the hills Don noticed an unusual car, a homemade convertible car, someone had simply cut off the roof behind the windscreen,  zoom in on the photo and you can see.

He should stay nice and cool.

I thought I would use this opportunity to post some pictures taken in St Croix as well as our news.

BOOM !!!!!!!!!

Local resident in Christiansted

Christiansted Fort







Big guns
There are old cannons everywhere it does seem a shame but I guess they have so many

We saw some huge mahogany trees and so many different kinds most of which form a canopy over the road. One of the places along the way we ate a typical Caribbean lunch, roast pork, rice and beans with a "johnny cake" (sort of fried bread). Oh the local drink is a Mama Wama, a mixture of rum, honey and herbs, not for me I gave mine to Don, I stuck to ginger ale. This place is home of  the "beer drinking pigs" you throw them a can and they chomp on it and drink the beer, sorry didn't manage any photo's.





Add caption
I wonder how many babies they had
This was a branding iron they used it to mark the right thigh of the slaves

Model depicting a Danish house
The commode in the bedroom

Don, if that thing goes off you will lose more than your arm.
1763 they had lots of cannons then


A bedroom piano
The next couple of days we went over to Fredericksted again to pick up new bits for the diving gear, I can feel a gurgle coming on.

St Croix Yacht club, small and private but it looks very rolly and there is a huge reef to go around first.

The furthest point east is Udall point which is also the most easterly place in the US. The road to it has great views and there is a park which has covered places where you can picnic. The park is right on the beach, on the opposite side is a huge radio telescope.
We returned the car to the rental company so we started the chores on the boat again.

Still in St Croix one of the US Virgins.
Udall Point.
Udall point was a short drive along the coast, there is a monument to mark it and the signs say its the most easterly place in the united states. There are poles to show the points of the compass.



The view of the coast and Buck Island is well worth seeing.

On the road we passed the St Croix marina so we took a peek, the marina is quite small and to access by boat is via a very long reef which you would think protects the marina, well from what we saw we didn't they were rolling quite a lot. 

Cramer Park:
Another place we passed going to the point, its a public park which is pretty much on the beach, quite a few shelters and areas for children to play. It wasn't exactly busy when we were there and only afterwards did we find it was a national holiday it seems weird to be so quiet.






Opposite Cramer park is a huge radio telescope we watched it move quite a lot, when we moved closer we couldn't see any information about it. 


Today Wednesday 22nd we leave for Buck Island, there is a place to anchor and its pretty shallow so we should be able to snorkel there, unfortunately we don't have air for the cylinders and the batteries on the dive watches have failed so there won't be any diving yet, never mind plenty to come I'm sure.
We like St Croix and are considering returning.

I will post lots more photos from here on the next few pages

Until next time BFN
Don and Glenys
Agua Therapy