Had an awesome trip – one week of chartering and one week on Tortola. We chartered 2 boats – Moorings 47 – 15 people. It turned out much better than we expected with all those people. Had the right personalities on the right boats. Would I do that again? Probably not, it was a fun experience, but next time only 1 boat.
We had the party boat – and the other boat was the not so into partying boat. Of course, they would drift over to our boat one by one. Our boat provisioned through Bobby’s – great service & great quality. Great steaks on the grill. Other boat shopped at Riteway when they got down there. They spent a lot of time preparing and cooking food – we did not – but again, the different personalities. The other boat got the flu which they passed around to each other – one by one went down for 2 days. Needless to say we stayed away from the other boat. Peter and I really did not know all the other people except for his 2 brothers – and I think not really knowing the people actually made it easier to get along.
Highlights:
2 weeks of absolutely gorgeous weather – your little rainshower at night or a passing 15 minuter – that was it. If you could have pre-ordered your weather it couldn’t have come any better.
Best snorkeling – Along the shore at the Rhone site; Deadman’s; Smuggler’s while on Tortola. This trip the fish were just especially cool. Saw so many different types, colors, and sizes. Saw sea turtles, lobsters, an eel and conch.
Diving – Peter got in 3 great dives.
Great Food – Neptune’s Treasure; Fat Virgin; Pirate’s; Elm’s BBQ; Myett’s and Bananakeet
Best Sail – VG to Anegada and next day to Jost
Partying at Willy T’s was a great time as usual. Something about dancing, rum punches, tattoo’s, party beads and body shots – ‘nuff said. Really enjoyed meeting Mike & Roberta. Awesome couple who charters people on their own boat – he as captain and she as cook. I want their life…
Fallen Jerusalem was beautiful and fun to go ashore & explore - but could have done without the jelly fish stings encountered there as previously reported; They were large tubular ones with long tendrils and it very seriously hurt and left scars.
Doing the beer can regatta at Bitter End. There was little wind. One of our hobey cats won a prize for the first time in Bitter End’s history a boat actually went backwards and crossed back over the start line …
Funniest moment: leaving Pascal at the gas dock. Nobody saw him get off the boat, and we took off – almost into the channel going to Anegada when we realize he is not on the boat; turn around to find the Frenchman jumping up and down waving frantically in his speedo’s … made him swim to the boat.
2nd funniest: Pascal emerging one morning from cabin wearing a thong. Really. We made a very quick group decision and sent him back down to change. Way too early for that. The guy was funnier than hell though and kept us entertained all week.
Disappointed in: Palm’s Delight Ginger Chicken – just was not the same; steak at Myett’s; snorkeling at Cow Wreck Beach; On Jost – Foxy’s closing when we got there – and not being able to spend more time in Jost.
What I would do different: nice to not have a rigid itinerary – but we were too indecisive each morning about what to do – I think we wasted a lot of time talking about it and did not get to all the places I wanted. You forget how short the days actually are there before it gets dark.
Footloose – had a lot of problems with the boats maintenance wise – but I did like the boat – except for the high beds. We had generator problems, air conditioning, the main sail ripping at 4 knots; then before we left for Anegada Peter decides to check the fuel tanks thinking gauges are not working – almost on empty and we hardly used the motor; they never filled it full; but Moorings did fill us up at VG Sound without charge. Ran out of water quickly the first time – they could not have filled us full with water; the other boat had similar problems along with noticing the bolts on the mast were about ready to fall out; didn’t cause us a problem but if there had been high winds … They say they will credit us back 2 days – we will see.
Landbased in CGB 2nd week. Our son & daughter flew down to meet us. First time in a year we had all been together. Had an awesome time. Can’t beat Rhymer’s for the price and being on the beach.
Saw Quito twice and he was great as always – and so are his “Legends”.
Spent a day at Brewer’s Bay – but the snorkeling was not that good.
Thanksgiving Day – Cruise ship came in to CGB along with my great misfortune of experiencing the PR Navy – wow, talk about a change in our tranquility. But we had a great day at Smuggler’s Beach with really awesome snorkeling. Saw so many different schools of fish and huge and I mean huge Tarpon.
Met Jonathan & Jennifer and crew at Rhymer’s. Hope they had a great sail after that. Missed everyone else and couldn’t find DiverDi.
We wrote down our best phrases of the day. Here are the ones I can repeat. And maybe you had to be there and having a cocktail, but here goes:
“I’ll have a rum & cheese omelette” (aka rumlettes).
While stargazing over cocktails:
Marie: “look at that beautiful bright star !”
Gina: “Marie, once again, it’s an anchor light …”
Peter: “someone has been playing with my dingy”
Tom: “sorry, you’re not my type”
Mindy after jumping into the water on DAY 5 of jumping: “oh s**t, it’s salt water!”
Pascal to Gina who is removing wine cork from bottle with her teeth: “if you were French, you would be kicked out of zee country !”
And when trying to put the cork back in and I can’t: “at this point, just seet on it !”
"Captain Hook, time to grab your ball!"
and lastly,
"Do you want me to pee on your arm ?"
Sad notes:
Peter’s mother passed away unexpectedly while we were gone day before Tday; so back to reality here has been even harder;
Christina, my daughter, was our official photographer during our family week together. Her camera and all her memory cards were stolen out of camera bag in San Juan which she packed instead of carrying on. Yes, she should have known better. We do not have 1 single family picture of us together from that week. The camera can be replaced - But never the pics with the memories. Please remember to keep your camera in your carry on.
That being said, still one of the best vacations ever.
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