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S/V ORION Part 1 #137657
08/11/2017 10:55 AM
08/11/2017 10:55 AM
Joined: Jun 2011
Posts: 3,493
VIRGINIA
B
BEERMAN Offline OP
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BEERMAN  Offline OP
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Joined: Jun 2011
Posts: 3,493
VIRGINIA
BVI July 31 - August 9, 2017 (Part 1)

How far in advance do you plan your trips? We couldn't find a good vacation window in our schedules until only 5 weeks out! Lucky for us it wasn't "in-season" Once I was given the go ahead from my better half I started looking at charter websites that had availability features and saw that Mark's (SailOrion) cat was available at TMM and shot him a text, we both are proud HOKIE families you know! After a week or so the contract was signed, sealed and delivered! We were booked for 10 days on S/V Orion, yes!!!

We felt lucky to find direct flights from IAD-Dulles to STT for $490 with less than a month out. I think I remember the Beef flights were around $900+ each? We like flying into Beef, but the savings after the ferry fees added up to more Presidente's than I can drink!! With a week to go we picked up some things for our Polar Bear cooler as we always do. I then submitted our fishing license paper work...now this process turned out to be way more difficult than in the past. I printed the form to sign, scan email , included credit card info and sent it in. I received an email at the end of the week that said I needed to fill out the credit card authorization form and a vessel registration form, sign, scan, send. Fortunately I saw that email before heading to our cabin that lacks a printer/scanner. Once in the mountains I received an email on the Friday before our departure...credit card required a swipe!! Contacted the company and told them to allow the purchase and asked the fisheries department to try again.....

We boarded our United flight at 0730, got comfortable for the 4 hour flight...then "DING! sorry ladies and gentlemen we are experiencing a radio issue, shouldn't take too long!" an hour and a half later we were in the air!! Problem with that delay is that we knew we would miss the 1330hr ferry, uggh! We were still in good spirits, WE ARE ON VACATION!! I had contacted Kevin to taxi us to the ferry, but he was nowhere to be found when we arrived, certainly our delay probably caused the confusion, but the taxi guys hadn't seen him all day? They jammed us in the next available cattle car! Next ferry was at 1530hr and that gave us time for a snack and drinks at the Pump Room. I took a deep breath and contacted TMM and told them we would arrive after 1700hr and they said no problem, Andrew the taxi driver would pick us up and show us to our catamaran, nice!

[Linked Image]

[Linked Image]

[Linked Image]


We took a seat topside on the ferry to enjoy the breeze and abundant sunshine. It was here that I began to morph into "bubble boy"! That is the endearing nickname my family calls me because until I'm acclimated my face stays beaded up with sweat, especially with SPF applied! Seas were calm, I believe 4 feet was the forecast. My wife had put on her patch earlier in the morning and it did its job perfectly. As we cruised along the north shore beaches of St John it was obvious that the islands had seen some rain, hillsides were beautifully green and lush, cool.

[Linked Image]


The ferry made a very quick stop in West End, then on to Road Town. Again, it was great seeing how green everything was, we have come down this time of year many times and it is often a little brown. I kept an eye out for the sargassum, I saw plenty of photos and webcam shots showing massive amounts of it in various places including Sopers Hole, it was present but not in huge quantities at this point of our travels.

[Linked Image]

[Linked Image]

[Linked Image]

[Linked Image]


In Road Town we cleared C&I very quickly, there were only 15 people on this leg of the trip. The officer was very pleasant, but a future report will describe a totally opposite experience! She did charge us $10 for our provisions in the Polar Bear. In less than 10 minutes we were in Andrews air conditioned taxi where I morphed slowly back to my normal self. It was 1720hr when we arrived at TMM. We were greeted by Joyce!! If you've been to TMM...Joyce is perhaps the most consistently pleasant person I know. In her wonderful voice she said welcome back your boat is ready! She walked us to Orion and made sure we were settled, said she would have coffee for us in the morning, then told me to follow her inside the office so I could say hello to Barney, TMM owner. It felt great to be back here, TMM is a great operation.

[Linked Image]

[Linked Image]


There is a well stocked mini-Riteway at the entrance to the marina that was open until 2100hr, but first it's time for good food and a cold beer at Sharky's restaurant before I morphed into my other nasty version of myself!! With bellies full and adequate provisions onboard we made ourselves familiar with the clean spacious Lagoon 400, it lives large especially with only 4 of us. We did have to decline offers from family and friends to join us, glad we did because it was very comfortable and relaxing with just the fam!

[img]http://i1358.photobucket.com/albums/q778/BEERMANRICK/ORION%20PART%201/BVI207_zpsq6wgjycc.jpg[/img]


To be continued.......Cheers!

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Re: S/V ORION Part 1 [Re: BEERMAN] #137658
08/11/2017 11:08 AM
08/11/2017 11:08 AM
Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 5,720
Massachusetts
maytrix Offline
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maytrix  Offline
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Posts: 5,720
Massachusetts
Looks like a great start, looking forward to the rest!


Matt
Re: S/V ORION Part 1 [Re: maytrix] #137659
08/11/2017 11:15 AM
08/11/2017 11:15 AM
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 6,100
Maryland
Twanger Offline
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Twanger  Offline
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Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 6,100
Maryland
Great pics!
Love the one of the seaplane with the CYOA dock behind it.

We plan our trips from over 1 year out, to only just a few weeks out.

Re: S/V ORION Part 1 [Re: Twanger] #137660
08/11/2017 11:35 AM
08/11/2017 11:35 AM
Joined: May 2017
Posts: 98
Fayetteville, Ar
NWA4Sail Offline
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NWA4Sail  Offline
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Joined: May 2017
Posts: 98
Fayetteville, Ar
Where was the 7th picture taken?

Re: S/V ORION Part 1 [Re: NWA4Sail] #137661
08/11/2017 11:41 AM
08/11/2017 11:41 AM
Joined: Jun 2011
Posts: 3,493
VIRGINIA
B
BEERMAN Offline OP
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BEERMAN  Offline OP
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Joined: Jun 2011
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VIRGINIA
Quote
NWA4Sail said:
Where was the 7th picture taken?


That's the point leaving Sopers Hole. I have always been curious if any of those villas are rentals? any local knowledge out there??

Re: S/V ORION Part 1 [Re: BEERMAN] #137662
08/11/2017 11:53 AM
08/11/2017 11:53 AM
Joined: May 2017
Posts: 98
Fayetteville, Ar
NWA4Sail Offline
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NWA4Sail  Offline
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Posts: 98
Fayetteville, Ar
I'm afraid I don't. It does look like a nice place to stay!

Re: S/V ORION Part 1 [Re: NWA4Sail] #137663
08/11/2017 11:59 AM
08/11/2017 11:59 AM
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 594
Michigan
I
IWIWSE Offline
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IWIWSE  Offline
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Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 594
Michigan
Oh boy,
Here we go!
Thanks

Re: S/V ORION Part 1 [Re: IWIWSE] #137664
08/11/2017 04:48 PM
08/11/2017 04:48 PM
Joined: May 2003
Posts: 195
zhawk Offline
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zhawk  Offline
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Posts: 195
Awesome. Keep em coming, especially more pics of Orion (which I am chartering in Jan...)

Thanks Beerman!

Re: S/V ORION Part 1 [Re: zhawk] #137665
08/12/2017 06:59 AM
08/12/2017 06:59 AM
Joined: Jul 2013
Posts: 19
D
donsellsyachts Offline
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donsellsyachts  Offline
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That's the point leaving Sopers Hole. I have always been curious if any of those villas are rentals? any local knowledge out there??

You are referring to the DuPont family estate, the cute blue-roofed home in the photo is our friends place, the caretaker for the grounds.

Re: S/V ORION Part 1 [Re: donsellsyachts] #137666
08/12/2017 08:08 AM
08/12/2017 08:08 AM
Joined: Jun 2011
Posts: 3,493
VIRGINIA
B
BEERMAN Offline OP
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BEERMAN  Offline OP
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Joined: Jun 2011
Posts: 3,493
VIRGINIA
Thanks for the info donsellsyachts, your friend has a wonderful job apparently!

Re: S/V ORION Part 1 [Re: BEERMAN] #137667
08/13/2017 11:16 AM
08/13/2017 11:16 AM
Joined: Apr 2013
Posts: 69
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BoatDrinks2 Offline
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BoatDrinks2  Offline
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Joined: Apr 2013
Posts: 69
Terrific report! Thanks for taking us all back.

Re: S/V ORION Part 1 [Re: BEERMAN] #137668
08/14/2017 01:44 PM
08/14/2017 01:44 PM
Joined: Jan 2010
Posts: 266
Tallahassee, FL
ReelG8r Offline
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ReelG8r  Offline
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Posts: 266
Tallahassee, FL
excited to find the BEERMAN report!


Nothing planned.....please help!
Re: S/V ORION Part 1 [Re: ReelG8r] #137669
08/15/2017 06:15 AM
08/15/2017 06:15 AM
Joined: Jun 2011
Posts: 3,493
VIRGINIA
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BEERMAN Offline OP
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BEERMAN  Offline OP
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Joined: Jun 2011
Posts: 3,493
VIRGINIA
Quote
ReelG8r said:
excited to find the BEERMAN report!


Hey G8r, part 6 will have one of your favorite places in it!


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