Just got back from our latest island-hopping trip and I can confidently state that this was our best ever. Almost all positives, very few negatives, and a great time was had by all. Trying to do day-by-day's would prove too taxing at this point, so I'll try to break things down by topic:

Transportation:

Flew LAX--ATL--STT on Delta and STT--MIA--LAX on AA. All flights were on time...in fact AA moved us up to an earlier connecting flight so we actually got home two hours earlier than originally scheduled.

Took ferries from CA to West End, from Roadtown to Anegada and back, from West End to Jost and back and finally from West End to CA. On Mon 8/21, neither Smith's nor Native Son were running due to the weather, but the Roadtown Fast Ferry made a special stop in West End to pick up about 20 passengers who otherwise would have been stranded on Tortola for another night. It didn't really matter in our case since we had a night to spare, but it was nice to see the consideration for the people who didn't.

Speaking of weather:

Despite the fact that we caught the tail end of Irene on Sun-Mon 8/21-22, the overall weather situation was pretty good. We expected more rain and got 8 days with very little. That said, we've decided that we're done tempting fate and will move our upcoming trips to April (my Spring Break) rather than August even if it means scheduling shorter trips.

Accomodations:

Sebastians (1 night) Fantastic as always...we make this our first night stop regardless of where the rest of the trip will take us. This year, we had two 20-somethings who had never experiended a Full Moon Party and we happened to arrive on the night of one.

Clarke House CGB (3 nights) We've stayed there before for a a week and since it is low season, Jane was nice enough to offer us a three-night stay. Can't say enough about how nice the house and its location are. It has been experienced for one to truly understand.

Neptune's Treasure (2 nights) First time on Anegada but I can confidently say it won't be the last. Wow!!! We not only were the only guests at the hotel, but it seemed like there might have been only two or three other visitors on the whole island. One day at Cow Wreck, one at Loblolly and two of the most peaceful serene evenings we've ever spent at Neptune's just looking out at the water and the stars. Now I understand, at least partially, why people keep coming back year after year.

Sandcastle (3 nights) Always a pleasure to visit old friends and enjoy White Bay during a relatively calm period of the year. Had a eco-trip scheduled with Capt Colin but had to cancel due to the weather. The staff, especially Tina, do a great job with all of their guests and we feel right at home every time we arrive.

Food:

Again, too much to cover in such a short time, but some highlights included:

Grilled chicken and fish at Clarke House (I did that!!!)

Seared Tuna and Broiled Swordfish at Neptune's

Roast Duck at Sandcastle

Painkiller ice cream (what a great idea!!!) at Sandcastle.

Other hightlights:

Got to see Quito perform solo on Tues 8/16. A real treat, especially so late in the season. Nice to see him back in charge of Quito's...the old vibe appears to be returning.

Had the pleasure of spending time with Sandman Myett during our time on Tortola. Along with Quito, Sandman is one of the true gems it has been our pleasure to meet during our travels.

Snorkeling at Loblolly exceeded even my hightened expectations.

My stepdaughter's boyfriend spent one morning getting his hair beaded by Olga at Gertrude's. We probably have more photos of that one morning than of any other day on the trip. Of course, two of my "do-it-yourself" rum punches helped both the subject and his audience enjoy the experience.

Needless to say, we're still on a "trip-high" and looking forward to returning in April.