In some ways it seems like yesterday, but then again, since returning from the BVI, it seems worlds apart. This is an overdue, land based, trip report from a high altitude family who took a new adventure this June.

Previous trips have taken us to the US Virgin Islands, and after falling in love with that we decided to explore something different this year. Not knowing much about the BVI, I found this forum a year ago and started gathering some information. I must say, you all were invaluable to the success of this undertaking! Thank you!

Day 1 – After leaving Colorado at 1:00 am, we finally arrived in STT at 2:30 pm and went straight to the ferry dock. Much to our dismay, the ferry wasn’t leaving for 2 more hours, so we wandered around Charlotte Amalie and it felt good to feel “familiar” with somewhere. We boarded the Bomba Charger (we nicknamed it the African Queen) and were on our way at 4:30pm. I passed out…..and awoke at the West End of Tortola, Soper’s Hole. We quickly went through customs and met Jerry of Jerry’s car rental and Samantha the property manager of the place we had rented. A quick trip over Zion Hill and we arrived at Little Apple Bay. Bobby’s Marketplace had provisioned our rental and we felt settled for the first time in 16 hours or so. A drink in hand we wandered to the beach where we met Jim and Cindy and a friend of theirs, Craig who was house sitting on the other side of Tortola. Great conversation and met the stray island dog “Muddy” Jim and Cindy were looking out for, who was quick to become our new best friend! Our son quickly slapped his fishing rod together and began what was 8 days of constant casting. Sleep was intermittent because we would wake up thinking the wind was howling, only to realize that it was just the waves crashing outside, ,,,we never quite got used to that! ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ…………………….

Day 2 – Marginally refreshed, we knew it was time to hit the ground running (A typical family vacation, that’s why the kids hate us……..). We hopped in the car and took a trip to the East End, stopping at Richardson’s Rigging in Road Town for bait and a few fishing necessities. We only made one really bad driving decision (and I use the term “we” loosely) on the way into Road Town. My husband, trying to get re-oriented to the driving on the left, took the left side of the “Y” that is just outside of Road Town, not realizing that the road was actually splitting there, and soon we met oncoming traffic on the corner. It was a short hop over to the correct portion of the road, and we were back on our way. I have no idea how the locals can stand us tourists driving. We had lunch at the Trellis Bay Cyber Café and the smoked Wahoo was to die for. A quick trip to the east side of Beef Island found us a few spots to cast a fly rod, but no luck with the fish there. Couldn’t have been more beautiful though! We headed back home, opting for a little more R&R before our big day tomorrow.

Day 3 - Up really early to drive to Road Town to catch the ferry to Anegada. We had a fly fishing trip booked with Danny Vanterpool of Danny’s Bonefishing. A long ferry ride, but when we approached Anegada I couldn’t believe how beautiful it was. It really felt like you were in another world. We quickly met Danny and boarded his boat and headed off at great speed to fish. We saw several small sharks, and 2 really large black-looking ones on the way back to the dock! It was a wonderful time with Danny, and while we did not land any bonefish, we did help Danny develop a new slogan while laughing and enjoying ourselves tremendously (“Cast Further, Strip Faster”). With luck Danny escaped without me hooking him, and we went back to the dock, grabbed a taxi and headed to Loblolly Bay. We ate lunch at Big Bamboo and I had to have the lobster (”when in Rome”). It was good, all be it pricey (make sure to clarify that the price on the board is for ½ lobster). Quickly changed into swimwear and headed to the beach to snorkel. We rapidly decided that Anegada was a place for us to come back to and spend a lot more time on. We fell in love with the place and hope someday to see it again. The water there still was some of the most beautiful I have ever seen.

Day 4 – Another day spent exploring Tortola, we headed to Cane Garden Bay first. Stopping at what can only be described as Jungle White Lightening, we went to the Callwood Distillery first. The blaring music took us back initially, but the young men inside quickly turned it down and offered us a great history of the place and samples for $1. They described each Rum exquisitely, but they all tasted like grain alcohol mixed with oak/bourbon to me! Needless to say, I bought 3 bottles for friends! Ran over to Cane Garden Bay and had a drink and some conch fritters. While in CGB, we went to Green VI and watched the glass blower and his assistants. It was a lot of fun there, and we could have stood there for hours. Next, we jumped in the jeep and went to Smuggler’s Cove. There we managed to dump a kayak with three people. Now I have to add that “you might be a redneck” if you put your son out on a point with his fishing pole, take his bait and kayak out into the middle of the bay, drop it off and let him catch one fish after another. It was successful fishing but I think everyone around was dumfounded at us! Our demise was when our son needed to get back to the main part of the beach to retrieve something. He got in the kayak with us, and “trolling” with bait on his line, we headed back to the beach. Unfortunately, two man kayaks are not built for 2 middle aged parents and their 16 year old son. We started to submerge after a little while, and it didn’t take much for us to go over. Mom wasn’t happy, and you all know the saying about “if mama isn’t happy,,,,,”. We floated to shore, my son still trolling with his rod. I swore if he caught something I was going to kill him. All ended well and we packed up at dusk after watching the Tarpon roll and called it a day.

Day 5 – No rest for the wicked! Took my husband to Nanny Cay, Blue Water Divers so he could dive the RMS Rhone. Said goodbye and headed to the East End again for a little more fly fishing near the airport. Still no luck with the bones, but saw a small nurse shark and lots of bait fish. Had a good lunch at Genaker Café, nursed my husband’s coral cut, and back home to hike up Little Apple Bay for some more fishing!

Day 6 – Back to Road Town (we were good at taking the correct path now!). Off early to Virgin Gorda. We arrived and hopped a taxi to the Baths. What a wonderful, amazing, beautiful place! We snorkeled around Devils Bay and the main section of the Baths. Had lunch at the restaurant at the bottom and after some sun , rest and hiking, we grabbed the taxi back to the ferry . Made it back just in time to hop aboard and headed back to Tortola. That night we were treated to one of the most beautiful sunsets we have ever seen (2nd to the sunset in Grand Cayman the evening our daughter got married!).

Day 7 – With the end of our adventure around the corner, we jumped a ferry on the West End to Jost Van Dyke. After another very entertaining taxi ride to White Bay, we proceeded to immerse ourselves in the White Bay Culture and the Soggy Dollar Bar. Lunch, painkillers, conversation, painkillers, sun, painkillers, water, painkillers, ring toss game, painkillers,,,,,,,,,,,,when is the taxi coming??????????? We did make it back safely and spent the evening fishing off the shore and exploring the Bomba Shack from a distance, which might be the best way to explore the Bomba Shack,,,just saying,,,,,,,,,

Day 8 – Our final day on Tortola, not enough energy for another ferry trip or large adventure, we headed up to Sage Mountain Park for a hike and a drive along the Ridge Road. Another leisurely drive over to Nanny Cay to shop at Bamboushay Pottery and back home for some afternoon fishing. That evening, we had an incredible meal at Baanakeet. The abundance of rain and clouds that day meant the signature sunset meal was completed sans sunset, but we still received a sunset shot nonetheless! The food was excellent, the service was wonderful, and not sure there is a better view with seafood (although overlooking the Cook Inlet and eating crab in Alaska is right up there too!). Back home to pack.

Day 9 – Up early to finish packing and after returning the car to Jerry’s, we hoped on the ferry to STT. After lunch at Cuzzin’s, we headed for the airport and by 2:30 am we were finally in our own beds, wondering why it was so quiet, where was the wind,uh, I mean surf????

Thanks to all in the BVI for the help planing our adventure and completing it. We are so glad we saw all that we did, and hopefully some day we an make it back to relax! Here is a link to a video of our trip I put together on Trip Advisor, and, does anyone know if Muddy got adopted??? <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Wink.gif" alt="" />

http://tripwow.tripadvisor.com/tripwow/ta-0252-7e20-b9b7?lm