Here goes – my first trip report. A year in planning and finally we’re off.<br><br>June 23 – leave Chattanooga. TN at 6:30 am (Bob, Susan and 2 daughters, age 15 and 20), meet up with nephews in Charlotte (age 15 and 18), then to STT, arriving at 2:15. Our last crew member (18 yrs) has missed her flight. I guess 2 hrs isn’t enough time to clear security at BWI. She arrives by 3:30 , a short cab ride and we make the 4:00 pm ferry to Tortola. Denzil Clyne has a car waiting at the ferry for us. Bob handles the paper work (about 10 min.) and the rest of us start on island time at Jolly Roger. We had decided to do the sleep aboard at North South, they don’t charge for this service and it would have been expensive for 3 hotel rooms. A short drive to Nanny Cay marina and we find our boat at North South. We had been told it would be the biggest and prettiest boat – they are right! Chandi shows us the Moorings 4500 – it is huge and immaculate. Drop off luggage and head to Fat Hog Bob’s to eat and meet with Bob’s brother and family (they have been on an Athena 38 for 1 week). A wonderful meal and reunion, then back to Nanny Cay. This is a great marina – restaurants, swimming pool, grocery, etc. All clean and tropical looking. The kids go swimming and unpack, Bob and I go to the grocery. Bobby’s is the only place open. I am a little disappointed with the selection and cleanliness, so get about 70% of food, then decide to finish in the am. Back to the marina for a quick shower and store groceries. In bed around 12:30 – a long, but exciting day.<br><br>June 24 – Get up by 7:00, a pretty good breeze has blown all night, so it wasn’t hot. Eat breakfast, back to the grocery. Someone recommended K Mark this time. It is much cleaner than Bobby’s and the selection is pretty good. Return the car. Check out on the boat systems and we are off by 1:30. Meet up with Athena 38 family at Deadman’s Bay on Peter Island. Kids in the water before the anchor is even set. Everyone enjoys windsurfing, snorkeling and just being together. Communal showers off the back of the boat is a favorite<br><br>June 25 – Head to Savannah Bay, Virgin Gorda, anchor next to the Athena 38 and enjoy the reef and snorkeling. A steady wind is blowing. Have decided to eat most meals together on our cat as it is so much bigger and nicer. Kids are great - danced on the tramp and talked and talked. To bed early.<br><br>June 26 – Got up around 6:00 am to head to the Bath’s. Everyone is on our boat, as it will just be a day trip and we will anchor at Savannah Bay again tonight. Glad we got here early. By 10:00 it looks like most of the mooring buoys are gone. Had a great day snorkeling and exploring. By 12:00 it is crowded, we have lunch and sail back to Savannah Bay. Steaks on the grill and a game of Balderdash top the evening off.<br><br>June 27 – Awoke at 3:30 to a heavy, 5 min. downpour. Since all 5 of the kids were sleeping on the tramp, it was a mad dash to find a sleeping spot. Got up again at 6:30 to get an early sail. The Athena boat has to leave the next day and wants to get closer to their return marina on STT, so we decide Leinster Bay, St. John would be a good spot for the night. Snorkel at the Wreck of the Rhone on the way. Try to stop at the Indians, but no mooring buoys, so head to Sopers Hole to clear customs and hit the shops. A short sail takes us to Leinster Bay – a pretty bay with donkeys on the shore, good reef and free mooring buoys. The guys all night snorkel.<br><br>June 28 – Say goodbye to the Athena boat – we wish we had more time together! Dingied to the Annaberg Sugar Mill bay and a short walk takes us to the ruins, gorgeous views. Back to the boat for snorkel time, then off to Cruz Bay to clear customs.. Tried to anchor in Cruz Bay, but anchor won’t hold. The customs pier is open, so why not? 15 min. later we are finished, the pier is crowded, but we have no trouble clearing the area. Spend the night at Hawksnest Bay. See sea turtles, a wedding on the beach, gorgeous beach, but not much snorkeling. Free mooring buoys again.<br><br>June 29 – We slept in until 8:30 this am. Had planned to head to Trunk Bay, but the wind was blowing at 30 knots, so decided it would be pretty rough and went to Maho Bay. Picked up a mooring, saw more sea turtles, showers ashore at the campground, opened a coconut and had dinner on the grill. Evening spent reminiscing about previous sailing trips.<br><br>June 30 – Steady wind continues to blow. We have had no hot nights! Up early to head back to the BVI. We had hoped to clear customs in Virgin Gorda Yacht Harbor, but a stop to snorkel at the Indians and the upwind sail through Drakes Passage wiped everyone out.. Indians were great – saw a moray eel, lobster, nurse shark, great sea fans and coral and saw 2 boats fighting over a mooring buoy. Spent the night at Peter Island. Drinks ashore. A boat next to us had a near catastrophe, when a man fell in the head, blocked the door and was so wedged in, they couldn’t get him out. Bob was able to wedge his way in and break the hinges, to get the door open and get the guy out. <br><br>July 1 – Winds have finally eased off a little, to 15-20 knots, so head to Virgin Gorda with full sail. Clear customs, top off water, ice and a few groceries and off to Leverick Bay in Gorda Sound. Pick up a mooring, wash clothes, free shower, pool. Have enjoyed the happy hour in the past here (painkillers 2 for 1 and hot wings) , but the restaurant is under new management and is to expensive with 5 kids, so dinner on the boat. An evening of cards was enjoyed.<br><br>July 2 – Decide to spend the day in Gorda Sound. Visit the Bitter End, back to Leverick for lunch, went to Drakes Anchorage for exploring time and snorkeling on the reef. How sad it is to see this beautiful piece of property closed. We have enjoyed eating ashore several time in the past. Decided to motor close to Saba Rock to anchor for the night.<br><br>July 3 – Up early and back to Drakes Anchorage. The girls want to show us a hike which concluded at Honeymoon Beach. It is a beautiful spot. Of course, we really aren’t supposed to be here, so head back to the boat and set sail for the Dogs. Snorkeling was beautiful, but jellyfish were plentiful. Overnight at Marina Cay - Shopped at the Pusser’s store, had hot wings and drinks at the restaurant, enjoyed the beach and snorkeling, then showers ($1.00 for 2 minutes – a good buy I thought). Dinner on the boat and concluded with a game of Boggle.<br><br>July 4 – Sailed through the Camanoe Passage, stopped off at Guana Island, but wind and waves made the water cloudy, as well as some jellyfish in the water, so head to Cane Garden Bay. Everyone is relaxed, sleeping a lot and reading a lot (I am on my third book!). Lunch ashore – it is so much cheaper than dinner with all these hungry mouths to feed. Cane Garden is crowded, but fun. The Puerto Rican “navy” is anchored off the beach. Quito’s is hopping, the kids stay ashore until 12:00 mn, several folks try to sell them pot and mushrooms (I had already threatened them with expulsion home for any takers), can see some fireworks in STT from the boat.<br><br>July 5 – Up early and back to the beach. I want to find a bakery, but everyone is sleeping in because of the late night. Enjoy some quiet time on the beach, kids windsurf, then off to Sandy Cay. Windsurfing competition is taking place, which is interesting, explore the beach, then head to Jost Van Dyke. Decide to pick up a mooring buoy at Little Harbor and have lobster dinner ashore at Sydney’s. The biggest lobsters I have ever seen and the friendliest people we have met in the BVI. Captain (Bob) even eats free! The girls get braids and we all get T-shirts.<br><br>July 6 – Awake to a cloudy morning, have realized that they collected $25. twice at Cane Garden for mooring and decide to go back for our money back. We need a few groceries anyway and the kids like the windsurfing and beach there. Get our money back, relax, windsurf, swim and have lunch, then head to Leinster Bay to be closer to Nanny Cay tomorrow. Dinner, cards and an evening of laughter.<br><br>July 7 – Slept in until 8:30, then one last snorkel around the little island and reef (saw an octopus and turtle). One last windsurf time, then head to Nanny Cay. Upwind sail, so decide to motor. Winds at 28 –32 , with waves breaking over the bow of the boat, make for an exciting last day for everyone. Arrive at Nanny Cay by 4:00, get fuel and call for help getting back to the North South slip. Someone comes quickly and maneuvers this huge boat, 24 feet wide, like it is little, into the dock easily. Debrief with Chandi, a swim in the pool, showers and dinner at Peg Leg Landing, end a wonderful vacation. Beautiful sailing area, gorgeous and spacious boat (with no problems), great marina to start from, great winds, water and weather, terrrific family. What more can you ask for?<br><br>July 8 – get at 7:00, throw out opened food, pack bags, rinse off snorkel gear, hit the gift shop one last time. Cabbie Andrew arrives by 9:15 to take us to the ferry – the kids have wanted an open air cab and he even brings one. 10:00 ferry to STT. Cab to the airport, clear customs without a hitch, lunch while waiting in the airport, leave on a packed US Air flight and arrive in Chattanooga around 9:30 pm. WHEW – a long day...but nice to be home.<br><br>North/South has been wonderful for us. We have chartered 8 times from 4 companies . This is the 3rd time with N/S and the best <br>