I will try to make this informative for those of you looking for ideas:
-Arrived into EIS on Thurs afternoon and took a cab to our pre-charter B&B: Hummingbird House. Can't say enough good things: location is across from Moorings base but up a side street away from traffic and a bit elevated for views. Very clean, good sized rooms (4) each w/ their own bath. Yvonne used to own Captain's Table. Very nice breakfast, pool, honor bar, access to computer, her own rental car at the house, gave us beach towels for our day on Cooper, drove us to Nanny Cay on Saturday morning to get our charter.
-The Sports Club, just a few yards from the B&B does a very good dinner and very reasonable. Had a roti and lasagne for $20 plus drinks.
-Spent Friday on Cooper: met a couple at the B&B who were going over for 3 days so we took the boat over w/ them, brought the dive boat back. Nice day on Cooper, good snorkeling and had lunch w/ our new friends. We would spend a couple days there in the future but probably not more than that; just too limited. But we saw the rooms w/ kitchenette - very nice, clean, pretty, large.
-Saturday had some time to kill, left our bags w/ Yvonne had lunch at Capriccio de Mare: Very good pizza and pasta, under $20 for 2.
-Saturday afternoon went to Nanny Cay to board our Lagoon 440 with Elite Island Yachts. After 6 previous wonderful trips in the BVI, both land and sea based, this was our fav so far.
-Captain and cook and 2 other couples: all are now very great friends. We had the time of our lives. Boat was big enough to have solitude.
-Incredible meals aboard (incl. 5 dinners) great wines, unlimited beer, cocktails, cabins were spacious and heads were "huge" for a boat. There was some discussion on TTOL about EIY being a time share. They are a charter club. Very soft sell...won't go into it here, but PM me if you want more info about what they pitch on board. It took all of 15 minutes of our time. Anyone who wanted to know more could speak w/ the captain on their own time.
-Met Jorgen on his boat at Anegada.
-Very accomdating to our itinerary requests.
-Downside: if you don't join, you can't use them again.
-Sad to leave the boat after 7 nights but did some shopping in Road Town, flying fish sandwich and chicken wrap at Pussers: YUMMY
-Best snorkel for fish this trip: Went to Cooper w/ the cat on day 2 and snorkeled a bit west of Machioneel Bay: Incredible fish, stingray sightings. Even better than off the beach.
-Best snorkel for coral, scenery: Money Point. Colors were unreal. Look for the "martian family" down there!
-Best meal on board: Pork tenderloins and sticky toffee pudding. Or the mahi and cheesecake? Hmmm...
-Best meal ashore: 2 lb lobster on Anegada.
-Best walk: a tie between the Sandy Spit "circle" and over the hill from Great Harbor to White Bay (we wanted to stretch our legs) with a big welcome back kiss from Ivan.
-Worst scenery: The cat with the forever topless people from France...sheesh. And the rainstorm on Loblolly, but it passed quickly.
-Changes: Soggy Dollar was not using Pussers in their painkillers as before. Not sure if thats a bad thing. Also, since we were there last they started having a beach BBQ for lunch.
-Happy about the "steps" from Ivan's to the rest of W. Bay.
-We had a long trip ahead so we decided this trip to fly EIS to SJU and spend the night. The Holiday Inn on Tartak (there are 3) is very clean, much better appointed than most H.Inns,larger rooms and very close to airport.
Only about 350 days till we go back, and yes we will go w/ EIY.
Cheers! <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/dine.gif" alt="" />