Our annual cruise with my son Trey, younger daughter Ruth and a few of their friends started many years ago with 6 or 7 and grew a couple of years ago to two boats. This year was a record of 18 on a matched pair of Beneteau 523’s from Horizon.

Planning for 18, half of whom were newbies is a lot of work. Trey and I started back in December giving the standard advisories, no hair driers, soft luggage, carry on only if possible, boat showers, 3 sheets of TP max, etc. Next on the list, giving the restaurants a heads up. A party of 18 just does not descend on a BVI restaurant unannounced so I made reservations at Bananakeet, reserved 2 slips for Friday with Nick and warned Randy at Neptune’s to have Linda make up plenty of corn salad.

Then there is the matter of getting there. Fortunately we got all the Tampa crew on a Spirit flight arriving STT at 3:30, half the Macon crew on Delta at 3:35 and the advance crew arriving at 1:30. Made reservations with Smith’s for 15 to be picked up at STT and delivered to West End on the 4:30/5PM ferry and sent them a payment of $1,150. A good deal in that individually it would have cost $10/person more with the taxis. The plan was for the advance crew to take the 3PM ferry over to West End, pick up 3 Monteros from Denzil Kline and meet everyone else at the ferry dock about 5:30. That way we could get over to Little Apple and settled in before going to Bananakeet in time for the sunset.

Perfect plan, right?? Well, best laid plans and all that.

The first sign of a generation gap came in the booze requests. Coconut rum? Raspberry Vodka?? CHEEZ n BREAD!… Also I was advised that as this crew was more “mature” than in the past we would need more hard liquor and wine and a lot less beer. (Wisely I ordered 16 cases anyway and we still ran out by day 6.)

Just to confirm the wisdom of the plan I called Smith’s the afternoon before the big trip and confirmed that they were running the 3PM and the 4:30 on Wednesday. Absolutely! I could rest easy and the advance party would not have to rush to make Native Son’s 2:30. We arrive at the CA ferry terminal just in time to see the 2:30 pulling away only to find that there would be no 3PM ferry. Smith’s would not even be running a 4:30. The only ferry was Native Son’s 5PM! NO PROBLEM! We were here and Native Son would accept our Smith’s prepaid reservation so up to the Petite Pump Room for a few Presidentes.

4PM while standing on the ramp of the ferry terminal I spot a safari bus turning into the parking with arms waving and a lot of whoops and shouts. The rest of the crew had arrived. When four steamer trunks emerge from the taxi I realize that this will not be an easy charter.

The ferry cast off about 5PM and we cleared customs in record time. I went through with Ruth and found it interesting the difference when clearing with a pretty girl rather than by myself. A completely different attitude! Faithful Denzil was waiting with the cars and we were off to Little Apple.

Cheryl and Wakumba met us at Big Apple and directed everyone to their rooms. I just can’t say enough good things about Cheryl and Wakumba. In their good hands I began to relax. We were going to be late for our reservation at Bananakeet so as soon as I got to Sugar Apple I called to let them know we would be about 20 minutes late. First big problem. They had no record of our reservation! After a bit of conversation they agreed to take us about 8:30-8:45 but I had a crowd of people who had not eaten since 6AM and was facing an imminent mutiny! OK! Solution was drinks and appetizers at Sebastian’s! They make a killer bushwhacker and I was in dire need of one.

(NOTE: I have been reluctant to include the following but the incident was reported here anonymously within hours with several derogatory responses so I feel it necessary to give an explanation. It is not my intention to discourage anyone from patronizing Bananakeet. In my opinion it remains one of the best places to experience a fine meal on the North Shore. )

We were seated at Bananakeet about 8:45. By this time the crew had been traveling for 14 hours and had nothing but beer and an appetizer. We were a very subdued group. Orders were quickly taken but about 40 minutes later, as the first plates were served two people who had ordered steaks were told that they were out so they ordered seared tuna. About 30 minutes later when they still had not been served they asked to cancel their order as they were to tired to eat.

I had finished eating and was at the smoking area in deep discussion with some contractors who had just installed new generators on Anegada and were working on the power distribution system on Tortola. Anyone who knows me knows I was in Hog Heaven! A waitress comes up and asks me to speak to Chris. When I got to the bar I was confronted by two policemen demanding that I pay the check! A check that I had not yet seen and not all the food had yet been served.

I immediately paid the bill and we left to avoid any further confrontation but on reconstructing the order I found that we were over charged for at least one entrée.

That is the end of the subject and I consider the matter closed.

Stay Tuned- Next episode- Herding Cats to Water