BVI May 2008 Trip Report Part II - Anegada
The Story So Far...
Part I covered the trip in from NY, and our 5 day stay on Virgin Gorda.
We now move onto something...completely different.
Pictures:
Many more pictures have been added since the last post
Flickr pictures - VG and Anegada The Apology:
I naturally write very long pieces, but this is a really, really long piece. I'm sorry, but I need this much space to even attempt to convey the feeling of Anegada. I hope you'll forgive me this weakness, but it had to be done!
Day 6 (Anegada Day 1) Wednesday May 21st
Woke up ridiculously early to finish packing, and also trying to get Smith's ferry on the phone (we'd failed to do so so far). We're in a bit of a tizzy that the ferry might skip Virgin Gorda today and we'll have go swim to the Drowned Island. At least we don't have any car anxieties - we can drive the rental car to the lot right next to the ferry and leave it there.
We arrive and see Basil and Sarah there waiting for the same ferry - so a HUGE weight is lifted off of us. I fiddle about with my handheld VHF while Kris chats.
The ferry this time is a huge double hull, and the day really begins.
The ferry heads out, and once we're nearing the northern point of VG it looks to all the world that we'll keep going 'till we hit Greenland or something. When we're roughly abreast of Necker Island (Branson, you lucky so-and-so, I want an island for myself!) a hazy hairline resolves itself about a quarter of a millimeter above the horizon. A few more minutes and there are more, add more minutes and a squat clump resolves with higher tufts on either end.
These I discover later are our first glimpses of Anegada. The first wisps you see are the trees at the Whispering Pines. The squat clump is the phalanx of palm trees that marks the Neptune's Treasure compound.
5 minutes later the radio tower at the end of the Settlement announces its presence, and you can see the true length of the island. After being on Virgin Gorda it seems positively enormous - you have to turn your head a full 20 degrees to take in all of it, even at this distance. Yes, yes, its only about 13 miles in length, but all things are relative, and context seems to rule even more than the norm in the carribean.
The rest of the ride in is as we remember it from our previous day trips - beautiful, if in a routine way.
We pick up our car from Anegada Reef. A bit unhappy that there are no 4 wheel drives left, apparently Sarah and Basil have the last one (and yes, they're staying at Neptune's too). Oh well, a minor blip to deal with. We take the short drive over to Neptune's - and are simply flabbergasted.
Let me explain. It's tough to get details on what staying at Neptune's is really like. Most travellers are pretty mute other than saying they liked it. Some are not as kind. And some even make staying anywhere on Anegada sound akin to camping in the woods with plastic bag for a bed and your hunting knife for a pillow. I was worried ever since booking the trip that we'd be stuck in a primitive box where you pump water by hand, sometimes share a room with the chickens, and "air conditioning" is taking turns blowing your breath over an ice cube tray. The fact that Neptune's is never listed under "Hotels", and instead as a "Guest House", only serves to confirm this impression (only Anegada Reef has the distinction of being a "hotel").
In reality Neptune's is a really nice hotel, and fits perfectly into the Anegada landscape.
There's a main building with some rooms up top, kitchen, indoor dinining and bar downstairs. An extensive outdoor dining area, with ancillary outdoor bar. A second building with rooms on the ground floor, the dock and a private building. All are clean and pleasing to the eye.
Our room was #2 - and we found out no one gets keys. You can lock your room for privacy while you're there, but otherwise your room is unlocked. I found - to my astonishment - that this didn't bother me in the least. A lock on Anegada would be like putting painting The Birth of Venus with the goddess in a 3-mil diving suit. Not only is it ugly, but it's pretty weird to boot.
The room itself was great. It was about 12x12 with an adequate closet, a mini fringe and table. The king sized bed was two twins lashed together, which isn't ideal, but we got passed it (by lashing them together more securely with line). The room is bright and airy, partially due to the light and the paint and the pictures, but also by the cathedral ceiling. There's a modern AC with remote plus a ceiling fan. Bathroom had adequate water pressure in a huge shower-stall arrangement. There's also a coffee machine with coffee and various sugar-type things. And all for less than $100 a day!
In total it was more functional than many other hotels I've stayed at, and pleasant as well. Note: we found it does pay to lock your room while you're in it. One person mixed up rooms and walked in on us in the middle of the day, which gave Kris quite a jolt (I was so deep into the island mode I barely noticed!).
After settling in we shopped a bit around the Anegada Reef hotel - stock up on provisions and the like. I also got a very cool, very large map of Anegada from the Purple Turtle (that suckers getting framed for sure). You can't get anything fancy but most of the basics are covered in the Purple Turtle or the Anegada Reef shop. We found later that Faulker's had the rest of what you might need (with one omission - more on that later).
Then on to Cow Wreck for snorkelling. Kris stayed in close without flippers, Mike went out to the deep stuff. You can see the winter storms had caused definite damage to the reef, but it wasn't as bad as we had heard (and feared). Kris got scared in by a big barracuda (they're scarier when you're alone). Mike got some good pics, but missed out on snapping the turtle he saw. The few turtles we saw were very skittish, and when they saw youwould swim so fast their flippers were a blur in the water. The beach itself is as beautiful as we remember, and you see in everyone's pictures. A perfect crescent replete with food and drinks.
We take the long way back to reacquaint ourselves with the island the road, stop at the bridge on the south road about half way between the settlement and Anegada Reef (well, maybe closer to the Settlement). This is just east of where the Flamingo-something restaurant used to be. and leads out to the flats. Here you can walk out for a 1/4, maybe a half mile with water only up to you knees - and still see mangroves a half mile further out still! Kris went out first with Mike started pictures when she started screaming and yelling. I get out there in a flash, and it turns out what's got her going is nurse sharks. Lots and lots of nurse sharks - in about 18 inches of water we see 4 or 5 nurse sharks flitting about looking for food. The sharks themselves were a shade under 2 feet long. Kris freaked out, apparently, because she was barefooted, and those hungry little mouths were getting close! We got some great shots of them up close.
Back to Neptunes for drinks then dinner. We hang and chat with Basil and Sarah a bit, and also meet other longer stay guests like Amy (hi Amy!). Unfortunately we've completely forgotten most everyone's name (we're both terrible that way), but let me say we had a great time with everyone and really appreciated the good advice we got from you all.
The drinks were superb - Neptune's has the best rum pumch hands down (sorry Alex, yours is good but not quite at Neptune's level). Dinner was quite good as well.
The height of the day was clearly the delight of the room, and the snorkelling. For the night, one guest's description of his vehicular adventures easily topped everything. His wife summed it up well: "He pays the deductible and thinks he's indestructible now!".
Day 7 (Anegada Day 2) Thursday May 22nd
We have some protein shake thingys for breakfast (who has time to eat on a day like this!), and then plan on a snorkelling trifecta: Cow Wreck, Bones Bight, and Loblolly East (aka Flash of Beauty). But first we switch cars - Kris really can't stand the thing we have, it's too big really for the dirt roads. We switch to something smaller but still no 4WD. This is car #2 (if this sounds ominous to you - well, it should!).
First Cow Wreck. Today we have a snorkelling plan of action - we've picked a route out that we believe will let us hit the canyons as quickly as possible, since the stuff between shore and there is only so-so. It looked good on paper but not so good in practice - we fought the current constantly and didn't get as far out as we wanted. Still got some good pix though. The highlight may have been the crab on shore - a big yellow fellow, whose independent eyestalks really freak you out when you 1st see them.
We had lunch back on shore at Cow Wreck, solid lunch fare (Chicken for me, wings and sald for Kris). Belle and everyone else is kind as always.
Onto Bone's Bight. We almost get stuck in the sand just parking here (damn 2 wheel drive), the sand is deep and soft. But we manage. The beach itself is 100% deserted - there's no bar or buildings here, just beach and the sandy road. Utterly beautiful, but man the reef looks far away.
It turns out that reef is far away - a bit too far for us, at least that day. In between it's all just sea grass, so it was a thoroughly uninteresting snorkel. One day we'll make it out there though....
Getting the car out turns out to be much harder than getting it in. Much, much, much harder. I accidentally push the car into truly deep sand (went left when I shoulda went left) and we get well and truly stuck. The wheels are spinning and the car is being supported by sand right up to the undercarriage. We try to dig out for about an hour before giving up. Try to call Anegada Reef on my VHF but we don't connect for some reason. So we head back to Cow Wreck on foot. We choose the beach way - it'll be longer but much nicer than the road. We jog about 1/2 a mile of it but walk the rest, make it back in about 45 minutes or so. Alex calls Anegada for us to help out.
We wait about 1 1/2 hours before they come back with our car. We got charged $120 for the dig out - yeeouch!
On home to Neptune's, tired and much lighter of wallet. But before-dinner drinks cheer us up again. We eat at Anegada Reef, I had the surf'n'turf, Kris had the swordfish.
The food was OK - not the best on the island but pretty good. The atmosphere wasn't so good. There were lots of teenagers ashore from boats, getting drunk when they weren't lighting up and getting stoned by the bathrooms. Probably a nice place when its quiet, but given its location it probably bears the brunt of the young and drunk crowd.
Day 8 (Anegada Day 3) Friday May 23rd
The day of our 6th Wedding anniversary dawns. We were married on Long Bay on Tortola in 2002, but now I almost wish we knew about Anegada then and had it there! We splurge on an Anegada Reef breakfast, then find out the 4wd is available (sadly, Sarah and Basil left for Tortola that morning). So we greet car #3 with enthusiasm - perhaps slightly worse for wear from recent enthusiastic driving, but still - it's 4WD. As we learned at Bones, 4WD can make your day.
We start out snorkelling today at Flash of Beauty, Loblolly East. It's actually a touch crowded, maybe 15-20 people, even with a topless sunbather. Not that shocking in and of itself but the first time I'd seen it in the BVI. We head staight out to the canyons to get away from the crowds.
It's as cool as we remember it, but it's very rough today. Big swells make you feel like a cork in a bathtub with a toddler splashing about. Normally this is tolerable, but the swells are bringing us a touch close to the coral heads for comfort. Kris and I end up getting seperated, which is always a bit scary if you're well off shore. So we pack it in.
We skip lunch (thanks to the huge omlettes at Anegada Reef) and head over to Cow Wreck.
Cow Wreck was really good that day. Much calmer, and we reached the canyonss without any difficulty. Good ray pics and reef fish pics. The coral out deep is still in pretty good shape. The trick as always is finding the break in the reef and getting beyond the breakers. Somehow we got seperated again, even though the water was calm, but much less panic this time around :-) As it turns out we had gone out much farther than the norm, and Amy had Frank scanning for us with binocs! I guess the break in the reef is _out_ there just a bit...
After this we search the island for contact lens saline solution - I'm nearly out and can't find my extra bottle. No dice - no one on the entire island of Anegada sells saline solution. Or have even heard of it. Argh!
Luckily Kris finds it tucked away somewhere in my suitcase - crisis narrowly averted. If you've ever tried to snorkel with glasses, you'll know what I mean.
We have before-dinner drinks inside today, since a little squall went through and it scared everyone off the patio. Dinner at the Lobster Trap, and it was _good_. Really good. Kris had the seafood platter, Mike had the lobster.
People tell you that barbequeued lobster is tough and nasty and affront to all crustaceans everywhere. Well, those people never had lobster at the Lobster Trap. They barbequeue it heavy foil wrap, and it was simply the most tender, moist, delicious lobster I can recall having (Maine or spiny). Kris' seafood platter is equally heavenly.
We get another quote of the day: "You can't wear gloves on lips" (frank's brother). Be damned if I can remember what they were talking about, but that phrase will be with me till my dying days.
Day 9 (Anegada Day 4) Saturday May 24th
First check out scooter rentals - we have a car but the scooters look fun. Turns out they're $66/day - a bit steep. Perhaps another day. We originally wanted to try these out because we saw scooter tracks in the sand along Bones Bight. We found out later that beach-scootering is illegal, and someone's dad (who shall remain nameless) made the tracks with his personal scooter. So that shot that idea to bits.
We're a bit snorkelled out for the moment, so we decide go hiking instead. So we head on out to the Settlement, with the Outback on the east end of the island just passed it.
First we check around the Settlement to see if anyone rents fishing tackle (Randy said the night before that someone did). We checked around and found no one who did. Although we did find a store with an astonishing colleciton of DVDs for sale.
We then parked at the end of the settlement, a bit off the concrete where two abandoned houses were in the final stages of distintegration (without having quite fallen over yet). We're equipped with a 3 liter camelbak, a 1.5 liter camelback, a knife (yes, I have a vivid imagination!), and VHF handheld, and of course cameras.
The path is kinda-sorta a road, but too rough but the most rugged vehicles (glad we decided to hike it). Most of the way you're heading between 120-140 degrees (that's southwest to you), with the big radio tower as a good reckoning point behind you.
It is very flat, and very desolate. Most of the way there's a skinny salt pond far over to the right. For much of the way the trail is actually limestone - truly ancient coral and sand that were fused together by the elements a long time ago. It's mostly solid, but with hollowsin many areas (you think you're on solid ground then come across a hole 3 feet deep). About a mile out we hit a dead cow, looked to have been dead for several months (most hide still on, but no meat anywhere). Further out we come across scattered bones. Kris, the Physical Therapist, starts to point out the anatomical function of each and I get an impromptu education on how cows are put together (The jaw bone's connected to the..).
About 3 miles out the pond cuts across our path and we have to ford it. Some helpful soul(s) have placed old chunks of coral across the water to make it easy. From there it's a modest walk across a dry pond/lake bed. And then you come to the conch piles.
Pile after pile, 3-6 feet high, of old conch shells. Most blackened by age. I'd estimate conservatively that there might be 20,000. Maybe more. The piles are everywhere.
At this point we can hear the ocean, we're actually hearing the surf at the east end. But try as we might, we can't get there. We spent about half an hour trying to push through the under brush to get to the beach, but we can't make it, and turn down a little dejected.
Coming back we double time it a bit. The day has been hot - the hottest so far, we're just about out of water and I'm getting a bit woozy from the heat (Kris of course is chipper and pert and simply skipping along). We make it back much faster, overall the total round trip was 7.57 miles (thanks Garmin Forerunner watch!) and took 4 1/2 hours. That seems really slow for flat terrain, but we were pretty slow going out, gawking at the scenery and trying to break through the beach at the end.
Back to the room for a rest, then we drive out to Pomato to look at the museum and restaurant. It's a small museum but worth taking a look at - mostly litte relics from various shipwrecks off the island.
Dinner is at Neptune's again. I get the seaflood platter and it's OK. Kris gets the tuna (just caught), and it is incredibly good. I can't even put words to it - it was just delicious.
Amy was telling everyone about the night fishing setup at Cow Wreck so the whole crew drives over there after dinner.
Cow Wreck at night was blast! Alex had taken two big halogen lamps on 6 foot stands and put 'em on the beach near the surf, and then cast out two spinning rods (baited with Conch I beleve). Apparently they've had fantastic luck historically fishing this way, catching Permits, lemon sharks, etc. No luck tonight but it's fun all the same, with "Boner" supervising the fishing side while Alex overlooked the bar (that is to say he mostly played pool and looked at the bar once in awhile :-) ). In addition to the Neptune's contingent there's some people from St. Thomas staying awhile with their neice.
The night is educational as well as fun - Amy et al talk us out of the idea of night snorkelling. We were all hot and bothered to try it, but
after hearing the descriptions of what liked to feed on the reef at night, we became less enthusiastic. Plus apparently some other couple had tried it awhile back and got hauled out by the police and were the talk of the island (and not in a good way).
Day 10 (Anegada Day 5) Sunday May 25th
It's Sunday, so most shops are closed until the afternoon (church). We had contacted Garfield earlier that week to go bone fishing, and he set us up with a guy name Sly to take us out today. Unfortunately Sly cancelled at the last minute (got stuck at the music fest on Tortola and missed the last boat), so we had to alter plans a bit.
We decided to snorkel Loblolly west (Big Bamboo), it was pretty empty except for a We Be Divin' instructor giving an introductory dive to a couple. The snorkelling here is excellent - lots to see close in, plus the canyons are even easier to get to than at Loblolly east. I think in our previous day trips we skipped Loblolly W because of the crowds, and we definitely missed out. This is where we saw the pair of amazing spotted eagle rays out in the deeps, plus the only turtle who stuck around for us to get a couple of snapshots.
We lunch over at Flash of Beauty on the eastern half. Kris has been craving their fried Conch (not fritters, just conch fried in butter) - but they don't have it anymore. After some raw begging from Kris they relent and get her something like it, but it's not the same (it's breaded and just not the same).
Next over to Cow Wreck (yes, again!). Kris stayed in shallow with no flippers again, Mike went out to the deep stuff. Apparently deeper than I thought - again there was the binocular scan, and this time no one could spot me at all. The deep side was really awesome - caught sight of two lobsters, one in only about 5 feet of water, and captured an almost professional-quality shot of a bearded fireworm.
Dinner is at Big Bamboo. It's early (6pm) since we're the ony people for dinner. The food's OK, and we're a bit rushed since people want to get home. Plus a lot of flies (Loblolly in general seems to get all of Anegada's fly population - no idea why).
We go back to Cow Wreck that night for drinks, I decide to attack the absinthe with a vengence while Kris challenges Alex for pool supremacy.
I get fairly ripped on the absinthe. The night fishing is on again, and Alex is kind enough to let me get some casting in and rebaiting the hooks after the crabs kept stealing it (you must like fishing if you enjoy putting slimy Conch on a hook). Back at Neptunes we had a nightcap with Randy while he reminisced a bit about how long he's been on the island. We slept good that night.
Day 11 (Anegada Day 6) Monday May 26th
A sad day, nearly everyone's leaving Neptune's, Amy, Frank, Russ, Patsy, John. We console ourselves that we're finally getting to bonefish today.
We meet Sly promptly at 9, he's got a sweet little boat that's really well suited for fishing on the flats south and east of the island. We speeds out there (and I do mean _speed_) and gives us a quick Bonefishing for Dummies lesson.
The lesson doesn't take - I guess we're just not cut out for bone fishing. We're out for a few hours with Sly tring various things, but we do't even get a nibble. As a last ditch effort we switch to trolling further out - we have more luck there and hook some descent yellow tail snappers and a small blue runner. He keeps the blue runner, not sure why. We headed in around 12:30. Part of the problem is I think we didn't connect well with Sly, but mostly I think it's just not our thing. They're hard to see, skittish as heck, and you have to hope the drifts close enough to get into casting distances before they take off (no motor - it would scare the critters away). If you're a seasoned fly fisherman (or specifically an accomplished catcher of bone fish) then I guess the $350 is worth it. If you're speculating...I'd try something easier first.
Lunch at Neptune's, really good (fries especially!). I rested in the room, Kris went Kayaking for a bit in the Neptune's kayak.
Before dinner drinks as usual, then back to the lobster trap again. Just as good as last time!
Day 12 (Anegada Day 7) Tuesday May 27th
Snorkelled Loblolly west again, this time stayed in the shallows. Very good conditions, good pics. Glad we didn't go out to the canyons rough today and murky looking out there.
Decided to try to Cooper's rock next. Couldn't find a road so we parked at Loblolly East and walked...well, east. The walk was very cool, with the beach going from sand to coral/limestone shelving pretty quickly. Very scenic, and lots of flotsam was washed up on shore along the bay here (it's a natural spot for the current given how the reefs were setup). Continued on to the next bay, saw a local on the way with lobster trap. Must've been his pickup we saw further alnog at the next bay (hmm, there must be a road in here somewhere!). We decided this was far enough - not Cooper Rock, but the beach looked good. The snorkellkng is a bit murky, but it varied a lot with some patches still clear. The coral here is very unique, and very different from elsewhere on Anegada. Also saw a very big and very beatup looking barracuda that seemed surprised to see us. Overall a recommended spot if you're an accomplished snorkeller and don't mind the walk (or can find the road).
Dinner that night was at Cow Wreck. The fish was pretty good, the drowned potatoes really really good. Saw some of the staff walking home when we were driving back, gave 'em a lift as far as Neptune's. Good to keep the karma filled up!
Day 13 (Anegada Day 8) Wednesday May 28th
The first grey day, hang out in bed for awhile and got started late.
We decide to try for Cooper Rock again, this time looking for the road. We go this way and that with no luck, finally pull up at Loblolly East to see if we can figure things out. The car stalls as we get there. Then nothing - no lights, no starter motor nothing.
Uh-oh. After much fiddling I see that the battery connection is almost laughably loose. Tighten it as best I can by hand. This gets us electric back but the car still won't start. After much fiddling and about 10 minutes it finally starts. We decide to drive straight back to Anegada Reef to get it fixed. I keep my foot on the gas all the time, even when breaking, to avoid a stall.
I screw up the "foot on the gas" thing, we stall out again. Takes about 10 more minutes to start up. Kris notices the engine seems hot. Hmmm.. We get going again.
Stall out again on the main road on the south side, about halfway between Settlement and Anegada reef. Pop the hood again, the temperature gauge is pegged in the red. Mitch (of Mitch's taxi) pulls up and lends a hand. We try filling the radiator with water from my camelbak (and Mitch solicits water from his passengers!), but we find there's a leak in the radiator. We hadn't done any offroading that would account for this, seems like something just jogged loose. But anyway - we're stuck. Mitch gives us a lift back to Anegada Reef for free (thanks Mitch!). We pick up car #4. At this point we're thinking of going with D.W. from now on for rentals - we've had good luck with Anegada reef's cars in the past, but now they don't seem to be maintaining their fleet very well.
And I can tell you getting stuck really, really sucks.
We do a light snorkel at Cow Wreck, find decent snokelling close in shore if you go out even to where the last villa is located.
Diner at Neptune's again - Kris has the tuna again (still yummy), Mike has lobster (also still yummy).
Day 14 (Anegada Day 9) Thursday May 29th
We arranged a deep sea fishing trip through Alex to go out on the Little bit Express. This is a comfortable 46 footer with all the trimmings, including 4 deep sea rods (2 out rigged to skip, 2 in the middle to run deeper). We meet Alex and his dad Wendell at the dock at 6:45. We go out first to the west, and then hit fishing grounds west and north of Anegada, trolling up and down.
I had a dramamine on the way out, since I'm prone to a touch of sea sickness. Today the swells are big, and the swells and deisel defeats me - worst sea sickness _ever_ for me, by a long shot. Iron Stomach Kris had no trouble. I had a rough time for the 6 hours we were out there, but Kris snags a 30 pound King, a big barracuda, and a small spanish mackerel. They also solmenly tell me of giant fish that took the bait but wasn't hooked; I'm a bit leery about this fish that got away! I start to turn less green as we head into calmer waters.
Even though I was sea sick I'd do it again in a heart beat - Alex and his dad are really good, and the fishing out there is great. Just next time I'll have a more sensible breakfast and drink less the night before (a protein shake and a coke before going out on the ocean Mike? What were you thinking?!?!).
I slept off the sea sickness the rest of the day, Kris puttered about the island on her own. Apparently she went out to the flats again, plus some light shopping here and there.
Dinner is Kris' King at Cow Wreck. It's cooked wonderfully, but Kris and Alex are both beat and we head in early (Alex played with his band into the wee hours the night before).
Day 15 (Anegada Day 10) Friday May 30th
The travel day :-( We settled up the night before at Neptune's so it's straight to the ferry dock. A nice ride into Roadtown, we find out Pusser's doesn't do breakfast, so we had brunch at the little italian place a few doors to the west (can't remember the name!). Then a taxi to Beef Island and check in. We have 3 hours to kill, so we walk over to Trellis Bay - it's only about a 5 minute walk, and it's a nice place to hang. We buy some nice pottery stuff from one of the arty places, then settle in at the cafe for some drinks and light lunch.
Flight to San Juan goes fine. As usual you have to hunt for the connection spot in the San Juan airport (I swear 95% of the airport seems to be fast empty corridors that are miles long). Jet Blue flight home also uneventful, after another 2 hour lay over.
We're home just after midnight. Our cats once again decide to forgive us for abandoning them for a fortnight.
Final Impressions
Despite various disasters and inconveniences - stuck on a reef in a dinghy, digging cars out in the sand, nearly getting heatstroke in the outback, car overheating and breaking down, sea sickness - everything it seems by a plague o' locusts - it was
The Best Vacation ever. Without a doubt, hands down. We've gone to the carribean every year for 9 years, and this was the best. Virgin Gorda was good. Anegada was spectacular. We're going back next year - a minimum of 14 days, just dedicated to Anegada this time.
To me this is the best way to summarize Anegada - we had all these issues and it was still the best trip ever. Don't get turned away from Anegada by the problem sides. They don't matter. Instead, let yourself get wrapped around and caught up in all the wonderful things it has to offer.
Addendum:
Two odd things to get used on Anegada.
1) There are a lot of cows. Feral cows. I never get used to it. It's not bad - it's just like a cat wearing pajamas. Nothing wrong with it, but your mind keeps going back to it.
2) There are no chickens. Didn't see a single chicken the whole time we were there. A carribean island with no chickens?
I speculate a witch put a spell on the island hundreds of years ago, on a dark and stormy night with a hurricane offshore. At the height of the storm, as lightening struck the bay at Bones Bight, she cackled "And so the island shall be as drowned, and the chicks shall be as cattle. So mote it be!". And it was.
