3/3 – Well, our first mistake was attending the Jimmy Buffett concert on the night of 3/1. Great show! Did not get into bed before 1:00AM Friday morning, but more on that later. Ok, why is it that flights FROM the islands are never delayed, but flights going TO the islands are always delayed????? Had a 5:54 fight that did not leave until 8:30 to ATL. That caused us to miss the early flight and take the one getting into STT at 4:35. Hit the ground running and called the Ferry terminal, looks like there is a 5:30 to Road Town, can we be there in 5 minutes? Grabbed bags, taxi, and MADE it!!! This was our first time clearing in at Road Town, I like West End better. Had the most talkative taxi driver take us to Voyage. Got to hear all sorts of history and stories. Got to the boat and joined up with the rest of the crew, Hollywood, “The Kid”, “The Pharmacist”, and “West Coast Chopper” James. Pussers and then a round of #3 Painkillers finally got us on island time. We’re baaaaaaack!

3/4 – Starting not to feel well, maybe been staying up too late. Took a look at the weather forecasts and decided to go to JVD first this trip. Got the Tico’s order, got the Bobby’s order, made the trip to buy other stuff at Harbour Market and finally we are ready to go! Soper’s was abuzz with a lot of cruise ship folks going to and fro. We get Galeaux out of West End and turn towards Jost, very windy 25+ knots and the seas are in the 8 to 10 range. Admiral and I decide to motor over as by now I do not feel well at all. Get to Taboo and there are no balls. Strange, it is early. Seas are also starting to pick up a little so we decide to go grab a ball at Little Harbor. Get settled in and have some sundowners while “The Kid” snorkels the shore line. He comes back talking about strange crabs and other crustaceans. Don’t believe him until we see the pictures. Harris’s for dinner and lobster!

3/5 – We decided we had to see the various crustaceans ourselves and hit the water for a morning snorkel. Crabs, Stingrays, and Cuda OH MY! Back to boat a motor over to Taboo again, grab a ball for the walk to the Bubby Pool. Easy dinghy trip over with the weather to our backs, going to be an issue coming back. On the walk I got to add a new bird to my list a “White Cheeked Pintail”. There were 20 or so in the pond. The pool was a low to medium this day but still fun for the newbies. Hollywood and “West Coast Chopper” James were doing a little head tunneling! Back to Taboo for drinks and got to add another bird. Our best guess is that it was an Emerald Hummingbird. Dinghy ride back was VERY wet and bouncy as the wind and sea continue to increase. We heading to Great Harbor for the night and hit Foxy’s for drinks and mongoose viewing. Burgers on the boat cooked by “The Pharmacist” and “West Coast Chopper” James.



3/6 – As the Captain’s health continued to go downhill, “The Pharmacist” opened a magic bag and tried to ensure better living through chemistry. The old goat just kept going down so the Admiral made the call that we would stay in Great Harbor another day and taxi over to White Bay and then dine at Corsairs. Let’s see, not having to swim in to SDB or drive the dinghy? I was in! So started a long day at Ivan’s, SDB and finally One Love before we managed to catch a taxi back to Great Harbor. Back to the boat to sober, sorry I meant to say clean, up for dinner. A note to glasses owners: Winds at a mooring greater than 20 knots will blow your glasses off ANYPLACE you put them. And they will end up at the bottom of Great Harbor. See “The Kid” if you need greater detail. No, even in 12 feet of water you cannot find them. Dinner at Corsairs was great and watching folks unable to read directions to the bathroom was priceless.

3/7 – Ok enough is enough, I was ready to sail. Seas and wind were about what they were the day before, let’s head over to Monkey Point and then Marina Cay. Got out around the point at Great Harbor and whoa!!!!!!!!!! 30+ knots sustained. The hell with sailing to weather in this, got everybody a ginger beer and tried to hide in the lee of Tortola the best I could. Got a ball a Monkey Point, dove in and could see nothing. Let’s get to a bar! Motored over to Marina Cay. What the hell it is full at 1:00? Well, Trellis will have a ball. And that was true, they had ONE ball and all the close anchoring spots were taken. Everybody was taking shelter from the sea and the wind. So we got the last one and decided a dinghy ride was out of the question. Hollywood and “The Kid” cooked dinner. Ok it was really Hollywood, “The Pharmacist”, and the Admiral that cooked, but “The Kid” boiled water. Steaks, salad, corn. Yummmm. That night was the coldest I have ever been in the BVI. But I was running a 103 degree fever at this point. Surely I will be better tomorrow.

3/8 - Sail to Leverick, ok I wanted to sail but once again the sea and the wind had a different idea. Motored through the Dogs teaching “The Kid” how to read the carts and instruments. Decided not to go through the Mosquito/VG cut because of the swell. Grabbed a ball to hit the Leverick grocery store looking for more meds for the Captain. “The Kid” came to the BVI without sun glasses and most of the day he looked like a Groundhog poking his head out into the first sun light of spring. After wearing a spare pair that “The Pharmacist” had, not sure if we have pictures of that, he got a more gender appropriate pair. Off to the Fat Virgin Café for HUGE blue cheese burgers and beer and then a ball off Saba. We had good intentions to go ashore for happy hour, but all need to sleep off the burgers. Had sun downers and watched the sun set behind VG. Dinner was on board leftovers after the stuffing we took on at the Fat Virgin.

3/9 – What do you know, I actually feel better. There is nothing a bag of 25 year old meds cannot cure. Let’s sail! Hollywood has been dying to get a sail on and it finally happens. We go out of North Sound, head to Mountain Point and set the sails for a downhill ride to Cooper Island. Hollywood has a hard time believing that we can go faster under sail than with the motors, wish I could show him what Galeaux can really do on a sail to Anegada. We get up to 9 knots and have a nice trip to Cooper Island Beach Club. Where happy hour awaits with the best Bushwhackers in the islands. Got to slow down, cooking pork tenderloin on the grill tonight. Well maybe one more……. Got some great sunset shots and played a little ‘Shut The Box’. Hollywood is now the official Dinghy Captain, and like most dinghy captains does not remember returning to the boat. Had the pork, coconut rice and a nice salad for dinner.

3/10 – Last full day on the boat for this crew, let’s see where to go? We motor sail down to Norman and take a ball off Treasure Point. Hollywood and “The Kid” hit the water and the caves and finally get to see a turtle. It gets hot, so the Admiral and I grab the gear and go looking right next to the boat. Find a big puffer in the brain coral. Getting late, so inside the Bight we go to get a ball. Damn, only ones left close to Willy T’s. Start to have sundowners and one thing leads to another and we head over to the William Thornton for dinner and drinks. Crew gets their first batch of Conch fritters, and we send the Admiral for drinks. You know they are smarter than us right? She finds a natural way to carry all that beer back. I love my wife! Not to be outdone Hollywood uses technology to carry his batch back. No jumping, or crew on the bar so we make it back to the boat “unharmed” (editorial note – you would need to poll the crew to fully understand)



3/11 – Need to get the crew to the ferry at 11:00, so before everybody is up (some stayed up longer than others) we are off to West End. Short trip has us on the fuel dock by 10:00. As a token of respect, our new Dinghy Captain is given his own beer koozie and I allow him to have the last package of “Captain Wafers”. Got to give credit where credit is due. Crew gets packed and I ferry them over to the Ferry terminal in the dinghy. Sorry to see them go. Find a towel issue in one of the cabins after they have left. The Willy T strikes again!!!!

3/12 to 3/16 – See Saildoggie’s trip report for week two. But, one note of interest. We had been watching for Whales the two weeks we were down and while we were out on the boat saw none. On the ferry ride back to St. Thomas we are riding on top and the Captain comes out and points to 2 humpbacks off about ½ a mile. Get to see the calf do a roll and got to see our first whales ever.