Sat., 30 June
My wife, Brook, and I depart BWI @ 0800 on AA. This is the first of our many trips to our beloved BVI (we were married there) that will not include a bareboat charter. There are a couple of places, Anegada and Jost Van Dykes, that we just want to go and experience in depth. My daughter and son-in-law are flying down separately, and should arrive @ EIS about 30 minutes after us.
The trip is uneventful, and we are at EIS @ 1530. Wish we could have arrived earlier for the TTOL rendezvous in Cane Garden. Mary Beth and Jeff are right on schedule 30 minutes later. By 1730 the four of us are having PKs on the patio at Maria’s By The Sea looking out over Road Harbour. This is our first time at Maria’s, which we selected due to its proximity to the ferry dock. We have a two bed room suite, which is O.K., but instead of a sitting room, it has a huge dinning room and kitchen that we will not use. Also, it is not water front. Anyway, more about Maria’s later.
We enjoy a great dinner at Spaghetti Junction before going over to Trellis for the Full Moon Party. It was a great way to spend the evening.
Sun, 1 July
We spent the day drifting around Road Town. We went over to Bananakeet at 1730. We had a wonderful dinner, and of course the sunset, well what can I say!
Mon, 2 July
We take the 0700 ferry to Anegada, and arrive at 0830. We are met by Dean Wheatley with our rental vehicle, and proceed on to Neptune’s Treasure, where the first order of business is breakfast by the sea. Mon, it goes down good! After getting settled in at Neptune’s, we head on over to Cow Wreck. The only people around are Walker and Nancy Mangum, whom we have never met, and Bell, the proprietress. Within 15 minutes, we are all “old friends”. We spend the rest of the day chillin’ at Cow Wreck and playing with Bell’s grandchildren (and Walker and Nancy’s “nieces”), Trayesha and Janesha. When we return to Neptune’s, I meet Vernon at the bar. He tells me that Big Jim is coming on Saturday, the day after we leave. I am disappointed, having not had the pleasure of meeting him. Vernon points out Big Jim’s bar stool. We have dinner at Pomato Point Restaurant, where we were the only patrons. The service was unsurpassed!
Tues – Thurs, 3 July – 5 July
Totally uneventful…just perfect. Days at Cow Wreck, Loblolly and Flash of Beauty. Great snorkeling. Walker gives me the tour of “Hidden Treasure”, the new house at Cow Wreck. Dinners at Whispering Pine (can’t say enough good about Sam and this place) and Neptune’s. Walker and Nancy say “good-bye” on 4 July as they are taking the 1700 ferry to Road Town. They are staying with Davide and Cele before heading home to Houston for a week to “feed the cats and pay bills”.
Fri, 6 July
We reluctantly leave Anegada on the morning ferry for Road Town. We are met upon arrival by Albert Penn, who has been our Tortola taxi man since our arrival in the BVI. He drops us off at Bobby’s where we purchase provisions for our up coming stay in the White Bay Villas on Jost Van Dykes. We are in and out of there in 45 minutes, load our stuff in Albert’s van, and off to Soper’s Hole for the 1300 ferry to JVD. We have lunch at the Jolly Roger, and board the ferry just in time for the 20 minute ride over to Great Harbour. We are met there by Serena with Paradise Rentals with our brand new Kia Sportage rental and Thad, the resident manager of the White Bay Villas. Talk about customer service…Thad invented it. We are settled in to “Banana”, one of the new cottages atop Pull and Be Damned Point (refer to your charts) overlooking White Bay. GOT VIEW?! I’ll get our photos up ASAP. PM me for more details on this place. Dinner tonight at Corsair’s was just fine.
Sat, 7 July – Mon 9 July
What can I say? It’s JVD. Mostly spent on the beach and hanging at the Soggy $ with Mic (who showed me Big Jim’s seat with reverence) and the gang. Highlights included performances by Reuben Chinnery at Seddy’s one Love and a 24 foot rental from St. John that foundered right off the Soggy $ and was beached by about 30 of us virile males, thereby averting disaster for the gallant crew of boat drunks. I gotta tell you folks, White Bay is getting crowded (no cruise ships while we were on JVD), and the PRN ain’t the problem. They were the lowest keyed people on the premises. It’s the crowd of tourists from the USVI that was populating the beach while we were there. But Mic summed it all up, “Wayne, we don’t care for it, but we’re livin’ better than we ever have here.” What do you say?
While we are on island, we dine at Foxy’s (the buffet is a very good value) and at “home” (a better value), and lunch at Taboo. Jeff and I hike over to the Bubbly Pool, where nothing was happening, but the hike was very scenic.
Tues, 10 July
We take the 0900 ferry back to the West End. Brook and I go to Maria’s, and Mary Beth and Jeff head on to the airport, since they are flying back to the States today. Brook and I are in room 311 at Maria’s. Remember that TTOLers…room 311. Request that room. Got to be the best in the place. Wonderful view of Road Harbour and on the 3rd floor, which is the newest part of the hotel. Dinner is at Capriccio di Mare right across the street (Davide and Cele own this). EXCELLENT DINNER, SERVICE AND WINE FOR LESS THAN $50 for the two of us. Go there.
Wed, 11 July
Coffee on our balcony at Maria’s. Two cruise ships are in port, and disgorge there hordes upon Tortola. It’s quite entertaining for us from our vantage point, but I wonder about the Baths, Cane Garden, White Bay, etc. Both ships are gone by 1930 headed east down the Sir Francis Drake Channel. We have dinner at Pusser’s.
Thurs, 12 July
I am a Rotarian, so I go over to the Moorings for the luncheon meeting of the Rotary Club of Tortola. I am warmly received by the members including the Chief Minister of the BVI, Orlando Smith, with whom I have the pleasure of talking privately for a few minutes. He is very interested in why we love the Territory, what would cause us to come more frequently, etc. I desperately want to mention the dock at White Bay, but don’t. He agrees to pose for a picture with me.
In the afternoon Brook and I go over to Cane Garden, and just walk the beach, which is pretty much deserted. We have a drink at Quito’s, but he is off island and not performing tonight, so we don’t stay for dinner, opting for Capriccio again instead.
Fri, 13 July
Not being superstitious, we are flying back to the States today. We begin with breakfast at Capriccio (yes, we like the place), check out of Maria’s and head over to EIS. After check-in, we have lunch at de Loose Mongoose. Our flights back to SJU and BWI are without mishap.
Well, TTOLers, this was another memorable visit to our beloved BVI. We did; however, really miss being on a boat. Ferries just don’t fulfill the need. Time to start planning the next trip.
