We're just back from a great week! I've not posted trip reports in the past, so I'll give this a go. Sure I'll forget something!

We chartered "Incommunicado", a Lagoon 38 out of Barecat. Saildoggie, I completely agree with your previous report, they are great to work with. Had a few initial problems with the boat because she had apparently just come out of the hurricane hole and sails were rigged wrong, pump bad on the fridge, etc. But took her in on Sunday to the dock and Mike and Tom had everything fixed pretty quickly. Overall, a nice boat.

Think I'll do this in the highlights/negatives format rather than day to day:

Highlights:
- Spent Monday at Soggy Dollar and had a very relaxing day. Our 6 year-old learned how to play the ring toss off of his forehead (facing away from the tree) and was nailing it every time. He had a great time!

- Monday night we had a very nice dinner at Harris’ Place. Met Butchhall (Noel) and crew and shared some drinks and laughs. Cynthia does indeed make some of the best Bushwackers in the BVI (although I’ve never really met a Bushwacker that I didn’t like!).

- Went to CGB on Tuesday night to hear Quito and hoping to meet Manpot. Unfortunately the combination of our open boat hatches with a torrential downpour and our children who really wanted to go to bed resulted in us only hearing about 3 songs and being able to only say “hi” to Malcolm before heading back to the boat. Hopefully next trip we’ll be able to meet you officially, Malcolm!

- We snorkeled Fallen Jeruselem on Wednesday, that was a highlight. Good visibility after the swells earlier in the week had settled down. Great spot.

- Spent Thursday and Friday night on the dock at Leverick (thank you, Nick!), with Craig’s parents and aunt and uncle staying in a suite there. Very nice suites, after you survive the hike up to them! Had a wonderful lunch Thursday at the Fat Virgin. Fantastic. Took the family for a daysail Friday, then Jumbies Friday night. Always a great way to end a vacation! Shared a few drinks with Noel and crew Friday night as well.

- And, saving the best for last: Thursday morning on route from the Dogs to the North Sound we were escorted by 7 dolphins who played with the boat for about ½ hour. They rode right between the hulls, splashing us with their blowholes! Absolutely amazing, the kids were just in awe. I’ll have to post video of that when I figure out how!

And the challenges:

- Little wind this week, so we motored more than we would have liked. But that’s OK

- BUGS!! This was our 5th trip down, we’ve never encountered so many mosquitos. I think the worst was actually at Leverick Bay where we stayed at the dock and with little breeze we were dinner for the bugs all night long. Couldn’t get enough bug spray for these guys!

- On Sunday we had a scary day. We were at Cooper and took the dinghy over to snorkel Cistern Point. I opted to swim back for the exercise rather than ride with the others in the dinghy. Halfway to the boat I encountered what we’ve now determined was a box jelly. I hit it first with my right arm/armpit. Then rolled to get away and hit it with my left arm. It felt like my arms were absolutely on fire. I waited in the water a while for the rest of our crew to come by in the dinghy and by the time they got there I was really in agony. Got back to the boat and by that time every muscle in my trunk was in full spasm, making it hard to breathe and painful to sit or lay down. Standing wasn’t so much an option because of the incredible shaking the rest of my body was doing. I was in shock for a few hours. My dad went ashore to the dive shop for advice, and they gave him vinegar. Used that, then shaving cream with a credit card, followed by a few hours of hot compresses, which did help. We motored back to Road Town to be near the hospital, but by the time we got there I said I didn’t need to go. When we returned to Barecat yesterday Mike and Tom said I should have gone to the hospital for an adrenaline shot to help with the shock. It’s a week later and I still have nasty burn-lines on my right arm. Really nasty jellyfish!

I’m sure there are more highlights that I’m just not thinking of right now. But we had a great week. Even without wind and snorkeling impaired the first few days because of the swells, it was still a week in paradise! I’ll try to post pics when I can.

Patti