Better Than Snow Cruise

Before dinner at Foxy's Tamarind Bar & Grill, JVD-BVI

A few weeks ago, we had the pleasure of having my brother Marty join us for a ten day sail around the US and British Virgin Islands.  While we were together, he kept getting texts from family members in Michigan that consistently reported the temperature and expected snowfall.  In short order, we jokingly dubbed this cruise the  “Better Than Snow Cruise” on day one. 

Marty was always happy to take the helm.  As a matter of fact-
he smiled for 10 days straight no matter what.

       The name seemed appropriate until the smoke alarm started going off every time I began to cook.  The first time it happened I thought nothing of it, but then each and every time I began to cook a meal it sounded loudly- sometimes twice during a meal prep.  After a few days of this, Danny and Marty took a few turns preparing a meal oddly without incident. Nothing was actually burned and they assured me that every thing tasted divine, but it was still irritating to me. By day three, I wondered if we should refer to this cruise as the “Rosie Burned Everything Cruise”.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

       Marty is an avid fisherman and came prepared with tackle to thoroughly enjoy the sport.  Danny and I like to troll and catch whatever we can, so both Marty and Danny got official fishing licenses for the BVI. When signing the register at the Government House in Road Town, Tortola, the desk clerk politely told Marty that they have a dress code and that the lady (ME) would be allowed inside today, but my legs must be covered if I ever come back. (I was wearing shorts that hung to mid-thigh instead of the knee.) With BVI fishing licenses in hand, we were off!

Getting rigged to bonefish on Anegada, BVI

       We trolled while underway at every opportunity.  Marty used his fly rod to entice any bonefish that were hiding in the shallows of Anegada. On the way back from there, we headed to the North Drop to criss-cross it; then we skirted Kingfish Bank before finding our way into the anchorage at Great Harbor, Jost Van Dyke. We had sailed and trolled for about seven hours that day. Every daily effort we made to catch fish was rewarded with one GREAT hit and then the whopper either jumped off the hook or bit clean through the steel leader.  We did have a fantastic time, though and, in retrospect, I think we could have also called this cruise the “One Hit Wonder Cruise”.

[And I expect our dear friend Jim Bush is shaking his head and tsking as he reads this entry- saying "That's why they call it fishing and not catching."

The Caves of Brewers Bay (St. Thomas-USVI)

[Since I “blew” my New Year’s resolution for the month of January, I thought it would be best if I post this entry while the burn in my thigh muscles is still fresh.]


       We have anchored in Brewers Bay many times over the past five years and have never heard any mention of the Caves located on the face of the mountain about two-thirds of the way to the top. (See photo on right.) Recently, while anchored in Honeymoon Bay, Water Island we learned about them from Carl and Lesley of sv FROLIC.  They described the hike in detail and we could see the Caves from Water Island even though Brewers Bay was a twenty minute motoring trip away.  We made plans to go just two days ago.


       Fortunately, Carl was willing to hike with us and guide us up the strenuous path of boulders. It appeared to be a vertical stream bed from a waterfall, but not a drop of water was found. The climb was tough and vertical, making it necessary to grab on to trees to hoist ourselves higher and higher. About one-third of the way, we passed the remains of a shack along the path.  We paused to survey the “Rasta Ruins” and were amazed at what may have motivated him/her to haul every bit of material up to construct a shelter there. (See photo on left.) We even saw an old bike frame in the rubble!

      The only wildlife we encountered along the way were some songbirds, one gungalo, a snail, and two small nests of intensely territorial wasps.  Poor Carl- since he led the way, he got hit twice mainly on his legs.  I got one sting on my butt, and Dan got attacked on his arm. 
       In just under one hour, that included three self-imposed rest periods, we reached the bottom of the caves!  Someone had installed two lines for climbing to access the caves, but they didn’t appear trustworthy and we, after all, are not anywhere near capable of ascending the face of a one hundred foot high boulder even if it is rough enough to have multiple natural hand holds.

      We walked a bit farther up and around the massive rock and were rewarded with a perfect view of Brewers Bay below and St. Thomas’s Airport runway just beyond.     
     Our descent only took about thirty minutes, but it, too, was extremely difficult as gravity drove us downward at a quick pace.  I tumbled a few times jamming my knees and turning an ankle.  Luckily, today as I write this all ailments are gone!




The path to The Caves is landscaped, but unmarked...