Although there was some damage in the BVI it was mostly to the trees, power lines and a few structures. Anegada and parts of Tortola (north shore and west end) got the worst of it. This morning we received word from Nanny Cay Ship Yard, where Yes Dear is laid up, that she is sitting happily with no damage. It was a bit of a tense day for David (the owner) and Ian and I, however, we came out lucky.

The forecast for a heavy storm season in 2010 seems to be showing some accuracy. Fiona is no longer a threat to the BVI but there’s still a low in the Atlantic we are keeping our eyes on.  Let’s keep our fingers crossed.

The weather in Canada has been wonderful since we have been home! In November it becomes cold and blustery and snows.  In November the British Virgin Islands become idyllic again!  See you then.

Dolphins at the bow

It is a funny thing leaving a boat that you have been living on for 21 of the last 24 months of your life.  It takes about a week before the small reflexive worries subside.  I think we were watching weathercarib.com for over a week and subconsciously thinking… galley stove solenoid off, dock lines secure, hatches closed and locked, yes dear, no dear, weather checked, sky checked, double checked, triple checked….  Now we are just watching the National Hurricane Center online and enjoying very temperate weather in sweaters and pants.    We are slowly getting used to not living in our work space.

Dolphin chasing, Little Harbour

Here are some pics of our last two charters and of Yes Dear being retired for the season at Nanny Cay Marina in Tortola. The picture of Gabriel almost touching the dolphin was taken in Little Harbour. We swam with that dolphin for hours and when we finally dropped our stern line and lifted anchor he chased us almost to Great Harbour before finally disappearing.

Ready for a rest

Here’s a rough list of what is new on Yes dear for 2011: a sound system in No Dear  (yes, that is right, the tender for Yes Dear goes 40 Mph, has a ski pole and now a sound system), new dinghy cushions, more new artwork, new lines, a second double kayak, a new tube, new kids water-skis and a stand-up paddle board.

Last year we had one charter booked going into our first year in the private industry and we were quite nervous about how to run a business in the private charter world (I’m sure our owner David was more nervous).  We ended up completing 16 charters and thoroughly enjoying the season.  We had more freedom than we were used to but also much more responsibility and paper work.  As of today we have 10 charters booked for 2011, that’s nine more than last year!

Thanks to everyone that helped make Yes Dear’s fist first private season and third charter season a success – especially the guests!

Sandy Spit, Jost, Van Dyke

See you soon.

Your crew,

Ian and Jody

Since there were 10 kids and 6 adults, we teamed up with another Voyage 580, Bliss to provide a tandem charter. Each night and even for some lunches we rafted the boats together so the guests could mix and mingle at their leisure. Each night for dinner the kids would dine on one boat and the adults on the other. Tubing was the main focus this week, but we also got a great trip into the Bubbly Pool. What’s the Bubbly Pool? See a video of our excursion at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vi1iTDV2CTo

Sarah and I just spent a wonderful week aboard Yes Dear with five good friends. We never seem to be able to travel with just the one bag each rule. We arrived at Beef Island with six duffle bags weighing 300 lbs of “stuff.” People sometimes wonder where are all the great “stuff” on the boat comes from….well now you know that we are the mules that haul it. Thanks goodness for Platinum American Airlines status and free baggage allowances.

Now to be fair, I have a problem with wanting Yes Dear to have the best toys and equipment of any of the charter boats in the BVI. So unlike most crews who beg their owners for things, Jody and Ian beg me to stop bringing so much “stuff” down, because they run out of room to store it. But I still slip a few items in the bags that don’t get prior approval. I am particularly fond of anything that goes in or under the water: so therefore we have a wide variety of water toys. My pride and joy is the Mambo. It is a wonderful two-seat pull toy with form fitting seats, back rests and side wings. Not liking the little round donuts that you have to hold onto for dear life before you are flung off skidding across the water, the Mambo can be an exciting fast ride . It can also be used for a leisurely ride if you want to see the island’s flora and fauna from the water.

When the Mambo is not being used for it’s intended purpose, it often sits on the trampoline and is a wonderful Barco-lounger type love seat for two…..great for a sailing seat, sipping cocktails, or star gazing at night.

We started our trip in the North Sound where Richard Branson was hosting his first annual Kite Jam www.bvikitejam.com. They had jumps and rails set up for some exciting flying. The next day we spent the morning with Yacht Shots doing a photo shoot of Year Dear under full sail for the website and a new broker brochure.

Anagada was next on our agenda….snorkeling at LobLolly and a lobster dinner on the beach. Could the day have been any better?

One of the perks of being an owner is Jody trying out new recipes on us. This trip was exceptional as she tried out many of her new spa menu possibilities. With more health concerns these days, we have been working on the idea of a Spa Sail. I love sauces and sugar – it’s one of my many downfalls. I was incredibly surprised at how fantastic the spa food was and filling. But then I should have known it would be fantastic….after all, it’s Jody’s cooking. Usually after spending a week on Yes Dear, I will get home and be three or four pounds heavier than when I left. However, this time we got home not having gained any weight, but we actually lost and LOVED the food.

In the ten years that we have been sailing the BVI, this was the worst weather that we have encountered. I was concerned that our guest’s trip would be ruined because of the rain. It was actually quite the opposite. We still went snorkeling and waterskiing and tubing and diving. The water is always warm and the rain cooled the outside air down just enough to be most comfortable.

We had one guest who was on this first trip on a boat. He had been telling his wife for 30 years that he couldn’t do a boat trip because he would get seasick. Len discovered that a patch and a catamaran are a good combination. He never felt sick and had a great time.

Ian has a knack for finding the perfect places to anchor Yes Dear….no swell and no chop.

Could we be any luckier to have the absolute best captain and incredible chef running Yes Dear? We know how lucky we are!

Week #1
Anguilla, St. Martin, St. Barths and Saba.

We learned quickly that Martin was interested in diving and Yulla was interested in sunbathing on the forward trampolines. Oh, and quiet anchorages, white wine and lots of music.

Highlights of the week included:

-A pod of at least 20 dolphins
-A trip to Anguilla’s private and serene Dog Island where Martin and I unsuccessfully tried to find (what is totted in the dive books as) the best dive in Anguilla. Instead we got a refresher course in underwater navigation, and myriad miniature healthy coral heads in 50 feet of sand.
-A trip to St. Barths under motor over lake-like waters which allowed us to stop and dive at two of St. Barth’s outlying islands – Big and Little Grouper. The conditions could not have been better for a dive on Little Grouper. Martin and I both agreed that it was a special and memorable dive. Minimal surge in a surge-prone area and brilliant lighting from a twelve o’clock sun, lots of color, several turtles, some resting nurse sharks and a spotted moray.
-The diving only got better after we convinced Martin and Yulla to weather the swells and winds of Saba (an easy task as both have done a lot of boating). Martin and I dove three times and the four of us enjoyed a sunset dinner at the recently revamped Willard’s (now Shearwater) of Saba. The best sunset views in the Caribbean? We’d say, yes.
-The dives on Saba included: Shark Shoal, Diamond Rock and Hole In The Corner. The swell was up when we arrived at Saba and subsequently visibility was a challenge. On the surface Diamond Rock was green and cloudy but at 80 feet things cleared up enough for us to follow a lobster around the pinnacle and to swim with three reef sharks and to sight, forty feet off, a hammerhead. Mike from Saba Deep led us on these dives and was happy afterwards to chat. He’s completed over 17,000 dives in over 40 years (He has a habit of waving at the reef fish, which makes sense I guess when he’s seen them almost everyday for 12 years). He explained to us how and why he dives to 130 feet without weights or bcd.
-One of us gaping out (day-dreaming/narcing?) and accidentally hitting 145 feet below sea level
-“Goat speak”

We dropped Yulla and Martin in Marigot at Marina Fort Louis after a slow easy sail from Saba. We shared champagne on the dock and reminisced.

Week #2

Anguilla, St. Martin, Sint Maarten, St. Barths, Statia, Nevis, St. Kitts.

We had 48 hours to prep for our next charter: six Americans from Tennessee.
We were to meet them at the marina gate at four o’clock, but they caught us off-guard at the boat at 3:50. Ten minutes sounds negligible, but ten minutes on a turnaround is a lot of time. We try to be ready at least a half an hour early on turnarounds so that we can sit, breathe and talk. Not this time. Because of a few complications with fresh produce delivery, laundry and a laptop repair we were a touch behind when Greg, Summer, Tod, Cheryl, Cindy and Derrick arrived. After an awkward welcome we all settled into the briefing, French cheese and eight French 75’s (brandied cherries, gin, champagne and lemon).
The first night of the charter was a sleep-aboard so we stayed in Marigot and our new guests/crew went to Le Vie En Rose for dinner.
At noon the next day the charter began and we left for St. Barth’s with an overnight stop in Phillipsburg.

Charter highlights:

-Navigating lobster and fish pots with Greg and Jody at four in the morning
-Early starts and sunrises
-Strange west and southwest winds
-A 60 mile run from Nevis to Tintamarre under screecher alone, averaging seven knots over nine hours (and a Sunday Morning Coming Down cover contest).
-A 25 lb mahi mahi that made a perfect ceviche
-Windsurfing lessons
-Anchoring just close enough to the Nevis airport to make the guests happy and the authorities unhappy
-A night snorkel in St Barths. Lobster, a spotted eagle ray, nurse shark and (I think) a bridled burrfish or a balloonfish?
-Private beach on Prickly Pear in Anguilla
-Day-long beach-crawl of St. Barths
-Tapas and rum-shack-crawl in Road Bay Anguilla. (We failed miserably at completing the pub crawl which consisted of only five rum shacks)
-Having the guests (Greg and Tod – perhaps the most helpful and competent guest ever to board Yes Dear) take the helm for the last three days of the trip so that I could be a bartender and sometime guest. They even anchored. I didn’t complain.
-Another group of excellent guests
-Champagne breakfasts

Jody says her watch is over and that we just hit 12.6 knots (motor-sailing). We’ve lucked into an increasing south wind. Still increasing. Time to ease and trim and pay attention. We should complete this 86 nm crossing in less than nine hours – that’s fast. If Greg, Tod or Martin were still here I could have some relief.

Almost home….

Ian

BVI CHARTER

“Yes Dear”

The idea for a BVI charter came from Mike, neighbor to Scott and Gina. He and his wife Barbi proposed the idea and we were recruited for the trip along with Keith and Bobbi, Barbi’s sister and brother-in-law.

After looking on the Web and some discussion, we settled on a week-long charter on the Yes Dear, a 58’ catamaran, crewed by Ian Barber and Jody Boyd.

Planning began in May 2008 and, when we firmed up the sailing date, I started a count-down clock on my computer – 234 days to go. Occasionally, I sent out e-mail “updates” to “the crew” with the number of days remaining and the current weather in Road Town, BVI. As winter strengthened its grip on our lives, the warmth and sunshine of the BVI seemed a long ways away, both in time and reality.

It helped somewhat when, in early January, we got to fill out our “preference sheet”, which was an Excel matrix that solicited information about our favorite foods – breakfast, lunch and dinner. It was four pages long and went into great detail about what we liked or didn’t like in terms of food and drink. Jody made a meal plan based on our preferences. I remember seeing the preference sheet for the first time and being amazed at the detail planning that was going into “our” cruise. It wasn’t going to be anything like a big cruise ship where you show up and pick from the menu what you want to have or shuffle along the buffet trying to determine what looks good. In this case, the menu was being planned ahead of time to fit our likes and dislikes. Oh, did I mention the “liquor” section? You name it – we could have it pretty much for the asking.

Unfortunately, at the last minute, Mike and Barbi had to drop out of the trip so it was the other three couples who ended up going.

After a 3:30 a.m. wake-up and a very cold shuttle to the terminal, we blasted off out of Detroit at 6:00 a.m. on Sat, February 21, flew to Washington DC and then on to St. Thomas, US Virgin Islands, where we landed at about 1:30 in the afternoon. In the airport, we changed into shorts and t-shirts and consumed our first Painkillers, the Virgin Islands’ version of the Pina Colada.

After killing a couple of hours shopping in St. Thomas, we boarded the ferry for the one-hour ride to Tortola, British Virgin Islands. After clearing customs in Tortola, we found our transportation to Fort Recovery, our hotel for the night. The Fort was just that, a fort from the 1600’s, and still had the old stone watchtower near the beach.

That evening after dinner, we got a taxi and went to the Bomba Shack, a beach bar we had heard of on the Internet. Famous (or infamous) for its “Full Moon Parties” and “mushroom tea”, we found Bomba’s right on the beach with sand floors and pictures of past parties as well as women’s panties (and a few men’s briefs) hanging on the walls and from the rafters. From the pictures, it was obvious that this bar could definitely be a hard-partying place.  And, judging from the sizes and styles of some of the underwear on the walls, Bomba’s had been a place visited by a great variety of people.

We all tried the “Bomba Punch” with varying degrees of success. It’s pretty potent stuff, and two members of our group, who shall remain nameless (not me…), ended up leaving their underwear as decoration in keeping with Bomba Shack tradition. That night after returning to Fort Recovery, we heard some strange howling noises and dogs barking, but we’ll leave it at that.

All night that night, the wind blew rather hard and was still blowing and causing whitecaps on the ocean the next morning, raising my fears of what it might mean for us when we got out there on a boat. We got a ride at 11:00 a.m. to Soper’s Hole, a marina on Tortola, did some last-minute shopping and hung out at the charter office until noon when Ian and Jody appeared to pick us up. We had the advantage on them as we had seen their pictures on the boat’s website, but they had no idea what we looked like. They walked us to the Yes Dear and welcomed us aboard with chilled champagne.

We claimed our staterooms, finding them to be compact but not cramped. Ours was in the starboard aft hull and had a queen-size bed with a sink, a toilet in a rather small closet and a shower. The walkway made for some cozy encounters when passing each other and there was a large hatch over the bed which had a large, semi-opaque plastic cover. The cover allowed light to flow into the room and there were two portholes we could open when at anchor. The room was not at all claustrophobic, but was light and airy-feeling.

The cabin on the main deck contained the galley as well as a large table with a padded bench around two sides of it. The galley was Jody’s domain and we were (smilingly) told to pretend that there was an invisible electrical fence across the entry-way through which only Jody could safely pass. A bit territorial, but it was her area so we respected it. Across an aisle-way from the galley was a bar with five bottles of commonly-used liquor upside-down in dispensers, an icemaker and a blender.

There was a small desk for a computer, available for guest use, and there were stairways descending from either side of the cabin down into the catamaran hulls which contained the staterooms.

On the back deck of the boat, under a fiberglass roof, there were two tables – one that could comfortably seat six and, across the aisle-way, a small one that could seat four. The helm was in front of the smaller table and, under that table, there was the large wicker basket in which we kept our shoes while on board.

Built into the deck and the backs of the benches around the tables were various storage compartments and a refrigerator from which we could obtain cold water, pop or beer anytime we desired.

After we got somewhat settled, Jody served us a wonderful lunch of saffron coconut shrimp and salad. While we ate, Ian and Jody briefed us on the “do’s and don’ts” of life aboard a sailboat. Fresh water was “made” from sea water, so showers were of the “Navy” style – get wet, turn the water off, soap up, rinse. No shoes while on board, no jumping on the trampoline, hang on to something when walking around, watch where you walk because, “off the pavement”, it’s very deep and wet, etc.

Then, they asked us where we would like to go during our week. Having no real idea of what was in the area, we asked them what they recommended. They replied that they had their favorite places to go, so we told them go on their favorite trip and just take us along for the ride.

We left the dock and motored out of the harbor. Once clear, Ian raised the sails and shut off the engines. What a wonderful feeling. The wind filled the sails and the hulls made a gentle “hiss” as they cut through the water. I found a seat on one of the pulpits on the bow and just tried to soak it all in. The water and sky were multiple shades of blue, the islands were green, the air was warm and the sun was out. We had music playing on the outdoor speakers and most of our group laid out on the trampoline, just enjoying the warmth, the lack of snow, the scenery and the sensations of finally having made it to our long-anticipated vacation.

Our first stop was to anchor near some good snorkeling – a reef and some caves the water had carved into some cliffs. We snorkeled and swam for about an hour, seeing lots of marine life. After we were done, we set sail for the Bight – a large lagoon near Norman Island. Anchoring there, we found ourselves in the company of about 30 other boats, all anchored for the night.

Over our first round of appetizers (daily at 4:30), we discovered Ian’s ample skills as a barman. He plied us with Painkillers, which were our new favorite drink – at least until the next day’s appetizer-time…

After a great dinner, we took the dinghy (a 16-foot rigid inflatable with a 90-horse outboard named No Dear) to the “Willie T”, a ship permanently anchored in the Bight that is used as a floating restaurant/bar. The parties there are the stuff of legends and they have a couple of picture-books on the bar to prove it. We danced and drank for a couple of hours before Ian came back to retrieve us.

Our first night sleeping on the boat was very soothing – no real rocking – just a gentle and occasional sway – very comforting. Ian ran the generator and air conditioning all night so our cabins were very comfortable with plenty of airflow.

The next morning, we found a wonderful breakfast (Eggs Florentine with basil-almond pesto and tomato) waiting when we got on deck, along with fresh coffee.

After breakfast, we untied from our mooring ball and left the Bight. We stopped to snorkel at “The Indians”, a small reef with two large rocks jutting out of the top of it to a height of 30 or so feet. The sea life around the reef was spectacular. Scott and Gina wanted to dive so the Divemaster, Ms. Freddie Pickles (no kidding – that’s her real name) met the Yes Dear near The Indians. Freddie came out in her own dinghy, tied up to the Yes Dear and came aboard. She hails from England and is quite a character. A bit stout in stature, she described herself as being “built for comfort, not speed”. She briefed Scott and Gina on what they could expect on their dives and they got into and under the water. The rest of us snorkeled around The Indians looking at the sea life that surrounded the reef. Scott and Gina said it was a good dive and that Freddie was one of the best Divemasters they had ever been with.

Afterwards, we pulled up anchor and sailed to Little Harbour off Peter Island. Ian turned the Yes Dear so the stern was facing the island, Jody dropped the anchor off the bow and Ian backed down from it to ensure it was properly set. Because we needed to secure the stern to the island to keep us from swinging, Keith volunteered to swim a line to the island and secure it around some large rocks. The rest of us sat on the boat, drinks in hand, watched and hailed Keith for his heroics.

After the boat was secured, we ate lunch and spent the afternoon sunning and sight-seeing. All of us except Kristy went ashore to Peter Island to explore. There was an old concrete dock where Ian let us off and we followed a paved path up the side of a hill, pushing our way through the underbrush. At the top of the hill, we found an abandoned resort that had about 10-15 guest rooms, a veranda and a kitchen that contained a very old microwave oven. Weeds and brush were beginning to reclaim the buildings and it was apparent that nobody had used the place in a very long time. Kristy spent her afternoon laying out on the trampoline as she was coming down with a cold and felt like resting. She also used the opportunity to recharge her solar batteries after being in a Michigan winter for 3 months.

After our “exploration”, Ian took all of us but Kristy around the island in the dinghy so we could wander around Peter Island Resort. The Resort is owned by the Amway Corporation and it is a first-class operation. We wandered around a bit, looked at the beach with the hammocks under the trees and “conversation groups” of beach furniture around the area. We stopped at the bar for a drink. While we were there, a waitress came over to the cash register and rang up lunch for six guests sitting at a table nearby. They had had burgers, beers and an appetizer or two – $300…Yes, Amway is doing quite well down in the Carib…

After using the really-fancy, marble-floored restrooms, we radioed Ian for pick-up and he came and retrieved us. Appetizer that evening was deluxe nachos and the “Drink-of-the-Day” was the “Wicky-Whacky-Woo”. I don’t know what was in them other than seven different kinds of liquor, but they went down very smoothly. With a kick. Dinner was a very delicious, medium-rare beef tenderloin.

That evening, after dark, Ian turned on the underwater lights on the stern of the Yes Dear, drawing hundreds of minnow-sized fish. It wasn’t long and the crowd of minnows attracted some barracuda which started feeding on them. Not too long after the barracuda started feeding, three manta rays showed up to clean the bottom of the bits the barracudas missed. We all sat around and gawked, having never seen anything like it. Ian said he had never seen three mantas together before. It was every bit as cool as it sounds.

The next morning, we sailed to Salt Island, an abandoned island that was formerly used to harvest salt in silting ponds located on the island. The salt water seeps up through the water table and, when the ponds dry up in the summer, they contain salt to be collected, dried and used.

Just off Salt Island is the wreck of the HMS Rhone, a mail and cargo ship that sank in a storm in 1867. Some of the passengers on the ship made it ashore to Salt Island where they were cared for by the people living on the island. In gratitude, the British Crown agreed to “lease” the island to the BVI government in exchange for one pound of salt per year. At one point, as Freddie Pickles related the story to us, some of the islanders decided to get smart and sent a pound of store-bought salt to the British Exchequer for that year’s “rent”. The salt was returned with a note kindly requesting the real article, harvested from Salt Island. Apparently, someone in London was keeping a close eye on things…

Scott and Gina dove the wreck with Freddie who rendezvoused with us that morning. The rest of us snorkeled around the wreck and could clearly make out the hull, drive shaft, propeller, etc. It was really fascinating to see something that has been under water for over 140 years. If you’ve ever seen the 1970’s movie, “The Deep”, you’ve seen the wreck of the Rhone as it was used for the movie, although the scene most people remember is Jacqueline Bisset swimming in a wet t-shirt, or so I’ve heard…

On Salt Island itself, there is a small “settlement” of 3-4 residential buildings and outbuildings. Ian told us that the last person living there was a crazy man who left in the late 1970’s. Supposedly, he had been hit in the head by a falling coconut and that, coupled with the isolation of the island, drove him crazy. After lunch (Cuban pork wraps with mango chutney), we explored some of the buildings finding old food and soap containers as well as several Bibles, all falling apart at the seams.  We also walked the hills of the Island and took some pictures of the cliffs and the ocean. We literally had the entire island to ourselves for the entire afternoon.

After our adventure ashore, we hoisted anchor and set sail for Cooper Island. We anchored there and some of the folks went ashore to walk around and shop. I didn’t go along, but they had a good time. That evening, we took some pictures of the sunset that were some of the most striking pictures of the entire trip – the sky was multi-colored – incredibly beautiful.

The next morning, we headed to the island of Virgin Gorda to tour The Baths – not exactly what it sounds like. The Baths is a large (really LARGE) formation of rocks in which wind and water have cut tunnels big enough to walk through. You “tour” the Baths by following a path of sorts through the water-filled “tunnels” in the rock. The depth of the water ranges from ankle to mid-chest. There are places where the “ceiling” is open to the sky and the sunlight streams down, illuminating the “tunnel” in multi-colored reflections off the rocks and the water. It is a truly beautiful place to be and experience. There are, predictably, large numbers of people who tour the Baths and there were a large number of boats anchored nearby when we pulled up. It’s a popular stop for cruise ships, although they have to send people there in smaller launches – many of them fat European men in Speedos, but memorable only because they provided a marked contrast to the beauty that surrounded us.

We walked the path through The Baths, which took about 45 minutes, and stopped at various places for photo opportunities. It is difficult to describe the beauty of the place using just words without sounding overly-dramatic or like the “hyperbole key” is stuck, but it is someplace you should see at least once in your life. After our tour, we climbed the nearby hill to a restaurant/bar called the Top of the Baths where we refreshed ourselves with libations from the bar.

Ian picked us up in the dinghy and took us back to the boat for lunch – burgers on the grill. After lunch, some of us went into Spanish Town to poke around. Kristy was in the midst of nasty sinus infection by now and I was hoping (against hope) to find a pharmacy that would sell some antibiotics over the counter like they do in Mexico. I found a pharmacy, but they wouldn’t sell anything without a prescription. We bought some t-shirts and gifts for Ian and Jody while Ian restocked some of the liquor supply.

After we got back to the Yes Dear, we untied from the mooring ball and set sail for North Sound, near the Bitter End Yacht Club and Necker Island. It took three hours to sail there, but the weather was spectacular, the scenery was beautiful and we just enjoyed being on the boat. For those who easily get seasick and are queasy at the thought of sailing, they should know the Yes Dear is 31 feet wide and extremely stable. Kristy is susceptible to motion sickness but wore a Scopolamine patch all week and never had a problem. In fact, nobody ever came close to getting seasick during the week. We had, admittedly, pretty calm seas, but the motion of the boat was very slow and stable with very little roll and even less pitch.

Approaching North Sound, we were met by a man standing in a dinghy with a VERY large-lensed camera who took pictures of us and our boat. He works for a company called “Yacht Shots” and they post pictures of various charter boats on the web for purchase by the passengers at a later date. We all waved and smiled appropriately.

Passing through North Sound, we went by the Bitter End Yacht Club which is home to some very large and expensive yachts and condos. Bitter End is located on Virgin Gorda, We sailed through a passage between a couple of islands and anchored off Prickly Pear, just to the east of Virgin Gorda.

Approximately a mile or so away from where we anchored is Necker Island, which is owned by Sir Richard Branson who also owns Virgin Airways and Virgin Records. It is his private island and contains a complex of villas which are quite spectacular. It can be rented by anyone who has $30,000 rolling around in their pockets to stay a night. Yes, a night…

Regular guests include movie stars, rock musicians, supermodels and world politicians. It’s even been the site for a photo shoot for a Sports Illustrated Swimsuit issue or, so I’ve heard… The island experience comes with a complete staff and all the amenities imaginable. We climbed in the dinghy for a closer look and Ian took us almost all the way around Necker. There were several different sections to the beach, each with lounge chairs. One section contained a volleyball net and another had several small sailboats on it. There was also a very long zipline leading from one of cliff-side houses down to the beach – we estimated its length at about 400 feet – looked like fun. Approximately a quarter mile off Necker Island is a small sand spit. On the sand spit, there are three fake palm trees and some plastic pink flamingos. On one of the palm trees, there is a security camera. Apparently, the trees were put there to keep boats from running into the spit, which could be hard to see at night. It was amusing to see something so artificial in an area of such great natural beauty. The deviant side in us thought briefly about landing and having our pictures taken with the pink flamingos, but our “good” side decided that might be pushing it a bit.

The next morning, we sailed to the island of Anegada, which is often referred to as the “Drowned Island” of the BVI’s. It was about a 2.5 hour sail and I put a fishing line in the water on the way without results. But, that’s why they call it “fishing” instead of “catching”. Off the shore of Anegada is the fourth-largest barrier reef in the world, which was clearly defined by the waves crashing against it. It went a LONG ways from the island.

This was the one evening we planned to have dinner “off the boat” at a beachfront lobster restaurant. Ian had to call the restaurant that morning to make reservations so they would know how many lobsters to go out and catch that day for dinner that night. So, yeah, it was fresh lobster…The restaurant was right off the end of the dock and we walked past it on our way to meet our taxi.

Ian told us about a beach on the far side of the island from the harbor where there was some good snorkeling. He packed fins and masks with snorkels into a mesh bag for us to take with us. He also contacted a taxi driver named Mitch who showed up with a pick-up truck with benches in the back. Mitch was an interesting man…orange polish on his toe-nails. We think Mitch liked to drink a bit…fortunately, he drove quite slowly. We loaded up in the back of Mitch’s truck and set off for Loblolly Beach. Along the way, we toured Anegada and saw the cacti and sawgrass that grow there in abundance. There were also cows and goats wandering free throughout the island and on the road. Luckily, Mitch was driving slowly enough that the presence of livestock on the road never became a concern.

We got to Loblolly Beach and found the snorkeling to be very good – about 40 yards offshore lies a reef. The fish and coral were beautiful. After snorkeling, we took a walk along the beach and discovered that it goes for a VERY long way…we could see it receding into the distance and didn’t bother to explore the entire length.

After getting back in Mitch’s truck, he took us to see some mudflats where pink flamingos congregate. There they were – way off in the distance – some little pink dots. Ok….back on the truck. Next, we went to visit Cow Wreck Beach or, rather, the bar at Cow Wreck Beach where we bought drinks from the rather surly woman behind the bar. Mitch apparently saw some friends of his – Mitch seemed to have lot of friends – and he joined them in a drink. But, hey, who’s counting?

When we all finished, including Mitch, we climbed back into Mitch’s conveyance so he could deliver us back to the dock. Safely there at approximately 4:30, Scott, our resident Practical Joker, formed a plan to “get” Jody. As we had walked past the restaurant where we planned to have dinner, he announced that, when we got back on the boat, he was going to tell Jody the place looked “disgusting” and that we had decided to have dinner on the boat that evening after all. Now, Jody is something of a perfectionist who likes to plan ahead and work her plan. She was not planning on serving dinner to us that evening. Ian agreed to play along as best he could. As expected, Scott played his part to perfection and Jody looked appropriately perplexed. Ian made himself very scarce because, in his own words, he is “terrible” at keeping a straight face. We let Jody off the hook about ten minutes later and, fortunately, she is a very good sport. She confessed to having had a mild panic attack while she was trying to figure out how to prepare and serve dinner in a short period of time, particularly since her main course-type food was frozen.

As it was getting dark, we loaded into the dinghy and Ian took us to the dock. We strolled to the restaurant and sat at a long table on the beach that had a tiki-type roof over the length of it. Everybody but Ian ordered lobster and it wasn’t long before I had the biggest lobster I have ever seen set in front of me. Cut in half and laid out, it literally filled the normal-sized dinner plate. It had to be all of three pounds – I couldn’t finish it – and it was amazing in flavor and texture. The evening was beautiful with warm air, gentle breezes, fun friends and a delicious meal. I decided that, if I ever hit the lottery, this was the kind of life I would love to lead full-time.

After dinner, we returned on the No Dear to the Yes Dear and bunked down for the night. The next morning, we ate breakfast and set sail for Brewer’s Bay where we anchored for the day. While there, Kristy, Gina, Ian and I went snorkeling on a reef in the bay and, later, Ian took Keith and Kristy water-skiing behind the No Dear.  Ian put the sea kayak in the water and the couples took turns paddling around the bay. There were pelicans feeding nearby – they would circle at about 30-40 feet altitude, then fold their wings and power-dive into the water. Most times, they came up with a mouthful of fish. They did it over and over and over again and it was very entertaining to watch. The rest of the morning and early afternoon we enjoyed just being lazy in the sunshine and warm air. The scenery was, as usual for the BVI, spectacular – multi-shaded water, green island with steep hills, cows feeding on the sides of the hills and houses dotting the hillside.

Later that afternoon, we lifted anchor and sailed to nearby Cane Garden Bay. We went ashore to do some wandering around and some shopping at the little stores and stalls that line the beach. We laid out on some beach lounge chairs and just enjoyed the experience. After dinner on the Yes Dear, we went back ashore and visited a bar owned by a local Reggae star named Quito (“kee-toe”) Rhymer. He is, apparently, pretty famous throughout the Caribbean and he and his band play live in his bar on most nights, including the one when we were there. They were excellent musicians and we danced and enjoyed the evening. Over the bar, there hung a waterski with four or five holes drilled into it, which was known as the “Shot-Ski”. Some members of our party elected to do shots so the ski was pulled down and placed on the bar. Their shots were poured into shot-glasses which were placed in the holes in the ski. At the count of three, they all lifted the ski and simultaneously consumed their shots.

The next morning, we set sail for White Bay on the island of Jost Van Dyke. Enroute, we passed Sandy Cay, a small island/sandspit, on which grows some palm trees. It is an idyllic place – often photographed as the “ideal paradise island”. If you Google, “Sandy Cay Virgin Islands”, you will find pictures of it.

Mid-morning, we moored off of White Bay, which has a beautiful white beach and is home to a series of little beach bars including the Soggy Dollar, Ivan’s Stress Free and Seddy’s One Love. The Soggy Dollar got its name because, although you can anchor off of White Beach and dinghy in, because of the sharp drop-off, the only way to get onshore is to wade or swim. Therefore, any money in your pockets gets soggy. The Soggy Dollar has a clothesline stretching along the back of the bar over the cash register where the soggy dollars are hung out to dry. They also claim to be the inventor of the Painkiller.

At one of the other bars, you tell the bartender what you want and they hand you the ingredients for you to mix your own.  I had never before been at a self-service bar…but, it was fun. We spent the afternoon lolling on the beach and slowly strolling from bar to bar to bar…the sun was out, the air was warm, the breezes were gentle, people were playing the surf or laying out in the sun. It was an idyllic afternoon. At our last stop at Ivan’s Stress-Free Bar, we sat down with Ian and Jody as well as the crew from another catamaran and just enjoyed hearing their stories about life on a chartered catamaran.

The Yes Dear was built in South Africa by a company called, “Voyage”. It was bought by a man who lives in California and was sailed from South Africa to the BVI on its own bottom by a delivery crew. There, the owner “chartered it back” to Voyage through the charter service it owns in the BVI. Voyage found Ian and Jody to crew it, but they work for the owner who collects a share of the charter fee. Voyage Charters collects a management fee for its services in booking the charters and caring for the boat. Voyage Charters has a website listing the boats and the crewmembers on each boat. When I looked at the site before our trip, I wondered why so many of the crewmembers were South African, but Ian gave me the foregoing explanation, which made perfect sense. Ian and Jody are Canadian, but most of the other crews are South African and most are younger husband/wife or boyfriend/girlfriend couples. It’s a hard life and one that most people couldn’t live for an entire career. But, I can see where it would be a lot of fun for the right people at the right time in their lives.

One time, while we were sailing, I came out of the cabin to find Jody on one of her few breaks from the galley just watching the BVI slide by. I said, “Just another day at the office, eh?” She replied, with a sigh and a sly smile, “Yeah…this is just brutal.” It’s obvious both of them enjoy their way of life, but it does have its downsides. They live aboard the boat and use whatever stateroom is not being used by guests. If all the boat is “full”, they take the smallest room on the boat as theirs. Jody was usually up by 6 to start breakfast and they usually retired about 10 at night. They are responsible for the boat and its passengers on a 24/7 basis and they don’t really have a choice as to their passengers. Most are kind and fun to be around but some can be VERY demanding and some can be just downright unreasonable. At the end of the week, it was very nice to hear Ian tell me, “You know, this week has been about as good as it gets for Jody and me.”

Anyway, after our afternoon on White Beach, we untied from the mooring ball and sailed around the point to a more protected anchorage for the night. There were about 30 boats in the anchorage and we joined them. Ian hooked up the BBQ grill and did steaks and corn on the cob. During dinner, we were treated to the sight of the rather large man on one of the adjoining boats taking a shower on the stern of his boat…sans clothing.

After dinner, Keith modeled a new garment he had created. In the months prior to the trip, amidst various jokes about clothing we would be wearing on the trip, Keith had promised (or threatened…) that he would wear a “Spong”. He claimed it was his own creation and was a cross between a Speedo and a thong. On the last night of our trip, we got to see his Spong, which he had created that afternoon out of half of a coconut shell, some coconut husks and some fishing line. While pictures were taken and are being held for blackmail purposes, the entire effect is best left to the imagination. It was, in short, a sight to behold.

That night, we took the dinghy to shore and spent about an hour or so at Foxy’s where Bobbi danced and Keith sort of moved in time with the music. It was a fun evening and a good way to cap off our trip.

The next morning, we sailed back to Soper’s Hole on Tortola, bid Ian and Jody a sorrowful goodbye and climbed aboard a water taxi back to St. Thomas. It was very hard to leave the Yes Dear and Ian and Jody. I would have gladly gone right back out for another week. I decided that, if I ever played and hit the lottery, a catamaran in the Caribbean is where I would like to spend my retirement.

The water taxi stopped in St. John’s to clear Customs. We all had to go into the Customs office on the dock there and have our passports stamped, bags checked, etc. As we were standing in the Customs office, I noticed that the dock it was on was moving. Then, I looked out the window and saw the building was surrounded on three sides by concrete. I realized that it wasn’t the building that was moving – it was me. I had earned my “sea legs” and was getting my “land legs” back.

After arriving in St. Thomas, we got a van to take us to our hotel, the Ritz-Carlton. It was our first five-star hotel experience and it was an experience. We had a great room, great food, a beautiful pool and a great time just hanging out at the end of a most relaxing week. The service was impeccable. I felt like something of a fraud– afraid that these staff people who were treating me with such respect would find out I was just a guy from s small country town who happened to be there by accident.

All three couples went their separate ways for dinner that night to spend some time alone after a week of togetherness. It might be too much information, but in dressing for dinner, I realized that it was the first time in a week that I had put on underwear or shoes other than sandals. That for me, more than anything else, signaled that a week of freedom and relaxation was about to end.

The next afternoon, we headed for home. It was in the mid-80’s and sunny when we left St. Thomas and it was 8 degrees and dark when we landed in Detroit. That 75 degree temperature swing in the wrong direction was a real kick in the head. But, we were so “blissed-out” at that point, we took it in stride and made our way home.

In summary, it was, very simply, the trip of a lifetime. Maybe, someday, we can do it again. But, at least we can say we’ve done it once. I know that those who made it possible for us wouldn’t want me to make a big deal out of it, but we owe them a huge debt of gratitude for enabling us to have such an incredible week. Thank you to all involved from the bottoms of our hearts.

Ian had been very busy right up until 24 hours before the Christmas charter arrived getting his Dive Master completed (yay, Ian) so hoped he would be rested for two groups who told him, specfically, “make sure you rest up as our ‘kids’ will tire you out”.   Both groups consisted of several 20 somethings who planned on exlporing the night life. And that they did.

Santa found Yes Dear in North Sound on Christmas Eve so everyone had a little gift or two to open on Christmas morning.  Yes Dear even got a Starbucks espresso machine and and Ice Cream Maker!  We experimented with the espresso machine, however yesterday was the first chance we had to get the ice cream maker out.  It’s amazing how sugar, cream and vanilla can taste so good when frozen. So two goals to accomplish over the next couple of weeks…1)learn to use the espresso machine better 2)come up with a trio of sorbets that I would like to serve on charter. Oh, what a tough job we have.

cathyboydfineart.com

We are resting in Great Harbour today. Not sure Ian would call it resting however, as I dragged him out of bed before 7am and made him come hike the Peter Island trail with me.  We need a day or two of recovery. I am not sure what was more tiring, the full days of chatting with the Brokers or the full nights of letting loose and getting to know the other Crews.  Ian starts his Dive Master course the day after tomorrow and it sounds like he will be in class for at least two weeks. We will also take a trip over to St Thomas for a stock up. I am in the market for new rugs for the cabins and the entrance way not to mention several other things for the season. Below are some photos from the show. I have never been a big photographer so I have to get used to taking more photos for the blog. This is all new!