Sometimes the stars align and you hit a home run (Nathan only hit a few) and at other times, the stars don't know what the hell alignment means. The day before Jeremey & Melissa arrived, sailing to the airport anchorage was another one of those safety harness, double reef sails. We never took the double reef out for the entire week that Jeremey & Melissa were down here with us. Their plane arrived on time and so did they, but they were the last ones out of the baggage claim area because it's hard to claim your baggage when it doesn't arrive. They had to run to catch their connecting flight in Chicago, but I guess the baggage couldn't run quite as fast. All those warm northern clothes they arrived in just isn't going to cut it down here in the Caribbean. Smart thinking Melissa had packed her bathing suit in her carry-on though. Baggage didn't arrive in on the next flight that night, or the first flight the next morning either. We weren't about to sit in the anchorage and wait for luggage so we told them we would keep in touch as we travelled through the islands and they would have to find us. Baggage finally arrived 2 days late and because the airport was on our return route, we picked it up. The smiles on Jeremey & Melissa's face brightened a little bit after 2 days of borrowing "old" people clothes.
Cane Garden Bay is the anchorage where they taxi all the cruise ship passengers for a day of sun and fun. All the lounge chairs are neatly lined up on the beach for the throngs that will arrive. We happened to be lucky and be there on a day where there were no cruise ships in so we had most of the beach to ourselves - didn't have to share. Jeremey found some literature that put a price on renting Richard Branson's house on Necker Island. Most literature says that if you have to ask the price, you can't afford it, but the number Jeremey found was $47,900 per night! That might make it an expensive week. Because of the strength of the winds, we almost had Peter Island to ourselves as well. The night before Jeremey & Melissa were to leave, the airport anchorage at Trellis Bay had a Full Moon Party at the beach bar. Some of the local artisans talked and demonstrated their skills - pottery wheel work and kiln firing were impressively demonstrated. But more was still to come. Even though it had rained quite heavily during the day and early evening - which meant we weren't sure we were going to see the full moon - the sculptured metal ball bonfires were able to be lit. Later in the evening, we had another chance to see the Jumbie stilt dancers again and unfortunately one fell from a great height during the routine but wasn't hurt. We had the good fortune of running into Adam Matheson twice this week. The first time, we passed each other as it took the brain awhile to register that that face might be someone you know. The second time, we caught up with each other at the Full Moon Party.
The flight home for Jeremey & Melissa had more adventure as a flight was delayed resulting in a missed connecting flight, but they did eventually get home early in the morning.
Our visitors visa for the BVI's expires tomorrow but we left the BVI's today & cleared through U.S. customs at St. John. Tonight we sit in St. Thomas at Red Hook on the patio terrace. Two bars have competing bands so the music gets a bit mixed. We hope to be travelling in the USVI's for the next 2 or 3 weeks.
Note to Tim: Clearing in and out of the BVI's might be easiest at Jost Van Dyke. This would have the added advantage of going to Foxies twice. If Adam has not made plans past your charter and wants to sail the Leeward Islands with us, contact us at draper.bruce@yahoo.ca or 284-545-6389 (if we're still using our BVI cell phone sim card).
Cane Garden Bay is the anchorage where they taxi all the cruise ship passengers for a day of sun and fun. All the lounge chairs are neatly lined up on the beach for the throngs that will arrive. We happened to be lucky and be there on a day where there were no cruise ships in so we had most of the beach to ourselves - didn't have to share. Jeremey found some literature that put a price on renting Richard Branson's house on Necker Island. Most literature says that if you have to ask the price, you can't afford it, but the number Jeremey found was $47,900 per night! That might make it an expensive week. Because of the strength of the winds, we almost had Peter Island to ourselves as well. The night before Jeremey & Melissa were to leave, the airport anchorage at Trellis Bay had a Full Moon Party at the beach bar. Some of the local artisans talked and demonstrated their skills - pottery wheel work and kiln firing were impressively demonstrated. But more was still to come. Even though it had rained quite heavily during the day and early evening - which meant we weren't sure we were going to see the full moon - the sculptured metal ball bonfires were able to be lit. Later in the evening, we had another chance to see the Jumbie stilt dancers again and unfortunately one fell from a great height during the routine but wasn't hurt. We had the good fortune of running into Adam Matheson twice this week. The first time, we passed each other as it took the brain awhile to register that that face might be someone you know. The second time, we caught up with each other at the Full Moon Party.
The flight home for Jeremey & Melissa had more adventure as a flight was delayed resulting in a missed connecting flight, but they did eventually get home early in the morning.
Our visitors visa for the BVI's expires tomorrow but we left the BVI's today & cleared through U.S. customs at St. John. Tonight we sit in St. Thomas at Red Hook on the patio terrace. Two bars have competing bands so the music gets a bit mixed. We hope to be travelling in the USVI's for the next 2 or 3 weeks.
Note to Tim: Clearing in and out of the BVI's might be easiest at Jost Van Dyke. This would have the added advantage of going to Foxies twice. If Adam has not made plans past your charter and wants to sail the Leeward Islands with us, contact us at draper.bruce@yahoo.ca or 284-545-6389 (if we're still using our BVI cell phone sim card).
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