AL does the VI

Virgin Islands January 9th - 16th

Our son, IV, his lovely wife Olivia, and their adorable daughter, Anna Louise joined us for a week.  We arranged for a local taxi, George, to meet them at the Beef Island airport and bring them to Nanny Cay, where we had spent the day getting Lady prepped for their arrival (provisions, baby food, diapers, beach toys).  We checked them in to the Nanny Cay Hotel, and headed to Peg Legs, a local restaurant for a delicious dinner.

Sunday they boarded Lady, and we enjoyed breakfast together before departing the marina and headed along the Sir Francis Drake Channel. It was a glorious day, with nice wind and turquoise water. 

We had booked the family in at Leverick Bay Resort and Marinain the North Sound of Virgin Gorda.  The hotel was very accommodating and their room lovely.  Charlie and I stayed aboard Lady on one of the resort's moorings.

Anna Louise went swimming using her purple and yellow life-jacket that I had obtained at the Seven Seas Cruising Association swap at Camp Letts last October.

Our friend Jeff Gentzen had phoned to let us know he was in the area, and would be aboard Straybo, off the Bitter End Yacht Club the following evening.  Jeff and IV have been friends since the were in kindergarten at Barnard Elementary School in Tulsa; we taught Jeff to sail when IV brought him along for weekends at Grand Lake, OK; he is now a professional captain working on a 73 foot Swan sailing yacht.  We modified our plans so that we could meet him Monday evening, so after the family checked out of the hotel, we left North Sound and sailed to The Baths, a magnificent area for swimming with enormous boulders.  Anna Louise went swimming again, and then we took turns to snorkel and watch Anna Louise. While ashore we were able to walk across the lower end of the island to Devils Bay.  Anna Louise has a wonderful Kelty backpackthat she can ride in very comfortably, and it will carry a lot of her stuff too.  She sits in it very comfortable riding behind her dad or mom.  I'm sure it was a great help getting though airports on the way here.  After a lovely day, we sailed back to North Sound, picked up a mooring near Bitter End Yacht Club, and Jeff came over for a drink and visit.  After dinner  Anna Louise went to sleep, and Charlie and I baby-sat while IV and Olivia met Jeff ashore at Saba Rock and then went on to a party at Biter End Yacht Club.

Tuesday morning we dropped the mooring and headed north to Anegada, a low-lying island about two-to three hours sail from Virgin Gorda.  We had a great breeze, and Anna Louise had a grand time playing with toys, lines, and family as we made the passage.  We picked up a mooring off Neptune's Treasure, where we had a room reserved.  While the rest of us decided on dinner choices, Charlie rented a jeep, and once he returned we loaded the car and headed to Loblolly Bay.  Anna Louise swam with her parents, while Charlie and I snorkeled on the reef.  After lunch and a nap, we loaded up the Jeep, and headed to Cow Wreck Bay, where we played on the lovely sand beach and made friends with some local children.

All too soon the sun was getting lower in the sky.  We took a diversion to fee the flamingos, but being the flighty creatures they are, the flamingo pond was deserted.

Dinner at Neptune's Treasure was delicious, most of us had locally caught fish, and Anna looked divine in her turquoise outfit.

Wednesday we had a long sail - Anegada to Norman Island -one end of the BVIs to the other.  The wind was good, and it was another glorious day. 

Once we got to Norman Island, Anna Louise took a nap - here she is on one of the settee cushions moved to the floor of the VIP Guest state room, with a couple of cushions wedged in.  While she was asleep, her parents and Gran-dad were able to take the dinghy over to The Caves and snorkeled and saw lots of pretty fish.  

After they got back Anna Louise woke up, and was able to swim herself.

We went ashore for drinks at Pirates Bight, and Anna Louise played on another sandy beach.

Thursday we had to head back to the dock, as the appointment to finally get the rudder fixed was for that afternoon.  We stopped at The Indians on the way, and IV and I snorkeled around the rocks while Charlie and Olivia stayed on Lady.  We were thrilled to see a small  eel and a hawksbill turtle.  Once we got back to the dock, Charlie was busy with mechanics.  We checked out some of the shops, and went to the beach.

Friday it rained!  All day! Fortunately the weather did not stop IV from joining the dive-trip he had booked, and made two dives on the wreck of RMS Rhone.  We were at the dock, so spent a lazy day on the boat, went out for lunch, did a little shopping and had our last family dinner at Peg Legs, and heard all about IV's big adventure.

The last of Anna Louise's's stuff got removed from Lady, and Charlie got a final picture of his feet with hers.

George the Taxi driver was here promptly at 0630 Saturday morning to pick everyone up for the trip to the airport to go home to Tulsa. 

This was a very special week for us. We were so please to have them aboard.  Anna Louise was born to be an island girl.  She had a splendid time.

(This post is probably of very little interest to anybody but Anna Louise's other grandmother, Rickey Engle.)

Comments

[Stephanie]

I actually thoroughly enjoyed it.