Lunch at the Fat Virgin Cafe at Biras Creek, Virgin Gorda
Watching as the sea plane disappears out of sight from North Sound, Virgin Gorda
Saba Rock and a great restaurant/bar in North Sound, Virgin Gorda
You gotta love the water colors in the BVI's
"This is my favorite place", said Admiral Maria
Great beach around the corner from Saba Rock with no one on it except us
Necker Island: Sir Richard Branson's private place
Even Maria likes the crystal clear water in the BVI's
S/Y Aspen – April 16, 2016 – Log #143
Aspen Position: 18 degrees 30’ N 064 degrees 21’ W
British Virgin Islands
The Anegada Passage from Sint Maarten to the British Virgin Islands is a notoriously nasty 15 hour sail. Yet with proper planning the sail can be pleasant with the Southern Cross shimmering brightly in the dark night sky.
We had a very nice crossing and even watched the Disney cruise ship’s fireworks display as it flashed and boomed close to our course around midnight. What fun that was.
We arrived to clear customs and immigration as the offices opened, made a quick trip to Digicel for our new sim card for internet and phone access and then it was back on Aspen for the 2 hour sail to North Sound and the Bitter End, Maria’s absolute favorite place in the Caribbean.
Entering North Sound the water turned to multiple shades of blue in the clear sea, with tarpon and barracuda following Aspen to her peaceful anchorage. Ah yes, this is what sailing in the Caribbean is supposed to be like, Maria told me.
We will spend a couple weeks in the Virgin Islands before hauling Aspen out of the water for hurricane season in Puerto Rico.
During our time here we will socialize, as sailors do, with new friends anchored near us for the inevitable happy hour celebrations as the sun sets gently into the Caribbean Sea. Then there are the antics of the charter boats who give us unlimited entertainment as they try to pick up a mooring ball or avoid the sunken ships and reefs around us.
Within sight of our anchorage are 2 islands owned by Sir Richard Branson, who sails by on his massive catamaran (Necker Belle) or flies in on his helicopter from time to time as he entertains his friends from a completely different extravagant lifestyle.
Captain Steve prefers the simple pleasures of fixing nearly everything on Aspen and bashing to windward against the strong trade winds instead of worrying about where the caviar and champaign came from on a megayacht! The admiral might have a different opinion?
Sail on, sail on Aspen…
Also, our book, Voyage Into Hell, is available at Amazon.com
