A Sad Passage

We left Sint Maarten at o’dark thirty on April 16 for the 80-mile sail across the dreaded Anegada Passage to Virgin Gorda in the British Virgin Islands. Compared to our first passage with 20 -25 knots and 8 ft. seas, we only had about 6 to 7 knots from behind, which is hardly enough to move a big blue water boat like ours.  It was a gorgeous day, however, and we mused about how in the old days this would have been a good opportunity to top off the batteries with all the motoring. Now, however, with our massive battery/solar array we seem to always be topped off. It’s a wonderful feeling.

View of the Bitter End Yacht Club Resort complex from the top of Guy's Trail.

We arrived in Virgin Gorda North Sound about 4:30 pm and were excited to see our old friends, Mark and Sue on Macushla of Shannon anchored nearby. We set the hook in the lee of Prickly Pear Island, since the wind had naturally decided to strengthen to 25 to 30 knots by the next day, and blew that strong the entire week we were there. Getting to the upwind dingy dock and resort was an exercise in splash therapy, as we tried to dodge the bigger waves hitting us on the nose with every seventh wave soaking us to the skin.

Once the wind calmed down later in the week things got back to normal.

The Bitter End Yacht Club has lots of sailboats to rent and is a great place to learn to sail.

The pool at the Bitter End Yacht Club. Rooms start at $600 a night.

Virgin Gorda has changed a lot since our first visit back in the 1980s and I still miss the old dingy docks with the shark pen in the middle. Meant you had to be very, very careful walking back to your dingy at 10 pm after three or four Rum Punches. We walked around the Bitter End Yacht Club Resort, which has expanded greatly, and enjoyed an ice cream from the little store. The British Virgin Islands these days seem to be an extension of Florida, with Americans on charters making up about 90% of the visitors.

Back at the boat we had a few projects (the term “a few projects” always seems to be a misnomer when describing boat work), including finishing the varnishing of the inside teak window trim. Trying to carefully varnish around windows with the boat rocking up and down in waves is always fun.

Remember when you'd be startled by a little bug walking across the trail?

It's a good thing it's a long walk to the Fat Virgin because the cheeseburgers have about a million calories apiece.

We meet Hannah from Finland on the Guy's Trail and had a great conversation with her has we hiked down the other side.

A nice view of the Biras Creek Resort. Don't even ask what the rooms cost.

We took a day off on the 19th and walked along the Mangrove Trail from the Bitter End Yacht Club along the water to Brias Creek Resort. We continued a short way further around the bay, being startled at one point by a big iguana slithering out on the trail, and on to the infamous Fat Virgin Restaurant for their signature BBQ’d cheeseburgers (which were really good, but incredibly expensive). On the way back we hiked over the peak behind Bitter End Yacht Club along Guy’s Trail, which featured expansive views out over the British Virgin Islands. Near the top we met a Finnish girl who was lost, and hiked with her back to the beach near Saba Rock. I’d never met anyone from Finland so it was fun to talk with her about what it’s like to live that close to the Russians (she said they are scared to death with all the recent happenings).

From L to R: Martin and Tina off Petronella and Mark and Sue off Macushla sharing Painkillers at Saba Rock Resort.

On the morning of April 21st we received an early morning call from Meryl’s sister, Durlyn. When I saw the Caller ID I immediately knew what it was, and I dreaded handing the phone to Meryl. Meryl’s mother, Joan, had passed away the night before at a long-term care facility in Olympia. She had been in declining health for quite awhile and at 89 had a long and full life, but it’s still devastating to hear of your mother’s death. After a good cry we began to plan for leaving the boat somewhere and flying back to Seattle. Luckily that night we had previously scheduled sun-downers with Macushla of Shannon and Petronella of Wight (I just love the British boat names) and met Mark and Sue and Martin and Tina for drinks on the deck of the Saba Rock Resort. It was good to be with friends that evening and the four Painkillers certainly did their job. Meryl’s sister had scheduled Joan’s memorial service for a week away, so thank God we didn’t have to rush back quite yet.

The indomitable Michal Bean Pirate Show at Leverick Bay Marina.

The crew off a charter catamaran were all decked out in the requisite pirate regalia.

The family in the front came as the cast from Gilligan's Island, including Gilligan in the red.

On the 22nd we moved the boat a short distance down Virgin Gorda North Sound to Leverick Bay Resort, where we decided we need some good old fashion cheering up. We dingied in at 5:00 pm to watch the somewhat infamous Michael Bean Pirate Show. It’s corny, it’s packed with Mid West-based tourists, and it’s predictable; but it was just what we needed. We laughed at the corny jokes, sang the songs, and Meryl even ended up on the stage at one point. Michael is an institution in the BVIs, and charter groups dress up in their pirate gear complete with tattoos, eye patches, and headbands to take part in the show. However, if I never hear the phrase “Arrr” again, I will die a happy man.