Traversing the BVI

Sure enough as planned we pushed off the CYOA dock before lunch on Wednesday morning and after many goodbyes we set our sights on the BVI. I'd like to say that we set our sails as well but as is usual the winds were straight out of the east and in order to be able to check in before customs closed we took a direct rhumb line through the islands and motored up to Jost van Dyke.

The new CYOA boat "Days Like This" taking the lumpy seas in stride.

The winds were in the low 20-knot range and the seas rather lumpy so it was a hobby-horse ride pretty much all the way. Especially as we passed the Durloe Cays on the north shore of St. John we seemed to be pointing skyward only to plunge down over a wave ready to do it all again. Once we were able to turn the corner towards our final destination it all calmed down a bit and we made the customs office with plenty of time to spare.

The welcoming committee at the JVD customs dock.

As we checked in we recognized the custom officer and his writing appears on a number of clearance stamps in our passports. We didn't know though that our paths would cross again later...

Rather than staying in Great Harbour we headed round to the eastern end of the island and anchored just off Little Jost Van Dyke, amid a little contingent of Canadian boats. We hadn't settled for long when a dinghy arrived from Calypso Rose next door inviting us to join them for drinks at Taboo at Diamond Cay. Well, drinks turned into a delicious dinner of coconut cream shrimp with Laurie and Marcel from Vernon, B.C. and three guys off the other Canadian boat who had literally just sailed in from Fort Lauderdale. Laurie and Marcel had already befriended the staff at Taboo. As our dinner was brought to us, Laurie began to introduce us to the manager, whereupon he quipped, "I know, they're here until Saturday!" Henry had pegged him correctly and we were subsequently introduced to Mark, the daytime customs agent / nighttime restaurant manager. The one thing we have really noted down here is that those people who work, work hard and usually at more than one job!

Calypso Rose raising anchor with a wave goodbye.

The Pirate Bar - reminiscent of the Bomba Shack, but this was just an ironic collection of junk.

Thursday morning we said a quick goodbye to Calypso Rose and then put our watermaker to its first real water making test. After a few hiccups to get started and a little extra documentation added to the procedure sheets, we delighted in topping up our water tanks and all for the cost of about a fifth of a gallon of gas to make 30 gallons of water! That little test completed we pulled up the anchor and headed up the north shore of Tortola until about 3:30 in the afternoon when we tucked into Lee Bay on Great Camanoe Island at the east end of Tortola.

Downwind sailors disappearing in the swells north of Tortola.

The day had turned grey and squally (is that a word?) so we decided to leave the last couple of hours to Friday morning when we will hit North Sound for a top-up on fuel and as our launch-point to St. Martin.

Steele-grey skies and water.

A room with a view, but this one has bars - the BVI prison.

Japanese style architecture on the north shore.