Traveling Team Fischer

Our first stop in the BVIs was to Great Harbor on Jost Van Dyke. There we experienced the oddest check in process ever. An individual at one office insisted we bring the sailboat to the main dock, so we made our way in the shallow water, and arrived with completely frayed nerves. Once there, the Harbor Master scolded us for doing this, and when we shared why we did it, the cursing began. Turns out we somehow ended up in the middle of a little turf war. We did not need to bring our boat in, the Harbor Master (HM) knows how unsafe this is, and wants to protect the boats and the coral in the harbor. Apparently the person we spoke to on the phone (not in the HM’s office), wanted to demonstrate how much power they had in their office, and so on and so forth. We finished the required paperwork, secured a mooring ball, then headed to Foxy’s for a yummy lunch. Note to future self: just keep your boat on the mooring ball and take the dinghy in like you would on every other island. Safety first.

We woke up early the next day so we could claim a spot in the next bay as close to the Soggy Dollar Beach Bar as possible. Once our anchor was securely set, we got to work inflating our beach landing vessel. Everyone needs an 11 foot long pink flamingo in their lives. She was quite popular, and we watched people take pictures with her all day. She played a key role in many vacation experiences that day, and we realized, she has no name. What should we name her? Honestly, what kind of name fits and 11 foot pink flamingo???

We enjoyed pain killers and snacks on the beach, as well as waving at friends and family at home via the live webcam. This day was one of my favorites with some of my favorite people.

Next on our list was to have some fun at Willy T’s, the pirate ship/floating bar and grill anchored at Norman Island. Sadly, the original Willy T suffered significant damage during hurricane Irma, and has since been turned into a pirate-y dive site. At the time of our visit, we didn’t know about the former vessel’s new life, or we would’ve happily taken the time to explore it. (next time we will!) We had a fabulous time enjoying lunch on the new Willy T, and joining other travelers as we conscientiously followed all posted rules…LOL!

We bid the new and improved Willy T adieu and carried on to the next leg of our adventure. Our plan was to explore the Baths in the morning, and since overnight stays are not allowed in that National Park, we had to practice being flexible. We ended up at a mooring field nearby at Peter Island, and enjoyed an evening of planning out the next few days.

We started the day with breakfast at Top of The Baths on the southern end of Virgin Gorda. The view was amazing and so was the food. We watched a little rainstorm pass through before heading to the park.

We made our way up, over, and under the massive boulders of the Baths. Sometimes the path was dry(ish), and sometimes we were splashing around. We were lucky to have a somewhat quiet day, and we could explore without huge crowds. We were a big salty mess when we finished weaving through the trails at the park, but we had a great time. Often laughing at ourselves (we aren’t exactly graceful people) so much that we ended up with quite a few blurry photos. They are awesome memories, so they stay.

The biggest challenge of the day was to get back to the boat. No motor boats allowed in the swim area or near shore, so hubby had to swim to the boat, get the dinghy, come back to the swim area, and wait for us to swim out to him. The water was really only spicy near the beach, but those waves had some strong pull to them. Eventually, we all made it back to safety and were exhausted from a very full day.

Our last stop in the BVIs was Saba Rock toward the northern end of Virgin Gorda. Saba is tiny island just big enough for a resort, with lots of mooring balls around it. The views were as awesome as one would expect, and it wasn’t crowded at all. We found a quiet spot to relax and take in the ocean breeze. I will never get tired of vistas like this.

We had a great time exploring the grounds, enjoying a lovely meal, and some tasty refreshments at the upstairs bar. You just can’t go wrong with a bar that has swings for seats. At one point, there was a large group that practically took over the bar… some very fun and friendly people. They were employees on break from Necker Island, Sir Richard Branson’s private isle, according to the bartender. The left as quickly as they came, and we felt like had the place to ourselves. All in all, Saba Rock was an excellent way to wrap up this leg of our adventures.

Soon we’d be heading back to the USVIs to spend more time with family while we explore their island.