A brief episode in the BVIS...
After Mom and Dad left I had to seriously start thinking about my summer plans. I finally have a delivery north leaving on Saturday that takes me to Bermuda and Newport that should be great. As I set up my summer I have to start thinking about leaving, which is never fun. Mostly I choose to not think about it and do everything I can (except work, of course). The weekend was pretty slow. We had a wonderful barbeque with everyone on Saturday. The crew of Too Elusive brought some amazing steaks and pork to grill and we feasted very close together on Drew's couch as it started to POUR just as dinner was ready. With some fanstastic reggae tunes we enjoyed the rain almost as much as the very dry island did. Sunday was traditional sunday breakfast. Yours truely makes egg sandwhiches for everyone who comes by after opening the marina. (Sundays are very slow). The boys were going exploring for Marco's last adventure so I tagged along as we drove up to Pajeras Point (past Oil Nut Bay). There were many rocks to climb and cliffs to jump. We anchored just offshore after a sketchy attempt to tie up to the shore. Timing was important to get onto the cliff as the swells have been rolling for afew days. Once ontop we make it a jungle gym, with the added challenge that the rocks are all shale or loose granite and tend to break off when you use them as a hand or foot hold.
We worked up an appetite and came back for food. Someone had a craving for chinese (very tough to get around here) and we continued our adventure to Main land Virgin Gorda. The Flying Iguana is a resturant located at the airport on VG. The airport on VG is about the size of our house in epping. The runway is dirt and the flying iguana hosts a great look out for celebrities as well as scary plane landings (most who fly in to VG swear it will be their last time). The cook was out (or never came in) and we ordered and waited for our 2 hour chinese takeout. We climbed back into Drew's jeep which is an adventure in itself. Perfectly road safe, newly painted and sort of has seat belts (which are required by law for the 2 in the front). The 2 in the back can stand up and do handstands for all the law cares. The jeep does lack a certain Je ne said quoi.. O wait, I do know... A windshield and windows... but it has brakes and seats now!
As I said, It was Marco's last adventure and I drove him to the airport at 430 the next morning. (in a boat, 15 miles or so). After I came back there was really no way I was working for a whole day, especially when there's nothing to do... so I hoped a ferry with Dom (my surfing buddy... by buddy I mean he surfs and I paddle out, get washed and come back in). The north side of Tortola was breaking and we hit Josiahs again until it started getting too big and closing out. Since taxis are outrageous and renting is cheap we hoped in our brand new car and drove to Apple bay to catch the better waves. Those were too big for me so I drove back to town to go to the grocery store.
Let's talk about grocery stores. Yall that live up in the big cities have many to choose from filled with options. Not so much here. A trip to Tortola allows us to choose from at least 3 stores, each with limited product selection. Even this is a vacation for us island bums who live in 2 week cycles, as the delivery barge comes up.
I had promised to make Dom and Jo (our host for the night) dinner and found some amazing produce to make a quick chicken curry.
Dom finally got out of the water as the sun went down and we made our way back to the other end of the island to cook. Jo is an amazing host and we all ate and attempted to watch Benny and Joon.... but ultimately passed out after a perfect day in the sun.
Since I definately couldnt go back in the morning Dom and I headed back to Apple this morning and caught a few more waves before the afternoon ferry left.
All in all, A wonderful weekend/ work week... in the BVIS!
Miss you all!
L
Tuesday, April 29, 2008
Monday, April 28, 2008
Hi All,
After a wonderful and too short visit from Mom and Dad I've decided to try to keep a blog. (Yes, there was some parental peer pressure involved). I'm not the Dickens Kate is so Ill just try to lay down the facts and be witty.
The weather has turned summer which in the BVIs means hot and sticky, buggy and caalllmm. The night they flew in was a full moon. I don't know if anyone else is aware of the full
moon but down here we celebrate it like a monthly holiday. In Trellis Bay (where the airport is) there is a Full Moon Fireball and Jumbie party. Trellis is a beach bar with and local art work shop. In the water they fill carved iron balls with wood and light them on fire while colorful dancers on stilts dance to Soca, representing spirits of the dead. Most islanders choose to
be buried barefoot as if their shoes are left on they are cursed to walk the earth for eternity. The on-site staff at Bitter End celebrate it with a hobie race a few miles upwind to Oil Nut Bay and a bonfire. With breeze blowing 8-10knts Team Gaudet made it up to oil nut as the 3rd boat! The bon fire was started with about 5 gallons of gasoline and the cooler opened. Sir Richard and his guests joined us with the Necker staff so we were well attended.
Mom and Dad had some great weather but little breeze while they were here. We did, however, have enough to sail to the world famous Baths (Dad, how do you put photos on this thing?). My friend Craig had his father in town and they joined us for our adventure. After a picturesque lunch at the Top of the Baths we had lots of time to explore the caves and massive boulders. Though there were some doubts from the participants as to the credibility of their tour guides everyone made it to the top to partake in the breathtaking vista. They don't just put these words in the guide books, it actually is breathtaking.. either the view or the hike to it. Tuesday I had to work (occasionally it happens) and Mom and Dad participated in a Discover Scuba dive with our onsite dive shop. Apparently Dad and Jen have the same ears as he had some trouble clearing to go to depth. I think the underwater world was appreciated, though, as they were avid snorkelers every other day.
Wednesday was the weekly trip to Anegada, the sunken island. The 14 mile trip out was flat and beautiful and the beach on the northside was as amazing as ever. Mom and Dad snorkeled before lunch with Rob and Mel and found some turtles and cudas to play with. Lunch included the famous conch fritters and shrimp from the Big Bamboo. On the trip back the boat stopped as 2 gray whales flipped their tales to say hello. After some amazing play with the whales we had to continue back to Bitter End.
Thursday morning was spent in the water of Eustatia reef snorkeling with an abundance of colorful fish. The noon ferry took us to Tortola where we were spending the afternoon and night for the early morning flight.
Josiah's bay is a local surf beach a walk from The Tamarind Club, where we were staying. We spent the afternoon body surfing and attempting to stand on a board (Laurel will get it someday) and getting eaten by no seeums (see the caribbean isnt perfect). Tamarind was wonderful and relaxing for an early night before a 630 ride to beefisland for the airport. Very sad to see them go, I walked them through the departure tax (they get cha on the way out, mwhaha) and to security.
Thanks to mom and dad for making the trip. Ill try to keep this up. Looking for a ride out currenlty and should be up that way soon. Anyone know of anyone who wants to hire a watersports bum for a month or two this summer? Im good at stuff.
Miss you all.
L
After a wonderful and too short visit from Mom and Dad I've decided to try to keep a blog. (Yes, there was some parental peer pressure involved). I'm not the Dickens Kate is so Ill just try to lay down the facts and be witty.
The weather has turned summer which in the BVIs means hot and sticky, buggy and caalllmm. The night they flew in was a full moon. I don't know if anyone else is aware of the full
moon but down here we celebrate it like a monthly holiday. In Trellis Bay (where the airport is) there is a Full Moon Fireball and Jumbie party. Trellis is a beach bar with and local art work shop. In the water they fill carved iron balls with wood and light them on fire while colorful dancers on stilts dance to Soca, representing spirits of the dead. Most islanders choose to
be buried barefoot as if their shoes are left on they are cursed to walk the earth for eternity. The on-site staff at Bitter End celebrate it with a hobie race a few miles upwind to Oil Nut Bay and a bonfire. With breeze blowing 8-10knts Team Gaudet made it up to oil nut as the 3rd boat! The bon fire was started with about 5 gallons of gasoline and the cooler opened. Sir Richard and his guests joined us with the Necker staff so we were well attended.
Mom and Dad had some great weather but little breeze while they were here. We did, however, have enough to sail to the world famous Baths (Dad, how do you put photos on this thing?). My friend Craig had his father in town and they joined us for our adventure. After a picturesque lunch at the Top of the Baths we had lots of time to explore the caves and massive boulders. Though there were some doubts from the participants as to the credibility of their tour guides everyone made it to the top to partake in the breathtaking vista. They don't just put these words in the guide books, it actually is breathtaking.. either the view or the hike to it. Tuesday I had to work (occasionally it happens) and Mom and Dad participated in a Discover Scuba dive with our onsite dive shop. Apparently Dad and Jen have the same ears as he had some trouble clearing to go to depth. I think the underwater world was appreciated, though, as they were avid snorkelers every other day.
Wednesday was the weekly trip to Anegada, the sunken island. The 14 mile trip out was flat and beautiful and the beach on the northside was as amazing as ever. Mom and Dad snorkeled before lunch with Rob and Mel and found some turtles and cudas to play with. Lunch included the famous conch fritters and shrimp from the Big Bamboo. On the trip back the boat stopped as 2 gray whales flipped their tales to say hello. After some amazing play with the whales we had to continue back to Bitter End.
Thursday morning was spent in the water of Eustatia reef snorkeling with an abundance of colorful fish. The noon ferry took us to Tortola where we were spending the afternoon and night for the early morning flight.
Josiah's bay is a local surf beach a walk from The Tamarind Club, where we were staying. We spent the afternoon body surfing and attempting to stand on a board (Laurel will get it someday) and getting eaten by no seeums (see the caribbean isnt perfect). Tamarind was wonderful and relaxing for an early night before a 630 ride to beefisland for the airport. Very sad to see them go, I walked them through the departure tax (they get cha on the way out, mwhaha) and to security.Thanks to mom and dad for making the trip. Ill try to keep this up. Looking for a ride out currenlty and should be up that way soon. Anyone know of anyone who wants to hire a watersports bum for a month or two this summer? Im good at stuff.
Miss you all.
L
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