1/29/17

Upon my return to St. Thomas from Christmas in NY we set sail for the British Virgin Islands visiting our favorite anchorages and a new one too.  Little Harbor on Peter Island.  We dropped the anchor there and backed in towards shore between 2 catamarans and tied to trees on shore.  The winds were blowing 20 knots but we were tucked into the perfectly flat anchorage surrounded by steep tree-covered mountains and clear sparkling blue water.  Up to 4 remora under our boat waiting for scraps to be tossed overboard.  Remora resemble a shark shape but they have a suction cup on the top of their heads and attach to boats or large fish waiting for handouts. 

Persephone anchored at Little Bay, Peter Island

Another favorite anchorage is the North Gorda Sound where we anchored in “Jerry’s secret spot” near Saba Rock Resort.   

Moon rise at Saba Rock Resort

Ready for a new adventure we hopped on the free ferry that goes from Saba across the Sound to the settlement of Gun Creek.  There is a fairly new Customs and Immigration office here we wanted to see.  We were already checked in to the BVI so we just stopped in to say hello and find out their hours.  If we were sailing onto St. Martin this is a convenient place to check out from as long as you do it before they close at 1 pm.

Gun Creek settlement is on Virgin Gorda so named by Christopher Columbus who thought the island shape, from the sea, resembled a fat woman lying on her back.  Many peaks on Virgin Gorda are over 1000 ft.  Lots of steep hills to climb!  Leaning forward in the blazing heat of the midday sun up we hiked for over an hour zigzagging on the switchbacks up, up, up searching for the place we’d heard serves traditional West Indian rotis.  In the air the smell of hot brakes as vehicles passed going downhill and the smell of goats.  Goats were roaming all over the place and beef cattle grazing along the road in rocky, fenced, almost vertical pastures.  Finally we find the sign for Hog Heaven and turn onto that road.   A pickup stops and offers a ride.  We hop in and Jerry asks about Hog Heaven and rotis.  No rotis, we’re told, but excellent food and prices.  How does this man know so much about Hog Heaven?  The man introduces himself as Blondie and he is the owner of Hog Heaven.  We forgot to ask how in the world he got the name Blondie but we see that Hog Heaven is the right name for a place that sells a lot of pork and is perched near the top of a mountain amongst the clouds.  From the outdoor dining tables the views are spectacular of North Gorda Sound, all the boats at anchor, the island of Anegada 12 miles off, and a horizon of nothing but blue water beyond.  Our boat looks like the perfect vessel for ants from this vantage point.  We are there for a couple of hours having juicy, sticky finger, delicious bbq chicken for lunch.  We watch people come and go, some just stopping by for the vista from Hog Heaven’s deck.  We’re on our own for the walk back down.  No free rides.  You’d think that going down would be a relief but it turns into a knee-straining, calf-building exercise with extra care taken not to slip as we trek back down to Gun Creek and the Saba ferry.  We enjoy a well-deserved painkiller at Saba Rock Resort before getting in the dinghy to go back to the boat.

Way up on the hill we see Hog Heaven from the boat after a long day's hike.

Can you see it yet?

Hog Heaven up at top center.

Hog Heaven

A nice surprise awaits us back in Charlotte Amalie on St. Thomas.  Our friends Favio on Odoya and Leandro on Alaussa are anchored here.  We first met them in Jacksonville, FL a couple years ago and we enjoy their company again along with their friends on board.  We’re the old people and we listen to stories about couchsurfing.com and crewbay.com where these youngsters find opportunities to visit places anywhere in the world affordably by staying on a host’s couch or boat or they find crew for their own boats (they’re both single-handers).  We learned so much!

The rest of the week we spend cleaning up and preparing for company.  Our first time having a couple (besides Mom and Dad!) stay on board.  Mike and Liz from Callahan’s Marina on Oneida Lake (who winter in FL) are coming for a week.  We pick them up from the airport and whisk them off sailing to the BVI after an evening of Bingo on Honeymoon Beach, Water Island.  Little Harbor, Saba Rock Resort, Cane Garden Bay, Great Bay on Jost Van Dyke, rum punches, painkillers, snorkeling, sailing, fresh fish and some exploring on land.  It’s always fun to share our lifestyle with friends.  Jerry loves to cook breakfast and made home fries, eggs, toast and bacon every morning.  The week flew by.  Nothing like leaving the Virgin Islands by a salty dinghy ride to the beach and a quick walk up the road to the airport!  Thanks for coming Mike and Liz!

Mike, Liz, Karen, Jerry enjoying the lounge chairs at Saba Rock Resort

Liz and Mike with a view to the sea

Mike and Liz at Cane Garden Bay

We’re anchored back at Honeymoon Beach at Water Island walking in the mornings and swimming in the afternoons.  We get together with our friend Kari (who moved to Water Island and works at Dinghys Beach Bar and Grill) to tell stories, laugh and try to beat Jerry at rummy.  At the end of the week our friends Kevin and Cindy are coming from cold, snowy NY for a week in the sun!

Karen & Jerry

Mike with mahi.  Fresh fish for dinner!

Sunset at Cane Garden Bay