18 minute read
Lifestyle
Michael & Jane, just “hangin’ out” in the Exhumas
Advertisement
A Look at Why We Do What we Do
Ever wondered why people love the boating lifestyle? Well, here in the Lifestyle section folks from all over the world give an insight into what it’s really like out there. If you have a photo you think tells a good tale, why not send it to us? We prefer you send a digital pic, in as high resolution as you can. Tell us who took the pic and where it was taken. We will probaby throw it into our “digital pile” and pull it out someday. We won’t send you any money, but you will be famous worldwide! Email to: Lifestyle@Cruisingoutpost.com.
By Ira Turner, Huahini, Tahiti
By Pierre of his wife while having fondue on their boat on Lake Neuchatel in Switzerland
Busted! By Gary Klause of his daughter Kami enjoying a sail on there old Catalina 30 on Lake Erie
By Joey of Lex, Ft. Lauderdale
Adam Ellis & friends sailing on the Chicago River!
By Don Campbell, on Bahama Bash between Ft. Lauderdale & Bimini
By Norm Marshal of Guilty Pleasure in full Parrothead finest at the Party On The Dock 2012, the Jimmy Buffett party in Midland, Ontario, on Georgian Bay
By John Simpson, Western Scotland, big storm coming
By Bill Malone, cannon fire in Key West
By Peter, southbound for Jamaica through the Windward Passage
By Paul, shore leave, Wapoos Bay, Lake Ontario
By Bob Riggs - this was taken in Gustavia, Saint Barthélemy - note the double rainbow after a morning storm
By Chuck Fields, anchored at Ft. George Island, Florida and loving life By Julie Falqoust, Boot Key Harbor, Marathon, FL
By Kerry Lallande, a beautiful day on Galveston Bay
By Melody Peterson, treasure hunt on Shelter Island, CA
Of Gracie Boelsems, Emerald Bay, Catalina island
By Dave, “We don’t need no stinkin’ finger pier,” drying out after the rain
By Lynn of Armando on the way to Catalina from Oceanside on 26’ Macgregor
By Larry Grasse - the sign of the cross
By Warren & Kathy Daniels, sunset at Boot Key Harbor
By Martha, view of marshes of Glynn from Jekyll Harbor Marina where sunsets abound
By Stan, at achor in San Pedro, Belize
By Randy Clarke By Rob Feguson, Summer Bliss
By Rob Oberg, keeping watch on S/V Alcheringa sailing around the island of Ibiza
By Susan
By Susea McGearheart of Deb at the wheel
By Robert - living under a bridge in Stuart Florida is not such a bad thing!
Cruising The Fat Virgin
he largest island in the BVI, Virgin Gorda, the Fat T
Virgin, was named by Columbus because her profile appeared to the Admiral to be that of a full-figured woman reclining on her back. The 10-mile-long island is a flurry of boat activity concentrated in North Sound, the Virgin Gorda Yacht Harbour, and The Baths, one of the most popular cruising destinations in all of the Virgin Islands. Virgin Gorda is the second most populous island in the BVI with a population of about 3,000 and the ambiance can best be described as “unpretentious.” The Baths
Ask anybody to tell you about Virgin Gorda and usually the first words spoken will describe to you The Baths. Jost Van Dyke has Foxy, Virgin Gorda has The Baths, a truly magical place that, once visited, will never be forgotten. A hint, the best time to visit is in the morning before the rush of charterboats arrives. Don’t anchor too close to shore and do not infringe upon the buoyed swimming areas.
The boulders at The Baths form delightful hidden rooms lit by shafts of light, magnificent coral ledges and caves, with intricate passageways leading throughout. The area is not safe for landing by dinghy when northerly swells are running; that’s the time to visit by car from Virgin Gorda Yacht Harbour or North Sound. The crashing of the seas on the boulders heard from the safety of the roomy caverns that The Baths offer is not to be missed. Wear good shoes here as the rocks can be slippery.
South of The Baths is the Devil’s Bay National Park whose powdery sand beach is one of the BVI’s finest. Devil’s Bay is usually less crowded than The Baths and can be reached by an interesting trail from The Baths. To the north of The Baths are the lovely beaches of Spring Bay and The Crawl. To the south/southwest of The Baths is Fallen Jerusalem where small beaches hide amid huge boulders similar to those found at The Baths and in the Virgin Gorda Valley. The island is also a seabird nesting ground and is said to have received its name because the boulder-strewn island resembles the fallen walls of Jerusalem.
Located at the southwestern tip of Virgin Gorda is the Coppermine, a National Park between Coppermine Point, Coppermine Bay, and Mine Hill. The mine was said to have first been used by Amerindians who Columbus stated wore “gold” jewelry when he passed this way in 1493, while in later years Cornish miners removed ore from the mine from 1838-1842 and later, from 1860-1867. It is said that Spanish miners may have worked the same
The Baths - Paradise on Earth
mine as far back as three centuries earlier. Nearby Mine Point and Coppermine Point are home to several small buildings believed to be the miner’s’ cottages. Use caution when exploring here; there are at least seven underground shafts from 15’-200’ deep and although the National Trust is attempting to stabilize the area, you must exercise caution when strolling here. Virgin Gorda Yacht Harbour and Spanish Town
The Virgin Gorda Yacht Harbour, a Port of Entry and a full service marina/boat yard, is the heart of Virgin Gorda, the focus of marine activity, and the hub of The Valley, the name given to the southern part of Virgin Gorda which encompasses Spanish Town and The Baths. Spanish Town, once the capital of Virgin Gorda, still remains the principal settlement.
I’ve heard two different descriptions of how Spanish Town received its name. One suggests it was named after the many Spaniards that were here in the 1600s working the mine on Coppermine Point. Another story has it that Spanish Town is a corruption of the word penniston, a blue woolen material that was worn by slaves. I could find no evidence to back up either one of these claims so pick one, it’s probably as good as the other. Savanna Bay, Pond Bay, and Tetor Bay
Just to the east of Little Dix Bay is a series of three small but lovely bays; Savanna Bay, Pond Bay, and Tetor Bay. Here you’ll find a quiet place to get away from it all with lovely beaches and good snorkeling. The main entrance and the tricky reef entrances at the northern end all require excellent visibility for navigation, and the anchorages in these three bays are never to be considered if northerly swells are running (some would argue that they should only be used for daytime stops).
Little Dix Bay
North of VGYH is Little Dix Bay, beautiful but private. No anchoring is permitted by order of the government of the BVI (however, you may anchor outside Little Dix Bay north of the reef in the lee of the eastern headland). The bay is the home of the Little Dix Bay Resort, the first luxury hotel to be built in the BVI. Laurence Rockefeller built the resort for $8 million in 1964 and with three staff for every guest being the norm, pampered is what you will be when you stay here. A specialty only to be found in Little Dix Bay is Mistress Bliden, a potent libation made from prickly pear cactus that is only served during the winter holidays.
Saba Rock
North Sound (Gorda Sound)
What a fantastic spot! Well protected in all conditions, shelter can be found here from any wind direction. Inside the sound are several resorts and marinas and you’ll even see a cruise ship in here every so often. North Sound, often shown as Gorda Sound on some charts, has a rich history. It was here that Sir Francis Drake and Sir John Hawkins took a respite to arrange their forces before heading into battle at San Juan in 1595 where Hawkins died and Drake tasted defeat. Drake’s Anchorage / Mosquito Island
Drake’s Anchorage was built in 1963 by Bert Killbride, the patriarch of BVI diving. Bert moved an anchor from the wreck of the Rhone and a cannon to the shallow waters of Drake’s Anchorage from their initial resting site off Black Rock. From here Bert moved the relics to the museum located on nearby Saba Rock. Mosquito Island has been purchased by Sir Richard Branson (who also owns nearby Necker Island) and he is turning it into a completely sustainable “green” (and very exclusive) resort. Although this island always had a great reputation for its beautiful hiking trails and pretty little beaches, you must check with the resort for permission to visit Mosquito Island. Mosquito Island is home to several secluded beaches such as Skinny Dipping Beach, Honeymoon Beach, and Rocky Beach, a good snorkeling spot. Long Beach lies directly opposite Anguilla Point and offers great snorkeling on its reef and good snorkeling can also be found at Colquhoun Reef. The latest news has Sir Richard Branson bringing 30 ring-tailed lemurs to the island to create a colony for preservation. Prickly Pear Island
My favorite anchorage in North Sound is in the lee of Prickly Pear Island; calm, shallow, protected, and surrounded by beautiful water. Prickly Pear Island is a nature refuge earning its name by being a habitat of the prickly pear cactus. Saba Rock
Saba Rock lies between North Sound and Eustatia Sound just off the Bitter End Yacht Club and is
home to the Saba Rock Island Resort. A very popular attraction here is the maritime museum. Owners John McManus and Bert Kilbride have collaborated to bring you a wealth of nautical history including exhibits of the second anchor and one of two cannons from the Rhone, as well as a selection of other smaller relics such as porcelain plates, jugs, and bottles.
The restaurant here serves up an unbeatable nightly buffet with a constantly changing menu, although there’s a leg of lamb and prime rib waiting for you at the cutting station where head chef Shelford Tucker will carve your meat for you. The restaurant’s popular Sunday West Indian Buffet features live entertainment while you dine.
The Bitter End Yacht Club
All sailors are familiar with the term bitter end, meaning the last part or free end of a line. In North Sound it means the last place in the Caribbean before facing a long and perilous journey across the Atlantic towards England, the last stop before heading across the Anegada Passage, or the first stop for cruisers headed south from the eastern shore of the United States. Without a doubt, the Bitter End Yacht Club is the center of boating activity in North Sound. If you plan to anchor here, the yacht club asks that you do not infringe upon their mooring field.
Bitter End, Biras Creek and Saba Rock with Anegada in background Biras Creek
Biras Creek is located in the extreme southeastern tip of North Sound and here you can anchor, pick up a mooring, or if you prefer, get a slip at Biras Creek Marina. The Biras Creek Resort is a unique complex that is totally unreachable by land and offers 125 acres with 15 lovely cottages. The central building houses a bar and restaurant while the beach has its own bar, a pool, two tennis courts, windsurfing and live music on Saturday nights. The trail from the Bitter End Yacht Club to Biras Creek is not difficult. It begins not far from the main dock at the Biras Creek Resort’s plant nursery, taking about 45 minutes to an hour of easy, mostly level walking. Gun Creek
Gun Creek lies at the extreme southwestern tip of North Sound, west of Biras Creek, almost due south of the northern entrance to North Sound and just “around the corner” from Leverick Bay. You can anchor and enjoy the shoreside delights here and in Creek Village, the local community. There is a free ferry that travels from the Bitter End Yacht Club
to Gun Creek and back leaving Gun Creek on the 1/2 hour and the Bitter End Yacht Club on the hour. Up the hill, at the Leverick Bay turnoff, at the area called the Top of Gun Creek, there is an interesting assortment of snack shacks and bars. Leverick Bay
Leverick Bay lies a bit east of south from Drake’s Anchorage just across South Bay and Blunder Bay. Pusser’s Leverick Bay Marina is your host here and they offer moorings, slips with full electric and water, free showers, laundry facilities, a dive shop, market, a fresh-water swimming pool, craft shops, car rentals, internet access, and villa rentals.
Eustatia Sound
Before I begin this section let me say that yes, you can enter North Sound from Eustatia Sound, however Eustatia Sound is full of reefs and coral heads that pose a true threat to you and your vessel’s safety and that must be negotiated in good visibility by a skipper that is used to piloting by eye through reef-strewn waters with little or no margin of error. The sound is off limits for some charter boats, so check with your charter company before heading to
Virgin Gorda. Never attempt to enter Eustatia Sound from the north when northerly swells are running. There is plenty of great snorkeling in Eustatia Sound as you might well imagine from all the reef structure that you had to bypass to enter. It’s best to explore the sound by dinghy from North Sound or from one of the anchorages such as Eustatia Island or Deep Bay. Never anchor in Deep Bay with northerly swells running or forecast.
All the way at the end of Eustatia Sound is Oil Nut Bay. This bay has to be entered by passing between Saba Rock and Virgin Gorda and then carefully threading your way through the numerous coral heads dotting the passage between the outer reef and the shoreline. Most have at least 6’ over them and the depths in between the heads are 10-12’. Still a few coral heads have less than 5’ so a good lookout and good light are essential to a safe arrival at Oil Nut Bay.
Why go there? Once you have your hook down there is an incredible white sand shoal area that you could call the world’s biggest swimming pool. This is a great a place to spend the afternoon with kids or friends in waist deep water, bobbing and snorkeling around the few scattered shallow heads in the area. The beach surrounding the bay
is mostly sand and then gradually turns to very tough, broken coral as it reaches out towards the southeast point of Virgin Gorda. Truly a spectacular place!
Unfortunately, Oil Nut Bay has been discovered and building lots are being sold now which promises to turn this formerly untouched place into an exclusive resort area, but the water and coral are still fantastic and if you have the skills to navigate in here, by all means do so! I do not recommend this as an overnight anchorage however, so try to arrive by 1100 and leave by 1400 or 1500 at the latest. Good light is essential. If you don’t feel like braving all that coral with your mothership, just take a mooring at Saba Rock or anchor behind Prickly Pear Island and take your dinghy. It’s only about a mile away from North Sound.
South Sound
The last, and the most remote anchorage on Virgin Gorda, is South Sound. South Sound, a marine sanctuary, is off limits to all charter vessels. You will likely have this beautiful spot all to yourself although a local fisherman or two may come by to offer you lobster or conch. The snorkeling on the reef is spectacular and in anything short of a stiff southeasterly breeze the anchorage will be flat calm.
To get there you can pass between the Blinders and Fallen Jerusalem and then proceed northeast along the Caribbean side of Virgin Gorda. An alternative route is to round Virgin Gorda’s southeastern tip and proceed to a point just off the entrance. There is a small reef smack dab in the middle of the entrance with less than 4’ over it, but 6-7’ can safely be carried either side of it and up into the sound. Once past the small reef, it is all eyeball navigation to round the inner tip of the barrier reef and proceed in as far as you wish.
There is a small cove that some locals use as a hurricane hole in the far corner that carries 5’-6’ with mangroves all around. If you wanted to use this one, be sure to get there early as the locals also know about it. Personally, I would use this as a last resort since the entire sound is very open to a violent storm surge.
Editors Note: Stephen J. Pavlidis is the author of A Cruising Guide to The Virgin Islands from Seaworthy Publications. It’s the guide we use when we are cruising there.
