An Anegada Adventure - Part 2: Bonna L. Nelson

An Anegada Adventure Filled with Surprises - Part 2

by Bonna L. Nelson

The dazzling, sugar-white sand beaches and crystal-clear turquoise waters of the hidden gem, the British Virgin Island (BVI) of Anegada, was our home for two weeks on a recent Caribbean island adventure. The only resort on the remote, sparsely populated island, Anegada Beach Club (ABC), was where we slept, played and frequently ate. A comfortable rented SUV was our means to explore the towns, beaches, restaurants, shops, harbor, natural areas, flora, fauna and one museum.

After inhaling ABC’s breakfast of coconut-dusted French toast smothered in coconut syrup, accompanied by fresh melon and papaya, we hopped in our transport to embark on the day’s expedition. After a bouncy ride on the sand-covered coral main road, we found a small grocery store in the nearby town of Setting Point, one of only two towns on the island.

Setting Point embraces the only harbor on the reef-surrounded island of Anegada. At the harbor dock, ferry boats from Tortola and other islands deposit and pick up goods and passengers. The harbor is also a popular destination for sailors cruising the BVIs who like to anchor out, dinghy in and partake of the abundant lobster, conch and other delicacies that the island has to offer in addition to shopping, sightseeing and spending a day at the beach or at the ABC pool.

We picked up some basics ~ bread, milk and fruit ~ as well as treats such as rum, pina colada mix and pine-

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Anegada Adventure buns and blueberry muffins fresh from the oven, wrapped and ready for us to take for breakfasts on the balcony. Glenora never received her order of key lime juice to make us a key lime pie during those weeks, an example of the island’s dependency on imports. However, we were able to savor our favorite pie several times at the ABC. We never went hungry on Anegada and felt fortunate to be able to visit the intimate island getaway. SURPRISE #2, actually a shock: When we asked to pay the dinner and bakery bill, Glenora told us that Kasha, one of our ABC managers, apple juice. We visited harbor-based had already paid it when she stopped restaurants, including the Anegada by to pick up a carryout dinner while Reef Hotel and Bar, Potter’s by the we were eating! Never had we ever! Sea and Wonky Dog, as well as a We sat there with mouths open in few souvenir and beachwear shops. surprise. What to do to repay the Our big find for the day was the Pink amazing generosity? We thanked Flamingo Smoothie, Bar & Restau- her profusely the next day and left an rant on the main dusty road heading envelope of cash for her at the office back to ABC. There we met the sweet, when we departed the island. friendly proprietress, Glenora. SUR- We made two other stops that day. PRISE #1: Glenora not only operated The Lobster Trap restaurant, a part the restaurant, she operated the only of ~ but not on the campus of ~ ABC, bakery on the island. is located within walking distance of

We learned that all dinners and Setting Point and is frequented by bakery goods must be ordered ahead, sailors from the vessels anchored dinner by 4 p.m. Due to Anegada’s re- in Anegada’s only harbor. Like most moteness, restaurants, shops and the bakery are dependent on ferry and barge deliveries as well as the local fishermen’s catches to replenish food stocks. Order we did, from Flamingo, a spicy shrimp dinner for that night, which was scrumptious, and banana bread, humongous glazed cinnamon 30

of the restaurants, it was outdoor dining under a thatched roof on a beach overlooking a long pier and the harbor dotted with sailing vessels. We enjoyed lunch there later in the week, too.

Our last stop was at the Flamingo Pond Observation Deck, where, SURPRISE #3: We saw no pink flamingos! As recommended, we climbed to the two-story-high wooden viewing platform equipped with binoculars to look for the elusive, shy roseate or “greater flamingo” flock said to occupy that salt pond area, but with no success. We were, however, delighted to see a multitude of other species, including herons, terns, frigate birds,

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Anegada Adventure beach at Loblolly Bay. Loblolly Bay and Beach are named after the pine sandpipers, seagulls, egrets, plovers trees of the same name that line the and pelicans on the salt fl ats, which brilliant white-sand beach on the helped us to overcome our fl amingo north side of Anegada. disappointment. John embarked on a guided bone

After a lazy day at pool and beach, fi shing excursion on the fl ats the next including beach walking, beach day, during which he encountered combing and kite surfer watching, not many bone fish but groups of we journeyed to the other side of green turtles and the famous conch the island. Our destination was the mounds at the end of the island (hisBig Bamboo restaurant, famed for torically signifi cant Arawak conch its grilled lobster. We frequently passed the ubiquitous feral cattle, donkeys and goats along the way. We were more than pleased with the large, sweet, juicy, buttery lobster and spicy grilled vegetables. The wood-framed outdoor restaurant is located on a not-to-be-missed

middens now mounded by local licensed conch watermen).

While lounging and journaling at the pool, I was approached by one of the ABC landscapers. SURPRISE #4: The young man off ered me a fresh coconut from the coconut palms surrounding the pool and restaurant/ tiki bar. He sliced off the top of the coconut, placed a straw in the opening and, voilà, fresh, sweet, healthy, unexpected coconut water! Heaven on earth. Paradise.

At the end of week one, we moved out to the beach for our planned week-long palapa experience. Palapas are generally simple dwellings with palm-thatched roofs, usually open-sided and commonly found at Caribbean resort restaurants and Tiki bars. Our palapa, one of ABC’s ten such dwellings, was elevated, atop the dunes, overlooking the Atlantic Ocean crashing over the reef that surrounds Anegada.

The palapa tent walls were enclosed with canvas on three sides

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Anegada Adventure We realized that “glampers” we were not. We missed the comforts of airconditioning, our mini fridge and quiet nights. Feeling our age? Probably. SURPRISE #5: Thankfully, ABC’s general manager, David, was very understanding and very quickly arranged our move back to civilization. Managers David, Darling and Kasha and the ABC staff were always so friendly and accommodating and attended to every detail. I did wonder if they made bets on which guests and screens on the beach side. Some would last in palapas, and for how call the experience “glamping,” long. David confided that he had only meaning glamorous luxury camping, lasted one palapa night when he first since we slept in an upscale tent-like arrived at ABC! structure, but in a comfortable king- On our next trek, we drove to the sized bed surrounded by romantic, main town of Settlement. We located swaying mosquito netting (no bugs the Anegada Iguana Headstart Fabothered us), not a sleeping bag. We cility nestled between the impresalso had a private luxury bathroom, sive cream stucco and red-roofed attached by a deck to the palapa, that included French toiletries and plush towels. In addition to the bed, the palapa included a sofa and table, a closet, a television and a marvelous front porch with table and chairs and hammocks for lounging and wonderful views of the beach, ocean and reef by day and dazzling stars and planets by night.

After three days of “glamping bliss,” that included visits from feral cattle serenading us under our palapa, not enough ocean breeze for the fans to cool us down but just enough for the tent to flap noisily, and ice quickly melting in the cooler, we sought the bliss of the hotel suite. 40

Theodore Faulkner Administration Building and the Anegada Fire Station. The site is managed by the BVI National Parks Trust and the San Diego and Fort Worth zoos and is a breeding farm for the rare and critically endangered native Anegada Rock Iguana.

SURPRISE # 6: There were no staff on site. On our self-guided tour, we learned from signage that the Anegada iguana population has been decimated by a growing population of feral cats that prey on young iguanas. Biologists at the facility safeguard nests, bring new hatchlings in from the wild and raise them in a safe environment until they are large enough to defend themselves in the wild against the cats, their only predator.

We spotted various sizes of iguanas, from babies to teenagers, in above-ground cages in the facility. The stocky juvenile lizard is patterned with wide bands of gray to moss green that fade when the animal matures to a uniform grayish or brownish black. They are primarily herbivorous, enjoying leaves, flowers and fruits, and live in the wild in caves and burrows in the coral and limestone from which the island is made.

Directly across the street from the site is Anegada’s only museum, the Faulkner House Museum, also managed by the BVI National Parks Trust.

SURPRISE #7: The museum curator, Rophilia, a delightful, knowledgeable, welcoming Anegadan who shared with us the story of Anegada’s native son. Theodolph Halburn Faulkner, the Martin Luther Kinglike figure and political activist, played a vital role in the establishment of a new Legislative Council after leading a protest march against social mistreatment of BVI natives by British colonialists in 1949.

According to Rophilia, Faulkner became a legislative council member and is known as one of the “Fathers of this Little Nation.” A handsome bronze bust of Faulkner and a commemorative plaque are situated outside the trim white clapboard museum that was his modest home. Inside, the walls are adorned with photographs, posters and other