An Anegada Adventure - Part 1: Bonna L. Nelson

An Anegada Adventure Filled with Surprises - Part 1

by Bonna L. Nelson

Our Anegada odyssey, postponed for several months by Covid spikes, began with an overnighter at Dulles International Airport, arranged due to a very early morning flight the next day to the British Virgin Islands (BVIs). The two-week adventure was filled with unexpected events ~ positive, pleasant surprises ~ that are worth sharing.

Our first surprise came from Homewood Suites, Hilton, Dulles, our “Park, Stay, Fly” host. The staff were welcoming and helpful, and the room was spacious and clean. They ordered and paid for a taxi to pick us up the next morning because they did not have the van transport that was included in our package available at 6 a.m., and we needed to leave then to get to the airport on time.

Travel can be challenging these days with the black cloud of Covid still hanging over our heads, the airport lines and congestion, the stories of misbehavior on airplanes and frequent flight cancellations/rescheduling. Fortunately, other than Covid testing confusion, which also affected our ability to complete online check-ins, we did not encounter airport/flight issues.

Our United flight was pleasant and uneventful. We even found an empty row of seats, which allowed us to spread out a bit. We arrived via direct flight on the United States Virgin Island (USVI) of St. Thomas early and expected to wait several hours for the 20-minute Cape Air charter flight on an “island hopper” or “puddle jumper” plane to Tortola, BVI.

An Anegada Adventure reported that we had arrived hours earlier than expected. We learned that Island Birds was looking for a pilot to fly us to Anegada. After waiting for about an hour (but three hours earlier than scheduled) on a bench outside a Covid testing office (which would figure prominently on our return trip), we asked a passing airport official for news. SURPRISE! An Island Birds representative rushed to where we were seated and said our pilot was on his

A Cape Air pilot and terminal way from the nearby island of Virgin staff saw that we had arrived early, Gorda to fly us to Anegada early! and ~ SURPRISE! ~ they hustled us through the airport, customs and Covid document review, assisted with our luggage and helped us board the six-seater plane. We were the only passengers on the beautiful flight over the Caribbean Sea. Flying at low altitude, we could easily see the many islands beckoning to visitors like Sirens. The second flight was a bit bumpy, but we landed safely and early on Beef Island, Tortola, We were quickly escorted through for our third and final leg of the security, and our luggage was expedition. wheeled to and loaded onto the

After another customs/Covid Piper Aztec, a four-seater. The pilot check due to landing in a new coun- greeted us and helped us to climb ~ try, the BVIs, we located the offices and I mean literally climb ~ up into of our next planned flight with Island the plane. Note that the temperature Birds. Noting that the airports got was in the 80s, and neither small smaller in relation to their respec- aircraft had air-conditioning (nor tive land masses, we learned that the did the last airport). But no matter, Island Birds airline office was closed because once again, we were treated and that they had no airport counter to tropical island and sea vistas for for check-in. Fortunately, one of the as far as the eye could see during our customs officials called them and ten-minute flight.

At our request, Island Birds called our Anegada resort to let them know we were arriving early. However ~ SURPRISE! ~ the Anegada Beach Club (ABC) resort driver was waiting for us with a comfortable airconditioned van at the Anegada airport, one of the smallest we had ever seen. We had expected a long wait at the airport due to our unexpected early arrival.

The Piper pilot wheeled our luggage to the lobby, and the driver loaded it. After thanking the pilot, we hopped in. We were treated royally. A long but, fortunately, abbreviated day was nearing an end, and the ABC resort awaited us.

The BVIs, including principal islands Tortola, Virgin Gorda, Jost Van Dyke and Anegada, encompass more than 60 tropical islands and are a British Overseas Territory. They are famous for their excellent sailing, yachting, diving, fishing, warm weather, seafood, tropical drinks and dazzling white-sand beaches. The stunning islands are arranged east of the nearby USVIs and Puerto

Rico between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean.

Historians believe the islands were occupied by the Arawak and Caribs until discovery by European explorers. British planters took over the islands from the original Dutch settlers in the 1670s. The islands became autonomous in 1967, operate under a parliamentary democracy and are led by a Chief Minister under the authority of the Queen of England, represented by the Governor of the BVIs.

The English-speaking BVIs economy has evolved in focus from primarily agricultural to fi nance/ tourism. The BVIs are considered one of the wealthiest areas in the Caribbean. The offi cial currency is the U.S. dollar. (See Wikipedia, British Virgin Islands; planetware.com; tripreport.com and Fodor’s Travel, U.S. & British Virgin Islands.)

Of the four primary islands in the BVIs, Anegada is a hidden gem, the most remote and unique, known for its very laid-back island vibes. That

An Anegada Adventure island. All the other BVI islands are volcanic and mountainous. “Anis why we chose to visit. We like egada” means “flooded or drowned” remote, unique and island vibes. Its in Spanish, and it has also been isolation ~ northeast of the other nicknamed the “Sunken Island,” islands, guarded by a barrier reef with its highest elevation just 28 feet and situated stalwartly out in the above sea level. Atlantic/Caribbean ~ is part of its Though the second largest island charm but makes it more difficult to in the chain, at 9 miles long and 2 reach by boat and flight. Anegada’s miles wide, with 16 miles of white limestone/coral composition, coral sandy beaches and numerous salt reef surrounds and flatness also ponds and lakes, Anegada is sparsely make it unequaled in the Virgin populated by about 250 residents, Island Archipelago. Its 18-mile including citizens, immigrants and Horseshoe Reef is the fourth largest expats. The staff at our resort, the barrier coral reef in the world, mak- ABC, represented well the diversity ing it a huge attraction for divers and of the island’s population. The genersnorkelers! al manager, David, is an expat from

The only inhabited coral island Indiana. The two office managers are in the BVI chain, Anegada Island is Darling, from Nicaragua, and Kasha, also the only pancake-flat, low-lying from Guyana, South America, and

An Anegada Adventure roaming across the roads ~ along with sand dunes and fields of tropical and desert greenery: bougainvillea, Anegada acacia, sea grape shrubs, cactus and scrub vegetation around the few properties scattered by the sides of the road. We encountered the entertaining critters on every drive, in the two small towns of Settlement and Setting Point and even around of East Indian heritage. The ladies our ABC beach “palapa,” where we at the restaurant were from the Do- stayed during our second week while minican Republic, other Caribbean partially “glamping.” nations and Anegada. ABC is the only resort among the

As I have explained, we were at- island’s handful of lodgings. Wontracted to the island’s remoteness derful amenities include an office/ and small population, but also its boutique, a 16-room, two-story comsubtropical climate, with average fortable hotel with balconies overtemperatures of 78 annually, cobalt looking the only pool on the island, blue skies, cerulean blue seas and lounge chairs and umbrellas and a miles of glimmering, white, pristine, palm thatched-roof restaurant, all mostly deserted sand beaches. My surrounded by coconut palm trees, husband, John, had arranged for a sea grape and hibiscus. Situated on few bone-fishing trips, I planned to rest, relax, read and write, and we both wanted to explore the island’s sites, beaches, restaurants, one museum, one wildlife sanctuary and flora and fauna. We liked that most of the island is reserved for birds and other wildlife by the BVI National Parks Trust.

Our dusty 20-minute drive to ABC over a sand-covered coral, barely two-lane main road introduced us to Anegada’s distinctive fauna and flora, up close and personal along the roadsides. SURPRISE! We saw wild descendants from Anegada’s farming days ~ cattle, donkeys and goats 40