Back in the BVI

I explained the proper use of the yellow “Q” flag as we made for Jost Van Dyke in light Easterly wind. We took a ball in Great Bay and surveyed the damage from Irma. Corsairs and the dive shop were rebuilding with a frenzy with hopes to complete before start of season. Foxy’s survived just fine, with the eponymous owner holding court and playing guitar with some visitors from St. Thomas. We flew through customs and immigration, returned to the mooring where Max and Sara hoisted our BVI flag. White Bay was its resplendent fine white sandy self. Soggy Dollar finished rebuilding and was serving up Painkillers. The ring game tree was gone, replaced by a post of wood which is much more difficult to land.

Tortola is scarred from Cane Garden Bay all around to Trellis Bay, where the fleet – dozens of boats – are still laying high and dry where they were thrown. It was heart breaking. We landed at Aragorn’s but they were not lighting the fires for full moon parties until later in the year.

We watered and provisioned at Spanish Town in Virgin Gorda, where the eye had passed over, again trying to imagine the scope of the loss around us. The Virgin Gorda community was as friendly as I remembered, and helped us locate where the stores had moved and one passing truck even stopped to give us a lift back – something I never experienced before the storm here. On the other hand, having Sara and Max laden with groceries beside me may have inspired the charity. Remember, they drive on the left hand side here.

Cooper Island was closed for summer. But we received the news that their brewery still functioned. We paid our respects to the HMS Rhone by Salt Island, gave a pass to Peter and snuggled into Norman Island, where we anchored alone aside from the wreck of the old William Thornton to wait out the passing of what remained of storm Kirk to our south.

Capt. Mike and Laura aboard Surely Sea are returning from St. Martin! We found that we could not extend our 9 days for some reason the official at immigration couldn’t make clear at Jost, and faced beating back to Road Town. We needed a visit to the bank anyway, so we checked out, made for St. John, checked in, motored up to Soper’s Hole in glassy seas, checked in again to BVI, threw back a couple beers with Kiwi Sean (whom I had not seen for a couple years), and motored to Jost where Mike and Laura were already set at anchor behind the reef at White Bay putting down drinks. Angry, tired, exhuasted, down $40 for the extra customs stop, and having burned through several gallons of diesel, we anchored beside them. Yup, this is normal for the Caribbean. Coming back to US in Puerto Rico will be even worse, as the fancy new phone app for automated pre-checkin seems to have some serious glitches. Or maybe we were just being ignored. Please bureaucrats, surprise me with competence and efficiency just once, somewhere.

We’re planning to stay here and catch up until the weather changes on Thursday, head up to Nanny Cay, provision, water, and step off for the Windward Islands, or wherever the wind may land us. We’ll be out of touch for a few days making way. In the meantime Mike and Laura are fine company in this rolly roadstead anchorage.