Snorkeling in the BVI: The good, the OK and the ugly

Near Eustatia Island, we snorkel on the reef at the edge of the ocean facing the Atlantic. In addition to some towering stands of staghorn coral and wide groves of elkhorn coral populated with schools of yellow striped blue grunts we are treated to rare iridescent-green cornet fish.  At one point we pause to admire a grey Atlantic ray with a 3 foot wingspan as it regards us warily with eerie yellow eyes. Luckily, we also noticed several cannons, artifacts recovered from Spanish galleons sunken in the treacherous reefs over the years and placed here for fun.

On the day before touring the Baths, we try a couple other BVI marine parks along smaller islands named the Dogs. The first park we try to visit is untenable in the high swell and wind, so we move on. The second of the BVI park buoys seems more protected, so we stop for a snorkel break. The swell and reef make snorkeling in pairs the safest approach. We find a lot of beautiful sea fans and dead coral. The fish seem larger here, and the experience is redeemed when we spy a blue spotted file fish, nearly 2 feet long.  Later, at the market we see stacks of dead, oddly washed-out looking parrotfish for sale and we understand why they are so plentiful when protected. The good news is that the marine parks clearly help restore the fish populations.

Ironically, our most disappointing snorkel occurs at one of the most beautiful beaches, Loblolly on the north side of Anegada. Starkly white, with rose overtones near the shoreline, beach stretches in a gentle mile long arc.  As we beach comb, we can see the pink and white coral which are the source of this gorgeous sand. The water ranges from turquoise to a pale green hue. But the reef is littered with skeletons of finger, elkhorn and brain coral. We see only a few fish, mostly blue tang, female stoplight parrot fish and sergeant major fish. The experience depresses us, so we swim for shore. Enroute we are startled by a peacock flounder. His camouflage hides him so well that JT cannot sight him until he darts forward, creating a small cloud of sand.  This is the clearest evidence we’ve seen of the coral reef die-off and its effect is both sobering and disheartening.  This level of damage seems a more intractable problem.

The best snorkel of our trip occurs on our final day in the BVI at Cooper Island. Near the shore of the bay a small, kid-friendly snorkeling area lies quite close to our mooring. The reef while small is quite alive with grouper, damselfish, sea anemones, urchins and trunkfish. The next day we dingy over to a large jutting rock near the channel. The water is rougher, but the snorkeling is tremendous. The coral and the fish are amazing. We see many types of coral not listed in our guidebook and several large unusual black and orange triggerfish and 3 different types of trumpetfish. After Anegada, we are thrilled by its splendor and stay in the water until the cold and current drive us back to the dingy. Its a relief to see this healthy reef.

The Baths, BVI

The Baths are Sand Harbor on steroids and warm salty water. These gigantic boulders were formed by lava leaking out of cracks in the earth and slowly cooling. Smoothed by thousands of years of water they appear like a giant has strewn pebbles along a section of the beach. The rather uncomfortable night rolling in the ferry wakes near the entrance to Spanish Town has paid off as we arrive at the Baths before 8am. Already boats are speeding in from every direction to pick up moorings. The Baths are the most visited site in the BVI, and anchoring is prohibited so moorings are highly coveted. By the time we are prepped for our day at the beach, the field has filled. Our timing is impeccable, and we hit land before the party boats and crowds arrive. But once there, we suffer a near-instant setback when Zoe steps on a sea urchin while frolicking on the rocks. She rallies after we extract a few spines with assurances that she will live to see another day. The boulders form caves that are excellent for climbing and exploring-- some create clear pools of water to wade or drift in. Closer to the surf, some form natural whirlpools and still others narrow cracks to crawl through. This is not a place for the claustrophobic. We wander unfettered by crowds for nearly an hour, then they began to arrive enmass, causing large queues at the wooden ladders used to clamber down the rock faces. We couldn’t take enough pictures of this unique place. Each vista seems more beautiful than its predecessor. Finally, we pick our way over across to Devil’s Bay and spend the rest of the morning playing in the turquoise waters. The children find a 12 ft tall boulder and with Tom’s help take turns climbing up and leaping into the surf below. All in all it’s a fabulous day.

Tom’s Heroic Moment

After mooring for a night at the Bitter End, we shift to anchor instead. Since internet is free at Saba Rock, it’s not really worth the $30 / night just to have internet connectivity. We are in good company as mostly charter boats moor, while only cruisers anchor. We are staying an extra night for The Bitter End Yacht Club beer can dingy race is scheduled for the following afternoon. An hour before the beer can starts JT wants to do some practice runs. As Tom preps the dingy, he notices that one of the boats who is trying to anchor has managed to catch the anchor line of the boat next to us. It’s a modest 30ft sloop with no one aboard. Finally, it appears that the boat that is dragging the anchor line has dropped it.  The little monohull floats beam to the wind and seems to be drifting. Sure enough, a few seconds later it passes the point where it should have settle onto its anchor, and we realize in horror that it is adrift. Some 10 to 15 anchored boats lie in its path out to the channel, so Tom immediately jumps into the zodiac to give chase, while I radio for assistance. Fortunately, another cruiser in front of us leaps into action and after a tense few minutes he and Tom secure the drifting boat to a private mooring.  Later, the perpetrators of this very foolish mistake come by to thank Tom and relate the steps they’ve taken to put things right. The kids are so impressed that their dad near single-handedly rescued the boat. After order has been restored, we use the adventure as an excellent teaching moment about marine emergencies, keeping calm, taking action and owning one’s mistakes. 

To The Bitter End

Our neighbors, Craig and Carol Riley have been incredibly helpful in keeping tabs on our house. During the 10 years we’ve lived in our Sugarpine residence, we’ve had very few issues. A broken oven and a minor repair to the heating system (which is 25 years old) are the only items. Of course, Murphy’s Law dictates that now we are traveling, stuff will break. While in Spain, IVGID damaged some water pipe out on the street which comprised our sprinkler system. Craig dealt with the repairs for that debacle. Most recently, 2 weeks after we started sailing, our furnace broke. Fortunately the temperature only dropped to 38 before the alarm company caught it. Craig coordinated that repair as well. We are keeping our fingers crossed that when the inevitable 3^rd problem hits, it’ll be small!

Ironically, 2 sets of our Knotty Pine neighbors are sailing in the BVI this week. The Rileys are sailing with friends (also from Incline), while David and Susan Hanson have chartered a catamaran. So ironically, we travel 4,000 miles from home to we connect with them at the Bitter End, a famous resort at the tip of Virgin Gorda. As a thank you, we treat the Riley’s to dinner at Saba Rock, a hotel/restaurant with a killer setting. Saba Rock was formerly owned by Bert Kilbridge, a famous wreck diver who recovered the treasure from the RMS Rhone, sunk in 1867.  The Rhone vaulted Kilbridge to fame after part of the movie The Deep was filmed onsite. He grew so sick of people rubber-necking, or outright trespassing on his private island that he decided to convert it to a restaurant/ museum instead.  That gem (which sounds like it channels Skinny Leg’s low key charm) is long gone, replaced by this upscale paradise.

The Hanson’s advise us not to miss the fish feeding which coincides with Happy Hour. The fish in question are tarpon, a bonefish relative. These odd-looking fish are easily 3 feet long. The manager, a genial local, has an amusing shtick where he asks a young woman to volunteer to go first. She is instructed to place a chunk of raw fish between her toes and dangle them near the water. The crowd watches as a giant tarpon rises from the water and transforms its slit like mouth into a gaping hole at least 6 inches across to aggressively snatch the fish. Imagine the screams of shock and laughter that accompany this display. Then guests take turns chucking the chunks out as far as they can and watch these fish catch them as they land. Lastly, and perhaps the most fun is dangling a knotted strip of fish into the water and pulling the tarpon up from the water as it strikes. Zoe bravely volunteers for this slimy, smelly task and handles it with aplomb! JT tries too, but his arms are too short to entice the tarpon, so he passes it along to his mom. At first it’s terrifying, but the realization that this beast, like the abdominal snowman in Rudolph, lacks teeth makes it less scary. I have a greater appreciation for the appeal of bonefishing.  

Back to Reality

After 6 days of break, it’s time to re-instate school and move back to Liberator. After their sleepover, the kids complete their work, and we set sail for Leincester Bay, which reputedly offers of some of the island’s best snorkeling. We are not disappointed. The coral is healthier here than any we’ve seen so far. The stands of elkhorn coral stretching majestically towards the ocean’s surface, some over 6 feet tall and several feet wide. We notice 2 types of sea fans gently wave in the current. The sheer beauty of this underwater garden makes me wish I had a waterproof housing for our camera. Zoe spies a small colorful shell attached to the fan. We’ve seen it in pictures, but it’s not in any of our shell books. Over 2 days, we snorkel in a couple different spots and the kids build sand castles on the small island. While there is more to experience here, our Tahoe neighbors will be in the BVI and we are connecting with them. We also know we will be back in a couple of weeks when our friends the Barths come for a visit. So we bid the USVI adieu for a couple weeks and head to the British Virgin Islands.

Luck Runs in Threes

We’ve had our run of poor timing with the elements. First, we plan to take Bob, Annie and their friend Debbie on a gentle afternoon sail. That afternoon, the wind howls and whitecaps are plainly visible so we cancel. Then, the day that we plan to transport all of the provisions to Liberator, a high-surf advisory is issued. The swell makes moving the stuff without soaking it, a challenge and we finish half the job. Finally, it’s time to return to sailing, so the kids enjoy a last sleepover with the Grandparents. Our final stroke of bad timing occurs when Tom is picking up the kids from their sleepover. A random squall strikes and for the 10 minutes that he is going back and forth, the sky is dark with sheets of rain. Of course, it’s the only shower of the entire day. It’s laughable, but I am learning that when the weather is good its best to take advantage.