British Virgin Islands | Tusen Takk II

Chuck’s nephew Erik and Erik’s wife Cindy flew in to Charlotte Amalie on Feb 28. While anchored in the Bay awaiting their arrival, we saw an interesting sight. Two helicopters circled the Bay and then one of them hovered over the dock at the Coast Guard Station. It was difficult to see what was happening, but later examination of my telephoto pictures revealed that a superstructure suitable for mounting navigation aids was being tied to the helicopter. When that was secured, the helicopter flew off, presumably to deposit the structure on some hazardous rocky outcrop.

We had a grand time with Erik and Cindy. We snorkeled at Waterlemon and Christmas Cove, and after checking in to the BVIs in order to pick up an injector pump for our generator, visited the Bight area of Norman Island, where we snorkeled the Caves and the Indians, and of course we stopped in at Willy T’s in order that Erik and Cindy could experience that particular bit of tourist-madness.

While in Francis Bay, Barb took our guests on a walk to the Annaberg Ruins, where they were fortunate to arrive during an expo day. On Friday night we again partook of the gluttonous meal at Maho Resort, and afterwards watched in fascination as a guest glass blower created a gnarled tree complete with green foliage. On another day we all joined Hunter and Devi (Arctic Tern) and their guests Craig and Sharon on a hike over the Johnny Horn trail from Waterlemon to Coral Bay and back. While in Coral Bay we had breakfast at the Donkey Diner, and then walked down to the little grocery store “Love City Mini Market”, which “has everything”.

Erik and Cindy: great guests, welcome anytime.

Post Script: On the day after Erik and Cindy’s departure, Mar 8, Barb took some amazing photos while dinghy-ing in to do some laundry. See the last two photos in the album, below, of a daring rider on a “St Thomas JetRider”. Barb later found literature which described the setup. A 33 ft hose from the small boat to the two barrels on the jetpack unit. Water is pumped at over 1,000 gallons per minute.

PPS: Today, Mar 20, I am updating the photo gallery, below, to include three photos taken by Erik while he was with us. I just got them through email a few days ago — hence the delay in their inclusion.

: One of two circling the bay

: Then one hovers over the Coast Guard dock

: There are people under that ‘copter!

: Looks like they are attaching something!

: It is a tower for navigation aids

: And away they go!

: Cindy & Erik at Annaberg

: Poster at Annaberg Expo

: Demonstrating broom construction at the Expo

: Glass blowing at Maho Resort

: Making a glass tree — with leaves!

: Finished product

: On the Johnny Horn Trail

: Terns and their guests on the trail

: Sign for restaurant in Coral Cove

: Sign in Coral Cove

: Devi and friend

: Love City Mini Market

: Resting outside the mini market

: Famous Willy T bar and restaurant

: At the Willy T

: Out for a dinghy ride in the Bight

: Heading ashore, Soper’s Hole, BVI (photo by Erik Robb)

: TT2 in Waterlemon Bay (photo by Erik Robb)

: Waterlemon Bay (photo by Erik Robb)

On Jan 19 we left Charlotte Amalie and traversed over to Salt Pond, St. John, where we snorkeled, harvested some lambi (conch; later prepared by Devi and served to the appreciative crews of Tusen Takk II, Awakening, and Arctic Tern) and attended Sunday brunch at Concordia Resort. On Jan 21, back over to Great Lameshur where we dove Tektite Reef and I caught a lobster. Next day, back over to Francis Bay to refill our scuba tanks and dive Johnson Reef and Whistling Cay, where I again caught a lobster. Our stay included a Friday evening, so of course we hiked up the stairs to Maho Bay Resort where most of us (Liahona and guests, Nirvana and guest, Persephone and guest, Arctic Tern and Tusen Takk II) ordered their world-famous prime rib. We also attended several sundowners on Nirvana. On one such the moonrise was spectacular; Morgan’s guest (Lindsey, on Nirvana) let me use her camera to catch the moment and later emailed the pictures. Thanks, Lindsey!

Our water maker ceased production yet again. Hunter (Arctic Tern) and I removed it from TT2’s Holy Place and disassembled the beast up in the cockpit. We managed to break an elbow, but were told that a repair facility was available at Nanny Cay, BVI. Three trips: the first to pick up the wrong seals, the second to get the correct seals, and the third to deal with the broken elbow, which required retapping the threads. Since we were already in the shop for the retapping, I let the tech put the ETD back together while I watched and was gratified to see that he didn’t do anything that I would not have done. Back at the boat, the ETD was installed back into its frame and the whole unit reinstalled back into the Holy Place. Yippee! It worked (and is working)! Not only working, but working at the advertised full capacity of the unit!

While in the BVIs, we spent a night at The Bight on Norman Cay, where we snorkeled the caves, and two nights at Cane Garden Bay, where we had never been before. Nice quiet little bay, with a number of beach bars/restaurants, and a very old and small rum factory whose entire annual production is consumed on the island of Tortola.

Then, on Jan 31, back to Cruz Bay to check back in to the USA and to get our mail and then double back to Francis Bay, where we got an email from Arctic Tern suggesting that we get together for a dive on Tektite Reef. So next day we swung around the island to Great Lameshur, where we had a very nice dive. Saw lots of fish and each couple snagged a lobster, some of which Barb turned into two delicious pizzas. On Feb 2 we moved over to Salt Pond, where we hiked out to Ram Head and then harvested five conch, some of which Devi turned into delicious curried lambi.

For more news of more hikes, tune in to the next exciting episode of “Barb and Chuck go cruising”.