Sailing with the Treleavens

Islands only a few miles apart, headsail pulled out we are meandering from island to island. Let me take you on a day in the BVI’s.

Waking in Great Harbour, Peter Island, in crystal clear water, a swim before breakfast is out of the question. The day before when we anchored a big fish looking like a shark came to greet us. Taking up residence under the yacht and peering at me every time I tried to enter the water. My answer to the problem, send Ian in first. By mid morning we are swimming side by side but my eyes never leave him.

Pulling into the bay is the’ Leander’ looking very official with her white ensign flags flying. Last year Prince Charles and Camilla charted this beautiful super yacht and we wonder who might get off.

Heading upwind for three miles to Salt Island where the wreck of the Royal Mail Ship Rhone went down. In 1867 the 310 foot steam ship was anchored safely in Great Bay when an out of season hurricane hit without warning. Trying to flee the islands she hit the southwest end of Salt Island, broke in two and sank taking 124 lives.

An impression below the surface, greets us that we will never forget. Now a dive or snorkel site in 40-80 feet of crystal clear water and only metres from the rock she hit, rest the skeletal remains as if perfectly placed there. The centre drive shaft extends out to deeper waters with ribs extending out to the sides. The propeller is very visible and the huge rudder lying on its side as if still steering her. As I float above motionless, I imagine the sound of hitting the rock, the screams of the people and the roar of the hurricane. A tragedy in such a beautiful place is now a habitat for marine life.

Just half a mile to the north of Peter Island is the infamous ‘Dead Chest Cay’ so named because it resembles a coffin or in pirate talk Dead Chest. Often referred to as ‘Dead Mans Chest’ it was supposedly where the pirate ‘Blackbeard’ marooned 15 of his crew with only a bottle of rum. None survived although some tried swimming to the beautiful bay on Peter Island which now bears the same name and the rhyme written for the occasion “Yo-ho-ho and a bottle of rum!!” still lives on. Both the book ‘Treasure Island’ and the movie ‘Pirates of the Caribbean” refer to this little cay.

Rolled out headsail we sail to Norman Island, made famous by Robert Louis Stevenson’s book ‘Treasure Island’. Snorkelling the three pirate caves you come away with a different kind of treasure, eye treasure, colourful tropical fish in pristine water. The island is basically uninhabited apart from the 70 yachts taking up the moorings in Bight Bay. Ashore is the’ Pirates Beach Bar’ live music and everyone has a happy ending to another cruising day.

As we lie on the foredeck and gaze at the bright galaxy of stars, mast head lights swaying and listen to the steel band ashore we recount our day and days of past history. Another day passes. We are now back on Peter Island and a few days tied stern to the shore, cacti in various form are growing on the cliffs, aloe vera on the shore line, pelicans entertain us, we are without contact with the world. Who cares!!!!!

Plans are now in place for the rest of the season, so get your atlas out. The Virgins are made up of British, US and Spanish and we will be here for another four weeks exploring. Then we cross to Puerto Rico and sail the south coast then the northern coast of the Dominican Republic. From there north to the Turks and Caicos Islands, back south to the eastern end of Cuba and along her south coast, Cayman Islands and onto Belize in Central America. At the end of May we will leave Cape Finisterre in a marina up the Rio Dulce River in Guatemala for the hurricane season.

It is hard to believe that we still have over 1750nms miles to sail, all with the trade winds behind us. It is all new territory and covers countries not normally visited by the cruising yachts.

Another mystery is solved. The light banging we sometimes hear against the hull at night is none other than turtles drifting into us. It is great to see so many of these beautiful creatures in the sea.

We are noticing the days getting longer and the winter passing. What winter!!!!!!!

An area of 60 islands, the British Virgin Islands is a sailor’s fantasy; with a constant wind of 15-25 knots, we can go where it takes us. Pirates once ruled these islands, hiding in the secluded bays and burying their treasure ashore. Numerous bays and channels are named after Sir Francis Drake a well known pirate who we were all led to believe in school was an English hero. The pirates, mainly English, were conveniently positioned in remote coves around all these islands to raid the Spanish Galleons returning to Europe, with all the gold and silver they themselves had stolen from the Indians of South and Central America. Now charter yachts are here in their hundreds (we have never seen so many in the one place) and no doubt they too still have the odd mutiny on board.

Pauline Christie from Sydney joins us and after all the formalities of checking in at Spanish Harbour on Virgin Gorda we take a taxi to the ‘Baths’ to experience the walk in. Huge granite stones, some wedged on top of others creating tunnels and caves, others litter the bays. How did these massive stones come to rest here in such a small area is unique with blue sea lapping at the edge.

The coral atoll of Anegada 14nm to the north is flat with a reef that extends out for miles, having claimed over 300 vessels, it is littered with wrecks. My first thoughts are “we won’t be going there”. We do go; a wonderful sail with the sea a beautiful colour as it’s quite shallow all the way. The only entrance is marked by buoys thank goodness as our electronic chart would have put us on the reef at the entrance. This is very open to all weather and the wind is menacing at anchor, especially with over 40 charter yachts all squeeze into a very small area. No one minds; it’s a beautiful place. Anegada is famous for big lobster, pink flamingoes and beautiful beaches with snorkeling inside the reef on the northern coast. Although one of the biggest islands it has a population of only 250.

Jimmy Buffett the well known singer/guitarist famous for ‘Margaritaville’ and ‘Cheeseburger in Paradise’ cruises these waters but no one knows when he might just appear at a bar and put on an impromptu show. Unbeknownst to us the big 100ft motor yacht at the entrance to the bay was his and he came ashore that night and performed unannounced at the Anegada Reef Bar while we sat on board drinking Kahlua.

Anchoring in North Sound, Virgin Gorda, where Sir Francis Drake used to hide, becomes our base for a few nights. This sound is very large and is probably the best shelter in all the Virgins, in all weather. Close by are two huge mega yachts complete with helicopters owned by Microsoft directors; one is over 280ft long and the other in battle ship colour’s. What does that tell you!!! Maybe we should have invited them across to sort out our Vista problems!! Ashore is Bitter End Resort well known to all yachties with bars serving the rum drink of the BVI’s known as ‘Painkillers’.

Paradise is found in a horseshoe bay protected by a reef, resort ashore and room for only one boat. Ian is never one to be on the outside so in we go with clearance of only 25 cm below the keel. Little Dix Bay on the west side of Virgin Gorda becomes home for three days. Pauline and I snorkel amongst turtles, stingrays and a few coral fish on the dead reef. Coral is disappointing but then we are spoilt by the Pacific Ocean. Let’s keep that a secret. Ashore iguanas wander the paths and on the water pelicans keep us amused with diving for fish, some even in unison.

We almost become locals dining ashore and frequenting the bars. Prices are keeping us sober but we feel sorry for the only19% occupancy rate and this is high season. This appears to be the norm for all resorts and charter companies. Ian becomes a hero when his laser sailing school days came in handy rescuing a client of the resort. The boom hit the 85 year olds head while gibing and dumped him onto the reef.

Regulars tell us about the best snorkeling areas and off we sail to explore the small islands north of Tortola. The best we have seen so far in the Virgins with beautiful coloured fish and fan coral. We settle for the night off Marina Cay, famous for the best selling book and movie ‘Our Virgin Island’. It is about the young English couple who purchased the island in the 1940s for $60 down. The bar is now famous for the singing pirate and the roll of the rrrrrrrrrrrrr’s and the copious quantities of Pusser’s rum he gives away. Pusser’s is the original rum of the Royal Navy and was used to preserve Nelsons body.

As for the buried treasure, I will only be too happy to find my superannuation fund!!!!!!!

At Latitude 18 degrees North and Longitude 63 degrees West, Anguilla is the most northerly of the Leeward Islands and on the most outer extremity of the arc of the Caribbean Islands. Only 8nms to the north of St Martin it is a very easy passage to this low lying island looking like an eel, hence being named by Columbus, Spanish for eel. From here on we go west, trade winds from astern, nothing too difficult.

A coral reef extending out for miles protects Anguilla from the Atlantic waves, inside surrounded by aquamarine, sapphire and turquoise seas and then the whiter than white fine sand beaches. Ashore luxury hotels and very good restaurants but that’s where the paradise island ends. Perhaps development has been too fast and the infrastructure and local needs forgotten.

Anguilla was one of the English Islands and when the British decided to decolonise all their islands, they lumped Anguilla in with St Kitts and Nevis 75 nms south. They revolted and after a few little skirmishes the Colonial Office made them an autonomous colony but the island still has direct ties to the mother land.

Hurricane Omar which passed through the Caribbean October 2008 tracked through this island, no one complains, they just rebuild quickly and move on. The beach in Road Bay was apparently littered in yachts and fishing boats but due to the soft sand surrounding the bay they were all easily dragged off.

Road Bay Harbour is one of the nicest harbours and is no charge to anchor in. If you visit other bays and the islands offshore you need to buy a daily permit, for us US$50. Some cruisers get upset about paying and it doesn’t hurt to pay sometimes, especially when the fees go towards protection of the coral and sea life.

Returning by hire car for another day we have to revisit Shoal Beach to reaffirm it wasn’t a dream. Anyone seeking tranquillity to heal the mind, body and soul, this would have to be one of the nicest beaches I have ever seen. All wrapped in blue, the air is clear and breezy, the sky is bright and the water inviting. Also enjoying this special part of the world is Italian windsurfer Tommaso Wirz and girlfriend, who has many friends amongst the windsurfers of NZ and Australia.

As someone once quoted, “Take nothing but memories, leave nothing but footprints”.

Anguilla is our departure point for the British Virgin Islands 80 nms to the west, for us a day sail as we can average 8 knots in a good wind. We have two weather web sites we check regularly, one is www.windguru.com used mainly by the surfers and kite boarders showing the windiest places. It suits me, at a quick glance I get wind strength, direction and most important wave height and direction. Ian prefers www.bouyweather.com; which shows the whole area of where we are sailing too. At the moment we are looking for wind so we don’t burn diesel fuel even though it is cheap at US83c a litre. Saturday shows the perfect picture with just enough wind to keep Ian happy and a following two metre wave height which makes me happy.

A day trip to the marine reserve Prickly Pear Island is a paradise of coral and crystal clear water with only two bars ashore. Saturday has arrived and with dawn breaking at 0630hrs the anchor is up, hoist the mainsail and a tropical storm passes over. A quick glance to ensure we clear the very low Sandy Island to the north as visibility is nil and a beautiful day follows, by 1100hrs we are half way. Rolling along and dreaming, our quiet surrounds are interrupted by zinggggggg and the forgotten fishing line we are trolling takes our attention. Out comes the fish books and it’s identified as a 10 kilo Wahoo a first for us and yes we can eat it. With all the coral around, fish can be contaminated with Ciguatera a poison. Two methods of telling if a fish is poisonous according to the locals are if ants don’t crawl over the fish it. The only problem being I don’t have ants on board. Another is to place a slice of potato in the flesh; if it goes black then it’s poisonous. My theory; if in doubt let it go.

But the Wahoo did have a small win; when flicking him in to the inflatable dinghy which we always haul up on the transom, the hook managed to puncture one of the tubes and it deflated very quickly. Just another job when we anchor.

The weather sites are both correct and we have a perfect crossing sailing all the way taking 9 hours.

BVI’s and yes this is very different, we pass Necker Island, Richard Branson’s private paradise island complete with imitation palms on the small sand cay in the lagoon; helicopters come and go from the cruise yachts and beautiful lush islands greats us.
We are here for over 6 weeks so we have plenty of time to explore the many islands of the Virgins which many cruisers consider equal to the Ionian Islands of Greece.