bvi captains log blog

Surprise, for the first time we have ever been into Money Bay on Norman Island, there is an internet connection. (No cel service though. How does that work?) Must have something to do with all the new stone docks that are being built here and all the excavators and road. I question why they have to build a landing dock on both sides of this tiny little beach???? Wouldn't one have been enough covering things up??



Anyways, when we left you with last nights blog entry we were anchored up in Oil Nut Bay, I decided that it would be a perfect place for sunset pictures, so yes, I am going to bore you with several here! I made all the guests line up on the front...

How about the reds here?

I wanted to go ashore and take sunset pictures of the boat from land. There is this TINY little plank thing over a rock that was narrower then I was wide, I valiantly crossed it (mountain goat I am NOT) hanging onto Bazza! Then once we were there I forgot that I had not taken the croutons out of the oven. The guests joked that they figured it was first time in Oil Nut Bays history that someone yelled from shore "Take the croutons out of the oven!!" The picture was worth it though!

If you look at Oil Nut Bays advertising, they show the "jewelbox" villas (conception only believe me!) although there is a lot of clearing on the hill going on, there has been no more construction on this particular "jewelbox" In fact, what has been built is looking pretty sad. Bazza said it is the worse swimming pool construction he has ever seen around it! There had been some locked sheds that workers obviously had tools in, well they are broken in and most of what was in there was stolen.

So, the obligatory picture for dinner...

AND imagine my surprise when I got my nice little cow dishes out for dessert that LISA had loved when I bought and the price sticker stuff was still on them and Brent could not even find them! So lisa has not even used my cute little cows so I made sure I did with some homemade vanilla ice cream for dessert and took a picture to show everyone how cute they are!!!

Also, Brent learnt a new skill today! He learn how to cut and score the garlic rosemary roasted potatoes! He still even has all his fingers!

This morning after our stop at Saba for internet our next quest was for a calm spot to snorkel. The wind is back with vengeance and we DO NOT need air conditioning at night! We tried a couple spots and settled for Cooper Island where they had a great snorkel. Then it was off trolling and sailing on the outside of the islands down to Money Bay! Poor Dan could barely walk it was pretty lumpy out when we got the fish on the line, and it was a clever fish, it just took a bite!

Our guests have come a long way since the first time they were on board a couple years ago when Pat called me in advance really not sure whether she could do this with seasickness and claustrophobia and now we have them out in 6 feet swells! For the first time in a long time, I had to go upstairs and lay down on the beer locker! A definite no no, but I did not figure anybody would be drinking beer in those seas! It was a short trip and I think they have a billion pictures of the swell!

Here is Brent poised for action to swim the line ashore to tie us in...

And that is all folks for tonight!

Going to Money Bay so we will be out of touch tonight! I know I have a few people who are waiting for me to get in touch with them, tomorrow it will happen!

Press Release- Feb 27th, 2008

From: Promenade Sail Dive Charters
To: All interested parties

Promenade Sail Dive Charters to donate proceeds from March yacht charter to support the VIEC (VIrgin Islands Environmental Council) Court case on Beef Island


I encourage everyone who enjoys reading my blog, or has chartered on the water here, whether on Promenade or otherwise, to help support the first environmental lawsuit in the BVI. We have details below for donating through PAYPAL, or you can mail in checks. Every dollar will help. Please see links below for all the website information and links you could want for this information.

A long time Sail and Dive Charter yacht in the British Virgin Islands, Promenade, would like to give back to support the local environment that has given so much to us and our guests over the years.
Hans Creek, on Beef Island has always been a special place for Promenade , and the crew have always offered guided kayak and dinghy tours through the mangrove area, to see the baby sharks, upside down jellyfish, and see the pelicans.
As a business, we have watched in dismay as more and more areas of the British Virgin Islands have been paved over, or off limits and believe that unless responsible environmentalism is practiced, there will be nowhere left for us to cruise TO any more here except, from marina to marina.

Promenade has a cabin only sailing ( a cabin only sailing is where you can rent a "cabin only" instead of having to find a large group to rent the entire yacht. This allows 2 guests to enjoy the amenities that a much larger yacht offers) for 6 nights March 30th, Sunday and Saturday.
The regular cabin cost for a cabin only sailing is $3800.00, for two guests.
We will offer two cabins, each for two guests, at a special cost of $2500.00, with $2000.00 of the cabin fee being donated to the VIEC Beef Island Court case. This includes all activities, food and beverage.

Please help us in our efforts to protect the environment that has given so much to all of us on the water over the years. If you cannot come yourself, buy a cabin and donate it to a worthy individual.
We encourage everyone who has an interest in the environment and the British VIrgin Islands to donate to this worthy cause.
We have further donated as a member of the British Virgin Islands SCUBA Organization, which recently donated a substantial sum to help protect the waters that we all SCUBA dive.

ANY small amount of donation is greatly appreciated, and because of the banking laws here for residents of the BVI, is it not possible to set up a PAYPAL account to receive money. Promenade has generously offered to accept donations into their PAYPAL account to be handed on to the VIrgin Islands Environmental Council Court Case.

You do not have to have a PAYPAL account to send money by credit card or other means. Simply go to PAYPAL Click on the button that says "send money" and follow the instructions. You will be sending money to promcruz@surfbvi.com for the account, and please clearly put in the information line that it is for donation to VIEC and BVIHCG. Additionally, please let us know if you would like to remain anonymous or not. Thank you, alternately, click on the donate button below to be taken straight into our paypal account, this is specifically set up to let us know that you are donating to BVIHCG and VIEC.

For more information please contact Kerry Lynn Hucul ,Director, Promenade Sail Dive Charters, Box 2249 Roadtown, Tortola, British Virgin Islands ph # 284-499-2756 Email promcruz@surfbvi.com Website: Yacht Promenade and VI Envrionmental Council and BVI Heritage Conservation Group
For more information on the VIEC, the court case, and donating yourself please see the British Virgin Islands Heritage Conservation Group website at BVIHCG or contact Dr. Quincy Lettsome, Director, Virgin Islands Environmental Council Tel: (284) 495 2250 Email: drqlettsome@hotmail.com

Approx 80- 100 people attended meeting on Mosquito Island development held by Town and Country Planning in North Sound February 27th, 2008
The summary of recommendations should be available by email from TCP. It was asked why people have not heard much from TCP about this project and the developers said that they had made available 40-50 CD"s and summary documents on the proposal, but Town and Country Planning had said there was none available, as they had gone to first come first served and anyone with any concerns could contact the developers.
There is another 14 days to write in your concerns. At a previous meeting in November the largest local concern was that all previous resorts have not had a local person in senior management since 1964. The developer said that there were no guarantees that locals would get senior jobs, but they would employ on peoples merit.
The gentleman who ran the meeting for the developer side was called Richard Brown. Clive Petrovic did the Environmental Study. They claim there will be very little change as to what is already there. Many of the existing buildings will just be refurbished. Some will be knocked down and moved higher up from the water, as Hugo had a 4 foot storm surge which inundated the buildings. The main change is that there will be a private home for Richard built. It is going to be mostly timber construction on concrete slab, Tahitian style. The mangroves will be maintained and new ones planted.
On Manchioneel Bay there will be a beach bar, restaurant open to the public as well as nature trails and access to the salt pond, which they claim they are going to restore, however when questioned, they have no actual plan on what they are going to do. There will be quite a few swimming pools. There will be tennis courts, squash courts and a cinema. There will be several 2 and 3 bedroom villas with study and some with pools.
When they were questioned about public access to the beaches they kept saying over and over "as per BVI law, Manchioneel Bay will be open to the public, except for when there is a private party on" and they continually skirted around whether access would be available to any other beaches etc. There was mention many times when the question of access came up that the area around the workers accomodation would be open at times to schools etc to demonstrate the water recirculation programs etc. Remember that Manchioneel Bay is the bay down in the cut between Virgin Gorda and Mosquito, sometimes unattainable, ad Drakes Anchorage is where most people would logically go. When asked specifically about Drakes Anchorage, it was always referred back to Manchioneel being public access.
They stressed that they wanted to go all green and have zero carbon footprint etc. There is a palm grove on the island that locals have harvested leaves for many years for weaving baskets and hats etc. The palm grove is going to be turned into a preserve site, When questioned whether or not locals would still be able to harvest the fronds, Clive Petrovic stood up and said that although it is going to be a preserve because they will be harvested in a substainable way he could not see a problem with it, but there is nothing in writing.

I bet we have people thinking that maybe we have sailed into a storm as we have no blog entry up or anything! Well, we woke up this morning to LOTS of wind and horrors of horrors NO INTERNET!
Brent managed to take this nice picture of a rainbow before I was even out of bed! He was brave enough to touch my camera!!

But, I am ahead of the blog story... at least by looking at my pictures!
Here is last nights dinner picture. We had lobster, shrimp and scallops scampi style!

I was trying to get all arty here with the pictures, but the guests just wanted me to let them eat. They are good enough to know now that they should not touch anything until the pictures are done!

And I don't know Lisa, but with his napkin tucked nattily into his crew shirt, Brent (who has gained a couple new nicknames this week. Bruce is the name for the alter character who forgets the chair, napkins and salt and pepper!) looks like he was born to be a charter guest! You may have some retraining to do!

BUT before dinner, we had a nice sunset, and I was taking pictures of the sunset, but it was almost more amusing taking pictures of all the guests with their cameras!

OK, the sunset was pretty nice as well!

We decided with the wind and the seas it was a great day to stay in North Sound area and Smitty gave me the great idea that we should go and stay overnight at Oil Nut Bay! Thanks Smitty! A quick trip over to Leverick Bay to the Pussers store and then we motored around Saba to get to Oil Nut.

It was windy as can be, but the COLORS in this area always amaze me!

Here we are picking our way into Oil Nut Bay

and when we were right in there, pretty windy, but flat enough for this wide trimaran to sit quite comfortably! You can see the waves somewhat.

The first activity before lunch was a snorkel, I took my big camera to get some pictures of the guests and fish we were going to see. We were dropped off by dinghy up by the reef...

Good plan, as the current was sure pushing in with the wind and seas out there.
I know this will drive the divers crazy to see a dive mask on the forehead, but we are our own agency here sometimes!

Those of us who have NOT had our camera in the water for a couple months not only had a hard time figuring out the system, but also how to get a picture in focus and witha new mask, all I did was clear it anyways!
This was one of my two best efforts, but I like the notion of snorkeling in these colors anyways.. Dan our snorkeler went out this afternoon by himself and was back in about three minutes flat after he saw two large sharks! yep, it is a fish nursery in here, and I suppose the little sharks have to come from big sharks somehow!

Even the fish turned their back on me!

Back for a late lunch, and we were all starved (yeah right!) after the swim, but the burrito's were great anyways!
After lunch it was decided that we would have a power packed afternoon! Yep this was it!! SOME Of our guests were shocked as can be as they got in the lounger (NOT gracefully!) and instantly got their shorts wet. They were not expecting that to happen! Mesh seats, in water, I don't know....Personally I might expect it! When I die and go to heaven this is what I want though, I love the cup holders in it! They finally came in when they realized they were probably getting burned to death in this blue sky today!

And for those of this groups friends and family who are looking for their daily porno shot, here you go! One injured cowboy in the worlds most glamorous position!

I am typing away on my computer this evening although there is no internet nor cel service in this bay, so not a chance it will make it on the internet!