Wednesday, May 28. 2008
After a wildlife extravaganza last night with the flamingo, this morning we had wild goats and a pair of flamingos! They were just strutting down the beach, very romantic!
After breakfast we got going and headed down towards the Dogs, it was a very peaceful sail, it was very busy down at the Dogs and we don't like sharing our spots so we kept sailing on by and ended up at Marina Cay for a quick snorkel there. We were beaten to the mooring by a bare boat, we weren't quite sure what they were doing, picking up or dropping off the buoy, so we sat back and watched them repeatedly drive over it, round it and on top of it, eventually they did pick up the buoy, then the end of the boat hook fell off and they lost the line, at this point they just turned around and drove off! I very kindly recovered there half a boat hook and we did return it to them!
Marina Cay is always a favorite spot for me, the seagulls were out in force
and a cute pelican posed for us
The snorkeling was great!
We were overnighting at mine and Richies favorite spot, Muskmelon Bay, it was flat, calm and best of all empty as we passed by the Iguana head and into our bay!
The kids, suprisingly, like the water sports, today was some new stuff though, out came the wake board and the knee board and what an amazing job they all did! First up the wake board........
Nearly there.....
Got it! First time ever and he's up and away! The knee boarders were just as good
I am not sure if this is a look of joy or horror!
Rich showed them how it was done
I found this one and thought it was rather cute, although not the best quality, the kids have taken to using their napkins to become pirates!
Tuesday, May 27. 2008
We didn't make it too far today, we spent our morning at Mountain Point, B took the kids on a snorkel to see the Moon Pool and a general look around, it was quite successful as they saw a turtle, well every one except B who wondered what they were all pointing at!
Richie fixed my internet for me after hundreds of phone calls! When it finally came back on, the number of email messages was scarey, it just kept going up!
Out came the banana boat, a new toy for the kids!
Whose the guest at the back of the banana boat????
Looks like Mr B!
Yep, thats definetly B! how did he sneak on there???
It finished how it always finishes, every one got wet! Although they tell me they meant to fall off for the camera!
A lunch time cruise took us into Bitter End, where they have mostly gone off shopping.
We decided to spend the night at Prickly Pear Island, the kids needed a final Predator for the day, some went solo
some mainly fell off!
and went to the beach instead
While we were sat having cocktails, something was spotted on the beach and much to our suprise........
a flamingo! we hopped in the dingy to go take a look, good picture Richie! All up to date now after our internet fiasco!
My pictures have all gone all over the place and I can't find some (pesky MAC!) so I will give you what I have got!
I did forget to mention that we also Predatored or the "Buns Buster" as named by Austin! while at Salt, the kids were great.....
I love this look of horror!
They stayed on but not for long! Then the big kids had a go
Yesterday started with a mangrove tour, at Beef, these are the lost pictures! The kids had a great kayak through and saw barracuda, fly fisherman and lots of hermit crabs and lots of up side down jelly fish!
It was then a tour on over to the Baths after lunch, Buck stayed behind for a read/afternoon nap, sensible young man.
It was then a late afternoon sail up to Mountain Point, which we had to share last night, doesn't seem right! It was also one of those pesky nights when it kept raining, so we were window open, window closed all night!
After 2 days we have managed to get our internet up and running, the system has been down, but we have had problems also due to our provider (I know that will suprise you Kerry!) Oh well, all good for now, so I am endevering to answer a million emails, catch up on blog etc!
We have been hectic, these kids have so much energy, after our first night at Little Harbor, we moved over to Salt Island the next morning, first a snorkel on the Rhone, the kids discovered the trampolines on the way over there, apparently better than a ride at Disney!
Then the Rhone.......
Here they all are in action, they were quite good with the free diving as you can see. After exploring the Rhone we headed on over to the beach on Salt Island, there was sea glass collecting, geo caching and Anne had the best idea, she sat under the wooden dock in the water, so had shade and was nice and cool!
Here's our geo caches, they found the box and were glad of a bit of shade too!
Cute picture of them all at the Salt pond!
After all that activity the kids were starving! Most managed a snorkel on Man Head Point, which was as spectacular as ever, it was so warm I even got in for a snorkel! Then a sunset sail over to Beef Island for the night! Have to make lunch now, more later!
Windjammer Flying Cloud
Date: May 27th, 2008
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE at the BVI SCUBA Organizations 2nd ANNUAL WRECK WEEK!
Premier Ralph O'Neal gives written permission to secure The Windjammer S/V Flying Cloud and sink it for SCUBA divers in the BRITISH VIRGIN ISLANDS!
The British Virgin Islands SCUBA Organization and the BVI Tourist Board are thrilled to announce that they are in the process of securing and bringing this 208 ft Barquentine HOME to the waters that she sailed in for so long.
Built in 1935, for the French Navy, OISSEAU DES ISLES (Bird of the Islands) served as a cadet training ship. During World War II, she posed as a decoy, spying for the Allied Forces. She was based in Tahiti. After the war, she was used to transport cargo along the Baja coast. In 1968 she joined the Windjammer fleet. She is 208 ft long, 32 feet wide and her draft is 16 feet. She weighed in at 400 tons (before charter guests and rum!)
Flying Cloud sailed the waters of the Sir Francis Drake Channel with many thousands of loyal guests who came back year after year. The Flying Cloud, and the BVI, became HOME. She was retired from active service in 2002. The upkeep expenses to keep her in the fleet for paying guests was prohibitive.
The Windjammer Fleet & Captain Mike Burke have always thought that she should be in the BVI waters for her retirement, and before they ceased operations this past fall, gave permission for the BVI SCUBA Organization to secure the wreck, which had already been donated to the Trinidad Museum, whom did not want it.
Kevin Rowlette of Husky Towing has volunteered to tow her from her current resting place at the dock in Port of Spain in Trinidad.
When she arrives in the BVI she will rest on the FLYING CLOUDS old hurricane mooring in Great Harbor on Peter Island while the BVI SCUBA Organization prepares her for sinking. The VI Shipping Registry, along with the BVI Ports Authority, Conservation and Fisheries, with input from the BVI SCUBA Organization will decide on her final resting place in the territory.
Obtaining this ship truly complements our already spectacular selection of quality wreck dive spots that number at least 10 in total with the RMS Rhone, sunk by hurricane in 1867, as the Jewel in the Crown. The Flying Cloud will be another important part of that crown.
The sinking date, program, and chance to dive this historic wreck will be released as more information becomes available. As you can imagine, there are a fair amount of costs involved with this project, so fundraising and/or donations are going to be gratefully accepted.
For more details please contact: info@bviscuba.org or any of our participating members below.
Dive Stores: Aquaventure, Blue Water Divers, Dive BVI, Dive Tortola, Jost Van Dyke SCUBA, Paradise Watersports, Sail Caribbean Divers, Sunchaser SCUBA, UBS Dive Center
Sail / Dive Liveaboards: Cuan Law (Trimarine), Promenade
I know the boat has no internet the last couple days, and the A/C broke in the captains cabin only, SO, I left about the right time hey! Anyways, that is why no entries from Lisa the last couple days. By the time she gets a connection she will have several entries built up!
I have seen mention of this a couple places over the last week. This is a Portugese Man of War Jellyfish and i think I have seen a grand total of two in the BVI since i have lived there. This was taken by someone on one of the beaches on St John, and there were also reports of quite a few on St. Croix, so technically not in the BVI!
BUT do be careful and watch out for them! They have long tentacles that are translucent and go on a long way. You do not want to touch them.
Also, most of the BVISCUBA are celebrating wreck week for diving this week. Not us, we were already full at this time, so decided to make our own in the fall! They are having a get together at the Bat Cave at 630 tomorrow evening, if anyone wants to go.
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