bvi captains log blog

Tonight we are anchored at Leverick Bay in North Sound. Not one of our usual anchorages, but, apparently they are supposed to be doing a band on the beach on Tuesday nights here this winter, so we thought we would check it out and see if it has potential for the charter guests!
We were a bit lazy this morning, but I made sure everyone got their exercise. First a long snorkel at Cistern Point on Cooper Island, where it was as nice as usual, sharks, turtles, rays and barracudas abounded I hear! Then we left some on the beach at Cooper Island Resort and we took the rest over to the Rhone to do a dive. For the groups family members following along at home, they all did spectacular and I tried to get a picture of everyone in mid jump, but I don't think I did very well at it. First we have Brian...

Then our newest diver Jessica, looking like a pro...

Next Dietz..

and the last of our guests Randy...

About this time Simba was tired of me taking pictures and did a front roll entry to try and splash me and all he ended up doing was hitting his head with a metal bit on his spare reg! Serves him right!!!!

We then sent Bazza to town and after lunch, did a bit of sailing up to Virgin Gorda, although we had a "seasick" person, so we eventually turned on the iron horses and went full steam ahead to get to land. We pulled up at the Baths about 4 and the guests enjoyed a couple hours there and then took a cab up to Leverick Bay to meet us. We had taken the yacht up there as soon as we dropped them off.

For anyones future reference, the cab ride from the Baths up to Leverick Bay was $10.00 a head, even with 10 people. I must have done it a long time ago as I thought it was about $6.00 a head!!!!
Our replenishment stocks of beer arrived, and after a nice dinner tonight of some chicken pesto pasta and homemade ice cream with a rum banana sauce for dessert, most have headed in to the beach to see what the beach dance is like! I am finishing the blog and off to bed!

I understand that there was a rock slide and it destroyed Giorgios Restaurant at Nail Bay last week, I saw some pics and good thing no one was in there! That is too bad, although we only had dinner there once and it seemed that a dinner for 10 guests and 4 crew was about the price of an entire day and a half on our charter! There has been a lot of restaurants close lately, there, also Barracuda on Virgin Gorda, and Fat Hog Bobs by Hodges Creek (which rumour has Pussers going into there...)

One other interesting note, in the middle of the channel Bazza marked what was unmistakenly a hull of a ship from his new side scan sonar (or whatever the technical name for those is called) so when we drop off this weekend, we are going to try and go for a dive on it to see what it is! I will make sure to take my camera....

I also caught this tidbit in the minutes from a local meeting..first I have heard of this, but it certainly cannot hurt!
"Possible Lowering of Departure Tax
Dr. Harrigan notified the Board that the Cabinet had already approved the reduction from $20 to $5 of the BVI departure tax. It will now be brought to the House of Assembly for further approval."