Friday, July 31. 2009
Savannah Bay, Virgin Gorda
Today consisted of mostly cooking and fixing things. I was cooking and Bazza was taking moon jellies and barnacles out of all the A/C hoses that we managed to get this time of year. I think he was up before 7 and Simeon was in the water cleaning them out as well.
I baked. I baked shortbread cookies and three different kinds of pizza for lunch (there was a method to my madness) This all seemed like a great idea until I realized my galley even with the A/C on was a tad warm! I wondered for a split minute if I could rig something up (like a crew member) to open the oven door while I stayed in my room with the a/c on!
The crew members were busy themselves though. Some went to Saba and Bitter End this morning, some went snorkeling on the Cannons, Simeon took garbage and went grocery shopping over at Gun Creek...you know how it goes!
Then it was a sail down to Savannah Bay. Some beach time and tubing time was required...A small tuna was caught which became appetizers tonight....along with conch fritters (I am probably the only idiot I know that boils oil on the stove top on July 31st in the tropics to do fritters! And it is not like we have to do only 6 of them...
The casting net came out on the beach looking for bait for tonight...
We have not made Savannah a regular stop for a long time, but every time we do I am reminded that it really is good for very many things... That is, until late afternoon when we were surrounded by TWO different summer camp flotillas! That was time to leave...
This is where Giorgio's Restaurant USED to be before the rock slides...
The guests are getting cockier on the predator as the week goes along, that probably means the crew will be trying to dump them more energetically soon I believe!
We had buffet tonight, as I had a whole assortment of things for different tastes and our table was just too small. I also decided that it was a good idea to cook some garlic bread from scratch as well...I am sure I have used every ounce of floor on the boat now!
They caught a little Sting Ray just at dinner time (we are now at Marina Cay, for the fishing! These boys can fish all night!, they love it...)
Me, a short blog and an early night tonight I think...Perhaps a movie? Something different then the Modern Marvels and Ultimate Factories that Bazza loves watching nightly!
I baked. I baked shortbread cookies and three different kinds of pizza for lunch (there was a method to my madness) This all seemed like a great idea until I realized my galley even with the A/C on was a tad warm! I wondered for a split minute if I could rig something up (like a crew member) to open the oven door while I stayed in my room with the a/c on!
The crew members were busy themselves though. Some went to Saba and Bitter End this morning, some went snorkeling on the Cannons, Simeon took garbage and went grocery shopping over at Gun Creek...you know how it goes!
Then it was a sail down to Savannah Bay. Some beach time and tubing time was required...A small tuna was caught which became appetizers tonight....along with conch fritters (I am probably the only idiot I know that boils oil on the stove top on July 31st in the tropics to do fritters! And it is not like we have to do only 6 of them...
The casting net came out on the beach looking for bait for tonight...
We have not made Savannah a regular stop for a long time, but every time we do I am reminded that it really is good for very many things... That is, until late afternoon when we were surrounded by TWO different summer camp flotillas! That was time to leave...
This is where Giorgio's Restaurant USED to be before the rock slides...
The guests are getting cockier on the predator as the week goes along, that probably means the crew will be trying to dump them more energetically soon I believe!
We had buffet tonight, as I had a whole assortment of things for different tastes and our table was just too small. I also decided that it was a good idea to cook some garlic bread from scratch as well...I am sure I have used every ounce of floor on the boat now!
They caught a little Sting Ray just at dinner time (we are now at Marina Cay, for the fishing! These boys can fish all night!, they love it...)
Me, a short blog and an early night tonight I think...Perhaps a movie? Something different then the Modern Marvels and Ultimate Factories that Bazza loves watching nightly!
Wednesday, July 29. 2009
Dear Ms Mermaid in Hospital
For those who read Dear Ms Mermaid blog here in the BVI, she is currently in hospital and is not blogging on her regular caribbean weather site. She has been in the hospital for a bit, and I it seems to be taking a long time to get a diagnosis! Here is the link to her hospital blog.
I wish her the best and I know she reads my blog too, so please, if there is anything I can do, let me know.
Some days, they just go way too quickly. I turn around and POOF! It is time to blog again. We decided to do the uphill battle once leaving Roadtown today. We sailed for awhile and then motored the rest of the way to the Baths.
Simeon seemed to be having a little problem with the waves getting him!
Surprisingly, we could not find a ball at the Baths so we ended up anchoring behind everyone...It was lunch time first of all...
And then Brent and guests went ashore, so these are just random pictures of the trip through the Baths.
Then it was time for another nicer sail up to Mountain Point. Our big catch at cocktail hour was a brittle star, but we did catch a bonito tuna which became appetizers this afternoon!
Tubing for some went on until the sun had set....
Barbecued ribs for dinner tonight and ice cream...
The boys were fishing and had a reef shark on the line that just as they got it to the aft of the yacht rubbed on the bottom and snapped the line, but quickly again the fight was on!
After only about 30 minutes of fighting the had a 70 lb Tarpon on board! Well done, and way too go!!!
I also hear mention of a sting ray....
I wish her the best and I know she reads my blog too, so please, if there is anything I can do, let me know.
Some days, they just go way too quickly. I turn around and POOF! It is time to blog again. We decided to do the uphill battle once leaving Roadtown today. We sailed for awhile and then motored the rest of the way to the Baths.
Simeon seemed to be having a little problem with the waves getting him!
Surprisingly, we could not find a ball at the Baths so we ended up anchoring behind everyone...It was lunch time first of all...
And then Brent and guests went ashore, so these are just random pictures of the trip through the Baths.
Then it was time for another nicer sail up to Mountain Point. Our big catch at cocktail hour was a brittle star, but we did catch a bonito tuna which became appetizers this afternoon!
Tubing for some went on until the sun had set....
Barbecued ribs for dinner tonight and ice cream...
The boys were fishing and had a reef shark on the line that just as they got it to the aft of the yacht rubbed on the bottom and snapped the line, but quickly again the fight was on!
After only about 30 minutes of fighting the had a 70 lb Tarpon on board! Well done, and way too go!!!
I also hear mention of a sting ray....
Tuesday, July 28. 2009
The first day of our last charter of the season!
The channel is pretty rough out there today...What is with this 20 knot winds for days at this time of year? I was in the grocery stores this morning and the shelves are looking pretty bare, only to look even barer as it gets closer to the three day holiday next week. Managed to get some of my favorite Ciabatta bread at the bakery this morning, I make it myself on the boat, but it not as good as the bakeries! I need to steal their recipe...
We have a group from Miami and Costa Rica this week, they all came out smiling....
And proceeded to tell me about their last trip here where one hurt themself the first day, and had to go to hospital and how the boat they had was literally a box of junk. She told me that she was bad Karma, and since they just had some drama's coming across by ferry from St thomas I was inclined to believe them! There was a rather large diesel slick pouring into Inner Harbour today, it was large enough that we called Conservation and Fisheries...Not that there is probably many fish left in there to kill off!
The guests were all hungry by this time, so food was presented and I think this is the first time that i have ever seen people eat at the upstairs and downstairs table!
Nothing special for lunch, but it was very good our cold cut tray!
Then it was time for a bracing sail over to Peter Island, and when we pulled up at Little Harbour there were every scuba summer camp boat around in there, so we passed right on by to Great Harbour. It was 4 PM by this time and we figured we had time for a snorkel and some banana boating before dinner...
Sophia was eager to get in the water....
We should have stopped there, but the banana boat came out and they looked all happy going for a ride...
Until Briana dislocated her shoulder from a bad fall! She was extremely brave though, and although white as a ghost and then fainting from the shock of it, she did not cry a peep! Very impressive!!
Unfortunately that meant two hours after leaving Road Harbour we had to turn around and go right back to Road Harbour. They tried the clinic, and although it was open, there was no doctors (????!!!???) so they sent her up to the hospital, where, there was one doctor on duty and quite a full waiting room. They were only gone about 2 and a half hours though, and the cost including X ray was $30.00!
She is not supposed to move it all week...Good luck with that one!
We managed to make our way back out to the mooring anyways so we could at least fish, and had quite a late dinner!
I think everyone will sleep very well tonight!
We have a group from Miami and Costa Rica this week, they all came out smiling....
And proceeded to tell me about their last trip here where one hurt themself the first day, and had to go to hospital and how the boat they had was literally a box of junk. She told me that she was bad Karma, and since they just had some drama's coming across by ferry from St thomas I was inclined to believe them! There was a rather large diesel slick pouring into Inner Harbour today, it was large enough that we called Conservation and Fisheries...Not that there is probably many fish left in there to kill off!
The guests were all hungry by this time, so food was presented and I think this is the first time that i have ever seen people eat at the upstairs and downstairs table!
Nothing special for lunch, but it was very good our cold cut tray!
Then it was time for a bracing sail over to Peter Island, and when we pulled up at Little Harbour there were every scuba summer camp boat around in there, so we passed right on by to Great Harbour. It was 4 PM by this time and we figured we had time for a snorkel and some banana boating before dinner...
Sophia was eager to get in the water....
We should have stopped there, but the banana boat came out and they looked all happy going for a ride...
Until Briana dislocated her shoulder from a bad fall! She was extremely brave though, and although white as a ghost and then fainting from the shock of it, she did not cry a peep! Very impressive!!
Unfortunately that meant two hours after leaving Road Harbour we had to turn around and go right back to Road Harbour. They tried the clinic, and although it was open, there was no doctors (????!!!???) so they sent her up to the hospital, where, there was one doctor on duty and quite a full waiting room. They were only gone about 2 and a half hours though, and the cost including X ray was $30.00!
She is not supposed to move it all week...Good luck with that one!
We managed to make our way back out to the mooring anyways so we could at least fish, and had quite a late dinner!
I think everyone will sleep very well tonight!
Saturday, July 25. 2009
A lazy Saturday on Tortola in marina...
It became that time of the week again, when the water taxi pulled up once again to the yacht and whisked away the guests! I know they were looking forward to the next few days shopping in Miami though before heading back to Brazil!
Many thanks from the Muller family! It was a memorable week which, you can be sure, will be remembered by every member of the family. Your personal attention to each one of us made us feel at home the very first day. ROBERTO
This trip was and will be unforgettable! CLAUDIA
Everything we did and saw on this trip was amazing, as well as the crew... DANIEL
I loved this trip! JESSICA
I loved this trip and if it depends on me, I'll come back! ALEXANDRE
Thanks to all of you from Sao Paulo Brazil, it was a fun week with tons of wake boarding and water skiing.
It was time for the crew to do some town stuff and banking since we just happened to be in Roadtown on a weekday (very unusal...) before heading back to Marina. Brent disappeared to friends for the weekend and SImeon was looking very ambitious getting out the sewing machine to sew some seams on his sail for Whiskey Dream (name has to go Simeon, it does NOT suit you!)
He asked me if I remembered how to thread bobbins, and that was a big nope... (is this a smile on his face?? Just a little one??)
Bazza remembered how to thread bobbins though and soon SImeon was sewing like a pro!
What does a girl do when her air conditioning is broken in her cabin? Well, she drags out the blow up mattress in front of the TV, and makes what her mother would call a "Duck's Nest!" It is very comfortable as well, although Bazza tells me don't even think I can live her on charter. It has everything I need though!! AND more room then my cabin...
I think we were up until about 2 or so this morning catching up on the season of Damages, when we finally drug ourselves out of bed, Bazza wanted to go to Clarence Thomas, and walking down the dock we saw Simeon doing some MORE work, scraping the bottom of his dinghy! What is the world coming to?
A sight we don't see very much on Tortola any more is the cows on the road, but they were here this afternoon, looking quite healthy for BVI cows as well!
That is all I know, time to make Nacho's and watch more Tv! We don't pick up until Tuesday so tomorrow is a do nothing day either, although I do have some contracts and emails to answer!
Many thanks from the Muller family! It was a memorable week which, you can be sure, will be remembered by every member of the family. Your personal attention to each one of us made us feel at home the very first day. ROBERTO
This trip was and will be unforgettable! CLAUDIA
Everything we did and saw on this trip was amazing, as well as the crew... DANIEL
I loved this trip! JESSICA
I loved this trip and if it depends on me, I'll come back! ALEXANDRE
Thanks to all of you from Sao Paulo Brazil, it was a fun week with tons of wake boarding and water skiing.
It was time for the crew to do some town stuff and banking since we just happened to be in Roadtown on a weekday (very unusal...) before heading back to Marina. Brent disappeared to friends for the weekend and SImeon was looking very ambitious getting out the sewing machine to sew some seams on his sail for Whiskey Dream (name has to go Simeon, it does NOT suit you!)
He asked me if I remembered how to thread bobbins, and that was a big nope... (is this a smile on his face?? Just a little one??)
Bazza remembered how to thread bobbins though and soon SImeon was sewing like a pro!
What does a girl do when her air conditioning is broken in her cabin? Well, she drags out the blow up mattress in front of the TV, and makes what her mother would call a "Duck's Nest!" It is very comfortable as well, although Bazza tells me don't even think I can live her on charter. It has everything I need though!! AND more room then my cabin...
I think we were up until about 2 or so this morning catching up on the season of Damages, when we finally drug ourselves out of bed, Bazza wanted to go to Clarence Thomas, and walking down the dock we saw Simeon doing some MORE work, scraping the bottom of his dinghy! What is the world coming to?
A sight we don't see very much on Tortola any more is the cows on the road, but they were here this afternoon, looking quite healthy for BVI cows as well!
That is all I know, time to make Nacho's and watch more Tv! We don't pick up until Tuesday so tomorrow is a do nothing day either, although I do have some contracts and emails to answer!
Thursday, July 23. 2009
Water Skiing, Diving, snorkeling, sailing, beaching, hiking, climbing, fishing...it must be the last day of charter trying to fit it all in!
This is my "It's almost August in the British Virgin Islands, it is HOT, it is that time of the month AND my air conditioning is "no workie" in my little cabin" look. Fix it. I feel sorry for all the boys today, I think they all get to share in the glory of my mood!
We started the day at Mountain Point with water skiing and wake boarding, followed by a Simeon guided snorkel tour to the Moon Pool...
Roberto looks like Lorelei on the Rocks here!
There were bait fish around...
But a beautiful spot as always...
Lunch was spectacularly good today from the crews standpoint...(although the guests also told me the food has been outstanding, I may not be fancy, but I know how to cook! Just don't ask for funny little artistic garnishes!) Anyways, I made the buns big and doughy just like I like them, (it really is all about me!), made the crew favorite egg salad, and I have found the surimi (fake crab) that Sailors Ketch sells is far superior to any of my other wholesalers on island and makes a salad that I enjoy eating!
By this time we were at the Baths, and the guests went ashore with Brent to explore...I stayed on board to complain about how hot it was! (I know, what a surprise that i stayed on the boat!)
Then it was off for a spinnaker run down the channel to Salt Island.
I guess before the spinnaker went up, we managed to fit in the swimming under the hull game...
Well, for some, some watched the games from a safe distance...
Even though it was close to 6 by the time we arrived at Salt Island, we still had to fit in the walk on land, the geo cache, a snorkel and a slide show before dinner... Brent charged around Salt Island with the younger members..
They enjoyed the land crabs...
I think this is a wonderful picture!
Yes, they climbed everywhere...
I must admit this is a view I have never seen and it is nice, although I might have seen it by helicopter!
Victorious at the top of the island...
With our gray skies and rain, not much luck for sunsets the last few days. I think Brent talked them into the summit by saying how wonderful the sunset would be!
As usual, while trying to sync the slide show to the Apple TV, the device disappeared out of my Itunes window, and we could not find it anywhere, I left Bazza to figure it out and took my cranky hot self in for a dive to cool off in more then one way! It is the same darn thing every week. I will rant about that another day. Suffice to say I ended up putting the slideshow on a disc and Bazza hooked up his PC to the TV so we could watch it!
I did find a piece of scruffy reef that I have NEVER been on before here. Hard to believe as I thought I knew every inch... Not much on it but a few things to photograph anyways, a crab sitting on a barrel sponge...
This lobster and Spotted Eel were underneath the same coral head...go figure!
Still star fish around and hundreds of large grown conch now. Also large tulips, I probably saw 8 of them, all enormous!
Dinner tonight (almost at South American hours it is so late) Always so busy on the last day trying to "fit" everything in...
Not one of our prettier cakes tonight for sure! But it had ice cream with it and it was chocolate, so even though bursting, we still ate...
This is last night, the testosterone on the back deck was a bit thick...
Ah! It figures, they caught a little reef shark...
They also netted and brought on board to see an eel... A golden eel, I believe! Quite unusual...
Here is a close up of the head on him......
We started the day at Mountain Point with water skiing and wake boarding, followed by a Simeon guided snorkel tour to the Moon Pool...
Roberto looks like Lorelei on the Rocks here!
There were bait fish around...
But a beautiful spot as always...
Lunch was spectacularly good today from the crews standpoint...(although the guests also told me the food has been outstanding, I may not be fancy, but I know how to cook! Just don't ask for funny little artistic garnishes!) Anyways, I made the buns big and doughy just like I like them, (it really is all about me!), made the crew favorite egg salad, and I have found the surimi (fake crab) that Sailors Ketch sells is far superior to any of my other wholesalers on island and makes a salad that I enjoy eating!
By this time we were at the Baths, and the guests went ashore with Brent to explore...I stayed on board to complain about how hot it was! (I know, what a surprise that i stayed on the boat!)
Then it was off for a spinnaker run down the channel to Salt Island.
I guess before the spinnaker went up, we managed to fit in the swimming under the hull game...
Well, for some, some watched the games from a safe distance...
Even though it was close to 6 by the time we arrived at Salt Island, we still had to fit in the walk on land, the geo cache, a snorkel and a slide show before dinner... Brent charged around Salt Island with the younger members..
They enjoyed the land crabs...
I think this is a wonderful picture!
Yes, they climbed everywhere...
I must admit this is a view I have never seen and it is nice, although I might have seen it by helicopter!
Victorious at the top of the island...
With our gray skies and rain, not much luck for sunsets the last few days. I think Brent talked them into the summit by saying how wonderful the sunset would be!
As usual, while trying to sync the slide show to the Apple TV, the device disappeared out of my Itunes window, and we could not find it anywhere, I left Bazza to figure it out and took my cranky hot self in for a dive to cool off in more then one way! It is the same darn thing every week. I will rant about that another day. Suffice to say I ended up putting the slideshow on a disc and Bazza hooked up his PC to the TV so we could watch it!
I did find a piece of scruffy reef that I have NEVER been on before here. Hard to believe as I thought I knew every inch... Not much on it but a few things to photograph anyways, a crab sitting on a barrel sponge...
This lobster and Spotted Eel were underneath the same coral head...go figure!
Still star fish around and hundreds of large grown conch now. Also large tulips, I probably saw 8 of them, all enormous!
Dinner tonight (almost at South American hours it is so late) Always so busy on the last day trying to "fit" everything in...
Not one of our prettier cakes tonight for sure! But it had ice cream with it and it was chocolate, so even though bursting, we still ate...
This is last night, the testosterone on the back deck was a bit thick...
Ah! It figures, they caught a little reef shark...
They also netted and brought on board to see an eel... A golden eel, I believe! Quite unusual...
Here is a close up of the head on him......
Wednesday, July 22. 2009
From Guana Island, to West Dog, To Virgin Gorda...
Looks like we are practicing The Wave here!
And this is last nights dinner pic...
Here it looks like we are practicing country line dancing but I would not think that was the case!
We had a very nice calm night at Muskmelon Bay and a morning was spent water skiing, wake boarding, snorkeling, etc etc. All that kind of vacation things that we do so often! It was not until about 2 or so this afternoon when we finally left here and were absolutely amazed to see how much the seas had calmed down ! And the wind! Calm enough that we could get out the trolling lines and going around the outside fishing. At first our fishing looked like this....
We often find with "fishing" that WE fish, not the guests! Eventually, after naps were done, we did manage to get some participation!
The big catch I think was a needlenose! But we did get a small mackerel for eating....
and a small tuna for appetizers (yep. blood in the picture)
While we were going by West Dog about 5 this afternoon, it was looking about this flat, and we stopped for a snorkel...
Roberto and I went for a swim anywas...
I kept on laughing as his mask constantly filled up because of his moustache! He was stopping to clear often.
We did not see much spectacular and not a lot of fish, although the rocks and boulders were very pretty...
We did have a couple turtles. On our way back we saw both Simeon and Brent freediving into a cave to check it out....
We found a ton of bird activity...
Unfortunately trolling through their we managed to catch a pelican, and really the line was wrapped around him, not hooked in him....
We reeled him in, pulled him on the boat...
Threw a towel over his head to calm him down, and Brent cuddled him...
Then we released him to fish again another day!
Continued on up to Mountain Point and had dinner...
Another late night for us, the days seem to get longer as the week gets shorter as we are trying to fit everything in a day! I hear rumours that they caught a little Reef Shark tonight!
And this is last nights dinner pic...
Here it looks like we are practicing country line dancing but I would not think that was the case!
We had a very nice calm night at Muskmelon Bay and a morning was spent water skiing, wake boarding, snorkeling, etc etc. All that kind of vacation things that we do so often! It was not until about 2 or so this afternoon when we finally left here and were absolutely amazed to see how much the seas had calmed down ! And the wind! Calm enough that we could get out the trolling lines and going around the outside fishing. At first our fishing looked like this....
We often find with "fishing" that WE fish, not the guests! Eventually, after naps were done, we did manage to get some participation!
The big catch I think was a needlenose! But we did get a small mackerel for eating....
and a small tuna for appetizers (yep. blood in the picture)
While we were going by West Dog about 5 this afternoon, it was looking about this flat, and we stopped for a snorkel...
Roberto and I went for a swim anywas...
I kept on laughing as his mask constantly filled up because of his moustache! He was stopping to clear often.
We did not see much spectacular and not a lot of fish, although the rocks and boulders were very pretty...
We did have a couple turtles. On our way back we saw both Simeon and Brent freediving into a cave to check it out....
We found a ton of bird activity...
Unfortunately trolling through their we managed to catch a pelican, and really the line was wrapped around him, not hooked in him....
We reeled him in, pulled him on the boat...
Threw a towel over his head to calm him down, and Brent cuddled him...
Then we released him to fish again another day!
Continued on up to Mountain Point and had dinner...
Another late night for us, the days seem to get longer as the week gets shorter as we are trying to fit everything in a day! I hear rumours that they caught a little Reef Shark tonight!
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