An early start was welcomed today since we had a long journey and wanted to make a stop along the way to snorkel. We quickly enjoyed our coffee but had no breakfast foods on board since we gave our fresh fruits away as a thank you gift to Debbie and Rick.
It was time to do a little cleaning and reassess our food inventory. We gathered our trash and loaded up the dinghy. We needed to drop that off on shore and find a grocer to stock up on sandwich meats and ice.
We strolled passed the beach side bars and restaurants to a small narrow winding road. To the left was an extremely steep hill that lead inland. We curved around the main road and stumbled upon Bobby's Grocery. It was exactly what we needed. They were very well stocked and had everything we were looking for. Good thing we were still on island time because the clerk chatted with us about every individual item we selected. Most of the other little places we'd been had more of a bodega look and feel- with dusty half-empty shelves and freezers. We now had all the supplies we needed so we returned to the boat, closed the hatches and we were off.
I really liked Cane Garden Bay. I was sad to wave goodbye as we pulled out of the harbor. It had a nice feel to it, everyone was friendly and helpful and I really enjoyed the live reggae music. We would have liked to stay there a few more days but because we waited out the weather in Francis Bay we had to get moving.
We turned to our starboard side and headed north around the top of Tortola. We were really nervous about going out into the open sea because we weren't sure what to expect. It actually ended up being my favorite ride of the entire trip. I had finally gotten comfortable with our boat and kept reminding myself that we were 15 tons of weight. It was going to take a hell of a lot to tip us over.
We contemplated heading back south instead but Alex left it up to me. He's so great about making sure I'm completely comfortable. We enjoyed really nice sailing over to Monkey Point and even turned off the engines completely which allowed us to take in the peacefulness of our surroundings.
At the southern tip of Guana Island is a beautiful rocky outcrop known as Monkey Point It came highly recommended for snorkeling. As we slowly approached, Alex prepared to moor and anchor. We weren't sure if mooring balls were available since it didn't show them in our cruising guide.
Sure enough there were moorings however the one we came to was missing the ring to attach our line to. We circled around once more to double check but eventually anchored a little further back.
We had no problem anchoring and actually got it on the first try. We were very proud about that :) We thought we had left enough room between our anchor and the mooring balls but a Catamaran pulled right up on top of our line. We would have to wait for them to leave.
Under the water we saw large trumpet fish, rainbow parrot fish, 6 foot tarpon, huge angelfish, striped parrot fish, yellow tail snapper, and many more tropical fish. The coral life is rich and healthy. Large fan coral sway back and forth and red stag coral populate the area. A few large tube coral were present. I also noticed that there were very few sea urchins which is unlike a lot of the places we visited in SE Asia. That's the sign of a healthy reef.
All of the British Virgin Islands are protected by the national park. It is absolutely illegal to fish in the BVI without a permit. That along with plentiful mooring balls for boaters helps preserve the natural beauty of the sea life.
My absolute favorite thing was a school of cuttlefish! It was amazing!! I felt a rush of excitement flow through my entire body. To see one would have been awesome but I was face to face with 30 of them. They flashed purple and red to communicate with one another. Cuttlefish are referred to as the chameleon of the sea because of their remarkable ability to rapidly alter their skin color at will. Their skin flashes a fast-changing pattern as communication to other cuttlefish and to camouflage them from predators. WOW!
As I kept myself perfectly still in a state of amazement, I suddenly hear a large splash on the surface just a few feet away from me. I instantly peek my head above water and see a yellow tail snapper flapping it's tail violently on the surface. Seconds later, I witness a 3 foot pelican clear it's throat, tilt his neck back and devour the snapper in one gulp. It was a spectacular sight and I had a front row seat. I'm glad he went for the yellow tail instead of me!
Monkey Point offered some of the best snorkeling we've experienced and we hope that it remains a diverse ecosystem for generations to come.
We enjoyed several hours here and then proceed through the narrow passage way to Marina Cay. We found ourselves surrounded by private islands and water so clear that we could almost see the bottom. The water was calm here and we wished that these moments would last forever.
It was a bit challenging to navigate because Little Camanoe and Great Camaone Islands blend into each other in the horizon. It's not until you are close to shore that your eyes reveal a tiny passageway leading straight for Beef Island. It is privately owned and is home to a small airport that hosts propeller planes.
As we approach Marina Cay, I spot a baby dolphin jump out of the water twice. I had my eyes open for them the entire trip so I was really happy to finally see one.
Marina Cay is a cliche Caribbean island. I feel like we're on set for a Corona commercial. It's surrounded by a white sand beach. Palm trees line the shore, hibiscus flowers are in bloom, thatch roof covered picnic tables are perfect for relaxing at and a bar and restaurant await us. The entire island is 8 acres.
We moor successfully on our first attempt. It's always a relief to be securely moored for the night. Even through it was a nice cruise on the way over, we now realized why sailors drink so much! First thing, we popped open a can of pineapple juice and a new bottle of Cruzan rum and sat on the bow of the boat taking in the scenery.
I always love dinghy rides, they're fast and maneuverable and it's fun being so close to the water. We tie up to the dock. (and lock it for good measure) A stroll through the gift shop gave us a few ides for souvenirs.
Next we took a romantic walk up the hill on a secluded windy path. There were no other people in sight. Large hermit crabs rustled in the leaves and little jumping lizards crossed our path.
We wandered up to the very top of the hill and found a good vantage point of the entire island.
Afterward we moseyed down to the restaurant. A bartender greeted us and offered the house special- none other than the infamous Painkiller. This was made with a very special Pusser's Rum.
A rasta chef sat at the end of the bar waiting for the rush to start. We were getting an early start and other than us the place was deserted.
As we waited for our drinks a British woman came up and asked if we had a reservation. We both looked around and thought "What the hell do we need a reservation for? The place is empty!" We laughed about it but eventually filled up with other patrons arriving in boats.
Along one wall were faded black and white photographs of Marina Cay in the 1920s and 30s. A writer named Rob White and his wife lived on the island for 3 years. They were sailors and landed at what they believe to be a large island but soon realized that it was not what they expected. As soon as they set foot on shore, he walked in one direction and she took off in another. They meet up an hour later and realized that it was only 8 acres and was completely uninhabited by people. They quickly purchased the island outright for and incredible price of $60 US.
In the late 70's, Marina Cay became famous as an outpost for Pusser's Rum. Alex told how his dad had a ration of Pusser's when he was the Dr. on board the ship for the Royal British Navy.
Rum and the sea are inseparable, and no rum is more akin to the sea and the sailor than Pusser's Rum–the Original Navy Rum. For more than 300 years, from the earliest days of wooden ships and iron men, sailors of Great Britain's Royal Navy were issued a daily ration–or "tot"–of rum by the ship's "Purser" (corrupted by the sailors to Pusser's). Prior to 1740, the men's daily tot of Pusser's Rum was a pint a day, which they drank neat, that is without water!
From 1655 to the 19th century, Pusser's Rum was one of the few daily comforts afforded those early seamen of Britain's Navy as they fought around the globe to keep the Empire intact and its sea lanes open.
It was not until July 31st, 1970 that the Admiralty Board abolished the daily issue of Pusser's Rum. "Times had changed", they said as they concluded that "in a highly sophisticated navy no risk for margin or error which might be attributable to rum could be allowed". And so it was that the daily issue of Pusser's Rum, which had stood the test of time as the Navy's longest serving tradition for over 300 years, was cast aside like a piece of flotsam and jetsam where it lay quietly until 1979.
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