Alex took the fuel filter off of the dinghy and cranked it 200 more times to get the air out. She started right u after that and we didn't have a single problem with her since.
We set off at 9:30 and headed directly across to Jost Van Dyke to check into the BVI. It was much better seas today. We were glad that we stayed the extra day at Francis Bay waiting for the high pressure system.
It was a straight shot across the open water and we passed Great Thatch Island on our right. We've found that the waters are calmer in the mornings so it's nice to get an early start before the winds pick up.
We slowly cruise by the white sand beaches on Jost Van Dyke. Foxys and The Soggy Dollar Bar are famous hangouts here. Unfortunately we didn't have time to check them out since we were headed over to Cane Garden Bay for the evening. It'll give us something to check out the next time we are here!
We pull into the bay and attach to a mooring. I get a cool vibe from this place and would have liked to stay longer. We literally checked in with customs and grabbed some provisions and we were out. Customs checked us in and out of the BVI so we did not need to stop back through on our way out. We were told that this was the best port to check into.
Being on land made us feel a little sea sick. We had no problems while on the boat, but for some reason any time we went on land we would begin to feel it.
We walked up the sandy sidewalk to a small bodega. Everything was dusty and the shelves we half empty. We selected 2 bottles of Jamaican Rum, and 24 case of Heineken and a long stem lighter for the stove.
From there we took a sharp turn out of the bay and up to Sandy Spit. It's a tiny picturesque island would have been the perfect place to stop for lunch had it not been so windy! You have to anchor here since it's not an overnight stop and there were a handful of other sailboats already there. We choose a nice open spot to anchor but had some difficulty since it was so windy and wavy. We attemped 4 or 5 times but our anchor kept slipping. It was very stressful but we decided to give it one more go. We moved out to the edge of the island which was less protected but we were able to latch down. Our boat rocked violently back and forth in the wind.
We landscape was immaculate. It reminded us of the little island that we snorkeled on in Belize. I went down below to prepare sandwiches. We had all of the best ingredients- salami, turkey, cheese, tomatoes and mayonnaise. I felt the first instance of sea sickness while on the boat because I was down below in rough waves. Being down in the cabin is torture in big waves. Luckily I was a pro at making sandwiches by this point so I quickly put them together and got back to the cockpit as soon as possible.
We really enjoyed the breathtaking scenery. It looked like some sort of imaginary island, it was so perfect. Unfortunately wind and waves encouraged us to get going pretty quickly but we would love to return here to explore and snorkel.
It was a short distance across the channel to Cane Garden Bay. Towards the end of the trip, the waves picked up to 5-6 feet so needless to say we were very happy to have a mooring.
This was a cool little spot. It was pretty crowded since it was already later afternoon but we found a lice easy mooring towards the back. This was the first place that we stopped at overnight that actually had a restaurant and bar of any sort.
Beach front bars line the shore and Rasta guys are busy setting up for a jazz band that plays later that night in the open aired restaurant.
With our dinghy securely docked, we walked along the sand to a bright pink restaurant. We knew that was the one that we needed to pay for our mooring ball because the color matched. We patiently waited for the clerk to prepare our hand written receipt while Court TV was playing in the background.
Behind the restaurants was a narrow winding road that curved along the mountainside. This little place reminded me of Placencia, and how simple life was there.
We arrived just in time for Happy Hour so we ordered up a couple of Pain Killers to get it started. After having one drink at the Big Banana, we moved to the place with the band. Rum punch was the specialty there. It was laid back. Ragee music played over the speakers and the ocean breeze provided a nice wind.
Our bartender Braeton was Jamaican. He was probably 20 something, and moved here 2 years ago to be with his father. He said he loved it here but gets board of island life. He was saving up for a trip home to visit family but a one way ticket cost $800. He was a friendly guy.
We stumbled back to rest and clean up so we could come back for our first dinner at a restaurant. I ordered the catch of the day which happened to be grilled snapper and Alex had a paradise chicken roti. That was a curried chicken with potatoes in a West Indies flat bread. It was delicious! I was also proud of myself for ordering fish- I am branching out! We also had a large bottled water (sounded familiar from our SE Asia trip) which was much apperciated since the water jugs we had on board were absolutely disgusting and we were really dehydrated.
We thoroughly enjoyed our meal but felt very tired so we headed back to the boat. We laid on deck listening to the jazz music resonate throughout the entire bay.
We had all of the comforts of home- 2 pillows, a blanket, reading books, flashlights, Rum & sprite, and each other. Life is good! We must have fallen asleep there for a while because when I awoke the moon had almost set.
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