Life just seems to get better and better in paradise. We were invited to go sailing in the
BVI's (British Virgin Islands) with friends we've previously sailed with down the Intracoastal waterway in Florida. So another great window of opportunity just seemed to drop into our lap. “Don't forget to bring your snorkeling gear,” Daniel reminded. As if I
would. We flew into the main island called Tortola where we were met at the airport by our French friends Daniel et Manu. (Just dropped into the only bit of French I know.) And literally just a five minute walk away we were on the rickety wooden jetty of Trellis bay. So the new adventure starts right here, and right now!


Tortola, (one of the main islands in the chain) is one of the few places that makes'Fireballs .' A fireball is a steel ball about 5 feet in diameter which is then intricately cut out with shapes of all sorts of animals, trees and people. And every new moon it forms the centerpiece on the beach because they fill it right up with dry timber of all sorts, (usually old pallets), and once its dark, set it on fire. Well, the pagans seem to love dancing all around them along with many inebriates who have all had one too many. A cosy scene as they seem to meld together, beach dancing so well. So a quick tour ofthe (and I use the term very loosely,) factory was quite fascinating. They also make iron figures standing well over 8 feet high which they stick into the sea after stuffing them with wood and other combustible materials. Unfortunately we weren't going to be on theisland for that part of the ritual which was to take place a few nights hence, but hope you like the pics of the fireball and stick people.



A good way to remember the names of the five main islands in clockwise order is by use of the mnemonic which goes like this Ginger ... Cooper... gave Salt..... Peter... and.... Norman. So we headed out to Norman Island mooring in a nearly desolate bay with so many turtles popping their heads up.. looking around.... taking a gasp of air..... looking around again before sinking to the sea grass below. Talk about peace and tranquility. As if you've left this planet and arrived in paradise. Snorkeling with the turtles is quite amazing; watching the slowly munch on the sparse sea grass before moving off to the next clump. The underwater picture is not quite as clear as I would have liked.Anyhow, the next day we set off for 'The Indians', a set of three tall rocks sticking out of the water looking like a Mohicans hair do, with an abundance of fish. In fact, if you just tried staying in one place, the fish would become inquisitive and come to look at you; and that makes quite a difference from trying to keep up with them. Daniel who had the underwater camera took all the videos. Please click on the pictures which then turn into short videos.



Then off to Jost Van Dyke ... and what a pretty island it is. Not too big, and I think a little difficult to get to without a boat. Keeps the hordes of Genghis Khan tourists successfully away. A few though still managing through sheer perseverance to get through. So on Jost, there is a bar called Foxy's, which claims to be the originator of the 'Painkiller. A concoction in a glass made up especially for the sailing fraternity at sundown. Made up as follows.... Dark rum over ice, Pineapple juice, Orange Juice, Coco Lopez and finally a touch of nutmeg on the top. Well, all I can tell you is …. after two, (if you dare,) definitely NO MORE PAIN. The second notable thing that happened to us was at lunch the following day. There we all were, all four of us sitting in the cockpit of the boat having a salady lunch when someAmerican tourists desended on the B-Line Beach Bar. The only bar on the semi deserted beach. And I can only imagine their conversation after a few drinks. The men saying something like, “this is just the perfect place. Why don't you women go topless? And after a hurried conflab between the women they must have agreed ... But.... “you'll only see our backs,” they must have said. So off to the edge of the water they went and stripped off their tops. Now to all you lovely ladies out there reading this... beware of your surroundings. Just look at the husbands all taking photos from the back, totally oblivious to us sitting not too far away out in front in the bay. Hope you like the pic.




And now off to Virgin Gorda. We sailed Xiphos, the name of the mono-hull yacht to thenearby island called Virgin Gorda which took about three hours. Please click the picture of us sailing.    It was wonderful to be back on board and healing over on the high seas again. This island was called this by the explorer Christopher Columbus in 14somethingbecause it reminded him of a fat virgin (Virgin Gorda) laying on her back. So the legend says, that there was a raiding party of Huns back in the 4th century; and instead of enduring (now I quote from the book,) ' A fate worse than death,' ....... all eleven thousand of them decided to commit suicide rather than submit to the raiding party. Can you just imagine that? …... anyway, thus endeth the lesson for today. Back to the good stuff. The island is famous for 'The Baths,' a granite bouldered beach with crystal clear waters. Most people go straight there, but there is so much more to see. We anchored in North Sound, not far from Richard Branson's island called Necka and I can totally see why he bought it. And dinghyed over to... and wait for it.... yes..... The Bitter End. A yacht club that is just brilliant in its surrounding. The pictures say it all, so I'm not going to say anything more. You can't describe perfection in words!



Now here is something that will get those fun police at the Health and safety Executive in England completely and totally apoplectic. In fact, I should tell them NOW, to go straight home, take a couple of aspirin and lie down, in a darkened room because you are really NOT going to like the next bit . But, for the rest of us, who like to live life to the full, here goes. And I think you're really going to like this.
It sounded like a mosquito scuttling across the sky... till your eyes and brain adjustto what you are looking at. And this is something I never ever thought I would see. And yes! Now I have just got to find a person with one...... then convince him, or her, that I definitely need to go on it! Let me try and explain what it is. Think of a dinghy, withan outboard motor. Now remove the motor completely, making it much lighter. The next task is to find a hang glider wing, and secure it above the dinghy, (really, really well.) And now, find an air-boat engine with largish propeller. You may have seen the sort of thing that they use in the Everglades in Florida. I remember a chase in a James Bond Movie using one of these sorts of air boats. Attaching the engine to the struts holding the hang glider wing should not be too difficult; and Voila. You now have your very own Pukka Flying Dinghy. The pilot (if he really was one which I doubt) taxied thecraft to the end of the ....... and here I'd like to say runway, but because of what it is I'll call it a waterway instead. Revved the little engine causing lots and lots of spray behind the rapidly accelerating dinghy, and then quite miraculously, it took off! Yes.... up nto the blue yonder carrying two people, A trueflying boat. The first dinghy I have ever seen flying at well over 60 miles per hour and easily clearing all the hills around. The excitement of everyone who saw this spectacle was just amazing. Please click on the picture which becomes another short video.



And finally, just when you think you've seen everything, something else pops up. On the fuel dock of one of the smaller islands, we came across a red London Telephone box. Just another wonder of the world.