The Channel Islands: Cooper, Peter, and Norman Islands
28 February 2012
The Channel Islands protect the Francis Drake Channel from the open waters of the Sombrero Passage. We anchored and snorkelled in Manchioneel Bay on Cooper Island, and in Great Harbour on Peter Island, both of which were lovely spots with good snorkelling from the boat. Manchioneel was crazy crowded because it’s so close to Road Town, hub of the charter boats, and we lucked out in picking up a mooring. There were lots of swells, though, so we were happy to find that Great Harbour on Peter Island was a huge, well protected bay with fewer boats where we tucked right into the very corner of the small fishing cove at the end of the bay. We dove for conch and Ralph brought up an absolutely huge one, obviously ancient because the shell was all pitted, and I dove for a tiny, perfect one. Don’t worry, Vicki, we did not kill the “googly-eyes” that lived inside them. We put them back. Peter Island Resort in Sprat Bay was just across a narrow isthmus from where we were anchored. They charge $65.00/night for a mooring ball and $20.00/hr. to tie up your dinghy at the dock. Needless to say, we did not visit.
We saved the best for last, as far as I’m concerned. Norman Island has a huge anchorage at The Bight with 120 mooring balls. Apparently, it’s the best beach party in the world, which didn’t interest us at all. However, just before you go into The Bight, we found Kelly’s Cove, a little bay bordered by rock walls with only four mooring balls. We picked up the last one, and were happy not to have to go in to The Bight and join the party crowd. We had good protection, no swells, and some of the best snorkelling we’ve ever had right off the boat. We snorkelled all the way around the cove, and it was great, with lots of fish, some of which were huge. (And, I might add, none of them stalked me.)
It was deeper than most of the reefs we’ve snorkelled, so I didn’t get good pictures (not enough light down deep), but as we made our way back to the boat, Ralph pointed to a sea turtle grazing along the bottom. It was the first I’d seen from underwater! I snapped a bunch of shots without much hope he’d show up clearly, but then he started swimming along the bottom, so I decided to try video. I couldn’t believe what happened just after I started filming….. he swam up RIGHT IN FRONT OF ME!!!! With the camera on wide angle, he filled the frame, he was that close! I could have reached out and touched him if I wasn’t so busy keeping filming, and I didn’t want to risk scaring him. He was in no hurry, making his leisurely way up to the surface for a breath of air, and when he swam it was like floating, like poetry, like the loveliest music ever played or sung. It was a totally amazing experience with a high that lasted for days. I was so humbled and thrilled to see this magnificent creature in his own environment, and if I had to pick one golden moment from this whole trip, it would be that. Unbelievable and indescribable, it took my breath away. (Ralph’s version: Worth the sail to Norman.) When we have a better internet connection, I’ll try to figure out how to upload the video to my Facebook page.
That was the morning. In the afternoon we dinghied across the mouth of The Bight to snorkel the caves at Treasure Point. (Apparently, there was a real pirate’s treasure found here in the 1700s.) We tied to the dinghy line and snorkelled along the mouth of the four caves, and into some of them. The highlight here was the fish. Swarms of them! Colourful and cheeky, they didn’t seem to mind sharing their waters with us. The cruising guide warns not to feed them because it makes them aggressive, and I can see that because they certainly weren’t shy. Or small. No barracudas, though.
Our last stop in the BVI was to check out with Customs at Soper’s Hole. We had a last stroll ashore along the boardwalk past colourful shops, restaurants, and charter boats at the docks, and then headed back to St. John in the USVI.