It is amazing as I paged through my diary to see how much time has flown past. We have been so comfortable in the BVI the last 5-6 months, that time actually stood still for us and it was a rude awakening to start planning our sail down to Grenada to get out of the region during the hurricane season.

We have been very comfortable anchored in Nanny Cay Marina, catching up with schoolwork and just ?... being. Our only hiccup was the every 30 day checking out of the Territory. We had a couple of extensions on our visitors visa, we sailed to St Martin once and best of all ? we flew home for a visit to the family !!!

The visit back home was an absolute highlight. It was the first time that the girls have flown and they were excited for days. The visit was not "planned", as in weeks or months ahead. Claude, who has been my partner since the crossing, had to go home to see his mom who is quite old and frail, and with it being just before the hurricane season and Nanny Cay a very secure place to leave the boat, the timing seemed perfect for a quick visit. We used an air fare special and flew Air France. After spending an exhausting three days in terminals and on airports, we, the sailors, felt like world travellers and the joyous reunion with Riaan and my family, well, how can I describe this? I am at a loss for words. So much has happened since I last saw my Mom and my son, and it was wonderful to be able to hug them and to see them again. The visit was a whirlwind tour through South Africa, rushing to see all our friends and family - it now being two families ? mine and Claude?s, who was dying to see and meet us.

The month flew past and it was very difficult to greet Riaan, my Mom and brothers, who have been so good to me all my life. For the first time since starting on my voyage around the world, back in January 2002, I really wished that I could be back home.

Riaan is doing well on his own in South Africa. Only sixteen years old, he is now living alone in South Africa to continue his school. My parents and family live 65 kilometres away from his school and during the week he is boarding privately. After being evaluated, he was graded in Grade 10, with all
his old schoolmates, not loosing out on a year of study! His marks are good and he is enjoying school although he is missing the Carribean and our cruising lifestyle and all the friends he made. It was very comforting for him to be able to go on to Nanny Cay's website, linking up to the webcam, and then being able to watch Prrrfection and the daily activity on board! What have we ever done without the Internet!

After we got back in the BVI, we had to start planning our trip down South. We spent the time getting the boat back into shape, packing everything away, checking sails and sheets, etc. I was amazed to see that my sheets and halyards needed to be replaced, and that is just after three years of sailing. Although we sailed around the BVI, visiting islands and spending a couple of days in anchorages, it is all easy sailing, with land in sight. I now realize why yachties who are doing a circumnavigation, do not spend a long time "growing weed" .

The time that we spend in the BVI was however very good for us. The girls settled back into schooling mode and we established some kind of routine and it was nice just to chill out and not worry about sails and weather and also to stock up the cruising kitty ( albeit a bit illegally..)

We planned to leave the BVI as soon as we met up with friends who have just done a crossing from South Africa and who were enroute through the BVI to Fort Lauderdale. After spending some days with them, catching up on news and renewing the friendship, we each headed in our own direction. We going South and them going North. I will tell you about our trip down South in the next update, which I promise won?t be so long overdue.

Thank you once again for all the mails that I receive and for the interest shown and also concern when my updates are not regular. As we say "no news is good news", and the last couple of months we were just chilling out and growing weeds.