The "Bubbling Pool" and AT&T strikes again
08 April 2017 | Benure Bay, BVI
Bill/rain in the forecast
We took off for the "bubbling pool" in the afternoon (Thursday)since Mother Nature gave us a break and it didn't rain. While there was no rain in the forecast, it sure looks like it as we looked outside, the clouds look a bit dirty but we took off anyway. Amazingly, it didn't pour. We dinghied over to the dock at Foxys Taboo, a restaurant at the east end of Jost Van Dyke and hiked the mile or so along some well worn crush coral paths. We'd heard the pool was unusual in that waves along the north coast smash over some rocks that enclose a small area turning it into a tidal pool. People wade into it to get pushed around when each set of waves crash into the shore. Sounded like fun so off we went apparently along with dozens of others. There were about ten people there when we got there with more coming all the time. Like I said, a well worn path. I'd guess close to two hundred show up there every day. Not that big a deal in my mind. It was so busy, we didn't even bother to go in.
When we came in to the dock, we met some charterers there from San Francisco and had a nice chat swapping stories of our trip and theirs. Since they were leaving in a few days, they invited us over to take their extra food. We made quite a haul. Nice people.
Friday morning, we fired up the engine, pulled up the anchor and set off pulling out the genoa as we headed south toward Sopers Hole, a cut in the islands at the west end of Tortola. As we headed south, I was on the phone(AT&T) calling a company we've been trying to get parts from since March 22. We'd exchanged emails and calls and then it all stopped just as we were about to order the parts we needed. All I got was voicemail.It took several calls to get to a human in the department we needed for our parts. I kept getting transferred to voice mail. I finally got through and after some talking and working on the computers with the emails I'd written, we got the parts on order(never got an apology for not calling or emailing back). This was all to the same man who apparently was having a problem even remembering our conversations let alone the parts we needed. Sure wouldn't want him in my company.
We pulled in to Waterlemon Bay for a quick lunch before settling out again for Benure Bay, a place we have been to many times and love. Well protected and lots of places for hiking and snorkeling. As we motored east,(little wind), I was talking to AT&T about reupping our phone and data plan. It was set to expire on the 9th and I wasn't sure I'd have phone or internet where we were going. As it was, we were right on the edge of transmission boundary so I needed to talk fast. Those of you that have been following us know of our troubled relationship with AT&T and how many hours I've spent on the phone with their "customer service" department. Well, since it was just the 7th, yes they could re up my plan but they added lots of taxes onto it. If I could have waited till the 9th when it did expire, it would have cost me $60 for ten gigs, though they argued with me telling me that it was only 8 gigs for my $60. In the end, they finally figured out that if you live in Florida, you get 8 for $60 but if you're down near Puerto Rico, you get 10. Once that was cleared up(we were now motoring in circles out in the channel to keep connected)we re did the plan, me telling the agent to use the $15 I had on account(from earlier screw ups on their part). "No problem" she said. So the charge should have been $49 with the taxes added in. I checked my account a few minutes later(had BVI internet)and found they had charged me the entire $64, not the $49. Back on the phone again(still driving in circles). This time I got bumped up to a "senior"agent. That took 20 minutes of waiting before it was fixed(still driving in circles). They would charge me the $49 and refund the $64. Fine by me. I checked my credit card account later(thank you Digicel in BVI) and found they had indeed charged me the original $64 plus another $49 as expected and then they added on another charge for $47 for heaven only knows what. I no longer had phone service so now I'm checking my credit card account on the internet I do have to see if the extra $47 goes through and there is no sign of my $64 credit that was to be put through at the same time. Boy, I love AT&T'!!!!!!!!!! One thing I will give them is that they thank me profusely every time I call for using their service. Are they NUTS or what. I'll let you know how it ends up.
We made it into Benure about 1600 and settled in for a nice quiet Friday night.