Back at Saba Rock
22 December 2017 | Virgin Gorda, BVI
Judy
Still no connection good enough for a picture.
The past couple of weeks has been an emotional roller coaster for
Torben and me. What was an over crowded Disneyland for sailors or
"want to be" sailors is more of a boat graveyard, with skeletons
lining the shores of many infamous anchorages in the BVI's. The Willie
T in the Bight of Norman Island, being one of them.
Penns Landing and Trellis bay on the East end of Tortola looked like a
war zone. We saw what looked like a Bavaria 50 something, cut
completely in half, the stern being infront of the bow. The topside in
it's entirety was still completely intact. It took us both a shake of
the head before the minds eye could register what we were seeing.
Trellis Bay was pretty much void of all anchored boats for the
exception of a couple Mooring charters. It appeared that the hurricane
picked up all the boats and the Loose Mangoose resturant and threw
them onto shore, one landing right infront of what used to be a gift
shop.
Marina Cay was pretty much leveled. Bulldozers were hard at work
clearing the rebel. The mooring balls were free for the two boats who
stopped for the night.
Cane Garden bay was completly empty of boats.
Jost Van Dyke was hit hard. The island still lacking vegetation
appeared brown and rocky. All the seaside buildings that once sold
artian art were gone. Foxy's was up and running, selling "pre-Irma"
t-shirts at a bargain rate. Here we were greeted by appreciative
locals and even thanked by the Custom Official for coming! So far it
was the only place we paid a 12 year old boy $30 dollars for staying
on a mooring ball and $10 dollars to a man selling block ice and
collecting garbage. So far, it is the only place we saw family size
relief tents to house the people who lost there homes.
Virgin Gorda, Gods paradises, is really a shock. As of today, Leverick
Bay is the only establishment that is open in the sound. The men are
working until 10PM to get the resturant ready to accomidate the 230
Christmas dinner reservations. The grocery store is open and well
stocked. The fuel dock is not open.
Our plan is to sail to Anagada and have lobster for our Christmas
dinner. From there we will sail back to St. Croix and unload our old
dingy of 13 years and outboard motor. We'll reprovision there and wait
for a weather window to sail to Guadalupe.... or not. Hard to leave
such a still beautiful, under crowed cruising grounds as the BVI's.
When we can get a connection strong enough we will post pictures in
the gallery.