A month from now we will be spending the last night of our Atlantic Circle on Windancer IV. It is almost impossible to believe that we have spent a year at sea and almost more impossible to imagine giving up this lifestyle. But...the show must go on.

Over the past few weeks we have been hanging in the BVI and USVI with our dear friends from Chilli Oyster. We helped delivered the crew of Chilli twice to the USVI to catch flights from St Thomas which is no great hardship as it requires that we spend time in Caneel Bay and check in at Cruz Bay, St John, the home of Margarita Phil's (with the world's largest margarita) and Woody's (where Rum and Cokes are $1 and Cokes are $2).

We also have been doing some required boat maintenance - raw water pump on the starboard engine, generator pump, head repairs (once again up to our proverbial elbows in #@@$#@). It is getting unbearably hot as the winds are down and working on the boat sans air conditioning can knock you out faster than a 40 oz margarita at Phils.

Hanging also meant just playing in some of our favourite spots in the BVI. The crew of Chilli has left the boat in Nanny Cay where she will summer on the hard. Currently, Becky, Dave and kids have returned to England for work, family visits and the wedding of Dave's daughter. Before they left, though, we ventured together to Norman, Cooper and Peter Islands. Sometimes doing nothing, is really the best. We watched as the boys rigged an old windsurfer sail on a boat hook and sailed the dinghy at 6 knots through the bay. We hand fed gulls off the stern of the boat, and after too many sundowners, regaled the neighbouring cruisers to a slightly slurred version of Neil Diamond's Sweet Caroline.

Days on the islands included the required snorkeling, dinghy fishing, sundowner cocktails, cooking together and the mandatory fishing derby. In the most unsettled of weather, while boats entered the Bight at Norman seeking shelter from the rain, we all sailed south to the Southern Drop-Off, where the BIG fish lurk. Shut out with only a bite and shredded lure, but no catch on board, we foolishly braved the freezing rain pelting down on us in search of our next fish story.

John, Connor and I took advantage of the slower days to get in some scuba dives at the Indians, the Mary L and Pat (off Cooper) and the Wreck of the Rhone (Salt Island), where only Connor and John dove the entire wreck along the bow, mid ships and stern. The world famous wreck was featured in the movie, The Deep, and is home to countless fish and even more snorkellers.

We said good-bye, once again, to the crew of Chilli, as they returned to England. Now with four weeks ahead of us, we are ready to sail from the USVI to the Turks and Caicos, the Bahamas and on to Fort Lauderdale, where we sadly will say good bye to Windancer IV, who is not just our home, but a member of the family.

We will be at sea for the next three days so will be out of email contact, but have another blog ready for Tuesday. Also, check out the photos in the gallery.