The Baths is a very popular area on the island of Virgin Gorda with spectacular scenery due to numerous huge (and even larger!) bolders in the water and on the shore. Anchoring is not allowed in order to protect the coral, and we actually had to wait for someone to leave one of the moorings. The wait was worth it because the shorkeling was very nice in addition to the scenery. We took a short walk ashore for more great views and a nice lunch at a restaurant which had a swimming pool.

Later in the afternoon, we stopped in Spanish Town to check out of the BVI and spent a nice evening and most of the next day anchored at Bitter End, a large bay on the north side of Virgin Gorda which is further protected by two small islands thereby creating several terrific anchorages. We were only here one night and most of the next day, and I would definitely like to make a return visit.

The anchorage at Marina Cay is tucked between three small islands near Tortola. By itself, Marina Cay is so small that it would offer almost no protection except for a quarter mile long reef along one side of the anchorage. We had truly fantastic snorkeling (this is the only place so far I have seen two kinds of rays and several flounder). Amazingly, we could do this by simply diving off the boat!!

There is a marina and nice restaurant on the small island and a small town nearby in Trellis Bay. Usually there are a lot of charter boats in the Virgin Islands anchorages and the same was true here. Since the charter boats are only out for a week or two, most of them will leave an anchorage each morning and a new batch will arrive every afternoon, while we typically stay 2-3 days at each place. I can understand why chartering is so popular in the Virgin Islands -- navigation is pretty easy and straightforward, the distances between anchorages is not great, and the scenery is simply wonderful.

We had a good time exploring the nearby islands by dinghy, and Paul couldn't stand not picking up some treasures on the beaches.

Anchored at Norman Island, Paul had an unusual experience when some birds were actually eating stale bread right out of his hand.

Because Norman Island is part of the British Virgin Islands, we first stopped at Soper's Hole on Tortola to check in with Customs and Immigration. Then we proceeded to anchor in The Bight, a huge bay on Norman Island. One of Norman Island's many claims to fame is a floating restaurant, the William Thornton (known locally as the "Willie T"), which is a replica of a topsail lumber schooner. Happy Hour at the bar has acquired a wild reputation because of the many antics originating there, such as jumping off the top deck into the water (with or without shirt). Supposedly, ladies who take the plunge topless receive a free T-shirt (better be an especially nice one, I think!). Unlike most bar scenes, this one is livelier in the late afternoon because the restaurant needs to calm things down for the dinner crowd. So we didn't need to stay up too late to revisit our younger (and wilder) days.

Otherwise, this is one of the dozens of terrific anchorages in the Virgin Islands with shorkeling in some nearby caves that was very interesting. Here we ran into Jill and Dean on Delilah who we had met before in the Bahamas. After happy hour at the Willie T, we all gathered on Eira for an impromptu pasta dinner which was a lot of fun. Daniel, (age 9), and Dean, (physical age uncertain, mental age about 9) continued their ongoing farting contest. What can I say -- Boys will be boys!!

Most of the island of St. John is a National Park with terrific beaches and wonderful shorkeling, often just off the boat. Paul was a little frustrated because no fishing is allowed in the park, which means there are lots of fish to see and being able to snorkel right off the boat made up for any lost fishing opportunities in my opinion. I have decided to either get a waterproof cover for my digital camera or get a waterproof camera so I can take snorkeling pictures. I hope this will help when I can't remember the right details to identify fish and other stuff I have seen underwater. Sometimes, the book will mention a distinguishing characteristic which I didn't notice at all such as a forked tail or sloping head. Most of the anchorages in St. John (of which there are many!) have moorings provided by the park service in order to protect the coral.

This anchorage is just about perfect with good protection, a beautiful beach and close access to great snorkeling. Maho Bay Camps is a very interesting eco-resort close by where guests stay in simple cabins nestled in the hillside and connected by fairly steep paths to the beach, showers, dining room, store, etc. Outside the store there was a swap shelf where people had left things they didn't need (like extra shampoo or toothpaste, paperbacks, etc). You were free to take anything you wanted or leave some of your extras. Although this resort was laid out on in steep terrain, the views of the bay and surrounding hills were spectacular. Guests staying here were get plenty of exercise. Signs described a number of activities like yoga and various craft and nature classes. One day we took the dinghy into Cruz Bay, the main town on St. John. Like most such places, it has its share of places to eat lunch, shop and buy some groceries. The best things about St. John are the wonderful anchorages with beaches and snorkeling in a largely undeveloped setting. I would definitely like to return here.

It has been more than 20 years since Paul and I visited St. Thomas and the experience from a boat is different than staying in a hotel on land, although both were a lot of fun. The crossing from Culebra, Puerto Rico was quick and uneventful and we anchored easily in the huge harbor in Charlotte Amalie, the capital of St. Thomas. After some difficulty, I located Blue Beard's castle, the hotel where we stayed so many years ago. One reason it looks so different now is that the hotel appears to be 3 or 4 times larger now and the castle tower is not nearly as prominient a landmark. One thing that hasn't changed is St. Thomas' lively cruise ship and shopping scene. Two or three huge ships arrived each day, and all the shops loaded with duty free luxieries were operating full tilt.

We especially enjoyed the Royal Dane Mall, where shops, restaurants, coffee shops, etc. have been created in old stone warehouses, which were build out of rocks in the ballast of wooden trading ships. The shops have been tucked in various nooks and crannies of the old warehouses and the whole effect is very unique. As a bonus, it is much cooler in the deep shade of the old stone buildings, and it wasn't very crowded when we were there. Paul surprised me with some terrific white gold earings!!

Culebra is one of several islands off the Eastern shore of Puerto Rico; another one is Vieques, which our navy used for the controversial purpose of practice bombing. These islands are often called the Spanish Virgins because they are similiar to the US and British Virgin Islands. The picture illustrates beautifully the concept of "island time" which is very much in evidence here in Culebra. For example, many of the stores close for 2 hours at noon each day. Also, they may close for various other reasons - I saw a sign on one shop that said "Be back soon, need caffine". When open the owner of this little cart sold various seasoning sauces she made. "Island Time" is one of those situations that is usually a postive thing, but can be frustrating, say if you want to buy some of the sauces, for example.

Culebra is the site of the the most unusual musical performance from a boat we have witnessed. Imagine our surprise when another boater in the anchorage started playing the bagpipes one morning. I kid you not! It turned out to be part of his routine, and he played most of the mornings we were there. I've got to tell you that the first time he started up I thought an alarm was going off! But after he got tuned up, he didn't sound too bad (allowing for the fact that bagpipe music is kind of squeeky anyway).

Culebra is a very popular destination for boaters from eastern Puerto Rico. There are several terrific anchorages to choose from, one of the best beaches we've seen and very good shorkeling. We arrived just after the Easter Holiday, which was a good time because the crowds had mostly returned home.

All together we spent about 3 weeks in Puerto Rico and I found it one of my favorite islands. All the places we visited had their own unique character, and the people were unfailingly pleasant. With the possible exception of Ponce, which is the second largest city in Puerto Rico, the atmosphere in each place was very laid back and relaxed. I think most Puerto Ricans practice the "Island Time" way of life. Also, many things are more accessible than in other islands (i.e., mail and getting parts shipped), and there are US style malls and stores in the larger cities. In short, Puerto Rico has much to offer, from small relaxing, friendly towns to large cities with modern shopping and conveniences, all of which have very nice places to stay with the boat.