We awoke to an overcast sky, the first in a very long time. Large schools of tiny fish were being chased by large fish, who jumped clear out of the water as part of their tactics. This continued for some time and because the water was so clear, we got a great view of it. Small turtles were bobbing their heads up regularly all around Trilogy also, which further kept our attention focused on the water.
The skipper needed to clear customs before we set sail and before long we were underway, headed for Road Bay. The customs office did not open as expected at 08:30, so it took a while to get the rubber stamps.
We then motor sailed 10NM west from Anguilla to Dog Island, the third offshore island we had the Marine Reserve permit to visit. The only authorised anchorage for Dog Island is Great Bay, with its fabulous wild and empty beach. The island is 3km long, deserted and a sanctuary for frigate birds who breed here. One source stated that there were also 113,000 pairs of Sooty Terns who nest and raise their young. Rats have been eradicated which allows the birds to raise their young in safety. Otherwise the island is privately owned and at one stage a small airfield was established but it is now overgrown. The owners graze cattle but as there is no safe point of entry from the sea, it is not viable for any commercial purpose. This maintains Dog Island as a wild and unspoilt corner of the Caribbean and to visit is therefore a worthwhile experience. The snorkellers headed off to explore the rock formations and managed to beach themselves in the considerable surge and had a walk before heading back to Trilogy. The remainder of the day we did a safety briefing and rested in preparation for the night sail to Virgin Gorda Island, Trilogy's first port of call in the British Virgin Islands. Fortified with spaghetti bolognaise for the long night, we set sail at 20:30.
Crossing Anegada Passage turned out to be uneventful. The winds were light and after a beam reach for the first hour the south-east breeze dropped to about 6 knots and we motor sailed the 70NM, arriving at 08:45 in Virgin Gouda Yacht Harbour Marina. The conditions for the sail were clear, the sky overcast with passing squalls all around us for the first half, an almost full moon casting a silvery beam across the slight swell, once the high clouds had cleared.
As always, entering marinas is challenging and this marina was no exception. There was a narrow channel and depth considerations, not to mention the many other craft all thinking they had priority into the marina. However with the skipper's skill to the fore and the crew at the ready, Trilogy was secured safely. It took quite some time to get the right fittings for the shore power connection, with a trip to the chandlery necessary to get an appropriate plug.
Before we knew it, Ros and Garth's daughter Kat from NYC and her friend Bridie, from Melbourne arrived safely on the local ferry from St Thomas Island. The wonders of modern transportation had brought us all together right when we planned it! The girls settled into their cabin, the washing and shopping got done and at the end of the day we all piled into a safari truck with James our driver, who took us to CocoMaya Restaurant for a delicious Asian/Latin fusion meal. The restaurant was right on the beach and the crash of the waves on the rocky shore was captivating. There were up lights into the coconut palms and a lovely lounge area with a fire glowing to stare into, under the starlit night. As we all felt a bit sleep deprived, James arrived to take us home around 21:00, for a good night's rest.