February 16 - 20, 2015
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| 14 - St Barts, 15 - St Martin, 16 - Anguilla, 17 - British Virgin Islands, 18 - United States Virgin Islands |
The Virgin Islands are at the top of an archipelago that extends from Florida to Trinidad. From the earliest migrations of Amerindians in canoes to explorers, pirates, settlers and cruisers this area has been referred to as “the place on the way to everywhere.” Traces of the Ingeri civilization dating back to 3,000 BC have been found here. The first real settlers were the Arawaks (Tainos) that inhabited the islands from 650 AD until 1450. They were wiped out by the fierce, cannibalistic Carib Indians. On Columbus’s second trip to the New World in 1493 he discovered the Virgin Islands. They were named The Virgins in honor St Ursula and the 11,000 virgins that sacrificed their lives rather than submit to the marauding Huns in the 4th century. The area frequently changed ownership among the English, French, Dutch, Spanish, and Danish moving from one island to the next. Spain dominated the area. Other countries that were unable to formally challenge Spain would give pirates their unofficial backing. This made the pirates “privateers” and allowed them to harass the Spanish settlements. In the 1600’s plantation owners brought slaves from Africa to raise sugar cane. Later cotton and indigo were introduced into the plantations along with spices, rum, maize, pineapples, yams and coconuts. By the mid 1800’s the white population had deserted the colonies due to slave rebellions and the introduction of sugar beets in Europe. The coves that were popular with Drake, Columbus and Blackbeard now support the main industry of the islands, tourism.
British Virgin Islands
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| A - Virgin Gorda, B - Marina Cay, C - Norman Island, D - Tortola |
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| We’ve seen bigger yachts down here, but this is the first one with a helicopter on board. |
Virgin Gorda was named the “fat virgin” by Columbus because it resembled a reclining Reubenesque woman with a protruding stomach. All of the land that's exceeds an elevation 1000 feet has been designated as a National Park. Between 1680 and 1743 British settlers flocked to Road Town while it was the capital of the BVI. We arrived in North Sound and anchored in Round Bay.
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| Pusser’s is well known in the Virgins for it’s restaurants, shops and resorts. |
Marina Cay was a new island for us to visit. It is almost entirely surrounded by a reef.
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| In 1937 newlyweds Robb and Rodie White bought this uninhabited barren island for $60. They built a home of concrete and lived here for three years. Robb, who had graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy, was called up for active duty in 1940. They divorced when he returned from the Pacific and never returned to Marina Cay. Their house still remains on the top of a hill and is now a bar for the resort. |
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| A view of the bay from the White's house. |
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| Great rock formations at The Caves. |
Norman Island is often referred to as Treasure Island by the locals. It is said to be named after a pirate that buried his treasures in the Caves. A letter written in 1750 tells about a treasure of $450,000, plate, indigo and tobacco. It is also alleged to be the island that Robert Lewis Stevenson based his epic pirate story on. The island was purchased by a new owner in 1999. It was estimated that the island had a population of one goat per acre. We anchored in The Bight near The Caves hoping to do some snorkeling. Rough water, high winds and small jelly fish
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| A dingy ride gave us a chance to visit Pirates Bight. |
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| The wharf and marina practically scream Caribbean! |
Tortola is the principal island in the British Virgin Islands, and is the commercial, cultural and governmental center of the BVI. Columbus named the island Tortola, turtle dove. Soper’s Hole or West End is between Tortola and Frenchman’s Cay. It has one of the most picturesque wharf’s in the Virgins. Once again it is a Pusser’s facility with additional shops and services.
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| Bonnie and Jon make a mad dash to catch the ferry to St Thomas and flights back to Iowa. |
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| Sweet Chariot from Australia snagged the mooring ball next to us in this very popular bay. |
Gotta smile -- we're lovin the ride!
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