Part 4: Setting Off, the Bight to the Baths and Bitter End
As the crew started preparing to sail, I called American Airlines to extend our trip to Sunday, rather than our original departure date of Saturday. No problems, and no extra charge for the change. We cleaned up and packed up the room; we would either sail today or sleep on the boat at the marina.
Our boat had some engine troubles, and our provisioning was incomplete, but we should be able to get out today. It was getting hot and so were our (especially mine) tempers. Several misunderstandings with the Moorings ensued, particularly our understanding about our captain, whom we understood would only stay with us until we could show him we could handle the boat and then would leave and we would receive a refund (although Rick and I are experienced sailors, Moorings determined that we needed to prove to them that we could handle a boat as large as we are chartering). We ate lunch at the Mariner Inn as we waited for preparations to be complete. Halcyon II, Brigada, and Tacks Shelter were waiting as well. During this time, we saw Dana from Halcyon II change her outfit three times. We were warned that seas in the Drake Channel were 8-10 feet, so Jeff, T and I applied our seasickness patches and concluded preparations.
At 1645, we finally left Road Harbour, heading for the Bight on Norman Island. We had a brisk breeze, but the chop was more like 4-6 feet, and not as bad as we expected. The skies were grey, but the sea was an otherworldly turquoise. We reached the Bight at about 1800 and grabbed a mooring, which was free that night. We took a refreshing swim in about 40 feet of water. After drying off, T and I made dinner of mahi mahi, broccoli rice and a fruit platter, while the men installed wind scoops over the main hatches. We broke open a bottle of Kendall Jackson wine to celebrate survival and ate dinner. Jeff and Kevin cleaned up, while I massaged Rick's sore shoulder (he took a fall down the companionway steps while rushing to close the hatches during a squall). Went to bed around 2200.
Wednesday, I woke around sunrise. Sleeping on a boat isn't always the easiest thing to do, so everyone else rose about the same time. T and I made a breakfast of eggs with onion and cheese, melon and bread. As soon as we ate and cleaned up, we sailed for the Baths. We were the first ones out of the Bight (where we were joined by Brigada and Tacks Shelter, among others), but the fleet soon followed us out. We had a brisk sail to Virgin Gorda on one tack, and were the first ones at the Baths. Jeff swam to shore, while the rest of us rode in the dinghy with our cameras, towels, etc.
Rick and I took the trail to Devil's Bay past the beautiful, mysterious, amazing rock formations, pools, grottoes and rooms. A few ladders and ropes had been added to ease the way since our last visit. When we reached Devil's Bay, the trail opened out onto a perfect white sand cove with a few granite boulders in the water, and dozens around the edges. Alone, we skinny-dipped (this is something that could only happen in September!). We met up with Jeff, T and Kevin on our way back, and they turned around to head back to Spring Bay, where we initially landed.
One of the mysterious blue-green pools found at Virgin Gorda's Baths.
As it was close to noon and we were hungry, we decided to try out the new restaurant called Top of the Baths. This involved a hike up a trail, along which we passed cactuses and iguanas. Closer to the restaurant, the trail became better groomed, and paved with stone (which was VERY HOT on our bare feet). The restaurant was very new and attractive. Turquoise gingerbread trim, taupe tiles, green chairs and tile tables surrounded the patio and a pool with a footbridge, all commanding a spectacular view of the Drake Channel and beyond. We drank a round of Carib and dined on fish-n-chips, etc. After that, we poked around the gift shops, where I bought a pareo.
After lunch, we returned to the Baths. This time, I took the trail to Devil's Bay with my camera. By this time, a few more boats and a few more people had arrived. After taking my pictures, I had a swim and then, at 2:30, we returned to Braveheart. Our goal was to reach North Sound for the evening, where the Bitter End Yacht Club may or may not be open. We sailed over on one tack, but then had to do some maneuvering to pass through the channel at Colquohon Reef. We negotiated the pass under sail, and then cruised into the mooring field just opposite Bitter End. One of the Bitter End staff dinghied over to tell us the mooring would be free that night, and invited us to dinner and/or drinks at the club.
We went ashore at Bitter End in hopes of getting rid of our trash and getting some ice. Again, no charge. A hurricane special, I suppose. We strolled around the
grounds and ran into Gordo, whom I guessed to be Canadian and a windsurfing instructor (when I asked him that over drinks later, I was proven partially correct; he is a former windsurfing instructor). Gordo invited us to dinner ($25 buffet, which included all we could drink); we declined the dinner invite, but would come back for drinks. The gift shop was closed, and we watched the generator-powered television to check on the weather (Moorings had lost its satellite dish).We cleaned up a bit for dinner (I even put on a dress).
T and I made barbecued pork, rice and salad for dinner, with iced tea and chocolate chip cookies for dessert. After dinner, we dinghied back over to Bitter End, where they were having a $10, all-you-can-drink special. I told them they would make money one me, but I was wrong. Two large rum punches, a double of Absolut Citron, and a Lazy Turtle, which John at the bar mixed up for me, and I was on a roll. Merriment and silliness ensued (at least in my alcohol-addled mind). Jeff and I were doubled-over laughing as we tossed off nonsensical French phrases; we probably kept the anchorage awake. Meanwhile, Leroy had crashed our party and started carrying on about his grandmother being a bush doctor and "bilin'" herbs to make bush tea that can cure all of your ills. He described injuries he'd suffered as a 20+ year Moorings captain, and bored us about scuba diving and sharks. We're ready for Leroy to leave us, and did all the sailing today to prove that we don't need him.
I went to bed after 2300, and woke up only once. Surprisingly, I had a good night's sleep without any sleep aids (which are too scary to mix with all the alcohol I consumed!).Thursday morning, everyone got up around 0700. Amazingly, no one is ill or hungover. The galley wenches prepared a breakfast of yogurt, melon and granola. After breakfast, we returned to Bitter End, and walked the grounds until the gift shop ladies were able to put out some merchandise. We ran into both Gordo and John, who were surprised to find us so chipper after the night before. I bought a t-shirt, while Jeff and Kevin took much more time to buy shirts and hats. We returned to the boat, battened down, and set sail for Great Camanoe.
