A quiet day today.  After another buffet breakfast, Dan and Alan took the kids on the Hobie Cats.  Dan took Tessa and Collin on one boat and Alan went with Tristan and Alec on the other boat.  They had a great time.  At one point, Tessa was out on the bow of one of the pontoons and a wave washed her off.  Luckily she was able to hang on by one hand  until Dan was able to pull her back on.  It’s a good thing she is so strong.  The rest of the time they spent racing each other.  They came back full of stories.  Another movie night at Sand Palace and it was early to bed.

It has been so fun having our friends on the boat.  We laugh all the time about the dumbest things.  Every trip seems to have some saying that stays with us.  This time we were all talking about the movie “Talladega Nights, The Legend of Ricky Bobby”, which of course was filmed in Charlotte.  We love the line in the movie where Ricky Bobby thinks he is paralyzed and is talking to his crew chief.

Ricky Bobby: I hope you have sons. Beautiful, handsome boys. Articulate, educated, and athletic. And I hope they have their legs taken from them, so you can know what this pain is like.
Lucius Washington: [enraged] Don’t you put that evil on me, Ricky Bobby! Don’t you put that on us! You are NOT paralyzed!

So, “Don’t you put that evil on me Ricky Bobby” has been our theme saying the entire week.  We are a very mature group aren’t we??

 We have had great weather the last few days.  The wind has died down and the waves are a bit calmer.  After Marina Cay we went to the Baths at Virgin Gorda.  This was Karon and Alan’s first time there.  The kids had a blast hiking and climbing over the huge rocks.  After the hike we spent some time on Devil’s beach, snorkeling and relaxing.  Devil’s Beach is just simply beautiful.  The colors here are amazing.  I could easily sit here all day and never be bored.  The water is incredible too. It is a “soft” water.  It reminds me of the freshwater Blue Hole in Marsh Harbor.  I think that rushing through the rocks all the time, it picks up minerals and silica, and it makes the water feel different.  It’s hard to describe. 

Karon had a great time snorkeling.  The fish were coming right up to her. The kids were enjoying it too. After too short a time on the beach, we headed up to Bitter End Yacht Club for the night.  The kids headed off to the Sand Palace there for a movie, while the adults had dinner.  After the movie, everyone was exhausted, so we all crashed pretty early.

The next day we had the big buffet breakfast at the resort.  It was actually a really good deal, as the kids ate for next to nothing.  It was a good idea to get filled up as we decided to go hiking after breakfast.  Behind Bitter End is a trial known locally as “Guys Trail”.  It heads up and over the peaks behind the resort.  We figured it was an easy enough looking trail, so we set out in swimsuits with cameras, no water.  It wasn’t easy from the beginning.  As the trail wove its way behind the resort, it went pretty much straight up.  The footing on the trail was mostly large rocks, that gave the impression of crude stairs.  Very sharp cactus lined the narrow path and it was only a matter of time until one of the kids stuck his hand on the cactus.  That was Alec.  That had to hurt!  He spent the next few minutes pulling the needles from his hand before shaking it off and continuing the climb.  About 15 minutes into the hike, we came to some incredible overlooks.  The first one overlooked the water between Bitter End and Saba Rock.  We tooksome great pictures here (which I hope to get on the website as soon as we get the bugs worked out!).  The trail continued on up, snaking through boulders and over rocks, before we came to another overlook that faced the front of the resort.  From here, the trail became surrounded by shrubs and there was no protection from the sun as we climbed higher and higher.  We had been out for about 30 minutes now and this would have been a really good time for a water break.   Oh that’s right, we didn’t bring water.  Even though we vaguely read somewhere this was an hour hike, in the SUN, I’m not sure why we didn’t bring water.  But we carried on.  The next overlook brought us to Oil Nut Bay and the very high end resort, Biras Creek, on the Atlantic side.  Again the views were spectacular, and you could see forever.  You could also see that it was going to be forever before we got any water.  The kids were great though.   They just kept on going, not really complaining.  Finally we stopped our ascent, and the trail slowly started making its way down to Biras Creek resort. 

Our trail ended under an archway that brought us out onto a dirt road on in the back of Biras Creek Resort.  We had been in the sun well over an hour.  We were hot, tired and very thirsty.  The trail wound its way through the back of the resort.  The kids were up ahead as we walked the dusty dirt road, flanked by red and yellow flowers that nearly hid the tennis court.  STOP!  Tennis courts on a  resort?  Wouldn’t they have…..?

Yes!!  I spotted the universal orange water jug and ran over to it.  it was filled with ICE COLD WATER and it had cups!!  I only had moments to grab a paper cup before the rest of the tribe spotted me.  The kids were on it like a pack of crazed animals.  I am sorry to say that we drank nearly all the water in that huge jug.  The water revived our senses and we started to think how we were going to get back to Bitter End.  The most likely option was to head back over the mountain.  We weren’t about to do that, but we weren’t sure if there was any other way.  As we headed down the road we thought it would be nice to have a group picture of us.  Luckily one of the workers was riding by on his bike and Alan asked him if he could take a picture.  There was a little communication problem at first and the guy acted as if he had never seen a camera before, but optimistically, we huddled together.  He held the camera away from him, then pulled it back to his face, clearly puzzled.  We waited in the hot sun.  He held it away again.  Alan called out which button to push.  Out and in.  Our cameraman was clearly out of his depth here.  One more in and out.  The camera lens was pointed at our FEET as he found the button and snapped the picture.  He handed back the camera and tried to beat a hasty retreat but I stopped him with, “Can you take a picture with my camera too?”

Deer in headlights.  He realizes he is in well over his head but what can he do?  We all mentally wish him luck, smile in the hot sun and wait for the outcome.  In, out, in, out, frown, in, out, frown and snap the picture. He hands me back the camera.  We thank him and watch him struggle to get back on his bike, obviously tramautized.  Alan whispers to me, asking how my picture came out.  His is all feet.  Tristan wants to see the picture but I tell him to wait until the guy is gone as I don’t want to embarrass him.  When I finally get to see the picture, it’s not bad.   We will have to photoshop in a few bodyparts on Alan’s picture though!!

 We continue on.  The road lead us to the boat dock where the local ferry comes in. The next ferry wasn’t due until two o’clock. That was an hour and a half from now.  Too long.  I was sure there was a path that ran next to the water that we could make our way back to Bitter End, but I couldn’t see the path.  A sign pointed to a gift shop so I suggested we go there and ask someone how we could get back to Bitter End.  This was another long walk and when it looked like we would have to climb up a hill to get there, we nixed that idea.  What to do, what to do?  Suddenly in the distance we see the local ferry tied to a fuel dock.  It looks as if its getting ready to take off.  RUN!!!  Karon, the kids and I are running, passing a few guests, startled to see this tired, dirty, ragtag group of clearly nonbelongers invading their sanctuary.  We reach the ferry, which is just finishing taking on fuel and we ask them if they are heading back to Bitter End.  They said no.  Great!!  We ask them how we can get back and they indicate the path we took over the mountain.  Not an option.  There is some trail obscured by the shoreline, but even that looks too long now.  Karon takes the initiative and asks them if they will please take us back on the ferry.  Two say no, but the captain says ok.  Karon asks how much and he tells us the trip is free, but he is open to tips.  EXCELLENT!!!!  We hop on board and in about ten minutes we are back over to Bitter End.  We are tired, thirsty and glad to be home!  Guys Trail Virgin Gorda

 Virgin Gorda

Sailing Bitter End Bitter End

Baths at Virgin Gorda FUN!

 Family photos

Left Ponce on Friday and spent the first night at anchorage in Salinas. It was sure nice to be cruising again!! We loved Ponce and the Ponce Fish and Yachting Club marina, but it seemed like we have spent the last month shopping!!!! Dan, the kids and I were ready to get back out cruising.

Leaving Salinas, Saturday morning, we were headed to Palmas del Mar to spend the night. Luckily we had an early start because when we got there, a new marina has taken over all the anchorages. On to Plan B, which was Green Beach Vieques, the Spanish Virgin Islands. I can’t say that I was disappointed as I was so looking forward to the Virgin Islands, even if we are only as far as the Spanish Virgin Islands!! Vieques, as you may remember, is where the United States used to hold bombing practice. That is over now, and what is left is a beautiful island, and major party place for Puerto Ricans.
The party was in full swing when we got there, late that afternoon. Dan and I were enjoying a beautiful sunset, when a dinghy, overloaded with 6 middle aged guys, circled our boat. These guys were well into Happy Hour and the mast on our boat was a great conversation piece.
“Look,” the dinghy driver said. “Their mast is bent!”

Our mast in not bent. Where other boats have a straight up and down mast, ours is raked back to give more power.

“No,” the very sunburned shirtless one in front replied. “It’s like that man.”
“No!”
“Ya!”
They were so funny. Their accent was somewhere between Cheech and Chong and a Minnesota accent!

“No!”
“Ya! I seen it before, man.”
“Ya?”
“Ya!”

They circled us again.

“Why’s it bent?”
“It’s not bent, man! It gives them more power. I’ve seen it before.”
“Ya? Where you seen it before?
“On a sailboat man”
“Ya,” the other one finally agrees. “I’ve seen them on a sailboat. Why’s that one bent?”
“It’s not bent, man! It’s a sailboat!”

Dan and I couldn’t stop laughing. I had to resist the urge to tell them it wasn’t bent. Later that night, we got to hear them all doing karaoke to “Hotel California” until late in the evening. I don’t know of any other boat that brings their own karoake machine to an island, but as I said, these guys know how to party!!! We love Puerto Ricans!!!!!

Tonight we are enjoying a beautiful mangrove anchorage in Ensenada Honda. Just us and the dolphins, (and really big jellyfish!). It is suggested to navigate Vieques in a clockwise direction, but we are headed counterclockwise. So far it has been fine. Tomorrow, we leave Vieques and head to Culebra and a harbor with the same name, Ensenada Honda. I am sending this update through the satellite phone. Hopefully tomorrow we will have internet service and I can update with pictures.