Photos from BVI by yacht shots: http://www.digiproofs.com/ecom/product_select.pl?select=13986229&p=FtZsPH0

Wind Belle Team on Sandy Key BVI.

Northerly swell
While we were in the BVI it is quite easy to get a bit casual with the weather forecasts. However one day we were anchored in Virgin Gorda off Prickly Pear Island when we noticed some quite heavy winds and some big waves out to sea and across the reefs. The wave became so big that they were crashing clean over the bows of any boat trying to leave Virgin Gorda. It was only several days later that we heard this was one of the biggest storms of the year so far, sweeping down from the USA. When the storms come from the USA they bring with them huge swells that get into all the normally quiet anchorages.So we were rather lucky that were were tucked up in Gorda sound.
Following the swells we have 5 days of 35 knot winds. We tied up to a mooring buoy in Sopher hole and just sat it out. However we saw a stream of charter boats braving the elements only to come back into the harbour rather worse for wear.In the harbour all the moorings were full and the harbour was too deep to anchor, but the desperate charterers at the end of a hard days sailing still gave it a try, which resulted in mayhem and dragging. I spent much of my time jumping into the dinghy to assist some poor soul, including one case where the man was on the helm and the wife had locked herself in the cabin. They were so grateful for the help that they bought all the girls presents and me a bottle of very special rum.
Bartrams come to stay. We were so excited to have Lucy, Amber, Tommy and Sebby to stay on board for the week. There was non stop playing, and Amber even admitted she actually quite liked boats as well as ponies. Tommy steered wind belle excellently up wind for 2 hrs in 15 -20 knots.
During the windy week, the BVI regatta was scheduled, and I bumped into Stuart and Emma, with their Swan 70 Stay Clam and crew that included Neil and Lisa Mc Donald.(Lisa and Neil had their new baby with them and it was quite a sight to see Neil changing a nappy and being all googoo over his kid.) Of course he was also the consummate professional sailor and charming but still had time to show interest in the 14s and Itchenor.Any way they invited me sailing and we had great fun, in 30 knots charging along in the big swan. We were the only boat to put our spinny up and thoroughly enjoyed ourselves. Stay Clam easily won the regatta.
Following the regatta, Emma and Stuart asked the whole Wind Belle crew to spend a day on Stay Calm cruising. Sophie really enjoyed the day off as Hamish and Helen (the crew) looked after us so well, while the girls really enjoyed playing with Amy and Jack who are the Stay Calm kids. I just enjoyed being on a beautiful boat like a Swan for the day. Following this, we spent a couple of really fun days cruising in company with the Stay Clam Gang, including a visit to the legendary Foxys bar in the poring rain.
Barnie and Amanda come to stay.
We had a great week with Barnie, Amanda, Anoushka, and Jack (the green rabbit). The kids played brilliantly together, with Sienna adopting Jack as her own real baby. true Hartley form meant that Jack projectile poohed across the boat. (see last June's blog when Hartley's stayed on the boat). Anoushka had grown up so much that she was really part of the wind Belle girls crew. Anoushka was so impressed with the colour of the sea water that she called it a swimming pool.

Pirate girl

Ready for pirate treasure hunt

Lucy and Amber

Beach babe

Sun set (again)

Tallulah teaching her godfather to sail.

Imi and Talia

Opi sailing by Tallulah

Sienna

Imi before she fell in

Full moon fire ball.

Caught.

Warners without a main sail.

Warners in the main channel at sunset.

Beach BBQ.

March update.

Having celebrated Sophies birthday, now it was time for our friends on Sun Set Sam to return from New Zealand, our girls were delighted and sang the "we've got friends on Sun Sat Sam..." song as we charged down the harbour to see them. It was great to be back amongst our cruising friends and we quickly got back into the old routines.
We set of for Barbuda together and were delighted by what we found at Cocoa beach. Absolutely beautiful beaches and very few other boats. There was one hotel far too smart to have any yachties in it. The parents of friends from Itchenor, the Clatworthies (The Clatworthy parents had been so kind to all us youngsters over the years in the South Of France).
were staying there, so we trooped ashore and were escorted to the Clatters room , by a security guard, where we were allowed a drink out of the eyesight of the hotel management.
We then went around the corner to an 11 mile beach, where the two cats were completely by themselves. Sophie suggested we walk to the end of the beach where there was a hotel, and after cajoling the kids with promises of sweets, Ice cream and drinks we found at the end of the longest walk that the hotel was brand new and would not open for a month. Queue a huge rain storm in which Kevin and I had to walk back along the beach to get the dinghies while the girls and kids sheltered in the hotel lobby with a security guard.
Following day it was really howling and we had to clear out of customs from the local village, called Codrington, and it lived up to its name. To get there we had to carry/drag the dinghies across a sand bar, then we had to motor across a lagoon about 2 miles wide. We all got horribly wet as by now it was blowing 25-30 knots. We arrived at Codrington and realized we had gone back in time. After visits to the the tourist office, customs, police station and immigration (which was in the front room of a house) we felt we had walked around the whole town as each was in a different place.
After this were free to leave, there isn't much else in Codrington. However we were just by the local school when the kids all came out. Our kids and a group of locals began to chat. The locals were intrigued to touch our girls blonde hair and visa versa. They couldn't believe the girls didn't go to school and lived on a boat.
The local girls homework was to write a poem about an animal, the choices of the locals were goats, horses and cats. We decided our girls would do the same homework. These sort of exchanges are just magic and just what we strive to achieve for our girls.
Next we tried to get some lobster, (Barbudas main export). but non were to be had as they were all being flown to Guadeloupe for their restaurants. However the van driver had saved two for his own dinner and on seeing the girls he gave them to us for the kids to try. We offered to pay him, but he would not accept any money. This is the Cara bean we love where the people are unjaded by the tourist and yachty grind. The Lobby were great and we the parents enjoyed every bit of them!
So if you ever have the opportunity to go to Barbuda, do it. It has wonderful beaches nice people and nothing else.
Because we went to Barbuda, we had to miss St Kitts and Nevis, so next stop was St Barts, (not the hospital).
On the way we were sailing along going about 9 knots in 18 knots of wind, when we saw a huge splash about 400 meters in front of the boat on the port bow, I thought it was rocks although a quick glance at the chart said there shouldn't be any there. This was quickly followed by a whale launching itself clean out of the water. The girls shrieked and I headed up to starboard immediately, afraid that we might hit it. Next thing the whale was ten meters from our port side. It was a humpback whale and was about 30 ft long. It swam past us and disappeared off into the distance on some nomadic migration. We were all ecstatic that we had seen another whale even if I secretly was bricking it as it was so close and I thought where you saw one you might see two or a whole herd.
Once we got to St Barts we anchored in the Anchorage, which was a bit like a moving mogul field, with huge waves and an incessant swell. As we were in the anchorage we had to pay a fee, for my most uncomfortable night ever!!
However St barts is french and we did enjoy seeing this mini St Tropez and all the mega yachts& shops. Sienna, insisted in riding her bicycle along the water font. As she has only had 3or 4 chances since she got it for Christmas we agreed however she insisted on riding it in the dinghy too.(see photo.) The others all, scootered or roller bladed down the main promenade. The mums spent their time looking in expensive looking French shop windows while the dads spent their time tutting at the prices and looking for a bar with the 6 nations rugby on.
)
From rolly old Gustave we went to bay Colombier which was magic. they had EU paid for buoys that were free to yachties and a beautiful beach and Bay. We ended up staying for several days.
Then we went on to St Maartin which is half Dutch and half French which just about sums the place up Because it doesn't know what it is..(You would never find a tiny island in anywhere in the world that was half English and half french). We went into the lagoon, through the dutch bridge, but anchored on the other side of the green buoys that showed we were in the french half. This is a great place to visit if you want boat work done, but we personally didn't like being cooped up inside the lagoon, so we made a dash for the French exit.
This sounds simple but involved heart stopping moments as our depth reached zero and the bridge we went through had two feet clearance on each side. Finally we cleared out and headed for the British Virgin Islands to meet our friends Nick and Margo Warner.The trip was 85 nm miles and we made it in about 12 hours in light winds, from dead behind. Our friends on Sun Set Sam left several days after us and ended up doing it in 21 hours.
Once we got to the BVI we found out that the Warners weren't due for a week. I have never been so lackadaisical about time and dates but being one week early kind of shows that we are fully in swing with the cruiser life.
Once in the BVI we had a great time. Especially with the Warners who joined us and Sun Set Sam.They chartered a boat from Horizon and we buddy boated around the BVI. A couple of points of interest were. On our second night we went to White bay, which has a beautiful long sandy beach and the famous Soggy dollar bar. However guess who hadn't checked the weather, the expert local tour guide MR P. This resulted in us staying in White bay with the wind blowing directly into it. The Warners, on a mooring next to the reef were literally rolling from gunwale to gunwale, and when I went to ask if they were all right, they both looked very green.(And margo has done the BT race around the world the wrong way!!). So after an hour or so we decided to move The Warners onto anchor. When the anchor finally bit it left Nick in the middle of the channel markers through the reef. Nick was a bit worried, but we assured him no body would move. So no surprise when a 65 foot Cat wanted to move about ten minutes later. That night Sophie and I were up half the night on this lee shore as the anchor chain was caught around something and was groaning very hard.We seemed to have wrapped ourselves around an underwater rock. Next morning at first light, I dove down on the anchor and found that we had six wraps around an old mooring pin. Luckily it was shallow enough to snorkel and unwrap ourselves. Just as I finished unwrapping the anchor, a 45 ft racing boat, drifted onto the reef. A small amarda of dingies went to help including the boys. One rib, flipped upside down, and there was general chaos. Eventually the boat was dragged off the reef. Too much excitement before my first morning coffee in my books by half.
The other note worthy points were.
1.THE WARNERS DID NOT RAISE THE MAIN SAIL IN A WHOLE WEEK!
2. We caught a fish one night, when I accidentaly left the line in, and the fish was a huge Porgie. Only for Margot to let it fall back into the water on purpose as she was getting the hook out of its mouth.
3. Margot caught a Geko for the girls, which the girls all took turns to hold and squeeze until it was minus a tail and deaded.
4. We had the best BBQ on the beach at Dead Mans Bay (Famous for yoh ho ho and deadmans chest). See photos.

Good Bye Sun Set Sam.
Finally the day came to say good by to our friends on Sun Set Sam. We had cruised with them from the Balearic's in Spain and had some really great times over a 8 month period. We all went over in the dinghy to say our sad farewells, Sophie had her sun glasses on even though it was cloudy, so nobody could see her tears, when all of a sudden she fell in the water as she climbed onto sun set Sam from our dinghy. Good old Soph there wasn't a dry pair of eyes or nickers on the boat as we all wet ourselves laughing. What a way to say good bye with mascara smeared everywhere and dripping wet. (Sun Set Sam went to Panama for a bit of canal boating).