Last post on the British Virgin Islands, and then on to Puerto Rico. Our last stop in the British Virgin Islands (BVIs) was Cane Garden Bay, a large sheltered bay, on the nortwest end of Tortola. The bay was full of mooring balls, and several beachside restaurants and shops were open for business. The dinghy dock was missing some boards but was still usable.
Dinghy dock, Cane Garden Bay, Tortola, BVIs (March 2018)
Quintos, which use to be located at the base of the dock (to the right), regrettably did not survive the storm.
Quintos Restaurant, Cane Garden Bay, Tortola, BVIs (March 2018)
Like the other islands we visited in the BVIs, new construction and repairs take place right alongside the damaged structures.
Construction, Cane Garden Bay, Tortola, BVIs (March 2018)
Cane Garden Bay, Tortola, BVIs (March 2018)
We were thrilled to see that our favorite spot in Cane Garden Bay, Myett’s, had reopened for business.
Myett’s is open in Cane Garden Bay, BVIs (March 2018)
Myett’s Restaurant, Cane Garden Bay, Tortola, BVIs (March 2018)
Randy at Myett’s Restaurant, Cane Garden Bay, Tortola, BVIs (March 2018)
Ryan at Myett’s Restaurant, Cane Garden Bay, Tortola, BVIs (March 2018)
Myett’s in Cane Garden Bay, BVIs (March 2018)
In addition to great food and ambiance, Myett’s is a prime spot for catching spectacular sunsets.
Sunset view from Myett’s (looking out towards Jost Van Dyke) in Cane Garden Bay, BVIs (March 2018)
Ronan walking the beach at sunset, Cane Garden Bay, Tortola, British Virgin Islands
Cane Garden Bay, BVIs (March 2018)
In sum, the BVIs suffered significant damage from Hurricanes Irma and Maria, however, no amount of hurricanes can take away the intrinsic beauty of these islands or the strength and fortitude of the people who live in these islands. The turquoise blue waters, the magnificent sunsets and the friendly hospitality of the people all remain and make cruising these islands well worth the visit!
Six months after Hurricane Irma, Jost Van Dyke, like much of the BVIs, displays the dichotomy of destruction and regrowth. In the days immediately following Hurricane Irma, the cruisers’ and charter boat hot spot, “Foxy’s,” in Great Harbor, served as a center for refuge and relief disbursements. Six months later, Foxy’s is up and running and celebrated its 50th Anniversary with a grand soirée. Foxy, with his whimsical sense of humor, sang at the 50th Anniversary celebration, what has become known as “Foxy’s Hurricane Irma Song.
Ryan & Ronan at Foxy’s, Great Harbor, Jost Van Dyke, BVIs, (March 2018)
Foxy’s, Great Harbor, Jost Van Dyke, BVIs, (March 2018)
Ryan & Ronan, Jenga at Foxy’s, Great Harbor, Jost Van Dyke, BVIs, (March 2018)
Great Harbor, Jost Van Dyke, seemed to have fewer mooring balls than were available in previous visits, however, there was plenty of room to anchor and the harbor was full of boats.
Great Harobor, Jost Van Dyke (March 2018)
There is also a brand new dinghy dock directly in front of Foxy’s.
New dinghy dock, Great Harbor, Jost Van Dyke, BVIs (March 2018)
New dinghy dock in front of Foxy’s, Great Harbor, Jost Van Dyke, BVIs, (March 2018)
Customs and Immigration services are available a short walk down the beach, in Great Harbor. It is a good place to clear in, if heading south, or out, if heading north. Along the beach, are the lingering signs of Hurricane Irma’s destruction, and the resiliency of the recovery efforts.
Church, Great Harbor, Jost Van Dyke, BVIs (March 2018)
Church, Great Harbor, Jost Van Dyke, BVIs (March 2018)
Church, Great Harbor, Jost Van Dyke, BVIs (March 2018)
Church, Great Harbor, Jost Van Dyke, BVIs (March 2018)
Great Harbor, Jost Van Dyke, BVIs (March 2018)
New tour taxi, Great Harbor, Jost Van Dyke, BVIs (March 2018)
Relief tent in a box, Jost Van Dyke, BVIs (March 2018)
Great Harobor tour/taxi, Jost Van Dyke (March 2018)
Corsair’s Jeep, Great Harobor, Jost Van Dyke (March 2018)
Corsair’s is rebuilding
WHITE HARBOR
With Pilots’ Discretion securely moored in Great Harbor, we rode the dinghy over to White Harbor. In the immediate aftermath of Hurricane Irma, weekly flotillas cruised into White Bay to assist in the rebuilding efforts. Six months later, as we were repeatedly told “the drinks are still cold and the water is still blue.” The infamous Soggy Dollar and Hendo’s were both open and fully operational.
Scott & Randy walking ashore to the Soggy Dollar, White Bay, Jost Van Dyke, BVIs (March 2018)
Ronan, Ryan, Randy & Scott heading into Soggy Dollar, White Bay, Jost Van Dyke, BVIs (March 2018)
Hendo’s, White Bay, Jost Van Dyke, BVIs (March 2018)
New palm trees outside Soggy Dollar, White Bay, Jost Van Dyke, BVIs (March 2018)
Soggy Dollar & Hendo’s, White Bay, Jost Van Dyke, BVIs, (March 2018)
White Harbor, Jost Van Dyke, BVIs, (March 2018)
Soggy Dollar, White Bay, Jost Van Dyke (March 2018)
LITTLE HARBOR
Little Harbor, Jost Van Dyke, appeared, to us, to be the hardest hurricane hit harbor on Jost Van Dyke. On previous visits to Jost Van Dyke, we always spent a few nights in Little Harbor because it seemed quieter and quainter to us (translation fewer party boats and more family friendly). Sidney’s Peace and Love, Harris’ Restaurant and Abe’s were all places not to be missed. Now they are all missing.
The old Sidney’s Peace and Love restaurant and souvenir shop (located to the left of the two white doors in the photos below, is completely gone. In the immediate aftermath of Hurricane Irma, a large ferry boat landed atop the building wiping out the entire structure. We were glad to see that Sidney’s niece “Strawberry” has since reopened the restaurant on the other side of the building.
Sidney’s Peace & Love is open, little Harbor, Jost Van Dyke, BVIS (March 2018)
Harris’ Restaurant was likewise completely destroyed, but is reportedly rebuilding soon.
Harris’s restaurant is gone, but is reportedly rebuilding, Little Harbor, Jost Van Dyke, BVIs (March 2018)
Leaving Jost Van Dyke astern, we next cruised over to another one of our favorite bays in the BVIs, Cane Garden Bay. . .
We arrived in Anegada, and she steadfastly did not disappoint us! The water was the clear turquois blue seen mostly on postcards.
Cow Wreck Beach, Anagada, BVIs (March 2018)
There were plenty of available moorings and multiple dinghy docks to land the dinghy. The lobsters at the Anegada Reef Hotel (still run by Lorraine) were, as we remembered them, the size of small ponies. Cow Wreck Beach, pristine and isolated, remains one of my favorite beaches in all of the Caribbean.
Randy & Scott at Cow Wreck Beach, Anagada, BVIs (March 2018)
Cow Wreck Country Club, Anagada, BVIs (March 2018)
We picked up a mooring ball at the Leverick Bay Resort where there was evidence of hurricane damage in the form of a few blue tarps on the roofs of some of the structures and several large boats that had been washed firmly ashore. Many mooring balls were missing pendants, so we radioed Leverick Bay Resort, who guided us to a usable mooring. The resort was in the full on party mode with live music and all of the restaurants, bars and souvenir shops open for business.
Leverick Bay, Virgin Gorda, BVIs (March 2018)
It was almost surreal that this place could be so much business as usual when across the bay (Gorda Sound), the destruction was total and complete. From Leverick Bay, we ventured just around the corner to Gorda Sound where many of our very favorite spots in the BVIs were located. [See British Virgin Islands (2015) Saba Rock had a great restaurant and boutique hotel – totally destroyed. We have been informed there are plans in place to rebuild.
Saba Rock, Gorda Sound, Virgin Gorda (March 2018)
Directly across the water taxi channel was the Bitter End Yacht Club – reduced to piles of broken lumber and smashed furniture.
Bitter And Yacht Club, North Sound, Virgin Gorda, BVIs (March 2018)
Ryan & Ronan surveying the hurricane damage, Gorda Sound, Virgin Gorda, BVIs (March 2018)
Our favorite spot in the world for roti, The Fat Virgin – completely destroyed.
Fat Virgin, North Sound, Virgin Gorda, BVIs (March 2018)
Next to the Fat Virgin was a series of small but very nice homes and cottages where the local workers lived. All of their homes have been totally leveled, their livelihoods destroyed. Many of these people will have to retrain for other work, leave or both.
There was a magnificent Yacht Club designed with docks for mega yachts in Biras Creek. The docks are completely gone and the majestic white building that served as an exclusive restaurant and club house is boarded up, watched over by a couple of security guards.
Gorda Sound, Virgin Gorda, BVIs (March 2018)
Gorda sound was eerily full of empty mooring ball. In sum, six month’s after Hurricane Irma, Gorda sound is complete void of eany boats or restaurants or resources. Leverick Bay, on the other hand, is a good spot to spend the night on a mooring and dine ashore. It is also a prime local for an early morning launch to our all time favorite spot in the BVIs, Anegada, which we were informed escaped Irma’s wrath. More on Anegada in our following post.
When we arrived at Nanny Cay, we realized that the marina that we have known for many years was no longer there. In a separate and newly constructed sheltered basin, Nanny Cay has built a brand new marina with very substantial, state of the art floating docks, complete with 50 & 60 Hz power, potable water and high speed internet.
New marina at Nanny Cay, Tortola, BVI (March 2018)
A walk of a few hundred yards takes you to where the previous docks once were. In their place are many hulks and partially sunken boats of every description.
Old marina docks at Nanny Cay Marina, Tortola, BVI (March 2018)
Old marina at Nanny Cay, Tortola, BVI (March 2018)
For us, Nanny Cay quickly became the dichotomy that is the current maritime industry in the BVIs. Many new and gleaming boats and support facilities standing next to boats and structures that have been irreparably damaged beyond recognition.
New fleet of Marine Max Power Cats in new Nanny Cay Marina, Tortola, BVI (March 2018)
Salvaged vessel in the boat yard, Nanny Cay, Tortola, BVI (March 2018)
New cell tower, Nanny Cay, Tortola, BVI (March 2018)
New construction at new marina, Nanny Cay, Tortola, BVI (March 2018)
Destroyed Peg Legs Restaurant, Nanny Cay, Tortola, BVI (March 2018)
Ronan & Ryan in the pool at Nanny Cay, Tortola, BVI (March 2018)
Nanny Cay Marina Office, Tortola (March 2018)
Flowers blooming in front of destroyed Peg Legs Restaurant, Nanny Cay, Tortola, BVI (March 2018)
That said, there was fuel available at the fuel dock and the boat yard, shops and restaurants were open for service. There was also a well supplied chandlery on premises. We were met with smiling faces of the staff that have now become our friends, their strength through adversity is both humbling and reassuring.
During our stay in Nanny Cay we discovered a stow away aboard Pilots’ Discretion.
Stow away, Nanny Cay Marina, Tortola, British Virgin Islands
Stow away, Nanny Cay Marina, Tortola, British Virgin Islands
Stow away, Nanny Cay Marina, Tortola, British Virgin Islands
Stow away, Nanny Cay Marina, Tortola, British Virgin Islands
Stow away, Nanny Cay Marina, Tortola, British Virgin Islands
It turns out our stow away “Truffles” actually resided on a neighboring boat, and just liked spending time on our boat.
While at Nanny Cay we also encountered another creature, unlike any that any of us had ever seen before. It was about 6′-8″ in diameter and glided through the water with wing-like grace, bobbing its upper extremity up and down out of the water.
Aplysia Morio
Unable to determine is species, we posted a video of it online, soliciting the input from of our Caribbean diving buddies to help us identify the curious creature.
We were subsequently informed that it is an Aplysia Morio, the Atlantic Black Sea Hare or Sooty Sea Hare, a species of sea slug. It is a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Aplysiidae, the sea hares. It lives in warm waters in the Caribbean Sea and off the south and southeastern coast of the United States, where it feeds on seaweed. seaweed.harehttps://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aplysia_morio
After spending a few days at Nanny Cay, provisioning, tending to boat maintenance and generally relaxing, we welcomed aboard one of Randy’s fellow pilots and friend “Scott” for a quick visit. Scott had previously visited us in the BVIs several years ago so we were curious to see what his reaction would be to the post hurricane islands. Day 1 with Scott aboard, we departed Nanny Cay for Gorda Sound on the north end of Virgin Gorda (and the site of some of the most devastating Hurricane Irma damage). More on Gorda Sound, Virgin Gorda in our next post.
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