Home » BLOG » Virgin Islands

Tag: Virgin Islands

The Windtraveler Twins Turn ONE!

You probably know by now that Brittany and Scott have returned to Asante with Isla and the twins to pick up where they left off cruising around the Caribbean. It’s even more awesome that just a few days ago the Windtraveler twins, Mira and Haven, turned ONE! Can you believe it?Haven and Mira First Birthday-3

We had sailed over to Maho Bay, St. John earlier in the week for Genevieve’s super fun surprise party on a local floating bar, Angel’s Rest. I still can’t believe Genevieve and Brittany got me to jump ;) Be sure to check out all the shenanigans >>here<<.

For the twins’ first birthday, March 6th, we got everyone together again on shore for a little celebration which turned out to be a picture perfect location for this very special event. With Arias and Ellia (SV Necesse) and Isla, Haven and Mira (SV Asante) the beach was overflowing with cuteness!

It’s pretty obvious from the photos, but these darling babies really are THIS happy in person! Their little personalities are bigger than life and so different from one another. Hats off to Brittany and Scott for living on a boat with three under three and making it look so easy!

I’m so grateful I had the opportunity to capture all these gorgeous photos on such a special day, though it was so hard to choose my favorite photos. There are dozens more, but these are the ones I couldn’t wait to share…

Haven and Mira First Birthday-11 Haven and Mira First Birthday-13 Haven and Mira First Birthday-16 Haven and Mira First Birthday-18 Haven and Mira First Birthday-20 Haven and Mira First Birthday-21 Haven and Mira First Birthday-25 Haven and Mira First Birthday-26 Haven and Mira First Birthday-28 Haven and Mira First Birthday-30 Haven and Mira First Birthday-31 Haven and Mira First Birthday-32 Haven and Mira First Birthday-33 Haven and Mira First Birthday-37 Haven and Mira First Birthday-43 Haven and Mira First Birthday-50 Haven and Mira First Birthday-55 Haven and Mira First Birthday-67 Haven and Mira First Birthday-70 Haven and Mira First Birthday-81 Haven and Mira First Birthday-86 Haven and Mira First Birthday-87 Haven and Mira First Birthday-90 Haven and Mira First Birthday-94 Haven and Mira First Birthday-96 Haven and Mira First Birthday-101 Haven and Mira First Birthday-108 Haven and Mira First Birthday-109 Haven and Mira First Birthday-114 Haven and Mira First Birthday-118 Haven and Mira First Birthday-119 Haven and Mira First Birthday-122 Haven and Mira First Birthday-128 Haven and Mira First Birthday-130 Haven and Mira First Birthday-131 Haven and Mira First Birthday-132 Haven and Mira First Birthday-138 Haven and Mira First Birthday-141 Haven and Mira First Birthday-142 Haven and Mira First Birthday-145 Haven and Mira First Birthday-148 Haven and Mira First Birthday-150

Tiny House Blog: PIZZA PI

Have you ever seen a FOOD BOAT? Check out PIZZA PI, the hottest pizza joint in the Virgin Islands!

pizza pi-61

Not only is it a super cute floating home, but our friends Sasha and Tara have built this boat from the inside out to serve fresh, made-to-order NY-style pizza!

Click over to my article on Tiny House Blog to see all the photos and hear their story… click HERE.

pizza pi-14

pizza pi-56

Cruising BVI: North Sound Virgin Gorda

Back in June we spent a little over a week taking in the beauty of North Sound, Virgin Gorda. This would be the last island we visit before continuing our journey south to spend Hurricane Season. As we entered through the channel markers, we caught a glimpse of Sir Richard Branson’s private island. Incredible.

virgin gorda-1

Our first stop was near Saba Rock which kindly provided an open wifi signal that we were able to pick up with our booster, anchored off of Prickly Pear Island. Mooring balls were available for a fee but there was also plenty of room to anchor. We tried this spot first since we heard this is where most of the cruisers stay. Though there were only a few boats around that late in the season, we met up with Wild Card for the first time and we also met another couple on a Whitby, English Rose. Both of these cruising couples quickly became good friends that we still stay in contact with to this day.

Up at the restaurant on Saba Rock the saltwater aquarium was fun to see. Inside was a Moray Eel, Spiny Lobster and a small cannon like the ones we saw diving on the reef nearby.

virgin gorda-2virgin gorda-3virgin gorda-4

The Bitter End Yacht Club lay just a stone’s throw away. All kinds of water sport rentals are available such as Hobie Cats, kite surfing and diving.

virgin gorda-12virgin gorda-11

During our visit at the restaurant, a little friend came to say hello.

virgin gorda-14virgin gorda-15virgin gorda-5

After lunch we took a stroll down the palm-lined paths that wind past the resort. Island-style cabanas and hammocks were scattered along the shore.

virgin gorda-6virgin gorda-13virgin gorda-16virgin gorda-17virgin gorda-18virgin gorda-19virgin gorda-20virgin gorda-21virgin gorda-23virgin gorda-22virgin gorda-24virgin gorda-25

Tucked back in the corner across the bay is the Biras Creek Resort. The anchorage in front provided ample protection from the wind and an escape from all of the charter boats coming and going from Bitter End. The resort has a gorgeous dinghy dock that we used to bring Gunner and Betsy ashore. Several trails extended from the resort up over the hillside. We passed by some curious horses and continued across the island to discover a secret restaurant and private beach, all managed by the Resort.

virgin gorda-7virgin gorda-8virgin gorda-9virgin gorda-10

Just before leaving the anchorage in front of Biras Creek Resort, we met David, Toutou, Maya and Tyler aboard Four Coconuts. We became fast friends with these fellow coconut cruisers and began making plans to buddy-boat down the islands.

virgin gorda-26

One more stop to check out of the BVI’s and we would be on our way!

virgin gorda-27virgin gorda-29

Stay tuned for our last adventure in the BVI’s before heading south. We are currently in Grenada finishing up boat projects :)

BVI’s Best Kept Secret: Guana Island

May 29th we sailed East toward Guana Island.  Mom enjoyed another gorgeous morning on the bow as we let the wind carry us forward through the spectacular British Virgin Islands.

Guana-1

Guana Island is an 850-acre private island. Cottages and Villas can be rented for an all-inclusive $5,000 – $15,000 per WEEK, or the whole island can be rented at an average rate of $30,000 per night. Yes, per NIGHT!! A maximum of 36 guests are allowed at any one time to maintain that private-island feel.

Of it’s seven beaches, White Bay Beach is on the leeward side of the island and is even equipped with private mooring balls at a rate of $30 per night. That’s pretty standard for anywhere in the BVI so why not spend it in front of an exclusive private island? We were told by one of the staff members that the island is private, but the ocean floor and the sand on the beach are technically public. We were welcome to play on the south end of the beach as long as we stayed clear of the resort facilities.

The beach was gorgeous and the water was clear. Several large tarpon swam around the boat and there were some small coral patches near the beach suitable for beginner snorkelers. Not many charter boats come here so we had the place all to ourselves. It was incredible!

Guana-3Guana-4 Guana-2 Guana-6 Guana-7 Guana-8 Guana-9 Guana-10 Guana-11 Guana-12 Guana-13 Guana-14 Guana-15 Guana-16 Guana-17 Guana-19 Guana-20 Guana-21 Guana-22 Guana-24Guana-5Guana-30

Monkey Point lies to the south with day-moorings which are supposedly maintained by the Virgin Islands National Park staff. It’s a popular spot for charter boats to snorkel during the day, though overnight mooring is not allowed. We took a dinghy ride to Monkey Point from our mooring in White Bay and we were less than impressed with the snorkeling there after what we had already seen at Muskmelon Bay to the North.

Guana-25Guana-26

Our recommendation: Skip the popular “Monkey Point” and head straight for Muskmelon Bay! The rocky cliffs surrounding the bay give these moorings a truly majestic feel. The stillness echoed around us. Depths of 60-80′ give off a rich blue brilliance to the ever-so-clean waters in what we believe to be the “Best Kept Secret of BVI.” Moorings here also cost $30 per night, however the islands staff sometime doesn’t come to collect. If you’re lucky, you might get the 2-for-1 deal!

The coral formations in Muskmelon Bay made for some of the most magnificent snorkeling we have ever seen. Like underwater highways, the millions of small bait fish swam past us in and out of the coral mazes. Each crevice seemed never ending as they looped around and up and down. The coral heads are on average 8-10′ tall and full of life. Hundreds of different species of reef fish thrive here.

A return trip with an underwater camera is a MUST, though the true magic of this place will forever be engrained in our memories. Especially magical for Bean, it was her very first time snorkeling! What a lucky woman to be introduced to the underwater world in Muskmelon Bay, BVI…

Guana-31Guana-27 Guana-28 Guana-29 Guana-32 Guana-33 Guana-34 Guana-35 Guana-36 Guana-37 Guana-38

Stay tuned for more adventure in the BVI! We are currently enjoying the rest of Hurricane Season in Mt. Hartman Bay, Grenada.  Please leave us a comment if you enjoyed these photos!

I Wish I Was There Tonight… On Jost Van Dyke

JVD (2 of 37)

In the evening hours of May 24th, Peter, my Mom and I sat in the cockpit watching the planes come in over St. Thomas in the US Virgin Islands. We had anchored in Brewer’s Bay, just a short distance from the airport near Charlotte Amalie. The next afternoon my Grandmother was scheduled to arrive to spend a little over a week with us on Mary Christine.

JVD (3 of 37) JVD (4 of 37)

By this time, Mom was beside herself with excitement to finally be back in the Virgin Islands. Her last visit was in 2006 when she left her heart and a piece of her soul on Jost Van Dyke. Jeanne, my Grandmother and Mom’s Mom, had never traveled this far before and was thrilled to earn her very first passport stamp!  With three generations aboard, it would surely be a trip to remember.

My 31st birthday was May 26th and what better way to celebrate than to spend it on Jost Van Dyke with family?!! After picking up Bean at the airport, we immediately set sail for an overnight stop in Hawksnest Bay, St. John. (I couldn’t say Jeanne when I was little and now everyone calls her Bean. The name has stuck through all these years!) The morning of my birthday we sailed north to Great Harbour, Jost Van Dyke.  It was a gorgeous sail with perfect winds. The Virgin Islands are truly spectactular – unlike anything we’ve seen on our journey so far. The way the islands are nestled together, it makes for some pretty perfect cruising grounds.

JVD (1 of 37) JVD (6 of 37) JVD (7 of 37) JVD (8 of 37) JVD (9 of 37) JVD (10 of 37) JVD (11 of 37) JVD (12 of 37) JVD (13 of 37) JVD (14 of 37) JVD (15 of 37) JVD (16 of 37)

With little room to anchor, we picked up a mooring ball toward the back of the mooring field. All four of us could hear Kenny Chesney singing a little song called Somewhere In The Sun inside our heads,

“Oh I wish I was there tonight on Jost Van Dyke
Sipping on some Foxy’s Firewater rum
Or kickin’ back with Ivan
With all my friends down in the islands
Wouldn’t take much for me to up and run
To another life somewhere in the sun”

JVD (17 of 37)

We made dinner reservations at Foxy’s for later that night. Luckily, it was a Monday and fairly quiet. Foxy’s can definitely get rowdy!

Dinner was outstanding and the ambiance was perfect. Just a quiet night with a little Caribbean Breeze… My kind of birthday!! :)

JVD (32 of 37)

JVD (34 of 37)JVD (33 of 37)

JVD (35 of 37)

Tuesday 5.27 we took a short dinghy ride over to White Bay, BVI. Mom was absolutely GLOWING!!! Happiness was spilling out of her like I’ve never seen before. The second she got in the water, it was as if she was HOME. I felt like she was welcoming us to the place where she belongs… Can you feel it too?

JVD (18 of 37) JVD (19 of 37) JVD (20 of 37) JVD (21 of 37) JVD (22 of 37) JVD (23 of 37)

Kickin’ back with Ivan…

Enjoy these photos of Ivan’s White Bay Campground and Stress Free Bar before it was torn down this summer. This famous beach bar is currently being rebuilt due to foundation damage from a rain storm 10 years ago! Rumor has it, Ivan’s will be back up and running this November, just in time for our return to JVD!! While most of the memories will be put back up, we’re sure Ivan will need lots of help with new decorations of seashells, t-shirts and autographs from all his visitors.

JVD (24 of 37) JVD (25 of 37) JVD (26 of 37) JVD (27 of 37)JVD (30 of 37) JVD (31 of 37)JVD (36 of 37) JVD (37 of 37)JVD (28 of 37)

What’s your favorite spot in the Virgin Islands???

Stay tuned for lots more photos of the time we spent in BVI! We are currently relaxing down in Grenada for the remainder of Hurricane Season. If you’re near Mt. Hartman Bay/Secret Harbor, come say hi!!!