Author Archive: Bill Black

Monkey Point

The wind has been good heading to Guana Island, a few gusts, but steady. We moored at Monkey Point which was said to have very good snorkeling. We found a mooring, had another fine lunch prepared by the First Mate, and set off on the dinghy. Captain Jean stayed behind to make sure nobody stole the rum.

Here’s a view of the little bay, followed by a couple of pictures from the snorting.

This guy below doesn’t seem to want me here.

Our departure from Monkey Point was amazingly expeditious. The crew is coming together to where we all seem to know what needs to be done. We had the sails up and killed the engine in about 5 minutes.

— Post From My IPad

Spotting flipper

Our first mate took the helm as we sailed out of the Bitter End marina. Wind is pretty weak, so we are making a leisurely pace.

Dave spotted a fin off the bow of the boat. It was a dolphin that criss-crossed in front of the bow for about 2 minutes and swam away. Again, great video that will have to wait. Here’s a still shot.

— Post From My IPad

The Bitter End

No, this is not the end of the trip, just the name of a marina on Virgin Gorda. Our luck had run out on the wind. Pretty dead from the Baths to the Bitter End, so we went mostly under power.

We stopped there for shore leave. Nice bathrooms and showers and a pub. We actually secured a slip and were pleasantly surprised that the entire cast of our stop, including slip fees, refueling and topping off the water was about $110.

When we checked in, another yachtsman began chatting with us an older gentleman with a pleasant french accent. Jean revealed my pirate name, Boston Blackie and he said that the yachtsman said I must be feared on the east coast of the U.S. I acknowledged the fact.

Then he said that he had been with a congressman from Boston on a yacht sailing the islands a couple of weeks ago. They were on a 96 foot catamaran. Turned out to be a congressmen with whom I worked years ago. Further conversation revealed that his name was Albert Paiwansky and that Jean went to school in St. Thomas with his son. Later Jean revealed to me that he is one of the wealthiest men in the Virgin Islands. The family is very well know and made its fortune in rum, among other things. We went to his huge motor yacht and met his wife and daughter. His daughter went to the same school as Jean.

Albert came by to send us off as we set sail in the morning. A delightful man.

— Post From My IPad

The Baths on Virgin Gorda

We got the last mooring at the Baths. Made a short pit stop at the Baths. The attraction is the formation of huge boulders along the beach. The form caves where you can squeeze through crevices as the sea sloshes around your feet. It’s actually pretty scary and I couldn’t help thinking what would happen if any of these boulders shifted.

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From the Bight to the Baths

After a breakfast of bagels, cream cheese and fruit on the boat, we set sail for the Baths at Virgin Gorda still trying to shake the cobwebs from the William T. Thornton. Here’s a view of the bar from a distance.

We’d all developed what Iron Davy called an “ear worm” from Neil Diamond’s Sweet Caroline. Our efforts to get rid of it were thwarted by Captain Jean periodic outbursts of “GOOD TIMES NEVER SEEMED SO GOOOOOD!” His hopes that the rest of us would chant “So good! So good! So good!” were disappointed. Instead he heard grumbling, at best and, at worst, “Will you shut the @#$#@ up!”

The trip from the Bight to the Baths was fast. I’m told that we made it on a beam reach and didn’t have to tack once. Sails up, straight shot to the last available buoy at the Baths. We were heeling pretty good to where the port rails were almost in the water. Again, I’ve got video, but here’s a still shot that gives a sense.

The beam reach thing is nice, but for a lowly seaman like myself, the no tacking is the best part. Sailing involves long stretches of relaxation, interrupted by intense effort and lots of orders being barked when it comes time to turn the boat. Our trip to the Baths was pure relaxation and I fell dead asleep. However, my slumber was broken when the Captain screamed “Furl the jib, furl the jib!” I stumbled around, burned my hands the rope, stubbed my toe on some immovable object and got a leg cramp.

Got a ways to go before I’m a sailor.

— Post From My IPad

Location:Pears Village Main Rd,,Antigua and Barbuda

The Bight in Norman Island

Not sure what time we got in from Willie T’s, but it was too late. We awakened to another beautiful day. We motored in to a near by beach to explore and watch huge pelicans dive bombing for fish. Here’s a view of the bay from the beach.

I went for a brief snorkeling tour of the edges of the bay called The Bight. Quickly spotted a stunning stingray. I got a very good underwater video, but can’t post it off the IPad, so that will have to wait until after my return.

I did get some good still pictures, though.

— Post From My IPad

Location:Pears Village Main Rd,,Antigua and Barbuda

BVI – The William T. Thornton

We moored in “The Bight,” a harbor on Norman Island. It’s famous for a bar, that is actually an old fishing boat called the William T. Thornton or Willie T’s for short. It’s a floating restaurant and you can only get there by dinghy.

Before visiting Willie T’s we had a fine dinner of steak on the barbecue with many vegetable sides, thanks to chef and first mate, Iron Davy.

By the time we got to Willie T’s, the place was rocking and there was very little room on the dock to tie up the dinghy, but we found a place. It’s a run down bar that is clearly a playpen for the idle rich. It’s pretty small, so was packed with people. They run a video slide show of activities that occur there, many of which are not suitable for family discussion.

Above the bar, there hangs a water ski with five holes bored into it that hold shot glasses. The tradition is to fill the shot glasses with liquor, insert them into the holes and five people down a shot all at once.

I met a man named John who owns a pizza place in Old Orchard Beach in Maine named Bill’s Pizza Parlor and a bizarre family from Colorado who own a family restaurant. Mother, Father and 24 year old son were partying together. Didn’t seem healthy to me.

The highlight of the evening was when they played Sweet Caroline by Neil Diamond. The singalong was robust. I mentioned to John, a Red Sox fan, that it felt like Fenway Park during the 7th inning.

— Post From My IPad

Location:Fortsberg Rd,,US Virgin Islands

First Stop Dead Man’s Bay

We set out from Nanny Cay on Tortola for our first stop at Dead Man’s Bay, so named because it sounds cool. It’s on Peter Island and is popular destination for yachtsman, where you can get close, drop anchor and shuttle into the beach. Good snorkling and, like everywhere else in the BVI, there’s a bar.

The crew overlooking the beach.

— Post From My IPad

Seaman’s Mate 3rd Class

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The Crew of the Livin’ Wright

From left to right: David Durkin (Iron Davy), Bill Black (Boston Blackie), Jim Duys and Captain Jean Gaetjens.

— Post From My IPad