BVI – Day 6 – Marina Cay to Saba Rock

Day 6, Friday, May 6

When we wake we can tell the wind will be great today. We cruise out into the bay to sail for a bit before heading to small islands called The Dogs to snorkel and then on to our final destination, Saba Rock on the island of Virgin Gorda. The Dogs are empty islands, part of the national park system so they are day moorings only. We snorkel to a large piece of pinkish coral. There are sea fans waving gently in the current. Brightly colored fish are everywhere. But the seas are disturbed by the wind and sand is suspended in the water making it cloudy. We decide to head to Virgin Gorda and are stowing our snorkeling gear when a couple in a dinghy stops to ask us if we are snorkeling around the downed airplane. They explain there is a small plane underwater near where we are moored and is a popular snorkeling spot. We explain that we may know a lot less than, well, everyone currently sailing in the BVI but we wish them luck finding the plane. I’m glad I did not see the plane underwater unexpectedly; Bass would have to use his mad CPR skills on me for sure.

We motor and sail around into North Bay on Virgin Gorda and pick up a mooring ball at Saba Rock. This is literally a rock outcropping with a resort on one side and an empty island called Prickly Pear on the other. The mooring balls are in a slight current, although the water is so clear we easily see the bottom. We know we like this place immediately. No giant power yachts can get in this shallow spot and we see a sailing race taking place from the BEYC, Bitter End Yacht Club. They are racing 13 foot Hobie Cats with with no booms and floats on their mast ends to avoid turtling; they are flying around the marina dodging in and out of the bigger moored boats. We love watching these as we sailed a 16 ft Hobie Cat in Idaho for 8 years before buying Turnstone, our yawl.

We dinghy into Saba Rock resort to look around and take pictures to email to Joe and Jen Saba. We take a photo which says Saba Rock without revealing the BVI part. With free wi-fi in the marina Bass emails the photo to Joe in Manhattan and tells him he must figure out where Saba Rock is before we get back to civilization. Not hard, we know, but if Joe is on island time too it may take him a minute or two.

That night we grill steaks on the Barbie, blend up 12 volt pinas and listen to our own iPod tunes. The resort is quiet by 9 pm.

Google Earth Tour:

Click the link below to download a Google Earth .kmz file that will take you on a fly-by tour of our sail from Marina Cay to Saba Rock:

Pictures:

Video 2 minutes, 58 seconds: