Canadian Yachting October 2016 - 27

Captain Carter and First Mate Jenna. Photo: Clarity Nicoll Needless to say, our next day was a little more low key. After a morning snorkel with turtles at the Caves, we cruised our way over to Cooper Island Beach Club. After a deadly battle for the last mooring ball we settled in for the day in this incredibly protected harbour. A day of hanging out on the beach was exactly what the doctor ordered. While most of us lounged in the club or on the beach, others discovered that you could wakeboard on our SUP board behind our tender.... like I said, there's something for everyone. That night, we dressed up and pretended to be adults for dinner reservations at 8pm. After a spectacular Mahi Mahi dinner, we finished up the night at Cooper Island's Rum Bar, an unbelievably well-stocked bar with at least 100 rums, often frequented by Virgin's Richard Branson. After having a Dark n' Stormy made with 12 year old Goslings life will never taste the same. Before going to bed we made our next day's plan and decided to head for The Baths, the BVIs most popular site. It is a formation of granite rock grottoes that create a trail leading to the breathtaking view at Devil's Beach. We were underway at 5:30am because mooring balls are limited and the nearest anchorage is quite a trek. That morning we had breakfast with a view then hiked up to the top of the mountain for morning Pina Coladas. We spent the day exploring, snorkeling and climbing mango trees. That night we anchored in Savannah Bay, a beautiful and secluded spot. The perfect space to BBQ some burgers and build a rope swing. If I can make one more suggestion, it's to make a reservation for a slip at the Bitter End Yacht Club (BEYC). It gives everyone a chance to have a real shower, refill your water tanks and to use shore power for the night so that you don't have to run the generator overnight to get air conditioning. That alone is worth the docking fee. A valuable lesson learned was that dock slips have check-in times just like hotels...oops. Don't worry, if you show up early, there's a beach bar on Prickly Pear Island that serves a great Roti and Painkillers to help pass the time. Our day spent at the BEYC was spectacular. We hit the ground running, literally running, since we made it just in time for beer can racing. We paired up and took out four Hobie Waves. The race committee met us, beer in hand, every time we crossed the finish line, by the end of the day we were sailing a little sideways. No visit to BEYC is complete without a night spent at Saba Rock. We caught the ferry to the tiny island that is the size of the restaurant. We ate a scrumptious dinner of coconut mussels and flank steak while watching the enormous Tarpon fish circle the island. The next day we decided that a little physical activity might Charting our course to adventure. Photo:: Clarity Nicoll help offset too much food and drink consumption, so some of us managed to catch early morning yoga on the dock and hiked 400 vertical feet to the top of the island for a breathtaking view. A little late for check-out time and we were off to our next adventure, the Bubbly Pool, a natural whirlpool formed by a narrow pathway between two rock cliffs. When the waves come crashing in you can body surf in the pool. We spend almost an hour riding the waves before finding yet another amazing beach bar. Our best discovery in the Islands was happy hour. Drinks can get a little pricey and wreak havoc on your budget but happy hour is usually 2 for 1 on all of your island favourites. We took full advantage of this when we hit Cane Garden Bay. There you will find a fantastic strip of beach bars with live music, beach Jenga, delicious conch fritters and all the happy hour specials that your heart desires. Finally, let me introduce you to the concept of LARPing, Live Action Role Playing. This is where you dress up and act out a character. Our last day was Pirate Day! Rule number one was that you had to meet for breakfast with at least one article of your pirate costume while enjoying your pirate coffee (just add rum). We broke character for one hour when we discovered the www.canadianyachting.ca 27 http://www.canadianyachting.ca

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Canadian Yachting October 2016