Having spent three wonderful days on Tortolla acclimating ourselves to the warm tropical Sun Sunday finally arrived and we prepared to board the Grand Oasis, our chartered sailboat. The Grand Oasis is a 63' tri-marine owned and operated by Jeff Hurd and with a crew of two, Lisa the first mate and Mary our cook. Daisy, a black and white Cocker Spaniel, the boat's official mascot. At Noon, with our bags packed and Ronald waiting with his taxi, we headed to the yacht club to meet Captain Jeff and board the Grand Oasis.
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Grand Oasis at anchor |
Stern of the Grand Oasis |
Boarding the Grand Oasis |
With the gear stored and everyone on board we prepared to set sail. It was an exciting time for all as we had anxiously awaited this moment for such a long time. Daisy added to our enjoyment by pitching in and helping set the sails. She was cute to watch in action. She barked whenever something was changed concerning the sails and often grabbed a line to hold it or pull it. |
Anne and Janet enjoying a drink while waiting to leave the harbor |
Anyone considering taking such a vacation needs to consider several things before committing to such a trip. First, a sailboat is a relatively confined space ... so you better make sure that you are very good friends with those you choose to accompany you. Second, you need to understand that there will be times when there is much to do, the choices almost endless, and there will be times where things are quiet and there is nothing to do but sit back and enjoy the world that surrounds you. This is what I called the quiet time and, believe it or not, it was very enjoyable. The Grand Oasis, being a good size, was complimented by having the space to carry additional toys to keep us busy for the week. There was a small two-man kayak, a small sailboat, scuba tanks for diving, snorkeling equipment, the dingy and, of course, lots of space to just sit back and relax, soak up the Sun or just enjoy the wonderful views. Of course, there is also the drinking to be considered. Our charter included all food (except for nights we had designated that we wanted to eat in restaurants) and drinks. Being on vacation and having a good time while being exposed to free and plentiful drinks is something you need to come to terms with. The rocking and rolling of the seas while under sail does not necessarily bode well for the heavy drinker. |
Activities to Enjoy | |
Enjoy the scenery of the islands while sailing |
Leave your footsteps in the sand |
Have a fishing tournament |
Go kayaking |
Enjoy a hammock now and then |
Enjoy a drink from the bottle |
Do some scuba diving |
Enjoy a good dinner |
Experience "Dinghy Bottom" |
Watch the Sun slip below the horizon |
Do some rock climbing |
Visit historic places |
Soak up the rays |
Get wet |
As you can see from the above picture list, there are plenty of things to do. Boredom is not an option, however, there will be that welcomed quiet time, especially at night. What could be more fulfilling than sitting outside on a beautiful cloudless night and watching the stars. Being anchored on the side of an island where there is no light to obscure the night sky the view is beautiful and you are sure to see a falling star. I failed to mention that the Grand Oasis was equipped with a radio, stereo, telephone, TV and VCR. I'm happy to report that we listened to the stereo occasionally but never turned the TV on. What a wonderful vacation we had! With all our geared stored and everyone accounted for Captain Jeff began to set sail for the first leg of our journey, a short sail across the Sir Francis Drake channel to Norman Island. The day was beautiful and to finally find ourselves sailing the open waters of the British Virgin Islands was a treat. Join us for the quick sail across the Sir Francis Drake channel to Norman Island ... |
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