At the ticket booth we realized that they only took cash and traveler's checks so, after scrounging up the money ($50 per person), we stopped at a Chase bank and called up some more dinero.
The BVIs are a different country, so we had to go through customs both ways. On the British side, they just stamped our passports and wished us a good day. Coming back, the Americans were much more interested in what we had with us and what we might have picked up. They didn't really care who we were as long as we were Americans.
The ride was about an hour and a half there, one hour back. Apparently the prevailing winds are easterly. We passed Tortola on the left (not as busy as St. Thomas, but much more heavily developed than St. John) and a series of smaller islands on the right. One was for sale (Dear Santa....). Finally we reached port at Virgin Gorda and cleared customs.
The ferry that brought us to Virgin Gorda.
We had signed up on the boat for a tour of the island. The first stop was a splendid resort built by some Rockefeller or other with some of the most beautiful landscaping I have ever seen. We snapped a few pics.
Views of the resort. See the British mailbox
Dave is standing next to (and the Dildo cactus -- no, really!).
More views of the resort.
Then we changed vehicles (a bit nerve wracking, as Jen and I had left our snorkel gear in the first one) to a second island taxi. These seem to be the standard taxis throughout the VI- converted pickups with an open canopy over the bed and a set of bench seats. Some have two long benches facing each other along the side of the beds. The others have about 5 shorter benches facing forward in the truck bed. The second ones usually are the bigger trucks.
Taxis!
The driver next took us up the large mountain in the center of the island, from where we could see more of the nature of the place. Virgin Gorda (named after a fat woman Columbus encountered on the beach in 1493), is a very long, thin island, mostly flat with a large, presumably volcanic, peak at the center. The south is well peopled, but the north seems to be almost exclusively thousand dollar a night resorts. The currency of the BVI is, incidentally, the good old USD. Go fig.
Views of Virgin Gorda.
From this lofty point we continued down to a place known as the Baths. It's a collection of massive rocks piled along the coast. We had some of the best snorkeling so far along these rocks where they meet the water. The depth plunges almost immediately to 20-30', but is, as usual, perfectly clear. On land, the rocks create a series of dark passage ways and chambers, which are great to explore.
For lunch we attempted to eat at a small restaurant at the top of the trail leading to the Baths. The waitress promptly forgot about us, and it was more than half an hour when we ordered. By the time we had to meet the taxi back to the ferry, we were practically begging them for our bill.
One of the shops we passed near the restaurant had a prominent sign advertising Havana Cigars. I contemplated taking up the time-honored Caribbean tradition of smuggling, but I don't have any use for them, and I don't really know anyone who would. I also didn't know how thorough US Customs would be. It turned out I could easily have hidden a box. The rubber glove wearing customs agent just rooted around the main pouch of my bag. I guess it make sense -- no one's getting rich off one box of cigars, so they don't really care that much.
Once we were home, we showered, changed, and descended the EXTREME VERTICAL CHALLENGE for some shopping and dinner, which was at a traditional West Indian place. Jen got a frozen toasted almond, which she is still excited about -- it was that good. On the way home we stopped at Starfish for some veggie burgers for Friday and a bottle of Coconut Rum. It's very yummy, but I doubt we're going to finish it before we go home.
