Off to see the Virgins (and the Inlaws!)

January 10, 3:00 am





We hauled up anchor from St.Martin and headed west for one of our longest passages in our 7 months of sailing, to the BVI (British Virgin Islands).






What should have been a great day of sailing turned into another day of great fishing. The winds were just not howling in our favor and we were forced to motor and restock our fish freezer once again.










We arrived to Jost Van Dyke, BVI, to grandma and grandpa and to good friends Jim and Karen on January 11 and what a great reunion it was. It has been 3 and a half months since we last saw these fellow sailers as Grandma and Grandpa were in Mexico at the time of our departure in November.



















Grandma and Grandpa and Jim and Karen have chartered a 36’ Footloose sailboat for a 3 week vacation in the BVI. We have met them here for the last 2 weeks of their vacation.
Our first meal together was spent at the famous Foxy’s Restaurant on Jost Van Dyke. For anyone who is a Kenny Chesney (he is a country singer) fan, he sings of JVD and Foxy’s in a couple of his songs. Foxy no longer sings nightly but is always present for a picture or two.




He kept telling our kids not to turn out like him “…a guy who is always drunk.” I guess that comes with the territory of owing a bar in the Caribbean.










On a hike cole demonstrated his new skill of collecting and opening coconuts for Grandma, Grandpa, Jim, and Karen.











Lots of fun was had building sandcastles, crocodiles, turtles and mermaids in the sand and playing dominos on the beach with a few cold beers and pina coladas. Having two boats made meal time a delicious potluck which was always entertaining. We sailed to many different little bays, did some great snorkeling, checked out some great souvenir shops and anxiously awaited for the arrival of yet some more family members.





January 18 brought Auntie Krystal, Uncle Curtis, Josh, Kendall and Jake aboard One Life. Finally some cousins to help keep the kids busy. If only I could explain how excited our kids were to see their cousins and to show them their home on the water.








Soon after the cousines arrived on the boat the boys had a shark hooked. There were some very wide eyes on our new guests! We assured them that it was not a man eater.










Everyone fit in just fine and fun was had by all. A lot of snorkeling, playing on the beach, singing at happy hour, hermit crab babysitting, domino games and journal writing (the cousins did the journal writing…it seems as though as soon as we have company our school work goes out the
window).





















We did some fun sailing and I think the Hooples are now hooked on the Caribbean. Just like most people a week was not enough…having never been to the Caribbean before it must have been a bit overwhelming, the great snorkeling and the many, many different beaches and bay’s not to mention the many, many different bars and happy hours to check out (This was especially overwhelming to uncle Curtis).
A great evening out with the whole clan was had on the night of the full moon. A great supper, thanks to grandpa and grandma, was enjoyed at Quito’s bar and restaurant, a delicious supper with great live entertainment by Quito himself to follow.

A favorite spot for all was the bubbling pool. On Jost Van Dyke we ventured in to find the famous bubbling pool which has only become popular in the past 10 years as the locals had kept this spot secret, saving it for their own use. Well we are glad that they decided to share as laughs were had by all. A small pool, 5 feet at the deepest point, where the waves from the Atlantic are pushed in and over some big rocks creating just like its name implies a big bubbling pool. (See Video)



Great memories were also created at Myett’s Bar in Cane Garden Bay. Happy Hour here means delicious meatballs (free of course) and great live entertainment which our kids freely took part in (music class!), not to mention intoxicating pina coladas and pain killers (the famous local rum drink)….we will simply put that Uncle Curtis was up late that night feeding the fish and it had nothing to do with being seasick. The bet on who would be sick on the boat first was somewhat won during this week.



A huge thank-you to Auntie Krystal (and family) for taking on a large sum of our work back home and we sure hope that they enjoyed their quick week away in paradise.













Our goodbyes to our family were still warm when we welcomed yet another guest.



Kevin’s friend, business partner and quading buddy Ray LeBlanc, joined us on Sunday evening (should have been Friday night), after fighting with American Airlines and some great winter weather for two days.


What a great place to be heading when the weather for the week ahead at home is predicted to reach -39 (brrrrrr). After settling into his aft cabin, Ray enjoyed unwinding from the stressful trip and work back in Fort McMurray with a cold rum and coke.







The kid’s school work may have been abandoned but Ray was determined to help teach them the ways of the world, lesson one mixology also known as ratios…..3 parts rum 1 part coke, which later in the week advanced to pain killer mixing, we think they have the recipe mastered. Ray rewarded our kids generously with work well done by continually buying them virgin pina coladas and fruit punches.




We spent many hours reading books, Ray wins the record, I think that he finished 4 or 5 novels in the week that he was here. Many hours were also spent playing dominos and the card game wizard, which I have learnt that I can only win when Kevin and Ray have put back a few painkillers.

Thanks to Ray for teaching us a new card came to add to our collection, another thanks to Ray for delivering a package (huge and heavy) from home and back again. Auntie Lara was thoughtful enough to do some last minute shopping to help replenish our bathing suit, rug, scrapbooking and valentine’s candy supply (thanks Lara).







After a quick lesson in sailing Ray had the sails raised and was at the helm, we think that he is also hooked as it is the most relaxed we have seen him in a long while.










All it takes is a nice steady 15 knot wind, somewhat calm waters, a blue sky and that glorious sun to make a day perfect. Once again a week is just too short a time. Thanks for a great week Ray.





February 5, 2008



We are alone for the next couple of weeks until Auntie Anna and Uncle Dustin fly in for their long overdue honeymoon. This means that we are back at the books and unfortunately saying goodbye to the happy hour entertainment. For the first 24 hours we all went through a type of withdrawal, with no one for us to entertain and no one to entertain us, we had to relearn how to relax and entertain ourselves.












Back into our routine of a couple hours of school work in the morning and then into the water for the afternoon we soon realized that we could do this again on our own.



The kids spent yesterday afternoon going on an adventure. We are currently anchored in a favorite bay of ours called Lee Bay, which is a little bay with not much to offer the regular charter boat. A very, very small beach of sand with a lot of rocks and no stores or restaurants, but great snorkeling and a lot of peace and quiet. The kids took a snack and a couple bottles of water and were off on their kayaks to explore the island and all of the large boulder sized rocks. I love to see the four of them getting along as though they are best friends and not just siblings, a moment where I am so thankful that we have put ourselves and our family first and the rat race second, this has to be good for all involved.

















EXTRAS


Cole & Tyler with baby hawks bill sea turtle Trellis Bay, Beef Island, Tortolla











Grandma and Grandpa on Thermo Fossicle with all of the Grandchildren (except Kiana)












Kiana the mermaid snorkeling.












Colonel Luke giving orders to the Sargent Majors at The Caves - Norman Island













Luke diving down to get a better look.













Tyler petting a fish at The Caves - Norman Island. Guess he misses his animals back home.











Kendall discussing the water temperature with a
Sargent Major fish.












Joshua taking a turn driving One Life, Luke is
giving some good advice.












Kevin multi-tasking is what he does best, unfortunately he only does one of these tasks well!

















Luke & Jake Fishing with Lukes new fishing rod













Kendall and Kiana Kyaking












Jake & Cole Kyaking













Kevin & Cole finding a use for the snow balls sent to us from Aunty Doreen.












Bubbley Pool at Jost Van Dyke


Kendall & Kiana Snorkeling at the Caves - Norman Island


Kendall & Kiana Snorkeling


Happy Hour, Again!