The Honeymoon..just the 2 of us and 10 other people!

February 18, 2008




Auntie Anna and Uncle Dustin arrived today, an hour late (they are finding out what being on Caribbean time means before they are even off of the plane) and short a bag but safe and sound otherwise. Kiana quickly showed them to the honeymoon suite in her forward cabin and helped to settle them in. First things first, lather up the snow white Canadians. We have gone through about 20 bottles of sunscreen and are slowly starting not to need as much as our skin is getting used to the sun, but these new arrivals must start from scratch, and of course not being used to the Caribbean rays our guests have taken on a bit of a red glow. How quickly they will learn to cover themselves from the tops of their feet to those receding hairlines.



Once again requests were sent out for certain little missed items from back home; from much needed new underwear, to craft supplies, new reading material and a new internet antenna, Auntie Anna and Uncle Dustin carted a bag full of surprises aboard One Life. Thanks goes out to them for running all over Edmonton to pick up our extra wants.
First off is to take the newly weds to a couple of our favorite spots, so off to Lee Bay we go to check out some peace and quiet.






That is if you can call going from a home with two quiet people to a small boat with a family of six any kind of peace and quiet, but of course Anna and Dustin step in like the great Aunt and Uncle they are and take control of the kids. They had a speed course on snorkeling and fish names and into the water they went to see some of the best snorkeling that the Caribbean has to offer. They turned out to be naturals at the snorkeling game so off into the kayaks they go, balance is the key of course.





The kids kept the two of them busy from morning to late at night with all of their different activities and of course their talking and story-telling of all their adventures. Thanks to Anna and Dustin for being patient when hearing our stories told four different ways, ok maybe six different ways in some cases.

We are so thankful that our family and friends have taken some time out of their schedules to come down for a visit. I honestly do not think that this trip would have lasted as long as it has if we did not have our guests as we have missed them too much.



Day two into the honeymoon Anna and Dustin are off, with 4 kids, on a trip into Road Town (Tortolas capital city) to see the sights and then off to the airport to pick up a lost bag (which after calling the airport many times Dustin was told had arrived). Guess what… no lost bag and a hundred dollars later our crew shows up somewhat frustrated with American Airlines but amazed with a new Caribbean friend who will be on call for our lost bag and will deliver it when it finally arrives. I think we need a Myett’s happy hour with a slushy Bush Wacker that always goes down way too quickly.


February 21, 2008





Up we get to give the boat a once over in anticipation of our new arrivals. Once again a job made simpler with Anna and Dustin’s four extra hands to help out (first they took the kids ashore so that Kevin and I could clean with no one under our feet and then they came aboard and scrubbed their hearts out.) 6 adults and 6 kids aboard One Life, we know that it is doable, but our new guests are unsure. Good friends of ours Devin, Phoebe, Everette and Eric Scherger arrived from Devon today at 9 pm local time. Our first guests to arrive on time, with all of their luggage intact (what a concept considering one loaded clothes filled hockey bag had a good old Canadian hockey stick taped to the outside of it, a Kevin request). A family just like ours that back home goes 24-7 arrives for a month of rest and relaxation and a little bit of adventure thrown in. With all four of them having different hockey schedules, Devin and Phoebe both with full time jobs, two active boys to keep up with and a new house to move into when they get back, the Schergers are excited to get this long overdue vacation under way.


It is always an eye opener for our guests when they arrive on the dock to see our dinghy where they thought would be a boat, because it costs extra to pull the catamaran up to a marina we tend to stay out in the middle of the bay on a mooring ball or at anchor and dinghy back and forth. Our dinghy is like our car it transports us from our house to where we need to go, if it only had wheels. The dinghy is just one of those things that one does not think of until you are here and need to get on the boat, and like I tell everyone “There is nothing graceful about getting in and out of the dinghy, you just gotta do it.”

With all 12 of us loaded on board and the exhausted kids put to sleep (every bed is full) there is much catching up to do. Kevin and I are anxious to get all of the updates from back home; from the Average Joes stats (who has taken the captains place with the most penalty minutes) to the Hockey Bags successful running of the Town of Devon 3 on 3 tournament and of course all of the Devon Minor Hockey issues and gossip (what would minor hockey be without its issues and gossip, it has been nice to take a break from all of that for one year). We finally decided to call it a night at about 2 am, which has been the latest Kevin and I have stayed up since we arrived here (8 pm is the sailers midnight).

The next morning, with everyone drugged up on gravol, we say farewell to Trellis Bay on Beef Island. Trellis Bay has been a great home to us while we have waited for guests to arrive and depart as it is a simple walk to the airport instead of paying handfuls of cash to the local taxi drivers. As we will be dropping Anna and Dustin off at their resort and the Schergers will be flying out of Puerto Rico this is the last time we will have to enter the turtle and shark filled Trellis Bay.




The plan for our full boat of tacky white tourists, since the weather is permitting, is to sail up to the northern most British Virgin Island called Anegada. Now Anegada is a really neat little island, at about 13 km long and 3 km wide is only 28 feet above sea level. When we first started out towards Anegada everyone was sure that we had no clue where we were going as you can’t see the island until you are quit close to it. It was a beautiful day for a sail and we were able to put up all of our sails and make some good time. After arriving we packed a lunch and headed down the beach for a beautiful hour walk. The beaches in Anegada were once again beautiful and were enjoyed by all.





Sam’s Bar and Restaraunt played host to all of us thirsty and hungry hard working beach bums for a great meal of the famous Anegada Lobster and Conch fritters. Unfortunately Sam became very busy as he seemed to be running the show all by himself so Kevin and Devin were gracious enough to help out behind the bar serving drinks to the thirsty guests (which was pretty much themselves), in the Caribbean they call this the honor system, pour yourself drinks and pay later. Only in the Caribbean.






The next day we decided to take a bit of a tour so we hopped onto a tour bus (truck with seats in the back) and headed over through the small town to the Iguana Headstart Sanctuary. At this place the locals are trying to increase the population of the local Iguana numbers, it seems as though the project is just getting started as they had a lot of cages that were just being built. We were able to see some of the lizards hiding in their holes and are anxious to come back in 20 years to see them in the wild. After our short visit with the Iguanas we headed to the north side of the island to another great beach where once again we soaked up the sun and did some great snorkeling, some of our guests were able to see a beautiful turtle on this beach..


Our stay on Anegada was a short one as we are now on somewhat of a schedule, with Anna and Dustin due to check into their hotel on Monday the 26th and the Schergers due to fly out of Puerto Rico on March 18 we have some serious island hopping to do and adventures to experience.

With 12 people on board our water supply takes a bit of a beating, so off to refill and listen to some entertainment provided by none other than Micheal Beans (a singing entertainer in a little bar on the top of a hill on a little island just off of Tortola in the BVI) on Marina Cay (What is the first letter in the pirate alphabet??? Aarrrrrr, What is the last letter in the Pirate Alphabet??? Aarrrrr, What is the middle letter in the pirates alphabet??? D; what do you get Aarrr D Aarrr)



Next we are off to Cooper Island to unfortunately drop off Auntie Anna and Uncle Dustin at their resort, and resort it is. Cooper Island Resort is really the only thing on this island, so you could really say that they had the island to themselves. With a small dive shop, a private house or two and a ferry to take them to other islands the newlyweds will get some peace and quiet and adventures of their own.

February 26, 2008







Today is a big day on s/v One Life, it is Luke and Tyler’s 10th birthday and what better way to celebrate than to be in the Caribbean with your family, aunt and uncle, and good friends. Thanks to the Schergers for transporting birthday gifts from back home (not only for Luke and Tyler but also for Kiana and Cole). A huge thank-you to Luke and Tyler’s good friend Stephen (and mom and dad, Christy and Larry) from Devon for sending great birthday packages with many missed items from back home (candies, movies, hockey shirts, etc) we sure miss you guys.


Another big event happened today back home that unfortunately we had to miss, and that is another new addition to the big family. Daryn, Jenn and big brother Aidan (Daryn is Kevin’s cousin and we also work with Daryn at Cybertech) sent us an email to inform us that Luke and Tyler will be sharing their birthday with a new cousin Quinten James who was born on February 26, 2008. Congrats Daryn and Jenn and also grandma Dorreen, we can’t wait to get home and meet him in person.





B y: Anna & Dustin - Today our personal charter boat anchored at Cooper Island, our home for the next 6 days: I will admit that we expected to meet this new home with more excitement. Surely being cramped on a boat for 7 days with 6 kids and 4 other adults is enough to make any honeymooning couple ready to scream for privacy. But as always Kendra and Kevin were exceptional hosts… our days on board flew by – and as I sit here writing this there is that same feeling of sadness that I get whenever I have to leave my sister and her amazing family. Strange how things never change…only this time when we say goodnight it will be for another couple of months…which only adds to that feeling of sadness.


Every week we anxiously checked this blog, most times cursing the ‘vacationers’ for the lack of a new entry, other times reading and rereading the last entry, opening and reopening the pictures – just to try and feel like we are apart of this great adventure. Now we can say that we have been, and words can not even begin to explain…


Living on Caribbean time for the past week, we can now understand the lack of weekly blog entries (although the Matwichuks still blame it on the lack of internet). Islands, fish and sunburns flew by in a frenzy over the past seven days: feeding the crew (not once but three times a day…then dishes), anchoring, sea sickness, swimming, kayaking, hiking, rock climbing, exploring, picture taking and of course a nightly round of games may sound like an easy day to these seasoned professionals but to unwary landlubbers it can leave you exhausted and overwhelmed.




Our captain and admiral made sure that we saw as many islands in the BVI as possible while the kids made sure we knew every fish and tree we passed as well as which bars had the best entertainment, which drinks to try and which to avoid (Who says home schooling isn’t practical???). The weather was more than gracious allowing us to sail with the dolphins, snorkel with barracuda and sea turtles, enjoy walks on white sandy beaches, attend happy hour and all in all enjoy Caribbean time at its finest.





We realize we have done a terrible job of explaining a week aboard One Life but we’re hoping that Kendra can fill in the blanks and that Kevin will choose the best from our selection of pictures. A big thanks to the crew for an amazing start to our honeymoon, we’ll miss you and can’t wait to see you back home – ENJOY the rest of your trip…

Ken, Kev, Kiana, Cole, Luke and Tyler: As always thank you for opening your home to us, we had an amazing time and could never have asked for better. We hope you did not get to sick of us!!! Dustins first question when we got here was What are we going to do now?!? It is going to be a hard week without you boys here to entertain him for me & Kiana thanx for letting us steal your bedroom – enjoy having a ‘real’ bed back….thank you so much for everything…we can’t wait to have you home – take lots of pictures and let us know where we should stay on our next holiday!! We love you so much…and miss you…thanx again

Happy Birthday Luke and Tyler
LOVE ANNA AND DUSTIN