Trellis Bay, BVI

Yesterday saw Gamage anchored off Spanish Town, Virgin Gorda, where we cleared customs and got the first passport stamps of the trip. We went ashore, played some kickball, and went snorkeling for the first time. First classes, and our first anchor watch in a foreign port...

This morning we woke before sunrise to weigh anchor and move just a mile west to the Baths, one of the most gorgeous spots in the Caribbean. Getting there early is key, as the beach fills with tourists from cruise ships by 11am. We swam, body surfed, and climbed the granite boulders that line the beach and hillside. Once back aboard, we hauled back on the windlass again and set sail for a quick downwind trip to Trellis Bay, where we are currently visiting our friends at Aragorn's Studio, where we are preparing a cook-out, having class in an enormous hammock made out of recycled fishing nets, and sailing on Gli-Gli, a traditional Carib dugout canoe, built out of a single log of Caribbean hardwood in Dominica.

Tomorrow we plan on sailing to Road Town, Tortola, where we will learn about the history and culture of the BVIs and experience its cuisine with a true master of the art, Jean of the Roti Palace. Jean is preparing a small class for us as she prepares one of Anglophone Caribbean's most enduring treats. Roti came to the region via Indian laborers in the 19th century, and has since become a staple of everyday eating, from school children lunches to fancy restaurants.

We'll then be bound further east to Nevis, and on to a new adventure...