Our B.V.I. Adventure

In an effort to hit all of the best BVI snorkeling spots in one weekend, we went back out on the boat with the Shands on Sunday.  We picked up chicken rotis from Trellis Kitchen and enjoyed them on the porch of their house on Camanoe.  I just love it over there...  The most beautiful breeze hits their home in Indigo Plantation.

The gang headed for Diamond Point while Anna Drake and I hung out at the house.  After spotting the largest stingray any of them had ever seen, they came back for us and we headed to Guana Island which is a private island in the BVI.

Monkey Point is on Guana's north side.  The water was so incredibly flat in this protected bay.


This is a fantastic snorkeling spot.  We took our time and combed over the rocks where we found some of the most fascinating creatures, including a lion fish!!!  Now THAT is a first for me!  I can't believe what an incredible shot Shae was able to get!

We also spotted this flounder below.  He was almost completely camouflaged, but when one of our fins got too close, he started to flutter.  And his eyes would turn in 360 degrees, opposite from one another!  It kind of freaked us out!  I did fall in love with the pattern on his back though.  It was electric blue!


The sweetest part of the day happened on the way back to Tortola, when Rodney put Anna Drake in his lap and let his BVI grandbaby drive the boat!  Do you think she was enjoying herself?

The Shands were so kind to pick me up at Trellis Bay on Tuesday afternoon, Day 237.  We went out for an afternoon of snorkeling and island hopping.  Our first stop was Cooper Island.

We were last here in March on the White Squall 2.  Michael, Travis and I snorkeled the reef at Cooper, but we did not go ashore.  I sure wish we had!  The Cooper Island Beach Club is amazing!!!  They recently remodeled the club and did a fantastic job.

I am obsessed with their furniture...the media cabinet specifically.  It is made with colorful wood, distressed from the weather and upcycled in this beautiful way.  The backs of the chairs at the bar also incorporate the same wood.  You can see the tops of the chairs in the background of the photo with the drink.
That drink is a "Santiago" by the way.  Ingredients include...rum, lime juice, Sprite and bitters.  It is very similar to the Naked Lorda, but instead of Sprite, Naked Lorna calls for club soda and Stevia.

The Shands invited us to their house on Great Camanoe for dinner, so we headed back to Tortola to fetch Michael at Hodges Creek Marina once he was finished with work.   Leslie and Shae took us over to Potato Bay, which is on the north side of Camanoe.  We think it gets its name from all of the potato shaped rocks that cover the beach.  There must be thousands and thousands of these perfectly rounded rocks in all shades of gray.  Walking on top of them requires the balance of a gymnast!

Potato Bay is extremely private and serene.  It is small, maybe about 50 yards long.  What I found so unique about this beach is how the rocks abruptly stop at the water's edge.  The surface under the water is soft white sand.  {We did not have our camera with us, but Michael snapped this one with his Blackberry...you can get an idea of just how rocky the shore was...}

We snorkeled for sand dollars and watched the sun set behind Guana island.  What a way to end the day!

Huge thanks to the Shands (the Orrells and the Jacksons) for sharing the night with us!  We had a wonderful time!