The clockwise tour
Luck was with us a bit yesterday as the squalls held off for much of the day. We took advantage of this by renting a car with our friends and doing the big loop (clockwise) of the island. We snorkeled at Loblolly Beach, saw pink flamingos in the distance, visited multiple cool little beach bars and overall, had a great time. In less than an hour we’ll be anchor up and heading to Tortola. Let’s hope our good luck in squall avoidance holds for us today too!
After snorkeling we made a quick stop at the Big Bamboo with our friends.
Apparently the text on all of these signs has been burned into the wood using a magnifying glass. That might take a few beers worth of time.
“Wild” cows on the island…
and wild donkeys!
The cows were appropriately found just outside Cow Wreck beach.
Snorkel stop number two: Flash of Beauty. The coral here had some very cool caverns and caves.
Good advice.
This is why! Damage from last year’s hurricane.
Postcard pretty beach.
New crew perhaps?
Checking out the ring toss game.
What a great place for a school trip… a beach bar!
In the past I’ve mentioned how comments from readers are like candy for bloggers. If that’s the case, the following one would be like a “sour patch” candy. 🙂
Maresa Lynn had this to say:
Hi guys, I like your website and its good to see you are enjoying yourselves but isn’t asking for “donations” a bit below your dignity? Come on, either figure out a way to actually pay for all those drinks at the beach bar on your own or pack it in. You don’t expect the rest of us to pay for your extended vacation do you?
Other wise, nice website.
Apparently she didn’t see the fine print at the bottom of the website which says that by reading the text and looking at the photos, visitors to this site are 100% obligated to donate! 🙂 Seriously, this has already been discussed to death. Perhaps she should check out what some others have to say on the matter.
To tell the truth, I “love” sour patch candies!
It’s amazing how rude people are on the internet. I feel sorry for the Maresa Lynn’s of the world. While we’re all out having fun, they are just angry and trying to bring others down.
Don’t give it a second thought, misery loves company, and who can be angry in the Virgin Islands.
So here’s a gummy bear:
The website rocks. I look forward to the new articles everyday.
I consider your site a free, friendly daily inspiration to spur me towards boat life, so thanks.
If I were a man of means, I’d gladly donate. But, I’ll tell you what, if we see you out there cruising in a year or so, we’ll definitely buy y’all a beer.
Thanks for your work inspiring us to keep moving towards our own cruising plans.
Thanks for the gummy bear. 🙂 I also find it funny that people go out of their way to send negative feedback. It’s so much easier to just ignore the content, site, etc.
New crew member – sounds great! We are adding a new crew member – Blue Merle Mini Aussie! We’ll let you know how it works out. The way I look at donations – it’s an option and it’s also an option not to read your blog everyday, then again those folks are missing the great joy and adventure you bring!!!
As always great pics and you make us feel like we’re one of your crew members!!!
I had to Google that dog breed. Very cute!!!
And since you’re crew, would you mind scrubbing the deck, please? 🙂
Glad you had such a great time yesterday. The island really is something special.
One correction – the Anegada Beach Cottages that are sinking into the sea have been doing so for a couple of years now. It was not due to Earl but rather that the owners of the property cleared away all the trees and growth that held the land in place. The sea, during one rough storm, began to erode the beach and then the land and it has continued slowly ever since.
You can see pictures of the gradual process on Walker Mangum’s website: http://www.nwmangum.com/ But you’ll have to dig for them as I am not sure where, amongst the thousands of photo’s, they are. And, like I said, it’s a progression so they are spread out over several of their visits.
Thanks for the correction, Sandra. Someone at Potter’s bar told us it was hurricane damage so I was repeating that.
I love the sign on the wall in the Game Room picture with all the kids in it: “Game Room, No Kids” 😀
Glad you caught that. I laughed at it as well.
Oh, and – about the donation thing; I weighed in on the topic on the page you linked to but I’d like to say something here…
I have no issue with it at all and, in fact, have one on my blog (no one has ever contributed – well I shouldn’t say that, a director I worked with once sent me one penny. Not sure what to make of that). Because I have been pulling myself up out of bankruptcy for the past two years and trying to save for this trip I am on now – I haven’t contributed financially to your blog other when Rebecca’s mom died to help pay for the flight home. But I always felt I would meet up with you on your travels one day and my plan was to treat you to dinner and drinks as a thank you for all of the great hours of reading.
So – I think I am paid up to date. As for the future? You never know!
Definitely up to date. 🙂
Mike,
As someone who reads your blog every day (without fail) from my desk at work, thank you for taking the time to document your travels. I’m living vicariously through you, and hope to (some day in the distant future) follow in your footsteps.
To the lady complaining about your donate button, it just goes to show you how ridiculously dull some peoples’ lives are that they have to go on someone’s blog and prod for a response. I haven’t yet donated, but I’ll be sure to in the future just to piss her off. If it means one more round of beers at some deserted beach bar that I get to hear about, it’ll be worth every penny.
Congratulations on making your dream come true, and thanks again for sharing your experiences with all of us readers. Don’t let the internet idiots get you down.
Thanks for the support, Arby. We appreciate it!
It’s called paying it forward. Maybe you guys will donate to one of our adventures someday.
Paying it forward is where it’s at.
Love reading your journey’s. Keep up the good work. I did a one year RTW trip and kept a simple blog. It was tough work. Will you still be in the BVI towards the end of June? Love to buy you a painkiller or three. We’ll be in St. Johns, Tortola and JVD from 22 June through 5 July. Fair winds.
Hi Carl. Thanks very much for that offer but I hope we’ll be a lot closer to Grenada by then.
WOW!…Really??? Did someone actually post that comment or are you just late on your April fool’s joke? You must get that a lot though…I mean you are the ONLY sailing blog she can visit on the internet. I guess it’s like what Papa always said…when someone starts paying the rent I’ll start listening. I love the blog and hope you continue to accept donations until YOU and you alone think you shouldn’t.
Hi Thomas. Nope, no April fools joke. In truth I think that is only the second quasi-negative feedback we have received. The first one called us shameless. 🙂
http://www.zerotocruising.com/?p=6167
Hey Mike and Rebecca,
I completely and thoroughly enjoy reading your blog everyday! I sent a small donation your way to express my thanks for you providing me with my daily entertainment and day dreaming as a toil on my computer screen waiting for the day when I can join you.
Have a drink on me. I just ask one favor in return – a traditional (at least to us) sailor’s toast. “A Sheet in the Winds eye”
Below is an explaination and use of the phrase –
Don’t be taken aback to hear that sheets aren’t sails, as landlubbers might expect, but ropes (or occasionally, chains). These are fixed to the lower corners of sails, to hold them in place. If three sheets are loose and blowing about in the wind then the sails will flap and the boat will lurch about like a drunken sailor.
The phrase is these days more often given as ‘three sheets to the wind’, rather than the original ‘three sheets in the wind’. The earliest printed citation that I can find is in Pierce Egan’s Real Life in London, 1821:
“Old Wax and Bristles is about three sheets in the wind.”
Sailors at that time had a sliding scale of drunkenness; three sheets was the falling over stage; tipsy was just ‘one sheet in the wind’, or ‘a sheet in the wind’s eye’.
Enjoy!
Hey Rosemary
THANK YOU very much, both for the donation and the cool toast and its history! We’ll definitely do as you requested, once we recover from last night. I think we were all approaching 3 sheets last evening!
Hi Folks i know you say you have spoken about the “donations” & yes you do not expect any thing from your readers, but again for the knowledge & help you supply with the blog its far better than any Magazine especially those “women Magazines ” that women spend thousands of $$$ on every week. & it is only selling Cr*p or misleading info. “no offense to women ” Please don’t have a go at me LOL.
But as i have also said if it was not for the exchange rate i would also donate & when we have arrived in USA at the end of this year to “hopefully get our Cat” we will contribute some thing. just for the info & laughs you have supplied. Thanks again & as always great info & pics.
& All other blogs have donation buttons & there is no issue 🙂
Thanks guys!!!
Bomba Shack!!!!!!
Have a great night!
😉
I don’t feel there is anything wrong with asking for “contributions”. Have a look here: http://www.bodyrock.tv/
These two offer home workouts, recipes and inspiration.. and they call their “donation” an offer to buy Suzana (or Freddy) a “coffee” if you enjoyed the post you read. You are offering a different “service” to your readers and we (I) enjoy reading stories of you guys out there blazing your own trail. If anything it encourages the rest of us to do the same.. Figure out what you want to do and then find a way to do it..
Plus, it’s just nice to see two people who were clever enough to find a way to make it happen.
Hi Maggie. Thanks for the support. And we also think the bodyrock site is good, we have both visited it before.
I think the lady grousing about the “donate” button is more sour grapes. You are doing what she would like to be doing. I’m SO GRATEFUL to be able to read your blog, and so happy that you are out there doing what I want to be doing. Some day I will be there, too. Meanwhile, I’m really grateful that you are willing to let all of us ride along. All the best to you and Rebecca.
Yes, “sour grapes,” like sour patch candies. 🙂
I, too, have a problem with your donation button! I feel that as a reader I should get paid by you guys to read your blog. I mean with all these pictures of bikini clad fitness model, tropical beaches, and stories about fun and shenanigans I really think you owe me something for that. So please email me and I can give you instructions on where to send the money, and the gummie bears and sour patch kids.
In case my sarcasm wasn’t evident, I love your blog and will continue to read it until I have my own boat and I’m far enough out to sea that I don’t get the internet. I call this the reverse Johnny Appleseed
🙂
Nice.
To quote Seth Myers: Really? REALLY!!??
As one saving for a boat…I fully intend on adding a “donate button” myself one day. As far as being labelled “shameless”…shame is overrated. There’s nothing wrong with asking! (The meek may end up inheriting the earth but the proud owned it first.)
Keep up the good work – looking to join you out there someday.
Thanks Rich!