Sunday, March 22, 2020

Tortola, BVI's


Tortuga, British Virgin Islands

19-March-2020

Soper’s Hole, the West End
Our track is the green line.
After a short uneventful 12 nm crossing from The Lagoon on St. Thomas to Soper’s Hole on Tortola, British Virgin Islands we took a buoy and headed to Immigration and Customs. We had an additional form to complete with our usual Immigration form and Customs declaration, it was a short medical questionnaire regarding Covid 19 virus and flu symptoms. We had not been unaware of the impact the virus was having in China, Iran and Italy but with our limited internet we had not come to terms with how it was to impact us. We completed the form and were admitted to the BVI’s.
Pusser's at Soper' Hole, West End, Tortola



One of our first stops was to get wifi at the Pusser’s Restaurant and Bar where we were told that St Martin’s had closed its ports for cruising sailboats. Then as we opened our emails and texts we found out that our visitors were probably not coming. After Cathay Pacific flight cancelations from Vancouver to New York, Dusty and the girls were scrambling to make alternate arrangements. As the hours ticked away so too did the opportunity for their visit. Possibly no return flights with potentially long delays in airports and probable quarantine requirements when they finally returned to Canada spelled an end to a long talked about visit. 
A few of the rums I was going to share. 
With Bree working in the medical profession in New York, her employers urged all staff to cancel any leave in anticipation of an overwhelming need and if they did go away then they would have to self-isolate for two weeks on their return. The new masks and snorkels in little girl’s sizes, the new SUP and the boat fully provisioned complete with a few rums from the countries we have visited suddenly were preparations for the dance that was not happening.

The Beach at Nanny Cay Marina and resort

We sailed over to Nanny Cay Marina and Resort where we had booked moorage for three days and a triple room for the family for two days. We checked into the hotel room, swam in the pool, ate dinner by the beach and lamented the twist of fate, knowing full well that others were having a devastating time with this damn virus and our misfortune was quite minor by comparison. Our thoughts are with everyone impacted by Corvid 19. Isolate and stay healthy.
Kanilela just into Nanny Cay Marina.
This stack of twisted stainless from the hurricanes is almost symbolic of the twisted fate that has 
now been dealt to this devastated economy with the Corvid 19 virus. Everywhere is shutting 
down, unemployment is rampant but let's hope it stops the spread of the virus.

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