Last Day at Sea: Jost Van Dyke & Cane Garden Bay

     Today we slept in a bit and hit the water headed for Cane Garden Bay and the Callwood Distillery.     It was a bit rainy as we past to the North of St. John and Tortola to slide into Cane Garden Bay in a nice 2 foot swell.    After securing the boat on a mooring ball it was off to the distillery.    It was good to revisit the oldest continuously operating distillery in the world again and to tour around this place where rum is still made the way it was hundreds of years ago.     Seeing the old wood fired pot still and the old condenser it is just a living museum of rum making.     After buying a bottle of Arundel Cane Rum to take back to the boat it was off to Jost Van Dyke for the rest of the day.

     The light rain did not deter us from our voyage across the water from Cane Garden Bay to Great Harbour and Jost Van Dyke.    Our first stop after docking was Corsair’s, a great little bar and grill that is just loaded with character and memorabilia.     After having a great British style grouper & chips lunch and a couple of really tasty cocktails, we were ready for the safari ride over the mountain to White Bay and a visit to the Soggy Dollar.

     The ride over the mountain is an “E-ticket ride” at Disneyland; it is vertical up one side of the mountain and vertical down the other.    We just prayed that the brakes would hold as we enjoyed the fabulous scenery on the approach to White Bay.     A few “white knuckled” minutes later and a great at job by our skilled driver we were safe and sound at the Soggy Dollar.    Immediately it was off to the bar and having Mic fix us Pain Killers from the place that they were first created.     The drinks were fabulous and it was a pleasure to watch the Painkiller master work his magic.     We spent the next couple of hours hang and chillin’ on the beach and enjoying the beauty and the pain killers.    Alas it was time to make the trek over the mountain again and make a stop at Foxy’s before getting aboard the Naughty Nymph #43 again.

     We spent quite some time at the Soggy Dollar, so it was a short visit to Foxy’s.  Fortunately we got the chance to sit and talk with Foxy for quite some time on Monday when we were diverted from Cane Garden Bay by a 12 to 18 foot North swell.   We were able to have a cocktail there before getting underway again.

      Now it is back to St. John and the US Customs check in and home again to Red Hook on St. Thomas.  Tonight we are headed for dinner at Mim’s on Bolongo Bay the over to Iggy’s for an evening bash as our last hooray here in the Virgin Islands.    Thursday it is back to the plane for a short hop to San Juan for 2 days of distillery visitation.     ;o)

St. Johns and the Southside of the Channel Today

     Today we head for the south side of St. John and the string of islands on the Southside of the Sir Francis Drake Channel.      As we leave Red Hook Harbour, the seas are angry and jousting us around leaving us wondering if we are going to have another day of heavy seas to contend with.     Fortunately, the sea calmed down as we approached the Southside of St. John.    

     St. John’s South coast is absolutely beautiful, with the cliffs and the phenomenal houses perched on them.    The sea has the most beautiful shades of blue that can hardly be described.     It’s like Jimmy Buffett says in his song, “don’t try to describe the water if you haven’t seen it,”  it is really hard to describe even if you have seen it.     As we cruise toward the east South of St. John, we saw Flying Fish skimming the water for hundreds of yards at a time over the water.

     This day is a shorter day of traveling than yesterday, and will be spent in more ports for a longer  time than yesterday.     Our first stop of the day is at Ginger Island  and the Ginger Island Hotel.    This beautiful resort boast a newly renovated property that has a great bar and restaurant.     There are cute little Boutiques  and  a beautiful beach making this one of the neatest little resorts that we have come across.    We spent some time sitting at the bar and enjoying their fine and unique cocktails.    Between the cocktails, the beautiful waters, and beach made this a great place to hang out.

     Next is one of the BVI’s favorite and most popular hangouts.     The Willie T, also known as the William Thornton, this ship is a restaurant, bar and party palace from opening until closing.    We had a great lunch onboard along with fine cocktails and hijinks.       After lunch and a few cocktail, it was up to the second story deck for a dive into the clear blue sea and a short swim.     The word is if you dive naked off the aft second story deck you get a free tee shirt.    We sat and enjoyed the waters and the fun at the bar, but it was time for us to head back to St. John and Skinny Legs.

     The waters were still flat and easy to cruise on as we traveled from Norman Island to Coral Bay to visit Skinny Legs and have an afternoon snack and cocktail.     We pushed our nose in among the dinghy’s and threw an anchor aft  to hold the boat in place and we were ashore headed into the jungle and searching for Skinny Legs.     It is a real adventure just to find this quaint little place, but it is well worth the search.   The vibe at the place is local warm and friendly, and the food is great and the beer is ice cold.     All of us  really enjoyed our short stay at Skinny Legs, but the sands were running out of the hour glass a t a rate to quick, and it was time for us to head back to Red Hook and the end of another fun day on the waters of the Virgin Islands.       It was up to the Caribbean Saloon for a couple of cocktail for the Captain, me and the rest of the crew before returning to the condo for the night.

     Tomorrow it is a day at Jost Van Dyke with stops at White Bay, Great Bay, and the Northeast corner of the island with stops at some the BVI’s most famous watering holes.     If the Seas allow we will also be making a stop in Cane Garden Bay to visit the Callwood Distillery.     ;o)

St. Thomas Day 3 Time to Hit the Water for the BVI

     Day 3 finds us heading out of Red Hook Marina in a 29 foot Fountain boat heading for the BVI.     After checking into the BVI at Soper’s Hole, we headed back into the Sir Francis Drake Channel and headed for Road Harbour and a cocktail at Pusser’s Outpost.     After a brief stop in Road Harbour it was back out into the Sir Francis Drake  Channel again for a trip up past Beef Island, the Bluffs, The Dogs, and Seal Rock before heading into  the Gorda Sound and the Bitter End Yacht Club and Saba Rock for lunch and a couple of fine rum cocktails.

     Saba Rock is a unique little resort, museum, bar, and grill   perched literally on a rock that send you out into the Atlantic Ocean at the eastern most end of the BVI.      We all wandered the rock and visited the Toucans, museum, and sat ourselves down for a fabulous lunch and some more cocktails before continuing our voyage.     Gorda Sound was loaded with sailing vessels and other interesting vessels that we weaved around as we entered the moorings outside of Saba Rock.      As we enjoyed our meal and cocktails we noticed a couple of large tarpon swim by near the boat and a number of people riding their tenders in from moored boats for lunch as well. 

Foxy  and Bahama Bob at Foxy's

     With lunch behind us it was off to the North Side of Tortola and hopefully into Cane Garden Bay for a visit to the Callwood Distillery and Stanley’s.     As we worked our way around Seal Rock and the Dogs headed toward Beef Island, we noticed that we were experiencing 15 to 18 foot long frequency swells.     We kept a stiff upper lip and progressed to the West, but as we did we noticed that the beaches on the North side of Tortola were being hammered by some huge and beautiful surf.      We were not having any problem navigating the swells as we kept moving to the West , but a check of the conditions in Cane Garden Bay, we  chose to take a stop at Jost Van Dyke and see Foxy for a while.     We had a couple of cocktails with Foxy and his Daughter, talked about everything under the sun for a couple of hours before heading back out to sea for the final leg of the day taking us back to Red Hook Marina.

    A stop at the Island Time Bar and Duffy’s Love Shack  for a few cocktails before heading back to the condo to plan for tomorrow’s day out on the water.      It looks as though we are going to spend the day on the southern side of the Sir Francis Drake Channel exploring St. John and Normand Island.     Be sure to keep up with us as we continue our adventure in the Virgin Islands.    ;o)

Denizen Premium Rum Draws Them in at the Rum Bar Last Thursday

     The Rum Bar was packed Thursday afternoon with rum aficionado's to taste the Denizen Premium Rum.     The five Rum Lab cocktails available for the tasting brought rave reviews for the Denizen Rum by the patrons.     These tastings are great for the rum lovers to try the rums being featured and to have a good time in the atmosphere of the event as well.

     Denizen pulled the crowd in for the second time at the Rum Bar and this time as a part of the "20th Annual Meeting of the Minds", the Jimmy Buffett Fan Clubs convention in  Key West.     Those who stopped by found the Denizen to be a great cocktail rum that blended very well in the cocktails and brought out a special flavor that they really enjoyed.

     The next time that you go to the store for a premium cocktail rum, remember to try Denizen, you won't be disappointed.   ;o)

Day 2 starts off watching the sunrise over St. John.     The stress is gone, and it is time to sit down and start recalling the adventures of yesterday.     We hung around the condo and enjoyed a good breakfast on the patio looking out over Water Bay toward St. John and watching the pelicans diving into the water after fish.   This was a real fascinating site to see.   I’m not used to seeing pelicans that are hunters rather than scavengers like they are in the fishing marinas at home.   

     It’s lunch time and we are off to Iggy’s Beach Bar and Grill in Bolongo Bay.   Our friends Lauren and Jack who are bartenders in Key West and formerly worked at Iggy’s said that we had to stop by for some really great food and drink.     We were not disappointed, the scenery, service, food and the drinks were wonderful.    I even had a bushwhacker in a souvenir mug that I can’t wait to display on the boat when I get back home.     You don’t want to miss a visit to Iggy’s if you come to St. Thomas.    

     A visit to a close friend at his boat at the Industrial Boatyard.   Caringa’s the hole in the wall restaurant and bar in the boatyard was a perfect place to have a cocktail and catch up on the happenings on the island over the past two years.     A couple of drinks later we had covered the news of the island and the family on the mainland.      It was great to see him again.

Three Rummys chillin'

     Next it’s off to Megan’s Bay on the Northeast side of the island for some beach time and some swimming.    The life guard whistled that the day had come to an end so we watched the sun set and headed back to the condo for some eats and cocktails.

Tonight's get together is about planning tomorrow’s boat trip to Virgin Gorda to visit Saba Rock and the Bitter End Yacht Club.      Then it is back around Beef Island to Trellis Bay.     Next we journey around the North side of Tortola to Cane Garden Bay and the Callwood Distillery, the oldest continuously operating  rum distillery in the world,  and Stanley’s Welcome Bar that claims to serve the cheeseburger that gave Jimmy Buffett the idea for his song “Cheeseburger in Paradise”.       After checking back into the USVI on St. John it is back to ST. Thomas for the night and see what is on the night.     ;o).

Ron Centenario Rum Tasting Draws Well, While Buffett sings on the other end of Duval

    Dispite the competition of Jimmy Buffett on the other end of Duval Street from the  Rum Bar, Ron Centenario 7 Year Old Rum drew a great crowd as the Phlocked to taste the premium rum and cocktails that were developed in the Rum Lab especially for this event.     The came and enjoyed this fine rum that mixes so well and yet can still be sipped neat or on the rocks.   Anytime that you start with a rum that gives you this capability you are going to have a great cocktail that you can be proud of.     It was a great rum to develop the cocktails for and you can look forward to creating your own premium cocktails with Ron Centenario 7 Year Old rum or any other of the line of fine premium rums.    ;o)   

The First Day in St. Thomas

     After the drive to Miami and the Airplane flight to St. Thomas, we have arrived at the Point Pleasant Resort.     Now it is time to travel back down to Red Hook for some food and libations.    It is absolutely beautiful here with the blue seas and the fun watering holes to drop in on.

     Today we started at Molly Malone's, an Irish pub for cocktails and some much needed food.   This was a great place right on the dock, and the food was wonderful and the drinks even better.   Watching as the stress goes away with each new rum cocktail.     From Molly Malone's it is upstairs at the Marina to The Island Time Pub, a great little open air bar that looks out on the marina and serves a great selection of Happy Hour concoctions from three til 6 pm.    We sat and "chatted" with the bartenders and several locals for an hour or so, then it was off to the next spot.

     Duffy's Love Shack, a Tiki style pub that is heavy with style and good cocktails that will really move you.    The offer up to 52 oz. cocktails in great ceramic mugs that can be refilled at a reduced rate if you use the same mug.     The selection of mugs as well as the selection of cocktails was excellent and a great time was had by all of us .   This is the first day and we have already hit our third watering hole here in St. Thomas.

     Sadly, we must hit the grocery store, stock up on rum, mixers, ice, and oh ya food.    Now it is back to the room overlooking Water Bay and time for some nice evening rum cocktails and just sit back enjoying the serenity.    Tomorrow is another day and it will be fun to see what it has to offer as we glide through this fun adventure of ours.     I'll be keeping you abreast of the new and exciting places that we are finding.     ;o)