Happy New Year

You can rest easy that no bad people entered the BVI on Liat flight 508 from Saint Maarten.  All 20 of us were painstakingly scrutinized by the highly professional staff of the BVI Customs and Immigration for almost an hour before we were allowed to enter the country.  At the front of the line, a suspicious husband and wife spent 20 grueling minutes with the agent under a naked light bulb before being allowed to pass.  After another 20 minutes, it was with a rush of relief that we finally passed the daunting portals.

Al was there to meet us and we dinghied back to Maria and Blue Pearl. We had a lovely, refreshing glass of Pussers Rum and a great sleep.  The boat is in great shape and we are itching to get moving.  

We spent New Years at Trellis Bay watching the "Burning Balls," dancing to the "Razor Blades," eating barbeque fish, pork and chicken rotis.  We managed to stay up on the boat 'til midnight and watched a pretty decent fireworks display.  Al and Maria provided a spectacular bottle of Veuve Clicquot to which Glen and Pam added a very nice bottle of Baby Duck.

Burning Balls at Trellis Bay

New Years Feast

Not much left!

Al and Maria were going to come with us for our crossing but the weather is not going to cooperate.  They have booked a flight on Liat to Saint Maartin and will fly home from there.

We are at Nanny Cay getting a little welding done on a broken stanchion and taking advantage of the docks for some good boat AC!!!  Ironic, since the weather is so much cooler... we don't really need it.

Blue Pearl leaves the 22 million euro, Mandango in the dust

Anchor buddy

By the pool at Nanny Cay

Broken staunchion

Fixed staunchion

We have to be out of the BVI before January 12, or else we have to get a temporary import permit.  That sounds officious and painful so if we can't leave for St. Maartin before then we will have to head back to the USVI to check-in and check-out.

Apologies to Barry Balmar, the voltage regulator - whom we accused of bad behaviour.  We took it home for testing and it passed with flying colours.  While we were installing the spare, Glen changed out a suspicious looking high capacity cable.  Should have retested Barry at that stage.  Once reinstalled on December 31, Barry performed brilliantly.  So hats off to Balmar for great tech support and a great product!