On Wednesday although still not feeling 100% we decided to depart for the BVIs, thinking that recovery would be dramatically increased by getting off the rolly anchorage of Simpson Bay.
We departed in the early afternoon for a leisurely overnight sail in light winds and little swell. There were few boats around during the afternoon and we started the night watches expecting a quiet night. I took the 6-9pm watch and Kevin was also up for a short while, a cruise liner passed but at a good distance which is just as well because with all the lights they carry on every deck it is impossible to make out any navigation lights to indicate which direction they are headed. I went to get to sleep telling Kevin all was quiet. Whilst I slept Kevin was inundated, first by two American yachts tacking in tandom across our course and not answering the radio. Then by a succession of other yachts all on a nearly reciprocal course, the last of which passing very close just as I came up on watch. Needless to say, as soon as I came on watch it all went quiet, all I saw was the lights of Tortola / Virgin Gorda of the BVIs approaching.
When Kevin arrived back on watch at 3am, he decided to heave-to for a while so that we could make the pass between the islands in daylight. This time he had a cruise ship come quite close, though not as close as to another nearby yacht who called the captain on the radio, only to be told he was seen on radar no problem, he was going to Tortola. The yacht replied that so was he but did he have to come so close? The Officer of the Watch was not to be deviated and passed very close only to then heave to himself a couple of miles further on to wait behind another cruise ship for daylight to dock!
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