Three weeks in - Need Three more YEARS! We just finished a wonderful week with our New York City family representatives, Nancy and Eric. We had a blast sailing and sightseeing with them, visiting many of the regular haunts around the Virgin Islands. Had to miss out on visiting a few of the best spots, due to time constraints but that makes a return visit from them a MUST! One especially pleasant night was spent at Peter Island, ashore at their beautiful restaurant. We dingied ashore and since the dingy motor wouldn't raise we had to make a rather hard beach landing, then throw and anchor up onto the sand so it wouldn't float away while we were in having dinner. After dinner was complete, with all four of us not especially feeling too much pain (does the drink called "painkiller" mean anything to any of you?) we headed out to the dingy. It was half full of sea water which we bailed out with the help of a wine bucket from the bar. Then Eric and I shoved and shoved until we got it off the sand and floating clear with the girls in. We then jumped in, as best we could, and I got the motor running. We made it back to the boat, a lot wet but laughing all the way. One day, with Nancy at the helm, we sailed almost all the way to Anagada with a terrific wind. Another day we spent ashore at Saba Rock, with Nancy and Eric catching up, just chillin', or "liming" as it's called here int he islands. Being devout Bronco football fans, Nancy, Suz and I, had to find a bar with the Sunday night Bronco game on. Eric loves a good game as well and his Jets were also playing that night so we were able to satisfy all of our football needs at once. We accomplished that by catching a mooring ball near Caneel Bay Resort and dingying in to Cruz Bay, St. John, maybe a mile away. It was a fairly splashy ride both ways but the return ride in the dark with cell phone "flashlights" must've looked rather strange. We made it and didn't complain as the Broncos had continued their winning ways. Caneel Bay Resort is a very posh resort on St. John. Turns out that Eric's parents have come their every year for many years. They weren't open for the season yet so we couldn't come ashore to let Eric look around and see where they had come and stayed so many times. Again, maybe next time. We sent them away from Sopers Hole on Tprtola on the St. Thomas ferry on the final Saturday of their stay. They reported a rather bumpy ride back across to Charlotte Amalie where we had picked them up only a week earlier, but no one got seasick, at least from our group. Since their departure, we've been doing some boat chores and traveling around visiting some stores which have carried our shorts in the past. We brought several sample shirts from our new licensee with us and made sure to drop these design sheets and sample shirts around to the stores where our sales rep would soon be calling. We're hoping for good things again for our little brand as the new designs were very well received. Time will tell but our fingers are crossed. We only have about 10 days left so we're trying to cram as much island time into our schedules as possible. We've gotten reports from back home that winter has arrived and will be awaiting us upon our return. UGH! Not sure how that will settle with our newly tanned bodies. I'm awaiting photos from daughter Nancy to add to this post so hopefully, they'll arrive soon and can be downloaded easily. So, keep watching!

Well, its been over 4 years since we've been out on the water, sailing, and enjoying the sights and sounds that accompany that thrill. We're currently in the BVIs on a month-long bare boat charter on a 47' Robertson & Caine catamaran. No, that doesn't mean you have to be naked to be aboard! It means we chartered a boat without an accompanying captain and crew. We are it/them! We'll be exploring and enjoying the beautiful Virgin Islands until mid-November when we'll return to Colorado and the snowy winter awaiting. So how is it after several years off from sailing? In a word, refreshing. It's taking some time to get readjusted to the tropical heat and the boat's systems, but we're figuring it out as we go. We got a full day's sail in yesterday, as we came on up to the Bitter End on the north end of Virgin Gorda. One of our favorite spots in all of the Virgins. There is some kind of sailing regatta going on as I type this. There are probably 25 same-sized monohulls racing around the Virgin Gorda Sound. Very pretty with all sails flying under a reasonably stiff breeze. There's a helicopter above, videoing, I'm sure, and clear blue skies in the background. This coming weekend daughter Nancy and her fiance, Eric, will join us for a week. They'll be bringing another couple with them for the week so we'll have a full boat. Hope all enjoy the ride as much as we do. We hope we can show them all the beauty and relaxation we find out here. We'll be staying in the Virgins the entire month as the insurance doesn't allow us to venture further away during the last this year's hurricane season. It's been a mild storm season so far. and we hope it remains that way while we're afloat. Will try to post regularly throughout this trip and hope you enjoy our ramblings. Wishing for warm winds and light seas to you all! Capt. Rick and Admiral Suz

First night sunset

Writing the blog

Dark and Stormy's... mmmm

Always a Bronco's fan!