Loving this island

I love this island!

Leaving Virgin Gorda has not been an easy task. I have been made so welcome in that tight knit community. My ears have become accustomed to the sound of the lapping water and rustling palm fronds lulling me to sleep each night. My eyes will miss the blue water view from every part of our house. The warm air that envelopes my body throughout the day misses the tropical waters so crystal clear. There is no doubt that this island is special.

My heart is always with Australia but it will also miss the new friends I have made, and will hopefully be there when I go back again. I will return; I always do. I have left some clothing, shoes there this time, my fins and some other personal items. The lure is too great. Thank you Ed for your lovely help and friendship on so many occasions and for making me feel so welcome. The girls in the ‘sisterhood’ are special and you have created a wonderful circle of people around you.
In the last days I visited the pristine Trunk Bay with its white sand and clear water.
The bay is very close to the Baths and is surrounded with huge granite boulders. The effect is stunning. I snorkeled in water so crystal clear it was like floating in nothing……..the fish looked like they were suspended in space. Their little faces calm and contented as they fossicked around for food. If you listened really intently you can actually hear the larger fish chomping off the rocks. They were so busy, feeding off algae and other delicacies. Other fish, big and small, brightly coloured or just plain, just swam around in their small communities; I wondered where they were going! Did fish meet each other for lunch or decide where they were going to rest that night? Do they look for a new hole to hide in and share that with a scaly friend?
My body just floated above them and they seemed undisturbed by my presence, just accepting me. Periodically I would dive down to pick up a shell and be part of their domain. I would skim along the bottom finning like a mermaid but the need for air forced me to surface and I came back to my own world.
Returning home that night I had a craving for fresh coconut but had no idea how to crack one. Believe me, it's hard to do and the guys usually do it. I found a machete and cut and banged it until I got through, it took almost half an hour! But the reward was great. The clear coconut water ran down my chin and the chunks of coconut flesh were thick and delicious. You can see my handy work (a bit rough) in the photo! Me! Big coconut hunter!! My last day was spent at the Bitterend, I lounged under a palapa built over the water and lay there munching blueberries which Tiina had left in my fridge with chunks of the coconut. Good bye beautiful British Virgin Islands, until my feet touch your pristine sands again!

I am now in Miami after spending four glorious days exploring the Florida Keys. A new post from that area will come shortly. The flight to Cancun Mexico has been delayed, so we all sit and wait patiently…….