Seaborne Airlines

Sometimes, trying to plan transportation between all the various Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico can be challenging. There are regular ferries between the USVI and the BVI, but sometimes coordinating ferry schedules to get from Tortola to St. Croix, for example, can be a bit challenging. What is an adventurous island-hopper to do? 

Take the sea plane! Seaborne Airlines operates between St. Thomas, St. Croix, Puerto Rico and Vieques, and is talking about expanding service to Tortola (hopefully soon!). In St. Thomas, planes depart from Seaborne's air terminal, just next door to the Charlotte Amalie ferry terminal, making it a convenient option for folks traveling from Tortola to St. Croix. 

HB has been dying to try the seaplane since we moved to the BVI. I'm a little nervous, myself, as these 20-passenger Twin Otters are awfully small, but the idea of only a 20-minute ride to St. Croix is encouraging.

But if you're looking for a slightly adventurous, definitely Caribbean experience while you're in the Virgin Islands, you might give Seaborne a try. 

Anegada Perspective

When you do a google image search for "Anegada", you get pages and pages of results like these:

Plenty of white sand, green water, and blue skies. While these images are definitely representative of Anegada's perimeter (yes, the island is pretty much surrounded by beaches), what they don't show is the island's interior, the vast majority of which looks like this:

I'm sure the town, called "The Settlement" looks a bit more habitable than this -- after all, that's where the vast majority of Anegada's permanent population (approx. 200) reside. But the other 95% of the island looks like southern Florida. At the horizon line in the above picture, to the far left, you can just make out a telephone pole -- the only sign of human habitation visible from this vantage point near Cow Wreck beach.

Anegada Bound

HB and I are going to Anegada for the first time tomorrow, and I am super excited! About 50 miles distant from Tortola, Anegada is the second largest of the British Virgin Islands, but is very different from all the other islands in the chain. Where Tortola, Virgin Gorda, etc. are all volcanic islands, Anegada is a coral atoll, with its highest point being only 28 feet above sea level.

Up until recently, the only way other than private boat to get to Anegada was by ferry. The Anegada ferry runs on Monday, Wednesday and Friday. It departs Road Town twice daily at 6:45am and 3:30pm, and departs Anegada twice daily at 8:10am and 5:10pm. For the day-tripper, this would mean leaving Road Town at 6:45 am, and arriving back around 6:00pm, with 9 hours on Anegada in between.

For someone with a short attention span like me, 9 hours on an island with a population of 200, with little to do but swim, sun and eat lobster, is about 6 hours too many. As a result, I've been both desperate and reluctant to go to Anegada for about year.

But a solution has presented itself. Voyage Escapes is running a Sunday special on their super high-speed boat, iSpeed for the same price as a round-trip ticket on the regular ferry. Departure is at 9:00am and return is at 5:00pm, reducing the total trip time, and the total time spent on Anegada. So HB and I are trying it out tomorrow. Hopefully I'll have some great info and pictures to share with you next week.

Morning Shack

Had the chance to drive by Bomba's Shack this morning, and it looked so colorful and happy in the sun, so different from the den of iniquity it becomes after dark, especially on full moon nights.

Bomba's Shack on a full moon night is definitely something to try if you're in the BVI at the right time of month. It is one of the biggest monthly parties in the Caribbean, and from my admittedly limited (one-time) experience, it's a great time. Although the Shack is open from before nightfall, the Full Moon Party really starts to heat up around 10pm, and goes all night. The $50 unlimited drinks wristband is may be a good or bad idea for you, depending on your personality type. Hallucinogenic mushroom tea and a commemorative Bomba's Shack cup is $80 per person, and includes an unlimited-drinks wristband.

Day Sails

I am going to go out on a limb and say that, unless you're chartering a sailboat of your own, the best day you will have on vacation in the BVI is the day you go on a day sail. I've had two great day sail experience of my own, and I hear nothing but wonderful things from guests who go. 

If, while you're visiting the BVI, you do decide to book a day sail (and I highly recommend you do) here's what you can expect. Depending on your destination for the day, your boat will be departing either from Village Cay marina in Road Town, or Soper's Hole marina at West End, usually around 9:30am. Your captain and crew will give you a quick safety briefing, and off you will sail. 

If you're going to Virgin Gorda and the Baths, get comfy, because you've got a two-three hour sail before you reach the Baths and Devil's Bay. If you're going pretty much anywhere else (Cooper Island, Norman Island, Jost van Dyke) you can expect about an hour's sail before the boat moors at your first snorkel stop. When you stop, your crew will let you know the best areas to spot wildlife, and any dangers you may encounter in the water. 

After 45 minutes' or so snorkel time, you will head to another mooring where either your crew will prepare lunch, or you will have an opportunity to go ashore for lunch, depending on the boat. The afternoon will usually see another snorkel stop before heading back to Tortola for a return time of 4:30 or 5:00. 

There are maybe six or seven boats on Tortola offering day sails. Here are a few boats I've worked with before:

Mystique, by Voyage Charters. A beautiful new catamaran, Mystique's prices do not include lunch, but guests are offered the opportunity to go ashore to Soggy Dollar (on Jost), or Pirate's Bight (on Norman) for lunch.

Aristocat / Lionheart, by Aristocat Charters. Captain Steve will regale you with tales of his years in the BVI, and will happily share information on BVI history and geography. 

Kuralu Kuralu is known for the delicious gourmet lunch served on board, along with Captain Gary's willingness to go wherever his guests request. 

White Squall II is the only monohull day sail boat in the BVI, for a true sailing experience. 

Immigration Update

The National Democratic Party won the elections in November, and as was anticipated, there have been several changes to the immigration and work permit policy since the new government took office on the 1st of January. 

The first major change announced was the removal of long-term Labour Commissioner Oleanvine Maynard, and her replacement by Janice Rymer. There is also discussion that Chief Immigration Officer Dennis Jennings may be replaced as well. 

The expectation is that Ms. Rymer will help institute a more belonger-focused Department of Labour, and be less likely to grant special permissions to foreigners, an expectation being reinforced by the series of "town hall" meetings on labour that Deputy Premier Kendrick Pickering has been holding in the new year. As noted in the statement, Dr. Pickering intends to address four major issues at these town hall meetings, including the change in personnel, but most importantly for potential new immigrants, "reviewing the policy for granting of new work permits". 

I have heard rumors that there has been a moratorium imposed on granting of any new work permits until the town hall meetings are complete, but I am unable to find any news or government source to back that up. Nonetheless, there has been a decided slowing in the work permit process, as evidenced by the three months it took to process my renewal permit (as opposed to the customary six weeks). 

If you're trying to move to the BVI, keep in good contact with your potential employer about the work permit situation. BVINews.com is a pretty decent, up-to-date resource for government happenings as well. 

Dying to Get Here

I wouldn't have thought about today's morbid topic except it recently came to my notice as a result of working in a hotel, where we handle a wide variety of guest requests. Sometimes, having visited a place often, or lived in a place for a while, you might develop a special affinity for it. Here's a complete how-to on making the BVI your final resting place.

In order for human remains to be buried or scattered within the BVI, whether on land or sea, a permit must be sought from the Ministry of Health and Human Services. It's a pretty simple, two-page form, that asks for basic contact information for the person making the request (i.e. the executor) and birth and death information for the deceased.

The one application also serves to request permission to import the remains to the Territory, should the currently be located outside it, and to request permission for a tomb or underground vault to be built. The second page of the application requires details of which items the applicant is specifically seeking, along with details of how/when/where the import of the remains and the interment are to take place.

If the remains are to be interred, information is needed on the location of burial, including the registration, block and parcel numbers of the piece of land. For those wishing to be buried on private land, as in the photo above, you must have permission in writing from the land owners. All people wishing to be buried on land in the BVI must also have a permit to bury from the Registrar's office -- necessary so that no one goes digging you up in the future.

Applications must be accompanied by a death certificate, and a certificate of cremation where applicable. By statute, cremated remains may only be scattered at sea, five miles south of Norman Island or Peter Island, unless special permission is granted by the Ministry of Health.

Noel Lloyd Positive Action Movement Park

In Road Town, on Wickham's Cay I, near the Administration Complex and cruise ship dock, there is a restful little spot called the Noel Lloyd Positive Action Movement Park.

The Park commemorates the Positive Action Movement of 1968. In 1968, the government of the BVI was contemplating leasing the area now known as Wickham's Cay I and the entire island of Anegada to a man named Ken Bates. The term of the lease would be 199 years, and Mr. Bates would be granted exclusive rights to develop the area.

 Perhaps the "Bates Hill Lease" as it was known would have gone through, but Mr. Bates made clear his intention that he would not allow BVIslanders access to the lands granted in the lease except as workers on the properties he expected to develop.

Understandably, this proposition upset Mr. Noel Lloyd, and on the 3rd of December 1968, he took positive action: he marched alone in Road Town to protest the lease. The next day, many other BVIslanders joined him, and the marches continued for several weeks until finally, the Bates Hill scheme was scuttled.

Today, the Noel Lloyd Positive Action Movement Park stands on Wickham's Cay I - the very land BVIslanders would have been kept from had the Movement not occurred. It is the site of many festivals and gatherings throughout the year, and offers a peaceful pause from the hustle of Road Town.

Island Radio

I spend a fair amount of time in the car each day -- about an hour's total driving, plus a few minutes each evening waiting for HB to get out of work. I have never been one to drive in silence, I've always been a big fan of music while driving

In the radio wasteland of southwest Florida, I got used to the idea that music for driving meant CDs or an ipod. My 2007 model Volkswagen accommodated both options quite well and, admittedly, I got a little spoiled. Now that I'm using a rather older Hyundai for my daily driver, neither CDs nor ipods are compatible with the sound system, and I have learned to live wth the radio stations available to me.

For an island of 20,000 people, Tortola lucks out when it comes to radio, as we are able to pick up some broadcasts from the far-more-populous St. Thomas and St. Croix. Nonetheless, after parsing out the religious radio stations, I've realized there are only five radio stations to pick between for my daily drive time. In case you too want some in-car entertainment, here they are:

FM:
104.9 The Mongoose -- classic rock broadcast from St. Croix. No reception on northwest coast, or eastern third of Tortola.

104.3 The Buzz -- alternative rock broadcast from St. Thomas. No reception in Road Town or points east.

106.9 ZCCR -- reggae/hip-hop mix broadcast from Tortola. The extensive blocks of local commercials often make me tune out.

101.3 ZVCR -- reggae/r&b mix leaning more towards the reggae broadcast from Tortola. Usually don't get reception on this outside of Road Town.

AM:
780 ZBVI -- news interspersed with top 40 and reggae broadcast from Tortola. I find myself listening to this more frequently, as it gets good reception all over Tortola, and keeps me up to date on island events.

Tariffs

A fairly dry subject for today, as we jump into the exciting world of trade tariffs. It may seem like a small, inconsequential thing at first -- the taxes imposed by the BVI government on nearly all goods imported into the territory. Tariffs aren't something I researched, or really even thought of, before deciding to move here. More and more, though, I realize how much they impact me, and impact life here in general.

To my knowledge, the only goods that enter the BVI tariff-free are books, educational materials, and computers. Everything else is subject to a minimum duty of 10%. Duties range as high as 23-24% on some items like automobiles. If you are visiting the BVI, these tariffs strongly impact the costs of goods you buy while here. Not only are you paying the shipping premium of bringing that CD or bottle of water to the island, but you are also paying for 10-20% on the original purchase price of the CD or bottle of water plus the cost of shipping it.

As a visitor, perhaps this doesn't matter very much to you. You're only here for a short while anyway, and so what if things cost a little extra? You're in the Caribbean. If you're planning on moving here, however, tariffs can impact you in a big way. Everything costs more here because it's imported. I've already discussed the cost of groceries at length, but tariffs help put a price premium on everything.

I think the difficulty of coordinating shipping combined with the high tariffs also diminishes the supply of items in the BVI. Often it is difficult to find specific things, and it is always difficult to find a variety of things. If you are looking for a certain model cell phone in a particular color, you will probably need look elsewhere -- online, or in Puerto Rico -- to find it.

In the long term, I feel the tariffs help make the BVI a less consumerist culture. There are not infinite choices of infinite items, and many transplants quickly discover how few of those infinite items they needed anyway. If shopping is your favorite form of entertainment though, you may want to carefully consider a move to the BVI, and the impact of tariffs on your pocketbook.

Elections

It is election time in the BVI. With November 7th, election Monday, moving ever closer, the most noticeable aspect of the upcoming elections are the candidate signs sprouting up everywhere.

For a non-belonger like me, the campaign signs are the only part of election season particularly relevant to me. My work permit status, unsurprisingly, does not carry with it the right to vote. I have recently heard a little bit of rhetoric from candidates on the radio, suggesting that all non-belongers should be expelled from the BVI, in order to allow belongers to take their jobs. The economics of this proposition make it extremely unlikely, however, as the government garners far too much revenue from non-belonger work permit fees.

In a territory with a population estimated around 27,000, there are approximately 11,000 registered voters, divided into nine districts. Each district elects one member of the legislative council, which also has four at-large seats, voted on by all voters.

Stakes are high in this year's election. The UK has recently indicated that if the BVI government can't get it together, the UK may require all budgets be submitted to the UK government for review before being passed by the BVI government. Very few BVI-islanders want this kind of intervention, and so the incumbent VIP (Virgin Islands Party) is placed in the awkward position of justifying their continuing in power, having led the BVI to this potential consequence.

The opposition NDP (National Democratic Party) seems to be reveling in pointing out the incompetence of the VIP in budgetary matters, but unlike the VIP, has not yet released their "manifesto", being the written version of the party's platform.

Long-time BVI residents say they are impressed by the unusually high numbers of independent or third-party candidates that seem to be doing quite well pre-election. Many, though, are disillusioned by the entire election process, claiming that the only noticeable difference between governments is in who is awarded the government contracts. The general belief is that contract corruption runs high.

VI News online has a page dedicated to ongoing coverage of the BVI elections, for those interested in learning more.

Dr. Laura

It's been two and a half weeks since we picked Roscoe & Flash up from the Humane Society. At the time, Roscoe was covered in ticks, and, we were informed, had worms -- here, give him this medicine the next couple of days and he'll be fine.

And for about a week, he was.

Last Sunday, he didn't eat. Or Monday, or Tuesday or ... well, on Thursday we got him to eat some dog food with some wet dog food on top, but we came home to find he's vomited it all up, all over the house. And the same on Friday. And on Saturday. So Saturday night I made him some white rice, and on Sunday we gave it to  him with some canned chicken. He ate it all, and managed to hold it down, and he's been doing good with the eating and not puking since then.

But all the not eating and the puking and -- well, there were some problems at the other end, too -- worried me, and rather than let another week go by, HB and I decided it was time for Roscoe to visit Dr. Laura.

Dr. Laura is one of two vets in the BVI, the other being employed by the veterinary division of the BVI government. Dr. Laura, though, is the only one that really maintains what might be called a private veterinary practice, and even that is awfully limited. See, her main clinic is in St. John, but on Tuesdays and Thursdays, she comes to Tortola to help care for the pets of the BVI. Tuesdays are for exams; Thursdays are for surgeries. So if your dog has a problem on Wednesday, you better hope it's not serious.

At any rate, Dr. Laura took a look at Roscoe. Ran some tests. Dr. Laura figured he probably was having a relapse of worms, which he was, but she's pretty thorough, and also found that Roscoe has canine tick fever. Thankfully, he's still in the early stages of tick fever, and can be treated with pills for a month.

I don't think Flash and Roscoe will be going back to the Humane Society.

But if you're in the BVI, and need a vet, go see Dr. Laura. She's in the bright pink building, just down the road from the West End ferry terminal.

Surf Forecast

HB and I were so eager to snorkel yesterday, after several weeks of being away from the beach. We loaded up all our stuff and headed to Brewer's around 11:30, hoping to beat the crowds and get a few great hours in at the beach. When we arrived, though, we found that the waves were hitting the beach pretty hard, stirring up lots of silt and drastically reducing the visibility. We still snorkeled for about forty-five minutes, but it wasn't the quality snorkeling we're used to.

If we'd been thinking, we would've checked the surf forecast before we left the house, and maybe decided on a different beach, or not bothered with the snorkeling equipment.

A useful tool for anyone heading to the beach, the surf forecast provides details not only of surfing conditions, but also of tides and wave heights. Whether you want to play in the waves crashing on shore, or float easily in lake-style placid waters, the surf forecast is a great way to help ensure a good day at the beach.

Especially in the BVI, where conditions can differ widely from beach to beach, and where so many beaches are within easy reach, it's always a good move to check the surf forecast and find the beach offering the conditions most conducive to your desired activities before heading out. For snorkelers, ideal conditions include a low surf rating, small wave heights, small wave energies, and tide that is near low, but on its way back in (less silt being dragged out over the reef). Surfers, on the other hand, would look for opposite conditions, and pay more attention to the wave period, which can definitely affect surfing quality.

We like to use http://www.surf-forecast.com/, which provides details for thousands of beaches and surf breaks around the world.

Moko Jumbie

No celebration in the Virgin Islands (British or US) is complete without moko jumbies, and they were out in force at the Festival parade.

At a basic level, moko jumbies are dancing stilt-walkers, and have been traditional at Trinidad's Carnival since the early 1900s. More recently, the USVI adopted the moko jumbie as the official symbol of the territory. But the history and mythology of the moko jumbie are more extensive than that.

In Caribbean culture, a jumbie is any ghost or spirit. Jumbies are often thought to possess animals, and seem to be easy to confuse. Jumbies also love a good dance, and in Montserrat, there is a dance specifically to conjure up as many jumbies as possible.

Meanwhile, in West African tradition, Moko was a god who, by dint of being very tall, was able to watch over the people and foresee danger and evil. Some Trinidadians believe that Moko arrived there by walking across the Atlantic from the coast of West Africa.

And so we have Moko Jumbies. The spirits of the god Moko, walking tall, protecting the people, and dancing.

Pageantry

Pageants seem to be ridiculously popular in the BVI, and perhaps even through the Caribbean. It seems like every few weeks, driving by the MultiPurpose Sports Complex will reveal a new pageant, as well-dressed contestants with sashes gather out front.

All these pageants lead up to the big one -- Miss BVI, held Festival Sunday night, in time to have the new Miss BVI on the float for the parade on Festival Monday.

This year's winner will go on to represent the BVI in the Miss Caribbean World 2012 Pageant next May, as well as Miss Universe 2012.

The parade also celebrates the runners up and other award winners from the Miss BVI pageant, which was televised on the local access channels (1 and 52)

But Miss BVI is not the only pageant held throughout the year. Aspiring hopefuls to the Miss BVI crown must first compete in a variety of other pageants. Here we see Miss Fifth Form (12-13 year olds) and below is Miss Caribbean Talented Teen.

These are only a small handful of the crowned and be-ribboned pageant winners that passed HB on the parade route. No shortage of pageants and winners in the BVI

Festival

It is Festival time in the British Virgin Islands. Festival is an annual event that lasts two weeks, and celebrates the reading of the Emancipation Act at the old well on Joe's Hill in 1834.

Vendors set up stands along the parade route

Emancipation is celebrated on the first Monday in August, and the festivities begin two Thursdays prior to that, with the opening of the festival grounds and concerts nightly. The Festival Village has an amusement park for children, along with vendor stands.

Even dogs get adorned for the occasion

The big celebration really gets going the Friday before Festival Monday. Concerts go all night, and end only with the 4am Rise and Shine Steel Drum Tramp. Sunday is a bit more solemn: there's a re-enactment of the reading of the Emancipation Act, and it stays pretty quiet through the evening.

Costumes are a big deal for the dance troops

Festival Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday are all official holidays, meaning government and many businesses are closed. The culmination of Festival is on Festival Monday, when the parade happens.

Since I was working yesterday, HB went to the parade by himself, and was good enough to take pictures for me to share with you.

Two, double-decker trailers filled with steel drums and trash barrels -- the loudest thing at the parade

After Monday, the celebrations move from downtown Road Town to East End and Carrot Bay. The denouement is a three-day "Family Fiesta" in Carrot Bay, with more music, and lots of family and kid-friendly activities, like donkey races and fishing contests. Family Fiesta ends on Friday, finishing the two weeks of celebration. 

As thorough a kludge as I've ever seen

My favorite of HB's pictures. The woman is wearing a costume representing Virgin Gorda (the Baths). The donkey carries a tourist bus.

Nice Ride

After my walk down Station Road the other day, I ended by taking a breather sitting on the wall. Watching the traffic go by, it occurred to me that a lot of the vehicles I was seeing may not be regular sights in other parts of the world, and so I made a point to photograph all the non-US spec vehicles I saw.

My task became a little trickier when I realized that I'd been here long enough, I was actually uncertain whether some of the vehicles I was seeing were uncommon in the US, as they are so common here. Like this Mitsubishi Pajero. Do they have those in the States? Where else are they common?

Small- and mid-sized SUVs are the cars of choice in the BVI, as the rough, steep roads demand clearance, and occasionally, all-wheel drive. Suzuki Grand Vitaras are the most popular option, by far, but for non-US-spec, the Daihatsu Terios, pictured above, is probably most numerous.

Suzuki Jimnys, like this, are also very popular and one of the smallest options available. Despite their apparently diminutive exterior, HB reports they're awfully spacious inside, both front and back, although trunk space is sacrificed in the interest of passenger space.

Moving on from the standard passenger vehicle category, the rides get a little more unusual. This Suzuki Carry has been converted from a more van-like structure to make this open-bed truck.

Non-US-spec "buses", like this Nissan Urvan, are by far the most popular options for taxi drivers in the BVI. They carry as many people as a standard minivan, but take up less space, being considerably narrower, and usually with a shorter wheelbase.

 Unusual even by BVI standards is this Peri, from the Chinese "Great Wall Motors". These electric vehicles still have too many safety concerns to be permitted for sale in the US, although market entry has been rumored off an on for about five years now.

Some of the vehicles on the streets of Road Town are unique to the BVI.

Time Zone

The British Virgin Islands are in the Atlantic Standard Time Zone. That's one hour ahead of Eastern Time for those of you in the States; four hours behind Greenwich Mean Time for those you in Europe. At least, that's the case for half of the year.

Unlike most of the rest of the world, the British Virgin Islands do not observe Daylight Savings Time. As a result, in April, when everyone else is "springing forward", we're staying on the same clock. Not observing Daylight Savings Time is not so bad in itself. You don't have to worry about changing the clocks twice a year or being late (or early) to church. What I miss most about Daylight Savings Time is the resultant long summer evenings.

The sunrise and sunset times in the BVI are pretty standard during the winter months, with the sun breaking the horizon around 6:30am, and finding its way below the water again by 5:30 or so on the shortest days. In fact, that sunset time is much later for us in winter than it is for many locales further from the equator, which keeps me much happier in winter.

In summer though, in summer, when my favorite thing to do is sit on the porch in the coolness of the evening and watch the last lingering rays of a sunset at 8:30 or nearly 9:00 pm, I miss Daylight Savings Time. See, without DST, the sunset doesn't linger quite as long. Right now, as we're approaching summer solstice and the longest day of the year, the sun is setting just before 7:30, leaving several long hours afterward of mosquito-ridden dark in which I am unable to fully enjoy my porch.

And so in summer I find myself cursing both the time zone and the lack of DST in the BVI, both of which I consider responsible for the rays of light coming through my bedroom window at 4:30 in the morning.

BVI Humane Society

Since we couldn't leave the dogs alone while we went to St. John overnight, and we haven't managed to find a dog-sitter yet, we had to find a place to kennel them. This proved an easy task, as along with many other services to the animals on island, the BVI Humane Society also offers boarding at ridiculously reasonable rates.

For $10 per day per dog, the BVI Humane Society offers a safe place for your dog to sleep. The people there will also walk your dog at least three times a day, and ensure that your dog spends at least half an hour in the outdoor run - a yard about 20 feet square. If you don't bring your own food, an extra $1.50 surcharge per dog per day applies.

When we picked Roscoe and Flash up, we were informed that they had stayed outside all day in the run, and had played so much they'd gotten quite dirty. We had to bathe both dogs when we got home, but they were both so happy and worn out that it was pretty well worth it. Usually when I pick Flash up from the kennel, he's clingy and whiny. On Friday, he exhibited none of that "glad to be out of the kennel" behavior.

The only problem I had with boarding our dogs at the BVI Humane Society was finding it. I knew it was near Clarence Thomas and Riteway, but I had driven around in the neighborhood many times without ever seeing it. Finally, when I called to reserve space for the dogs, I asked for directions. I was told, "from Road Town, head out towards Riteway. Turn left past the old Riteway building, and head up Johnson's Ghut. We're across from Sunrise Bakery, next to Great Mountain Water." These proved to be some of the best directions I've ever received, as it is located across from Sunrise Bakery. They are located slightly off the road, though, so look for a colorful shack with a fenced yard, and listen for lots of barking dogs. Here's a map, too, for additional reference:

Official Holidays

Back in October, HB wrote about all the special holidays we celebrate in the BVI. However, since he hadn't actually experienced a holiday here, he wasn't able to write about what you might expect should you find yourself in the BVI on an official holiday.

The primary thing you will note about an official holiday is that pretty much everything is closed. Offices, shops, restaurants, some grocery stores. Now you may be used to stores and offices being closed on major holidays, like Christmas, but this applies to ALL official holidays. When we celebrated H. Lavity Stoutt's birthday and Commonwealth Day in March (the BVI equivalents of Martin Luther King Day and President's Day, respectively), pretty much everything was closed.

The exceptions to the closures are what you might expect. Some restaurants will be open for dinner. The restaurants and maybe one or two shops closest to the cruise ship terminal will be open if there are ships in. They will only stay open until the cruise ships leave. The large Riteway and OneMart in Pasea Estate are open shorter hours (Riteway is usually 9am-7pm).

You will also note, should you be unfortunate enough to arrive in the BVI on an official holiday, that the streets are very quiet. If, as HB and I often seem to do, you elect to take a drive on an official holiday, the only other people you will see are expats and cruise ship passengers. On the other hand, should you wish to go to the beach, you will immediately realize where the vast majority of the population has opted to spend their holiday. Brewer's Bay usually has about 10 people using its lovely sandy beaches, but on holidays, that number is more like 100.

The last thing to note about your BVI official holiday experience is in relation to Good Friday. Not only do all the above rules apply to Good Friday, but there is an additional rule in effect on this official holiday as well: alcohol may not be purchased in the territory before 6pm on Good Friday. It cannot be served at bars. It cannot be sold at grocery stores.

I feel strident sympathy for the passengers of the two cruise ships that arrived in Tortola yesterday, on Good Friday. They're on holiday, they get off in the port, and everything's closed. No shopping available to them, many of the shore excursions are not operating, as it's a holiday. They try to go to the beach and at least enjoy the sun, but the beaches are crowded. And they can't even get a drink.