Virgin Gorda

Virgin Gorda!

Finally a blog post from us! On June 10th we flew to Virgin Gorda with Frank's parents and of course Cooper for a 10 day trip. It was wonderful. Really, really amazing and beautiful and exciting. But, as always, with the good, there is the bad and the ugly.

First, the worst. On Thursday night, the second to last night at the villa, after a wonderful 9 days in carefree paradise, someone came inside between the hours of midnight (when Frank went to bed) and 6am and stole my iPhone, Blackberry, and $40 cash in Frank's wallet. I felt so violated, mad, and stressed. I still do not have a phone. Fortunately, we cancelled both services right away, but somehow, AT&T messed up and turned off every single phone at the Depot when I cancelled my work phone! Didn't find that out until I came back to work Monday. What a mess that was. Kind of funny though. Also, it is extremely freaky to think that someone was in the house with us, so I couldn't sleep the next night hardly at all. That, and my air conditioner broke and was beeping nonstop like an alarm clock for over an hour! We should have locked all our doors, but only had locked the front. Too trusting. Never would have imagined someone coming in while we were there.

Now, for the bad... 2 long days of travel! But Cooper did quite well. He napped well on the long flight both ways, and on the ferry ride both ways. Getting to Virgin Gorda involved flying from Lexington to Charlotte, then Charlotte to St. Thomas, then a ferry to Virgin Gorda, then a rental car to Leverick Bay. Also, found a scorpion by my bed, alive, and one when we got home dead on our floor. YUCK! And food prices are very high there, even at the grocery, but, that was to be expected.

Now, the good! Virgin Gorda is simply amazingly beautiful. It is only about 8 miles long, and the entire southern end of the island is covered in large granite boulders, a climbers Paradise. However, it is always about 85-90 degrees on the island, year long. The island is very mountainous and covered in a scrub forest with tropical flowers all over, and lizards, and chickens and wild goats. It was not very busy there at all when we were there, but we came in the off season. The water was so warm I never even had to hesitate to get in which was wonderful. White sandy beaches, coral reefs and loads of life to see while snorkeling. We went through 4 bottles of spray sun screen and not one of us was burned thankfully.

Now the excellent! Cooper loved it there. He was so entertained playing in the sand, and enjoyed swimming with me the pool and ocean. Our villa was incredible. Right on a point with our own private beach and pool. 3 bedrooms, a new granite counter top kitchen, and nice big open windows with an amazing view. One night we took a free taxi ferry to "The Bitter End", which is a resort with a few restaurants on an secluded part of Virgin Gorda you can only get to by boat. I felt like we were off a set from so many movies I have seen in the Caribbean. Very ritzy and enjoyable. There are all kinds of amazing small islands around there owned privately and by various countries. Since we were in the British Islands, we had to drive on the left. I should say Frank had to drive on the left, because he did all the driving on the trip.

The best part. On our last night, Frank and I stayed at the Leverick Bay resort for the Barbecue Buffet and live music. When the reggae started, Cooper instantly ran over to the front of the stage and started dancing right to the beat. He would move his head and waddle back and forth left to right foot. It was hilarious. Everyone was enjoying watching him. He did it for about 3 songs! Then I had to make him stop and bring him home to bed because it was getting pretty late. What a fun night though. Bad part was, all we had was Frank's iPhone for taking pics!!

Sure do wish we were still there. It was such great fun.

PS to climbers - Definitely worth a trip. Amazing boulders, but you need pads. We didn't have any and so many are really high or have bad landings. Spring Bay has good landings, the best beach spot, and plenty to keep you happy for an afternoon. Frank did a couple of new lines there and there are still plenty that could go up if you had a pad. Still lots of potential elsewhere on the island.

Rainbow over Spring Bay

Frank cracking a coconut which we ate and used to make coconut chicken for dinner

Cooper and Mom looking at shells on the patio by the beach at our villa

Frank and Cooper sifting for shells on our beach


Bathtime!


The fruit of Franks labor - delicious coconut!

Evening playtime with Cooper in the pool at our villa

Our dock lined with conch shells - conchs were everywhere, we found dozens just snorkeling by our house - beautiful!

The 'Babar' boulder at devils bay - several good problems on it up to V10 - you can easily see where it gets its name

Frank pretty psyched as we approach Devils bay

Mandy and Cooper at "The Bitter End"

Cooper playing endlessly at the pool and at the beach

Fun dinnertimes on our patio by the ocean

Cooper playing at the beach below our house

With grandma

A seaplane landing right next to us! as we wait for the ferry

Frank climbing an awesome V5 at spring bay - I managed to flash it!

Mom and Cooper at Spring bay - awesome bouldering potential right behind us, just needed pads

Frank putting up a new problem at Long Trunk Bay

Huge iguana we saw by the road!

Frank at the baths, a beautiful maze of rocks on the beach which Virgin Gorda is best know for

The boys at the coppermine

Hiking through the baths

Grandpa and mom and Cooper out for a day of bouldering, snorkeling and picnic

Grandpa and Cooper laughing it up on the beach


At the fun restaurant "top of the baths" - they had reasonably priced food and beer, a swimming pool they would serve you at, and a pretty good view!


Amazing project Frank did at Spring Bay - maybe it had been done before? Maybe not?


So fun