Soper's Hole to Baths to Cooper Island...Last night aboard

The girls tacked up wind and made their way up the Sir Francis Drake Channel to the southern tip of Virgin Gorda. Once there they dropped sails and picked up a national park mooring ball at the Baths. The girls snorkeled to shore and had some time to relax on the beach before going on the famous hike through the boulders. They hiked from Devils Bay to Spring Bay and then snorkeled back through the boulders to the boats. The weather after the storm could not be clearer and the stop at the baths was well needed after 24 hours of storm conditions abroad the boats. The girls dropped moorings in the late afternoon and headed to Cooper Island. They picked up moorings in Manchaneel Bay. They will pack up, reflect on the trip, and have dinner aboard Aeolus. We will take everyone into the Cooper Island Beach Club for an end of trip treat. We will be sad to see them go tomorrow morning. They will depart the boats via water taxi tomorrow at 9am to catch their flights back to the US from Saint Thomas.

Holding a Steady Course

 Devil's Bay

 Hiking in the Baths

 Snorkeling the Baths

The Cathedral in the Baths

It's Sunny, it's beautiful! And we are going sailing!

The girls are dropping moorings in Soper's Hole and heading upwind towards Virgin Gorda. We are excited for a sunny day with great wind for sailing. 

8pm Update - Storm Conditions ended

As of 8pm all signs of Bertha are gone. The girls had a lovely dinner ashore and are back on boats for a big day tomorrow back out on the water. It's nice to open the hatches and enjoy the fresh air. 

2:30 PM Storm Update - Soper's Hole

The conditions have not yet subsided in Soper's Hole to the point where we can safely get underway with the girls, we are catching some of the trailing bands from the system and still experiencing high winds and rain. The girls are in high spirits and the trailing bands are making leaving Soper's Hole today unlikely. We will plan to get off the boat tonight in lower wind conditions after the storm has passed and have a meal ashore for a change of pace from being aboard and down below all day. We plan to press on with the schedule first thing tomorrow as the weather turns from storm to normal sailing conditions.

Crew of Astrid enjoying a mid day treat in the bad weather!

Pancake Breakfast Aboard Aeolus

Cards below decks on Aeolus

Checking Conditions on Deck on Astrid at 2pm

2 PM conditions in Soper's Hole. The natural shelter of Soper's Hole, the hurricane moorings, and many storm preparations the girls made to the boats are making the high wind conditions quite comfortable and safe in Soper's Hole. The girls are having a blast below decks riding out the storm. With the worst of the storm behind us we are excited to get back on the water just as soon as conditions subside.

Bertha leaving the area at 2pm, we are the blue dot. We are expecting to have clear weather starting around sunset tonight.

11 am Storm Update - Girls Safely Aboard the Boats Making Big Breakfasts aboard boats after sleeping in. Waiting for Remainder of Storm to Pass

The girls took advantage of the poor sailing but safe conditions this morning to make big breakfasts onboard with fresh provisions. The storm bands are still affecting us here in Soper's Hole as of 11am although the center of the storm has passed us and is close to making landfall in Puerto Rico. We will remain in place at Soper's Hole until conditions are safe for sailing. We are hoping to hit the water again this afternoon, weather permitting.

Bertha's Position as of 11am, we are the blue dot

6 am Storm Update - Sail II BVI safely weathering Bertha on Mooring as Dawn Breaks

As dawn is breaking the storm is continuing to pass through the area. As suspected the bulk of the storm passed to our south and conditions are already beginning to improve. We will remain onboard and hunkered down until conditions are once again safe for sailing. Just as soon as they are, we are going to be back out on the big water.

View from the Cockpit this morning, bands of heavy rain are moving through all morning

5am storm positon, we are the blue dot

All Safely to bed on Moorings after big taco night dinner and storm preparation

All are back aboard their boats after dinner. The girls are having devotions and getting settled in to ride out the storms aboard the boats. After spending the afternoon getting the boats ready for the storm, the girls have closed the companionway doors and battened down the remaining hatches for the evening. They will fix a big breakfast as the last of the heavy bands come through and we hope to be back sailing on the water as early as tomorrow afternoon. 

All the girls in the cockpit after a big taco dinner 

Doing devotion aboard Astrid as the first bands of the storm start to come through

Sail II BVI Program Safely Moored in Sopers Hole to Ride Out Bertha

After a beautiful day of sailing our boats made it into Soper's Hole in time to reprovision for the remainder of the trip and prepare the boats for Tropical Depression Bertha. The girls are tying secondary mooring lines, lashing down sails, and buttoning down hatches to ride out the coming wind and rain. Fresh provisions and good company will help the girls pass the time as the storm passes far to our south overnight. Once the storm clears tomorrow and conditions subside we plan to be right back on the water on schedule and sailing.

Securing the Main Sail for High Wind Conditions

Zipping Up the Sail Bag

Path of Tropical Storm Bertha, on track to pass to well to our south. Our location is right underneath the letter "a" in the position "8PM ET Sat 45kts (50mph)". We will catch some of the outer bands of the storm.

Reflection on Sailing - Videos from Sail - Anegada to Sopers Hole

Sailing Interview

View from the Bow

View from the Companionway

Anegada to Soper's Hole

The girls dropped moorings at Anegada after breakfast and are downwind sailing to Soper's Hole. Soper's Hole is on the main Island of Tortola and is a very protected. It was used by Blackbeard the pirate as safe harbor for many years. Once there we plan to provision the yachts and check on the latest a forecast for Tropical Depression Bertha. In the meantime we are getting as much sailing in as we can before the rain sets in. As you can see from the photos below, it is still beautiful today! We are expecting some heavy winds and rain from the outer bands as the storm passes to our south. We will ride out the weather in the safe harbor of Soper's Hole, just like our fellow North Carolinian Blackbeard the pirate did over 200 years ago. We will take advantage of the rain by teaching some advanced navigation and going over US Sailing exams and reviewing any deficiencies.

Open Ocean Sailing between Tortola and Anegada

Checking her Course

Video of the Dinghy Dragging behind the boat on the Sail from Anegada to Jost Van Dyke

Sailing Downwind from Anegada to Tortola