day 11

Morning all,

Today finds us in Tortola BVI., this is the shortest day of the cruise as we have to be back on board by 1:30pm. Our tour today is to Savanna beach and then to Virgin Gorda Grotto. After a 45 min. ride on board a power cat, we are boarded onto buses to take us to Savanna beach, the views were spectacular as we drove on skinny roads to the beach. There we found hot sand and warm water, but with recent rains the visibility was not very good and the undertow was almost dangerous. We fooled around in the shallow water for over 1 hour then we boarded the buses to go to the Grotto. The baths as they are called, sit atop looking out over the sea, a great view indeed, the Grotto is a 10 min. walk down to the sea, where we were treated to a very nice beach. The grotto is a series of big jumbled boulders that we walked through, around and under, sometimes walking in the water, sometimes in the sand, sometimes over the rocks themselves. This was a really cool spot and we all agreed that we could have spent the entire time here instead of that beach. All too soon we were called back to the waiting buses, for our return trip to the ship. We arrived at the dock at 1:pm, but there was no market at this dock so we had no time to search out trinkets, or towels. On board we were instructed to pack and get ready for tomorrows dismemberment, that night was lobster night for the formal dinner, I had two, nothing like leaving with a good impression. On the fan tail after dinner we were a somewhat somber group as this was our last night onboard. Later as I stood alone, cigar in hand under the Southern Cross, I thanked the Lord for letting me live long enough to enjoy this trip, one tear worked down my cheek to seal this prayer. As a warm breeze drifted in from San Juan, I made my way slowly back to our stateroom.............Andy