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How hurricane hijacked Caribbean sailing vacation in BVI
What hurricane?
“Will we be able to take off with this hurricane coming?” I asked the woman behind the counter at an old RAF airfield. That aging facility now functioned as an airport for the British Virgin Islands. She handled guest relations and security such as it was back in September of 1988. “What hurricane?” she responded blankly. I think of that woman when I hear news of those unexpected hurricane disasters in the Caribbean.
The four of us finally boarded a packed prop plane for a choppy flight to Puerto Rico and our Delta connection back to Atlanta. Once on that flight, the Delta captain announced, “Congratulations, folks. We are the last plane cleared for takeoff. This airport is shutting down for Hurricane Gilbert.” Finally, someone spoke the dreaded “H” word.
Tiny British Virgin Islands
My husband Hank and I started off the week sharing a bareboat charter with his friend Greg and Greg’s new girlfriend. Greg was a very experienced sailor and thought Hank and I would enjoy the British Virgin Islands, an area he had visited many times.
The BVI is made up of sixty islands in the Caribbean, spread across 58 square miles. The Sir Francis Drake channel is the strait that separates the main island of Tortola from the smaller islands to the south. This strait is popular with boaters because it is like a sailboat superhighway, allowing them to race wing on wing directly downwind.
Days of Sun, Nights feeding the Barracudas
We spent days swimming in lagoons and exploring Sandy Cay, Little Jost Van Dyke and groupings of park-sized atols called “The Dogs” and “Little Sisters” In the evenings, we moored at places like the Bitter End, on the eastern edge of Virgin Gorda where the next landfall was Africa. Nightly, sleek barracudas would circle our 45 foot Irwin. Like well-mannered hounds, these toothy visitors hoped to gobble down a foil wrapped chicken or bacon-wrapped filet when we got careless turning the silver packets on our transom grill. The ship’s store had stocked us with a variety of frozen entrees and plenty of Red Stripe beer. The more beer we drank, the more foil packets the barracudas consumed.
On Thursday, September 8, we stopped at Cane Garden Bay to try windsurfing. The wind was so erratic that we left early and sailed to Norman island. Uninhabited except for wild goats, Norman Island and true tales of its buried treasures are thought to have inspired Robert Louis Stevenson to write Treasure Island.[5] T
Sleeping in hurricane pj’s – yellow life jackets
Our crew was more interested in an old schooner named the William Thornton which operated as a bar and restaurant, As the sun set, cumulonimbus clouds made it obvious there was a storm brewing but how big and where? Hank and Greg dinghied over to a large yacht that was moored close by. The big boats had the luxury of weather radar. Crews from smaller boats were heading over like ducklings converging on their mama.
There was a fast forming tropical wave south and east over the Barbados islands. Growing winds and rain squalls were fanning out hundreds of miles. We spent the night in our yellow foul weather gear with life jackets close by and two sea anchors set out. We ate a cold meal and barracudas were absent. Our boat twisted round and round on her sea anchors and squalls pounded us
The Caribbean is blasted by Hurricane Gilbert
On Friday, the tropical wave strengthened into a tropical storm named Gilbert. Greg piloted us across the eight mile strait with Hank in the dingy bailing out water. Several times, rough seas threatened to capsize that little vessel and finally we pulled Hank back to the Irwin.
On Saturday, Gilbert became a hurricane. The news had apparently not reached the woman in charge of the BVI airport. Gilbert intensified rapidly to a category 3 and then a category, so destructive that Gilbert’s name was retired by the World Meteorological society and replaced by Gordon.
Yosemite or Yellowstone National Park
To get the very best answer, I turned to some friends who would know. Jackie and Dewey are teachers who spend over a month each summer camping and exploring the west. They have visited both of these parks multiple times and put together some questions to help you make the right decision.
How long is your vacation?
This questions goes a long way to deciding if you visit Yosemite or Yellowstone.
Choose Yosemite if you have a week or less.
This national park is easier to access from a major city. Yosemite is about 150 – 170 miles from San Francisco, San Jose or Sacramento. US News & World Reports writes that “Yosemite is one of the most accessible and convenient national parks in the country.”
Jackie says you can fly in, pick up a rent car and and pack a lot of adventure into a few days. Even getting to the park can be exciting. Your last hour or so of the drive from San Francisco into the park is on hairpin curves and can be thrilling or scary, with amazing views from the highway.
While Yosemite covers an area almost 1200 square miles, most of the best loved landmarks – Half Dome and El Capital – are within the 7-square mile Yosemite Valley.
Choose Yellowstone if you have at least a week or more.
If you fly to the park, you can land at Jackson Hole (JAC) or Bozeman (BZN) and rent a car. You’ll need your own vehicle to get around in the park. Unlike Yosemite, there is no public transportation.
Yellowstone covers over 3,000 square miles with major attractions spread across five regions: Mammoth Country, Geyser Country, Lake Country, Canyon Country and Roosevelt Country. There is no central attraction area as with Yosemite. Driving distances between the major landmarks are far so plan to see less each day than in the relatively more condensed set up of Yosemite.
How do you feel about crowds?
Yosemite is definitely more crowded
Because of its accessibility and the concentrated location of its favorite landmarks, expect to see more people at Yosemite. That said, Jackie praised the extensive free shuttle service that gets you around the park and out of your car. Parking is difficult at Yosemite so she highly encourages taking public transportation. Also if you leave the driving to someone else, you’ll get to sight-see more!
To deal with the crowds, US News & World reports makes this suggestion. “Visit the valley, but camp far away from the traffic to immerse yourself in the great outdoors.” My camping-loving friends agree. The other reason to stay in the park is that many of the good ranger activities happen in the evening. If you’re not a camper, book your rooms in the park as soon as possible – up to 366 days in advance.
Crowds are not a problem at Yellowstone.
You can rough it , which isn’t so rough with many campgrounds equipped with showers, flushing toilets and even laundry facilities. Like in Yosemite, lodging in and around Yellowstone books up far in advance, though Jackie caught a last minute room in Gardiner that provided a great base for this year’s Yellowstone vacation.
Fitness level of your group
Yosemite is the best choice for vacationers with kids, seniors or with people who aren’t regular exercisers.
This park ranked #1 for best hikes by US News & Word Reports. While you can make it an endurance sport, Jackie says that Yosemite had amazing trails with amazing views that all members of your group can enjoy without backpacking. Many hikes are easy to do from a car.
Yellowstone wins the toss for true adventure hiking and trailblazing.
Remote, isolated, and equally breathtaking and varied, Yellowstone will feed the “Jeremiah Johnson” in you. Just make sure you don’t feed yourself to the permanent residents of Yellowstone.
And for a good read, when you get home from either park, Jackie recommends a great book called Yellowstone Has Teeth
Yosemite or Yellowstone National Park – Learn More
While it is great to talk to someone with firsthand knowledge, these two sites were incredibly helpful for familiarizing you with all aspects of each park: MyYellowstonepark.com and MyYosemitepark.com. Also check out US News & World Reports Travel Guides.
Happy adventuring and let me know about your trips!
Lifetime of fun at National Parks
Attention, seasoned (62 and over) campers! Do not let this deal get away. Until August 28, the lifetime National Park senior pass will cost $10. After that, this lifetime pass increases to $80!
If you are not 62 yet but travel with a favorite grandparent or other qualifying family member, drive them to the nearest national forest, park or wildlife reserve to grab their pass. You benefit too because their companions can also enter for the parks for free when the per vehicle fee is waved.
If it is a park that charges per person, this National Park senior pass will get the pass owner and three adults get in free. Since kids under 16 are always free, this is an incredible amount of fun for not much money.
Free lifetime entry with National Park senior pass
Even at $80, the lifetime National Park senior pass is sweet. We’re talking free day entrance and sometimes even discounted camping fee to great national park areas all across the USA. Grand Canyon – free! Denali National Park in Alaska – free! Alcatraz, Sequoia National Park, Everglades National Park, Mount Rushmore, Zion National Park and more – all entrance fee free! [Read more…]
We have only now!
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