Soliciting a Foreign Affair on July 4th

Rewind....July 4, 2014. 

As the sun descends, Nicoleta and I settle into Bananakeet Cafe, once thought to be a restaurant with a pool. It seems there is a small Inn on the premises.

The sky began to envelop the mountainous peaks of Tortola as night falls upon the island.  The glow from mansions in the hills and the lights from the U.S Virgins complement the starry night sky with their own form of illumination.  The crescent moon glows high above us and the tropical breeze drifts in with much appreciated coolness.

With a pitiful sense of patriotism, I came to watch the celebration in the sky from nearby St. John in the U.S Virgin Islands. It is not with regret that I left my home country, but the 4th of July reminds me of friends and family who revel in this holiday with backyard barbecues, parties and parades.
                                                                 
At Bananakeet, I began to know Nicoleta who has been on the island for 5 years.  She is sweet and seems to be happy to have a night out.  This wanderer is happy to be with her. She lives one beach over at Brewers Bay.  It is a good place for snorkeling and where the best hamburger on the island can be tasted.

Soliciting a foreign affair?

Here two ex pats find solace together on this rock. Life can stand still on this island and days are often empty with neither incident nor with affairs of the heart.

We could not stay for the fireworks in the sky, but Nicoleta had enough sparkle in her eyes for this wanderer. It was new world meets old world in a tropical paradise.

        


The Odyssey Continues.........

Youth Sailing

16th Annual Premier's Cup Regatta

Nanny Cay Resort

KATS (Kids and the Sea) resumed their Premier's Cup Regatta at Nanny Cay Resort this weekend.  Teams from the Cayman Islands, Antigua, Anguilla, the USA and British Virgin Islands participated.  In 2011, I created a video of the entire Regatta, however this year I am producing a KATS promo video, which includes Swimming, Sea Skills and Scuba along with Sailing.  I will also be volunteering for the Scuba program. KATS was started as a result of a tragic accident at sea involving kids in St. Thomas.  Since then the British Virgin Islands have been strongly committed to teach the local kids about sea safety.  KATS is one the most highly sponsored charities in the BVI.  Teaching Swimming and Sea Skills is important to graduate into the more difficult disciplines of Sailing and Scuba Diving.                                                                

Friday night was the Reception and Opening Ceremonies and after a night of shooting it was cocktails and nibblers at Peg Legs Restaurant.  I sat at a small table for two and was surprisingly joined by the Premier himself. We ate nibblers and discussed the KATS program. 

BVI Premier Honorable Dr. Orlando Smith and Governor Boyd Mc Cleary and guest

I am committed to this cause as most kids here don't know how to swim and even their parents cannot. It seems to this Wanderer that living on a island means a marriage to the sea....Embrace her.

The Odyssey continues.......