Isla Culegra, Puerto Rico

Isla Culebra, known as "Snake Island" is a municipality of Puerto Rico, located approximately seventeen miles east of the main island and twelve miles west of St. Thomas, with a population around 1,800 people, beautiful beaches, and a sleepy main town.

We catch a ride on the tender to town and wander several blocks to the ferry landing, where there are buses to Playa Flamenco (Flamenco Beach), rated the third most beautiful in the world by TripAdvisor in 2014.   The beach has shallow turquoise water, white sand, calm swimming areas, and diving sites, stretching for a mile along a horseshoe-shaped bay.

 Heading along the coast of Puerto Rico

 Walking through town to the ferry pier (bus stop)

 Arriving at the beach 15 minutes later

We spend a few hours at the beach, walking the length of the white sand that feels so wonderful on our feet, exploring an abandoned Sherman tanks left by the US Army after training exercises just before WWII, and, of course, swimming and sitting in the sun.

Walking the beach

Checking out the abandoned tanks

As it gets toward noon and the crowd picks up (still not many people), we catch the shuttle back into town and find a spot for a fish and chips, beer, and a view.

 Lunch on the bay

What a great, relaxing day!

Prickly Pear Beach, BVI

Prickly Pear is a small island just off the coast of Antigua and just east of Virgin Gorda.  The island is uninhabited and a British National Park, and, most importantly to us, contains Vixen Point, another wonderful white sand beach with clear turquoise water.

 Approaching Prickly Pear

The beach is set up for a barbeque, with chairs and beach toys for all of us.

Beach adventures

 Steel band

 Barbeque

Other boats pull in, one collection of rental catamarans all tie themselves together, and come ashore for lunch and/or a drink.

Catamaran convention

The captain tells us that one of the larger yachts stopping here rents for $450,000 per week, not including fuel and port charges.  Perhaps we'll stick with our shared cruise for now!

 Sun sets as we head out

On to the next island!

Jost Van Dyke , British Virgin Islands

Jost Van Dyke is a small, quiet island and the ship's tender drops us off in Great Harbor, a sleepy town with a few bars and fishing boats.  On the other side of the island, about two miles (3.2 km) away over a steep hill, is White Bay, a fabulous and popular beach.  It's a nice day and we walk.

 Walking to White Bay beach, joined by a dog going that way

 View of the beach from the crest, view back at the ship

As we head up the hill toward the beach, a dog comes out of a house, looks around, and joins us for the walk.  He escorts us the entire way, but as soon as we reach the beach, our new dog friend noses around the edge of the road and scares a young goat tied to the tree.  Both are startled and jump up fast.  After recovering, our new friend completes his escort duties, runs into the water, and starts playing with the kids.  What a great dog life!  We were his company to the beach, but not interesting enough to hang out with.

Scaring the goat (and dog)

At White Bay, we settle in at the Soggy Dollar, which gained its name because people would swim ashore from boats in the bay and pay for their drinks with water-soaked dollars.

Settling in at the Soggy Dollar

A Painkiller and lunch

 View out from the Soggy Dollar - a popular place!

We order lunch (conch poppers, grilled cheese sandwich, pasta salad, and fish & chips), a few beers, and their specialty, a Painkiller (dark rum, cream of coconut, pineapple, orange juice, nutmeg). We've settled in at a table and go for an occasional swim, although the swimming area is limited by all the boats, many of which have come over for the day from nearby islands, and start to head back as the day progresses further into the afternoon.  Even if limited to the water close to shore, the swimming in the clear water is amazing.  Many who don't swim are spending their time waving to their friends back home on the Soggy Dollar webcam.

But, eventually, it is time to hike back over the hill and away we go, no local island escort dog this time.

 Hiking up the hill, away from White Bay

 And, down the other side into Great Harbor

We wander through Great Harbor,  just to see what is there.  Great Harbor has 200 residents, most of the permanent residents on the island, five restaurants, and our new friend, dog.

 Great Harbor

After our stroll through town, we head over to the pier and catch our tender home.  Another great relaxing day!

Departing Great Harbor