Anegada-da-Vida Baby
Anegada – the lonely BVI on the edge of the Atlantic
After a perfect 4-hour sail, we arrived at an oasis between the Caribbean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean. Anegada is a flat island with no hills or mountains unlike the other Virgin Islands. It was formed by the shifiting of the 2 tectonic plates and is not a volcanic island. It is home to the 3rd largest barrier reef in the world, after the Great Barrier Reef in Australia and Belize. Horseshoe Reef encircles the east end of the island and is a nature reserve with pink flamingos, conch island, great snorkeling and much more.
It was Thursday afternoon when we arrived and we counted 40+ boats either anchored or moored in the bay, including a superyacht. By Friday morning, 95% of the boats were departing since boat charters normally run Saturday to Saturday. The secret here is to visit on the weekend when there are no charter boats.
The day we arrived, we had dinner on the deck of the Lobster Trap restaurant overlooking the bay - of course, we had lobster. The next day, we explored the 11-mile long island by scooter, snorkeling at Deep Bay near the famous Lobloly Bay, enjoying lunch at the Big Bamboo Bar, traversing the sand road crossing the island and a final stop at Cow Wreck Bar. Every venue had incredible views and powder sugar sand beaches. Cow Wreck Bar looks particularly fun with a Texas flair, pool table and beach games, and pics of Richard Branson and the Obama’s on the celebrity wall.
The next day, we had a great snorkeling and lobster snaring trip with the Kelly’s tours. Kelly’s little brother, John, took us out for an amazing tour of the east end of the island and the Horseshoe Reef. We were blessed to see two flocks of pink flamingos, including an air show. They are so beautiful. We then went snorkeling at the reef line and Paul watched John work hard to corner and snare a lobster. In the end, the boys decided to let the little guy live another day. On our return, we stopped by Conch Island and took a swim in the kiddie pool. Conch Island has been formed over the past 200 years by conch fisherman disposing of conch shells from their harvest. John said there were over 2 million shells that have been deposited here that contribute to the sustainability of the area. The shells are put here to avoid the fisherman from pursuing empty shells when diving. In addition, the story goes that conch recognize an empty shell as a bad omen and go elsewhere. This shell reef with a shallow sandy center in the open water is great for a dip (but a little stinky).
Anegada is a wonderful oasis that we hope to visit again. With a small airstrip and some newer swanky cottages and glamping hotels, it would be an amazing honeymoon or retreat location.