St Martin was easy to leave! We didn't really enjoy it there, the lagoon we were anchored in was more like a sewer, and ashore was very very commercial. The plus side was the lovely French bakers everywhere, and a good supermarket. We got the sail repaired, and stocked up on chandlery bits at the enormous (but not fantastic) Budget Marine. Ellen and Anna were very pleased to see the girls from Cenou, as we were to see their parents! We left St Martin at 4am and set off for the Virgin Islands, arriving at Virgin Gorda by 4 in the afternoon. Cenou (another Cat - very nice French design - soubise or something) was the first boat we have cruised with who has been faster than us! Not much though, and we anchored at the same time at Spanish town. The next morning I went in to clear customs with Claude. We arrived as they opened but had to wait for a while so they could get organised, it was then that I realised they must be mosquito breeders! The customs building was swarming with the little horrors and I flapped my way through the 5 long forms I had to fill out.

That day we headed up to the north of the island, to a resort called the Bitter End (Cenou had a reservation in the small marina there for a few days). We anchored within WIFI range of a resort which was a great luxury for us. The resort welcomed boats (infact had a small marina and lots of mooring bouys) and we spent some great afternoons on the beaches there, enjoying the sunbeds, hammock, and the other kids on holiday there. Ricke, from Cenou made John and I very happy by babysitting one evening while John and I went out for dinner. I was worried we wouldn't know what to say to each other but we actually had a lovely time. Our broker from Antigua had arranged a viewing for the weekend, so after a tidy up we sailed down to Spanish town to meet the viewers at the weekend. We also found here a good laundry, ice-cream shop, and small supermarket, so we are all happy.

Ellen has learnt to jump in off the boat at last, and using her goggles is swimming under water. Going goggling is now her favourite thing. Anna continues to be fairly obsessed with colouring, and says she is too young for goggles.

The BVIs are very pretty, but we are finding it a bit plastic - there is no getting away from the fact that here we are the rich white tourists, and ashore we are pretty much just dollar signs. However, the beaches and turquoise seas are stunning and the sailing is great, so there is absolutely nothing to moan about!