Ferry to Virgin Gorda

After a sleep-in and finally, a relaxing couple of hours in the sun by the pool, we head to the Ferry with all that overweight luggage in tow. No weight restrictions this trip.


BUT, there should have been. There were only about 25 people on the small Ferry to Virgin Gorda, but the luggage and boxes were unreal! We watched as they loaded more and more and more, loading the whole deck filling the bow, and even putting large boxed TV’s on the bow against the rail, and a Christmas wrapped, cement mixer!

I’d like to say we took off, but no such luck...you just can’t put that much weight right on the nose and expect the boat to go anywhere.

We revved and we bounced and we pitched up and down with spray 5 feet high and half way back on deck, and we yawed sideways, but we just didn’t get anywhere.

So, move all the passengers to a big pile at the far back of the boat. Still no joy!

So, move the boxes to the back as well, squishing the passengers in. Still no joy!

Then the crew got the wrenches out, ran back and forth and started adjusting the trim tabs, all the while assuring us that’s its really OK, the boat is fine, they will get us there, But, frantically pointing out that the life jackets are in the bin behind us. Gord tells the first mate that is exactly what the Crew of the Titanic said to the passengers. We are an hour late, it is getting dark and raining now. Two other Ferries pass us on each side and their wakes, as they race by, wobbles us severely and we furtively glanced back at the orange life jackets and planned our escape.

Good news, we pounded our way up the Drake passage in stormy, 6 foot waves for another two hours but it was fine, we did get there, eventually, and we didn’t need the life jackets. It was a bumpy, squishy, rough ride and we arrived in teeming rain to a muddy Customs/Immigration boatyard where it took 3 pick-up trucks to unload the small Ferry.

Welcome to the Islands Mon!