Endings and new beginnings..

The last official leg of our trip went to White Bay on Jost van Dyke which houses the famous «Soggy Dollar Bar», where you swim ashore with dollars tucked into your bikini to buy drinks, especially known for their frozen (prescription-free) Painkillers! Several bars spread out along the coral white strech of sandy beach, Millie was actually escorted by a turtle on her swim in! Took a few tries of anchoring the boat to Get it right, but then the boat lied perfectly with the anchor buried deep in the coral sandy bottom of the turquoise bay. Needed to get some souvernir tshirts, as this at least for the kids was the high point of the trip, and then another nice meal of fish tacos, heavily loaded nachos and the new favourite drink for the whole crew: ginger beer. The kids made friends with a dog and a couple of older guys who were just as hung up as they were on winning the Pea- bag throwinggame- both Erik and Christian will have to go straight to their woodsheds as we get home to make the boxes for the game and Cornelia and I will have to sew the peabags. After a long day of swimming and playing and lunch at white sands, yatzy and music on the boat commenced. There was also a Concert with live music an a bonfire at a little restaurant on the adjacent beach- perfect setting for our last full holiday night!

To wake up and know that the holiday is about to come to an end is sad but at the same time it fills you with a feeling of being so lucky to once again being able to travel to distant exotic places. A thing we must never take for granted- this lesson was learnt the hard way more than 2 years ago when our adventure was put on hold indefinetely! And this is definetely not the last sirkussaeter adventure!

Early morning coffees and bookreading on deck with the caribbean silky warm wind rocking the boat gently. A 3-4 hour leg toward a Bay near the airport, (Bellamy Cay), laying in the net up front in the cat, swaying with the waves, wanting this day and trip to never end.. this trip has already had its share of celebrations with both 17th of May and Eriks 45th birthday. Today – the 26th of May is Erik&my weddingday- our 10 year anniversary – I guess we couldnt ask for a better way and place of celebrating that too here with close friends.

As the sun is about to set in the Bellamy Cay where Double Trouble lay, we’ll have yet another caribbean meal (this tile at «the loose mongoose»), probably another and last game of yatzy and then as the pitchblack caribbean night with the heavy star loaded skies above sets- we’ll be gently rocked to sleep by the waves yet again!

After a night of medium heavy winds, we woke up to sunfilled blue skies and went dipping in the sea for one last time, doing our spa-ritual on the portside back of the boat, getting ready for our looong trip home. Just a short dinghy ride and a 3 min walk to get to Beef Island Airport (fully planned with docking the boat literally next to the airstrip we also thankfully escaped another corefrightening looking-death-in-the-eye ride on the Tortola roads like the one we experienced as we arrived! two weeks back).

As we got ready to depart, Erik got the boat spick and span for the next crew joining him as soon as we left, the boat looking somewhat like a gypsycamp with bedsheets for the next crew hanging out to dry all over the boat(no Lil Bits laundry here!)

As our adventure ends today, a new one is just about to begin on Double trouble – I must admit that it is with slight envy we tagged off leaving «our» Double Trouble to Erik and the boys- Even so we wish all the best to the 4 friends taking over the vessel for the coming ten days; Erik, Anders, Morten and Stian!

Ship o’hoi, and stay safe! ❤️

In order of appearances, Double Trouble’s magnificent crew:

When you’re the best of friends
Having so much fun together
You’re not even aware you’re such a funny pair
You’re the best of friends
Life’s a happy game
You could clown around forever
Neither one of you sees you’re natural boundaries
Life’s one happy game
Sharing all that you discover
When these moments have passed will the friendship last?
Who can say?
There’s a way
Oh I hope, I hope it never ends
Cause you’re the best of friends

(Somewhat freely reproduced from the lyrics «Best of friends» from Fox&hound, Todd&Copper)

Thank you ever so much, Eriksens, for a truly wonderful, funfilled adventure together! ❤️