Amazing Amazon
Day 23
M/S Regatta
Spanish Town, Virgin Gorda, British Virgin Islands
Leeward Islands
Lesser Antilles
West Indies
Arriving: 10:30 AM
Departing: 4:00 PM
Scattered Clouds - 84 Degrees
Virgin Gorda is the second largest of the 36 British Virgin Islands, only 16 of which are inhabited. With a name like "Fat Virgin," this island must have had a tough time in high school, but her curves inspired Christopher Columbus, who "envisioned the island as a pregnant woman in a languid recline with Gorda Peak being her big belly and the boulders of the Baths her toes."
The Baths National Park is the island's must-see attraction and its most celebrated beach, a unique geologic formation that is a highlight of the Caribbean.
A steep, winding, rocky path leads from the road down to the beach, 350 nearly-vertical yards of hazards and obstructions.
The beach is spectacular, strewn with giant boulders scattered about the sand and into the water, creating arches and tunnels, caves and grottoes, placid pools fed by the waves and warmed by the sun. It's as if the giants were playing a game of marbles and forgot to clean up before they went home to dinner. The water is clear and blue, fish dart in and out among the rocks, and boats line the bay at the buoy line. Mother Nature, however, is an inhospitable host. The sand is coarse and crowded without a breath of shade. The path into the water is blocked by rocks at every turn, the surf is high and the undertow vicious, the grottoes and tide pools even more treacherous. A weak swimmer with a fool's arrogance could find themselves in fast trouble.
With a seat in the shade and a drink in-hand, the views overlooking Sir Francis Drake Channel from the top of The Baths were just as inspiring. This is the Caribbean.
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