THE BUCCANEER’S

BIBLE

AHOY, MATEY!

YOU ARE ABOUT TO EMBARK ON AN

EXCITING ADVENTURE ABOARD THE

SAILING VESSEL (Boat  

   

Name), A FOOT (CATAMARAN) (MOTOR 

   

YACHT) (MONOHULL). (Pick one). THIS   

 

WILL BE YOUR FLOATING CONDO DURING

YOUR BRITISH VIRGIN ISLAND VACATION.

LIFE AT SEA CAN GET COZY, SO IN ORDER

FOR EVERYONE TO ENJOY THEMSELVES,

READ THIS BIBLE OR RISK WALKING THE   

 

PLANK!!!          

 

     

SHIPBOARD RULES    

GENERAL RULES   

1). The Captain is the boss aboard ship.   

2). The First Mate is the “next” boss aboard ship.   

3). No whining, crying (unless you really stub your toe on a cleat), tattle telling, fighting, or the worse offense: “I’m bored.”

  

VIOLATION OF #3 WILL CAUSE YOU TO BE SEWN UP IN THE MAINSHEET AND TOSSED OVERBOARD!

  

4) You must have fun!!!!!!!!!   

SPECIFIC RULES   

A.CABINS   

1) Cabin assignments will be as follows:   

Port Side (on the left) Cabin #1: Cabin #2:

Starboard Side (on the right) Cabin #3: Cabin #4:

  

2) All items in your cabin must be neatly stowed at all times because being clobbered by falling undies is no fun. You are each responsible for your own space, including bed making.

  

B. HEAD (also known as the potty)   

1) Make sure you get a potty lesson from the Captain or First Mate prior to your first use.

  

2) Do not use a lot of toilet paper at one time before flushing or you will cause a huge clog. Use a couple of squares, flush, wipe again if necessary.

  

3) If you have a “Joe Nathan”, a “log” or whatever else you choose to call the “BIG NUMBER TWO”, use this technique. Pull out the shower head from the faucet and spray some warm water into the head to melt or break apart the “poo.” Then try flushing again. If you have trouble, in order to avoid a huge clog, ask either the Captain or First Mate for help. (Do not worry – it is part of their job!).

  

4) Before flushing in an anchorage, make sure none of your party is in the water because, “FLOATERS ARE NASTY!”

      

C. SHOWERS   

5) You can only carry a certain amount of water, so no long showers like at home.

  

6) Proper Technique:   

a) Get in. b) Get wet and turn off the water. c) Lather/shampoo up. d) Rinse off quickly and turn the water off.

  

7) Alternate Technique – “The Joy Shower”:   

a) Jump into the ocean. b) After swimming, get on the ladder or sit on

the back of the boat deck. c) Lather up with Joy dishwashing liquid. d) Jump back into the ocean to remove the

soap. e) Rinse off with fresh water shower on deck.

  

• Special Note: Considering that you will be in the water every day, it is technically possible to go your whole vacation without actually having to take a shower. Any and all parties are free to tell the other mateys they stink and need a good, hot shower. No offense will be taken.

      

D. TEETH BRUSHING   

a) Must be done at least once a day. b) Wet brush. c) Turn off the water. d) Brush teeth. e) Rinse.

  

E. GALLEY   

8) The refrigerator only stays cold as long as the ice lasts. Therefore, please do not stand with the refrig hatch open – know what you want ahead of time. Always ask if anyone else wants something before you open up. You will probably have a cooler for everyday drinks in the cockpit.

  

9) Drinking water (in bottles) all has to be carried aboard. Therefore, if you start a bottle, it cannot be wasted. Before opening another bottle, finish the bottle you started – even if it is warm.

  

10)If meals are prepared on board, remember everyone is supposed to be on vacation – even the cook. Offer to help. All dishes need to be washed and put away before you leave an anchorage.

11)For meals on shore, the food may be different than you have had before, but do not be afraid of new things. Try it – you might just like it!!

  

F. COMMON AREAS AND CABINS   

No wet clothes or towels left on cushions, decks or floors. Wet towels can be hung up on the life lines to dry, just make sure they are clothes-pinned on so they do not blow away. Wet or sandy shoes need to remain in the cockpit, not the cabins, or you will have sand in your bed.

  

G. ANCHORAGES   

Other sailors are here to enjoy the quiet! Please be considerate of others and watch the noise level, especially when diving off the back of the boat.

    

Other sailors may “hang out” nude, especially when showering. Try not to be obvious about pointing, try not to laugh too loud, and most important of all- share the binoculars!!!

      

CHORES    

EVERYONE IS RESPONSIBLE FOR THEIR OWN SNORKEL GEAR – CARRYING, RINSING OFF AND STOWING AWAY AT THE END OF EACH TRIP. IF GEAR IS LEFT OUT, IT IS LIKELY TO GO OVERBOARD –OOPS!

  

IF THE CAPTAIN OR FIRST MATE GIVES YOU CHORES, LIST THEM HERE:

  

HISTORY OF THE ISLANDS    

Arawak Indians settled the Virgin Islands around 100 BC, sailing from South American in dugout canoes. The Arawaks lived in the Islands for many years and even now we still use some of their words: tobacco, barbecue, potato, hurricane, and cannibal. The Arawaks were a peace-loving tribe, but they were chased (or eaten) by the meaner Carib Indians, cannibals who arrived from South America in the 1400s. In 1493, Columbus “discovered” the Virgin Islands on his way to finding America. He must have missed having his female friends along, because he named the islands, Las Virgines.

  

The Spanish did not think much of these islands (they must have been crazy), so they stopped here only long enough to mine copper sometime in the 1600s. The Europeans who tried to move here were harassed by the Caribs and pirates, who attached ships carrying treasure back to Spain. As Spain began to lose their power, ownership of the Islands shifted back and forth between different countries until the Dutch established a permanent settlement on Tortola in 1648.

  

Eventually, the English threw the Dutch out of Tortola in 1672. The new rulers introduced two features of the colonial era in the Caribbean – sugar cane and slaves. Between the mid 1700s and the early

1800s, the English got very rich producing sugar, cotton, rum and spices on the Virgin Islands. Finally, slave unrest brought an end to slave auctions in 1803, and by the 1830s, all the slaves had been freed.

  

In 1917, the United States bought three of the islands still controlled by the Dutch. These were St. Thomas, St. John, and St. Croix.

  

Nothing remains of the Virgin Islands original Indian population. That is a good thing, because cannibals could really ruin your vacation. Today, the locals are mostly descended from slaves or slave owners.

  

People from the islands have their own language – a combination of English, Spanish, Dutch, French, African and maybe even some leftover Arawak.

  

What words or phrases have you heard that you like or make you laugh?

  

(Write them here)

  

ENVIRONMENT    

Hilly and dry, the British Virgin Islands lay about 50 miles east of Puerto Rico and 1,100 miles southeast of Miami, Florida. Taken together, they are a little smaller than Washington, D.C.

  

Thick semi-tropical forests cover most of the islands, but there are also dry stretches of cactus, scrub brush, palms and mangroves. Mango, papaya, coconut and breadfruit trees are also found almost everywhere.

  

Common animals you might see are lizards, iguanas, donkeys, free- range chickens, goats and mongoose. The mongoose eats snakes, so you will not find any snakes on these islands. In the

water, besides tons of fish and coral, watch for dolphins, sting rays, sea horses, and sea turtles.

 

 

What was your first impression when you first saw the islands?

             

 

Describe your experience riding in a taxi, especially if your airplane landed in St. Thomas and you had to go over the mountains to the ferry dock?

 

                  

If you took the ferry from St. Thomas to Tortola, write about it here? Was it fun? Were you scared? What did you think about going through customs?

THE REAL PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN    

Imagine yourself resting in the cockpit after a long day of snorkeling. As the sun begins to set towards the horizon, a small ship sails into the anchorage you thought you had all

to yourself. An anchor splashes overboard, and before you know it, a group of noisy, unshaven pirates row across the water to your boat, swarm the deck, empty your wallet, steal all your treasure and food, and run off with all the ladies onboard.

  

Although piracy is no longer a popular pastime in the Virgin Islands, it is really not that long since it was the cool thing to do throughout the Caribbean. In the early 1700s, a sympathetic governor in St. Thomas was still selling goods for pirates like Blackbeard.

  

Pirating was basically government approved. The King or Queen of England encouraged raids on ships of their enemies, especially the Spanish. Privately owned ships or ships sailed by sailors that were not in the navy, were given “letters of marques” which made them assistants to the Royal British Navy. Actually, these letters were like permission slips to be dirty rotten pirates. To get these permission slips, the pirates had to give the King or Queen 10% of any treasure they stole. The pirates attacked merchant ships of other countries, especially during war time.

 

 

One of the most famous pirates was a dude by the name of Frances Drake. Queen Elizabeth I had him attack Spanish ships in the Virgin Islands that were loaded with gold. He did such a good job, that when he finally returned to England, the Queen knighted him, “Sir Frances Drake.” The main waters you will be sailing in are named after him – The Sir Frances Drake Channel.

  

Spain was the most powerful nation in the world during that time. Other countries were happy to see pirates steal treasure intended for Spain. While the Spanish were distracted fighting the pirates, the English, French and Dutch were able to move in and set up colonies in the West Indies. The term, “buccaneer”, comes from the French word for pirate.

  

The ideal pirate ship was small and fast. They usually carried up to 75 men. The pirates would sneak our from the coast in poor light to spring upon slow moving ships loaded with gold and other treasures. The Virgin Islands made an excellent hunting ground with their many coves and passages. Situated right on the treasure route from South America to Europe, the area was visited by many famous Caribbean pirates including Edward England, Charles Vane, Calico Jack, and the most famous – Blackbeard- who would go into battle with slow-burning matches lighted in his beard and behind his ears to make him look really scary. Blackbeard hid his treasure in the

caves of Norman Island. (You will probably snorkel in them).

  

By the early 1700s, competition for stolen treasure in the Caribbean was strong. A treaty in 1713 allowed the English Navy to start protecting merchant ships. As the colonies in the Virgin Islands began to get stronger, law and order made the pirates less welcome. Many of them set sail for the Orient, the Red Sea and the Indian Ocean. The last pirate attack in Tortola was in 1869.

        

If you were a pirate, what would your name be?       

What would be good pirate names for the other mateys on your ship?

         

 

What would be the best treasure you could have?

If you had to hide your treasure, where would you hide it? Draw your treasure map here:

 

                      

Make up a pirate story to tell the rest of the group. (Write it here):

   

   

 

         

         

Place a number next to the islands in the order you visited them!

NORMAN ISLAND    

Norman is the first island of any size that together with the islands of Peter, Salt, Cooper and Ginger form the south end of the Sir Frances Drake Channel. The locals call the island, “Treasure Island”, because this is where pirates supposedly hid their treasure in the caves. In 1750 treasure of $450,000.00, tobacco and spices was dug up by some Tortolians. You will probably be snorkeling off shore and around the caves. See if you can find that hidden treasure left by Blackbeard.

      

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

How was snorkeling? What did you see? What did you think about the caves? (Write about it here):

           

 

Did you eat at Pirates or the Willy T? What did you eat? What was the most fun thing you did? (Write about it):

          

PELICAN ISLAND AND THE INDIANS    

Just off Norman Island, you will be snorkeling this beautiful reef, which is part of the Underwater National Park Service. Isn’t it beautiful? What colors were the coral, sponges and sea fans you saw? What kind of fish did you see? (Write about it here):

      

JOST VAN DYKE    

A high, large island, Jost Van Dyke is to the north of Tortola. It is known as the Barefoot Island. Only about 130 people live on this island – most of them related in some way. This island is pretty sleepy by day, but a party spot for sailors at night. Foxy’s is the place to be – you’ll see why!! The largest settlement is Great Harbour.

    

Did you hang your shirt up at Foxy’s?

             

    

How would you feel living in a small town like this?

          

 

Write about your experience on Jost Van Dyke here:

Did you eat at Sydney’s Peace and Love; at Abe’s or someplace else? Did you try any new food?

SANDY SPIT OR SANDY CAY    

What would you think if you were stranded on Sandy Spit or Sandy Cay and no other islands were around? How would you survive? If you could see the other islands, how would that change things? What would be the best thing about living on Sandy Spit? The worst thing? If you could name the island, what would you call it?

 

               

MARINA CAY    

   

Marina Cay (pronounced KEY) is a tiny little island nestled behind a reef in between Great Camoe and Scrub Islands. It was the home of Robb White, an author who came here to live with his wife and write about his adventures. It is a short dinghy ride to Bellamy Cay for a fun dinner at The Last Resort.

  

What would it be like to live on a tiny island all your own? What would be the best thing? The worst thing? (Write about it here):

VIRGIN GORDA    

This half-mountainous/half flat island is a few miles northeast of Tortola. Christopher Columbus called it the “Fat Virgin” because he thought the island, from a distance, looked like a big fat lady lying on her back with her stomach sticking up! The best spot is at the south end of the island. It is called The Baths. Gigantic granite boulders have been dumped by volcanoes on white, palm-lined beaches, creating tons of caves to walk through and climb over and under. Tide and wave actions turn the caves into baths. You can spend a lot of time hiking here, but try not to pee in the warm water! On the opposite end of the island is the North Sound – also called The Bitter End. There is an outdoor big screen T.V. for sailors who need a quick fix.

 

   

  

    

    

So, what did you think about The Baths? Pretty cool, huh? Write about your time exploring The Baths here:

COOPER ISLAND AND SALT ISLAND    

Cooper Island is a beautiful anchorage. The Beach Club is a nice white sandy beach that is a great place to relax ashore and the food (especially the desserts) are

yummy! You will hear tons of birds singing in the trees. If you snorkel off the beach- look for seahorses in the sea grass.

  

Salt Island is named for the island’s three evaporation ponds. Salt Island was once an important source of salt for the Queen of England. The island and its salt ponds still belong to England, but the locals run the salt production. Each year, at the start of the harvest, one bag of salt is given to the Governor of the Virgin Islands as rent. Today, only 1 man seems to be living on Salt Island. Just offshore of Salt Island is the site of the wreck of the RMS Rhone. This was a mail ship that sunk during a hurricane a long time ago. It is a great place to dive, and you can even see some of the wreck if you snorkel over it.

What are your favorite things about Cooper Island? (Write about it here):

   

Did you explore the salt ponds? What would it be like to live alone on Salt Island? What would you be willing to pay each year to live there? (Write about it here):

PETER ISLAND    

There is a fancy resort on one end of Peter Island, but who wants to get dressed up when you go on vacation, right?! There is a beautiful anchorage in Great Harbour. It is very quiet, the beaches are pure white and the water is crystal clear blue. There are no restaurants, but it is a fun place to stop. There are usually lots of sea turtles swimming around and tons of goats playing on the shore.

    

Write about your experience on Peter Island here:         

 

FISH AND CORAL REEFS    

So, how cool was the underwater scene? Using your fish guide, list all the fish you saw here:

      

        

What were your favorite fish?

YOUR VIRGIN ISLAND ADVENTURE    

It is now time to leave the islands and head for home- BOO HOO!

  

What was the best thing about this trip?           

  

What was the worst thing?

What surprised you?                                

What was it like living on a sailboat or motor yacht?  

  

What new foods did you try that you liked?       

What new foods did you try that you hated?         

Would you do this trip again? If not, why? If yes, when?            

 

     

eefcomber'sGuide to Fk·,rida Bermuda, the Bahamas

' the Caribbean                

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Buy one on hard plastic for underwater viewing online at http://www. snorkel-mart. com

""''c :::.e,. fcomber's Guide to Flr-""ida Bermuda, the Bahamas

' and the Caribbean

 

                                                     

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r"' '""" nnr.-<' CO A "c "' Q') "' ••oomo Fl 'l 'l 'iR !I sA. All riahts reserved Copynghl© 1982. Jerry, ldaz and Mimi Greenberg

  

Buy one on hard plastic for underwater viewing online at http:I/www.snorkel-mart. com