Anguilla

Our sail to Anguilla from St. Maarten started off with an early rising to clear customs, take on water and join the lineup to proceed out of the lagoon upon the bridge opening. The sail was a close reach all of the way across to the island (up to 9 knots). Once in the lee of the island, Ron persisted on sailing still and even though we were close enough to see the whites of their eyes at Road Bay, we tacked and tacked and tacked. Anguilla is a very low island that is famous for its white sand beaches. It has quite an extensive marine park around the island and unfortunately there are fairly extensive fees to visit any where in the park. We have only scheduled and paid for one park visit to Prickly Pear Cays. It is our plan to spend the afternoon here before heading to the British Virgin Islands via the Anageda

We anchored in the Prickly Pear Cays and combed the beach for shells. Alex found a dead flying gunard and a puffer fish, but her favourite find was a pair of slipper that had washed up on the beach. The beaches were beautiful but well picked over as it appeared to be a favourite destination of the party catamarans. Ron and I snorkled the reef and saw many of our favourite fish, but after we went back to Moon Beam, I went off by myself and was overwhelmed with a visit from two very large spotted eagle rays. What a wonderful sight this was to see them soar through the water.
While walking across one of the islands to look at a sail boat washed ashore from one of the hurricanes, we came across these brown footed boobies with their young.