Delta Days 17 and 18: Stunning Saba Island and the Windward Side

Written by Sarah Leigh Enticott (Day 17) and Sinéad Power (Day 18)

Edited by Meredith Evridge

Day 17

The Deltoids arrived at Saba Island. It is a towering volcanic island with the highest point being the crater of Mount Scenery. This morning, the atmosphere on board the boats was one of excitement as today, we get to climb this mighty mountain, followed by diving and snorkeling in the afternoon. After a “fend for yourself” style breakfast of oats, bagels and cheese, cereal and yogurts, it was time to lock up the boats and go ashore. Sea Saba dive boats picked us up and the adventure began. The island is simple with colorful houses, iguanas that bask in the sunshine in the middle of the roads, and goats around every corner. We arrived at the start of the hike and this towering mountain appeared before us. It was muddy, tiring and a real challenge.

Hey, no challenge is too big for these Delta students! It was an overcast day, so the experience at the top was more about the accomplishment than the view. By the time the students had headed back down and reached the bottom, they were covered in mud. There was laughter all around and everyone was proud of their achievements.

Next up? A dive and a snorkel. The divers did two dives and went down to a depth of sixty feet. They saw lobster, frog fish and octopus. The snorkelers went to two sites. The last one was called The Towers. It was such named for the huge, towering, volcanic rocks. The snorkelers saw many schools of fish, turtles and many tarpon. The students enjoyed swimming for a long time in the water, with the highlight being the swim through. It was then chill time, ASA study time (tests will be soon!), showers and dinner. Everyone enjoyed a delicious meal of teriyaki chicken stir fry. Curtis, our program director, joined the Zanzibar crew for dinner which was fun. After boat clean, it was boat meeting and all fell asleep shortly after. This has become the norm on the Delta boats as such action-packed days really tire us out. Another Saba Island adventure tomorrow, and then it’s our overnight passage back to the BVI. The atmosphere on-board the boats is definitely a nostalgic one as our close-knit family adventures are nearing an end! Stay tuned!

Day 18

This morning, Delta students rose to clear skies and a long day ahead. Over breakfast prep, they readied themselves for the day and began stowing personal items. After breakfast buffet, the dive boats came to collect us from our mooring balls at Ladder Bay. We were taxied to port where we traveled to the Windward Side (yes, that is the name of the town!). Our students took the chance to visit the local bakery before dividing us up.

Mayotte rambled around, enjoying the town views, supermarket and artisan stores. Meanwhile, Zanzibar undertook the steep, uphill trik to Jo-Bean, a much anticipated stop for students and staff alike. After a demonstration from the artist herself, students had the opportunity to select colors and try their hand at making their own glass bead. It was trickier than Jo made it look!

Jewelry complete, our boats reconvened for lunch at a local restaurant where the burgers seemed particularly popular with our students. Following lunch, Zanzibar hit the shops and Mayotte gave glass art a try. Our adventures at the Windward Side complete, we availed of both land and water taxis to return to boats and prepare for the evening ahead.

The boat clean, stowing scattered items away, and ramen for dinner were all put to the side as students had to shower first! Once they felt fresh and clean again, they got to work preparing the boat for our return passage to the BVI. Dinner clean and pre-departure checks complete, we got underway on a broad reach, heading for Virgin Gorda. A favorable wind direction, sitting around fifteen knots led to a comfortable start.

Most students hit the hay by 8:30 or 9 as first watch began. The first watch was uneventful and brought us through midnight, where day nineteen begins. We looked forward to meeting back up with Mega Fleet for a day at Long Bay!