Thursday 11th February 2016
 
Today is our last full day of our sailing trip. I can agree with everyone who has ever visited the B. V. I. s that it is the most picturesque part of the world, once you leave the capital of Tortola, Roadtown. Some of the islands are just so pretty and green. The sea is so perfectly blue and everyone we've met are friendly, happy and joyful. We've found some incredible bays and so today we leave Norman Island and sail to Cooper - a pristine, very British island. The main bay, Manchineel, is my favourite place up to yet. It's owned by a British family and consists of Hotel, restaurant, shop, and perfectly English looking coffee shop, even selling chocolate brownies!!! Its decking and beautifully painted wooden buildings are very Farrow and Ball. Once we moor I swim off for a reconnoitre of the waters around us. Scott is making omelettes for the rest so we spend quite a while chilling before taking the dinghy to shore. Rachel, Bryan and Emily go paddle boarding. Peter and I take a double Kayak and wander around the bay looking to photograph turtles. Then it's off to the cafe to enjoy yummy coffees, then after a swim off the beach, the bell tolls for happy hour at the bar! Anna, Petra, Scott, Peter and myself enjoy a double dose of beers or Painkiller cocktails. Gosh I will so miss this life* The warmth all day and night. The laid back Caribbean life. It's so fabulous. I am just so very lucky.
 
We have booked the restaurant for 6.30 p.m. so we are all dressed up and ready we leave our Cat for our final night's meal out. The sign outside the restaurant says fully booked so thank goodness Scott had organised our table for the nine of us. It's an open kitchen and most of the staff are Brits. The head chef is a young English guy, with a manic look of determination more like Gordon Ramsey. He's a great worker and the skill of him plating up, is an art in itself and what a terrific job he makes of each meal. Peter and I enjoy bowls of spaghetti, me with Shrimp - enormous prawns truthfully - Peter Chicken and mushrooms. Every plate is utterly spotless when we've finished eating. Not a morsel is left. As it's Sophie's birthday today Scotts organised a birthday desert for her and we all sing happy birthday as it arrives.
 
Some return to the boat after dinner, but 6 of us head to the Rum bar for a final cocktail or two and put the world to right. When Scott collects us with our very own dinghy taxi service at 10.30 we head towards a light and camera set up just offshore to see what the underwater life is like at night. Scary stuff! We see loads of very large Tuna and Reef Sharks swimming beneath us and, more scary, all around the underside of our Catamaran. The tuna are big, around 3 - 4 feet long and rubbing themselves alongside the hull. Bryan gets his Go Pro camera and attempts to take pictures under the water. I was swimming in there this afternoon! But honestly I think the reef sharks are about similar size and, because we've put lights on in the water, it all looks too sinister for words. It's funny though, no one wants a swim the morning after the night before! 
 
We get up and pack ready to leave on our final sail on Friday morning back to Hodges Creek and our farewells. But first we say our final goodbye to Cooper Island and its special little English coffee shop. Our trip is almost done and everyone is feeling just a fraction sad. 
 
* PJF footnote. I was a little puzzled by this observation in the light of the rapidity with which I have to replenish our drinks cabinet at home.