Back in Tortola after 20 years! - February 2016

In early February I paid a short visit to Tortola in the British Virgin Islands. I was a regular visitor here in the mid to late 90’s (again for work) but it doesn’t seem to have changed that much in the interim. The Capital, Road Town, is a regular stop off for the cruise liners and there were at least two different ships docked for each of the 3 days I spent on the Island. Unfortunately for the local economy the passengers disembark, stroll around the town and then get back onboard without spending much if anything on the Island; so in spite of being known as a tax heaven it is not as well developed as some of the other Caribbean Islands - even those that fly direct to the island are mostly there to join their yachts ready to embark on a few weeks sailing.

I flew in and out of Tortola on a Cessna 420 and took the right hand co-pilots seat for the 40-minute flight back to San Juan. This was the first time that I have flown into a major international airport in a light aircraft. I used to do a bit of flying in my youth so this took me back in time a little.

I stayed at the Nanny Cay Hotel, which was OK for a few nights but I would not recommend it for a holiday. Some of the photographs here were made at the nearby beach. The others were made at Frenchmans Cay as the sun sets behind Great Thatch and Little Thatch Islands. I was fortunate to have another photographer who arrived by launch and set up on a small abandoned jetty which I think adds to the foreground interest. This shot seems to be attracting some interest on 500px.

Cessna 420

Sunset and Frenchmans Cay

In the frame

Sunset over Great and Little Thatch Islands