Takin' One For the Team

Well my shipmate friends, I will be traveling to the Virgin Islands next Friday the 12th of October to obtain as much information about our trip as I can. I will be meeting with our people at VIP and touring the boats we will be chartering.
I have chartered a 25 foot runabout to tour the BVI'S the week of the 15th. I will travel to each destination we have on our trip. I will be discussing our itinerary with "Bob" the Captain at VIP that will give us our chart briefing before our charter. I called Bob yesterday. When I told him I would be visiting him the week of the 15th of October he told me he would take some time with me to help us improve our itinerary. He indicated there are places (off the beaten path) that he would recommend that would amaze us. I will meet with people at the locations we plan to visit. People such as the dive operators, the little beach bars operators and the marina people. I will work to establish an itinerary that will give us a great sunset view from our boats as many nights as possible. This trip I am taking will give us the ability to make better quality decisions about our itinerary. I hope to minimize nonproductive time and maximize time at play. From the discussions I have had this week with people in the Virgin Islands I have already learned how we can make our trip better. I am told we should expect to cruise (motor to our next location) for one or two hours at most on any given day. Bob from VIP told me he has boated in the San Juans in the past and boating in the Virgin Islands is very different. He tells me the focus of each day will be the destination and NOT the journey. I want to assure you I will be working hard to learn how to create the absolute best trip for all of us. In short I will be takin' one for the team next week learning from the people who live there and captain charter boats for a living. I don't mean to be melancholy about the burden I will bear for the group but I do ask you to keep me in your prayers for the price I will pay being in the islands for a week. ....... OK I'm having a great time and I wish you were here. WOW!!! Less than five weeks and we are on the trip of our lives. Words cannot express the excitement and anticipation I have for our trip. I hope to infect you with my enthusiasm for the adventure. GET READY TO HAVE THE TIME OF YOUR LIFE.

Oh....and by the way Todd, I got my Speedo.

Pat