Every full moon in the British Virgin Islands, if you visit Trellis Bay, you will be treated to a truly spectacular sight….fire balls on the beach.

Aragorn’s Fire Sculptures are each uniquely designed and created by hand from steel spheres ranging in size from 12 inches to 5 feet in diameter.  These sculptures are made by hand cutting the elaborate stories out of steel balls and then placing firewood inside them. Lighting them ablaze is a truly incredible sight to see.  With each phase of the fire, from raging start to ember-glowing finish, the imagery changes.

Once the design was perfected, Aragorn continued to develop new shapes such as his Fire Cubes and Pyramids.

Aragorn’s Fire Sculptures are on display outside his studio on the beach at Trellis Bay, on Beef Island in the British Virgin Islands and are photographed daily by visitors and art appreciators. Each Full Moon and during the Trellis Bay New Year’s Eve festival, he places the Fire Sculptures on mounts in the sea just beyond the shoreline for the public to view. The sculptures are fueled with firewood and set ablaze. On New Year’s Eve the festivities gain momentum against a backdrop of fountains and fireworks accentuating the life and movement of the sculptures themselves.

Aragorn’s Fire Sculptures are in several private collections and galleries around the world, but originated in the BVI.  Custom fire sculptures are available for purchase from his studio at Trellis Bay, British Virgin Islands.

Richard Branson and his team are planning to sink the former USS YO-44, a ship that served – and saved lives – in Pearl Harbour during WWII. This historic vessel was primed to be scrapped for metal before Owen Buggy, former marine mechanic and photographer on Necker Island in the British Virgin Islands, identified it and the team dreamed up this project. The ship will form the centre-piece of a unique new dive site called The Maverick BVI Art Reef in the BVI.

It will include a large scale art sculpture of an 80-foot Kraken. This will double as a human interest feature for divers and a coral out-planting platform, which will kick-start a thriving reef ecosystem through innovative and effective coral restoration techniques. It will probably be one of the most unique dive sites in the world.

The project will also help to rehabilitate heavily over-fished marine populations; a special focus will be on bringing back vulnerable species of Grouper, such as the Goliath Grouper. Like Sir Richard, the BVI Tourist Board is confident this new dive site will boost the local economy by putting the British Virgin Islands on the world map as a top dive destination. What’s more, the project is supporting cutting edge scientific research called eDNA (environmental DNA) facilitated by NPO partners Beneath the Waves, as well as swim programs and providing ocean conservation platforms for inspiring our next generation of ocean stewards.

This is a real innovative project and credit to Richard Branson and his team for saving this WWII ship from the scrapyard.

Apologies for my radio silence – I have been on holiday in Australia for the past 4 weeks visiting Sydney, Adelaide, Alice Springs, Katherine, Darwin and Perth.

Beautiful beaches are plentiful in Australia but sadly swimming is a dangerous pastime from most beaches due to the prevalence of sharks and crocodiles.  Some beaches have shark nets to cordon off a safe bathing area, but you do not see many people in the sea.

In the beautiful British Virgin Islands the swimming is safe and you can actually snorkel with sand or nurse sharks which are harmless to humans and if you are lucky enough to spot a school of dolphins, your day will be complete.

Australia and the BVI – two very different and truly amazing destinations.  If you don’t fancy travelling for a day and a half, choose the BVI – only a short hop (by comparison!) from Gatwick to Antigua, then on to Tortola.

Below – idyllic snorkelling at the Indians in the beautiful British Virgin Islands.

What delightful names they have in the British Virgin Islands.  Little Apple Bay on Tortola is home to Sebastian’s on the Beach and the Sugar Mill Hotel – two absolutely delightful boutique type hotels.  The Coal Pot is a great local restaurant also close to Little Apple Bay.  Mongoose Apartments on Cane Garden Bay is laid back and casual but comfortable accommodation.

On the island of Anegada, we have Cow Wreck beach bar and grill and the Big Bamboo at Loblolly.  These stand on two stunning, natural white sand beaches that are hard to rival anywhere in the world.

Guana Island boasts Monkey Point and “Sometimes” beach – sometimes it’s there and sometimes it isn’t!  Guana does have a spectacular beach called White Bay offering excellent snorkelling, swimming and water sports.

Virgin Gorda is home to Coco Maya, Chez Bamboo, The Rock, The Mineshaft and many more wonderful restaurants.

There are many islands to explore in the beautiful BVI – this is only the tip of the iceberg!

One of the most spectacular beaches in the BVI is Smugglers’ Cove on Tortola.  It does not have the easiest access, as the road down to Smugglers is full of potholes and rocks to navigate around but when you arrive and step onto that glorious white sand beach, it is truly a “wow” factor and well worth the effort!

Many of you know that Tortola is the main island in the British Virgin Islands, but how many of you know that it actually means “Turtle Dove”?

Tortola is home to around 80% of the total population of the BVI and is the main port of entry for the yachting industry.  It is connected by a short bridge to Beef Island which is home to  the Terrance B. Lettsome airport.  The main airport for entry into the British Virgin Islands.

The capital of the BVI – Road Town is brimming with restaurants, shops and museums and the main hospital for the BVI and also the Governor’s official residence.

There are many intimate, small hotels, villas and apartments dotted around the hillsides and close to the beautiful white sand beaches.  Between November and March, Tortola is a surfers’ paradise with Atlantic swells off of Little Apple Bay and Josiah’s Bay.

The British Virgin Islands – offering something for almost everyone.

Anegada – meaning “drowned island” is the most northern island in the British Virgin Islands and is the only all-coral atoll in the BVI.  It is a mere 28 feet above sea level at its highest point. Surrounded on one side by the infamous Horseshoe Reef, a watery graveyard for many an unsuspecting wind-tossed ship, it is known to have over 300 wrecks in its waters, some of whose artefacts can be seen in a local nautical museum.

Known for its endless white sand beaches and salt ponds that host a growing flock of pink flamingoes, Anegada is an eco-tourist’s delight. Rare indigenous iguanas are nurtured by the National Parks Trust and released in the wild, and many rare types of plant life are also found on this unique, long, flat atoll. Bone fishing is a popular sport here, with many shallow flats that are home to bonefish, snook and permit.

Sandy roads, with a few paved stretches, link the beaches and small apartments and villas on the north side and criss-cross through The Settlement, the main village which boasts schools, a clinic, a police and fire station and a few small restaurants. Setting Point is the main harbour where both ferries and yachts arrive in a quiet cove, lined with seafood restaurants all featuring the succulent Anegada lobster.  Accessible also by a small airport, this gem in the BVI continues to be a quiet and beautiful get-away spot.

Kite-surfing is available off the beach at the Anegada Beach Club between November and June.  This is run by the professional Tommy Gaunt who has his kite surfing school on Anegada at Anegada Beach Club.  Lessons are available from beginner level.

If a Robinson Crusoe island in the sun appeals to you, then Anegada is definitely the place for you!

When Barack Obama was sworn in as U.S. president in January 2009, he probably had no idea that 8 years later, he would be vacating the White House and heading for paradise.

Barack and Michelle did just that on Monday 22nd January. They flew in to Beef Island on Richard Branson’s private jet and shortly afterwards, boarded the launch that transported them to Necker Island.

What a treat, following 8 years of hard work to escape the unforgiving Washington winter and head for the sunshine of the beautiful British Virgin Islands.

Plenty of white sand beaches, swaying palm trees and turquoise seas and….let’s not forget these Painkillers (!) the signature cocktail in the British Virgin Islands.

Enjoy the BVI Barack and Michelle!