Tortola . . . by Shelley Townley
Protecting the Sir Francis Drake Channel from the north lies Tortola . An island adored by yachties the world over and virtually ignored until recently by the traveling hordes that visit other Caribbean islands . Just as beautiful and arguably more relaxing , Tortola is a welcoming place without being focused entirely on tourism . People living here have good health care and education and the unemployment rate is relatively low compared to many other nations in the Caribbean . The British influence is strong here and the laws are tough and crime is low , people are successful and the economy moves along nicely with the help of offshore global finance and investment industry and the global yachting community .
supermarkets here are nicely stocked . It helps that the island of St . Thomas , a United States territory , is nearby . A wide variety of cuisines are on offer on Tortola and the watering holes , like Pussers , where you can drink real , original grog from the British Naval history , are dark and cool like the holds of a ship .
Walking here is precipitous and as you walk in
The best approach to the island is from the sea to the customs dock in Road Town , capitol settlement of the British Virgin Islands . Ferries run from surrounding islands docking in the heart of the chaotic harbor front and taxi drivers play dominoes in the shade waiting for the next fare . The sea front is crowded with food stands , eateries , shops and a market where locals sell their goods . A roundabout in the center of town is circled by government buildings and apartment buildings , the streets jammed with heavy traffic .
With all the world ’ s sailors coming to play , Tortola makes it a priority to keep the kinds of food and drink on hand to stock the galleys of the most discerning yachties . Import delicacies from abroad line the shelves at most provisioning stores and the
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