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On Thursdays and Sundays, InterIsland Boat Service goes to Virgin Gorda for $60 per person round trip. The $20 customs' fee is included in the fare. We had 62 people in line between 8am and 8:30am so they had to send in a larger boat for everyone. We left about 20 minutes late and the trip took 1 hour and 50 minutes each way and that was without stopping in Tortola. Because we were one of last parties on board, we had to sit below and the diesel fumes were terrible the entire way. The only saving grace was meeting the gentleman who sat next to me. Mr. Penn (a well-known name in the islands) was very interesting to talk with. A brother was our capatain. His cousin was the immigration official in Virgin Gorda. He is 70 years old, was born on Tortola, and had 23 brothers and sisters. He moved to St. John to work construction, which he still does to this day. He claims to have built the restaurant, Asolare and several homes. He has owned some of the rental vehicles in a business run by another relative. Mr. Penn was very proud of the fact that he had all sons (6 total, but only 5 living now after one died after breaking his neck diving into shallow water in STT). He said a weakness runs in his family; a weakness for women and proceeded to proposition me. I just laughed it off. He pointed out each island as passed, showing me Tortola and the island nearby that they would swim to. Salt Island used to be open one day each year for anyone to come to for their salt supply for the year. Mr. Penn admitted crime was bad in the islands. He claims it is the illegal immigrants from Haiti that can't find jobs. "Don't you see them lined up in STJ in the morning waiting for work? What are they to do if no one hires them?" Why don't the police do something, I asked. "Because the police are immigrants, too. The understand what it is like".
He explained that we are only visitors and that they need to keep building on the island to support themselves and we really have no right to say how they should do things or when the building should stop.
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He said a weakness runs in his family; a weakness for women and proceeded to proposition me. I just laughed it off.
LOL! 😉
Wow, 23 siblings! Can you imagine?
I thought about how unusual his life has been. Imagine how the Virgin Islands have changed in 70 years. Each of Mr. Penn's sons was to build a house for themselves and it sounds like all or most have a little apartment area in the home where a relative can live. Mr. Penn's brother has 18 kids and tells everyone it is because he wants to make sure he has people to support him in his old age. Mr. Penn asked him why he expected that when he (the brother) himself hadn't done well providing for all 18.
Very interesting! I love hearing about life stories.
