Published: Friday, January 16, 2004 at:11:32 PM




Winner of Photo Contest

Don Angell took this wonderful photo and won a seven night package at BEYC. See web site for a complete list of winners.

Winner of Essay Contest

by Mark Shutrump, Canfield, Oh.

For his winning entry Mr. Shutrump wins a seven night package at Bitter End. See web site for complete winners list.

It was July 11th, 2000. Roughly 40 minutes before sunrise, 100 days after booking our BEYC vacation, and 20 years and 6 days following our honeymoon. We were back on Virgin Gorda, this time with our two kids enjoying the most beautiful resort and the best vacation we could ever have. I was out on the veranda swaying in our hammock. Soaking in the sights and sounds as the North Sound changed from night into morning. All was quiet except the birds, frogs, waves, and wind in the palms. It was too beautiful. I was quite literally moved to prayer.

Little did I know moments later I would witness my wedding ring disappear into the misty twilight, flung full strength by my own hand.

I had decided to say a rosary as best as I could. This meant keeping track of 50 Hail Marys by sliding my ring from one finger to the next. It really seemed like a good idea at the time. My groggy serenity was not to last. About midways through my rosary, I was startled by the appearance of what looked like a huge bumblebee (actually a tiny hummingbird) hovering behind the hammock beside my head. In a stunning misguided display of both fight and flight I leapt up whipping my arm in a broad sweeping backhand motion. Despite the fearsomeness of the winged creature, this was not a good move.

The next five seconds passed in nauseating slow motion. I didn’t feel exactly when my ring became air born, but I heard a distinctive bell like “ping - ping - ping” somewhere in the distance. In my minds eye I imagined its trajectory, three rolling bounces before careening off one of the boardwalks to the hillside below. Ping ping ping and then nothing. Immediately followed by my wife calling out, “Was that your ring?”

I knew it was inexorably lost even before I’d spent at least an hour scouring the hillside, which is even steeper, rockier, and more densely vegetated when viewed from under the boardwalk. 1 was resigned to believing that maybe I was just meant to leave something on this island which meant so much to us.

My wife Sue was very understanding. Over tea on the veranda we agreed, considering the circumstances around losing my ring, it must’ve just been meant to be. Then, the first rain of our entire vacation started. Looking out it seemed every droplet falling into the North Sound was visible and sparkling, lit up by the sun rising behind us. If that weren’t enough, this was followed in short order by the most spectacular rainbow I’ll ever see. That cinched it. There was no way even losing my wedding ring was going to ruin this dream vacation.

We thought it might be necessary to make a report to the front desk for insurance purposes. The desk person told us not to give up hope because it’s possible Angus could find it. She was referring to Angus Charles, who had more than once recovered lost items with his “eagle eye.” I appreciated anything anyone might do, but in my heart I knew the ring was lost forever.

I could not believe my eyes when a few hours later at lunch our waitress opened her hand and asked, “Is this the ring?” I thought I was hallucinating. I’d been convinced I would never see it again.

Angus told me that he’d spotted the glint of the ring partially covered by a leaf among the rocks. If you were with me under the boardwalk that day, you’d know what a miracle that was.

Our BEYC vacation was full of memorable moments and making friends among the guests and staff that I’ll always remember. I’m sure I did leave a part of myself there, because I can’t wait to come back.