TAMARIND AT LITTLE APPLE BAY - Henry David Thoreau, the American poet and philosopher said, “Live each season as it passes; breathe the air, drink the drink, taste the fruit…”  A veritable motto for life in the BVI, wouldn’t you say?  And here, at the westerly end of Little Apple Bay on Tortola’s North Shore, underneath the coconut palms and sea grape trees and situated right on the beach, is the perfect place to do just that.

The Apple Bay area, named not as one would think after the fruit but the Appleby family who farmed the land in the early 18th Century, comprises Little Apple Bay, Cappoon’s Bay and over the ‘hump’ to Carrot Bay.  It’s renowned for its surfing – the waves in front of Bomba Shack are legendary (as is the Shack); shifting silver sands – the beach can sometimes give way to pebbles; and superlative dining, with haute cuisine from the Sugar Mill Restaurant at its easterly end, fresh fish from Sebastian’s on the Beach and a lot of funky fayre at Coco Plums, to name but a few.  Without a doubt, Apple Bay also provides the best sunset views on the Island.

Built in 1977, simply-designed, shingle roofed Tamarind has seen many seasons pass and has survived several hurricanes with little ill effect.   The tamarind tree that gave the villa its name has long gone but a magnificent flamboyant stands in its place, its bright green foliage and scarlet flowers providing a natural tropical arbor over the stone steps that lead down to the front door.  As we descend, a gentle breeze rolls off the sea and blows past us, rattling the fronds of the coconut palms planted along the garden walls and bringing with it fresh, clean air that causes us to pause and inhale deeply.

Inside the villa we find a corridor leading to an open plan living/dining area.  White walls stretch up to meet a deep-hued, wood beamed ceiling sloping towards a wide doorway that leads to a wooden deck.  Through this doorway we marvel at a magnificent view of Jost Van Dyke rising majestically out of the sparkling turquoise sea.  Today the sun is shining from a peerless sky, with barely a cloud to mar the horizon, and the colours of in this vista are as pristine as the walls of the room.  Tonight, as on most nights, there will be a stunning sunset that sets the sky aflame with reds, oranges and yellows not available on any artist’s palette.  Picture you and your loved one sitting on the deck with long cool cocktails, watching this seductive spectacle and listening to the sounds of the waves breaking on the rocky beach below.  It sounds like the perfect end to the perfect day, except there is no limit to the number of perfect days you could have here.

Steering away from the romantic dreaming Tamarind evokes, we note there is a very functional side to the property, too.  The kitchen, which opens on to a lawned area adjacent to the wooden deck, is bijou and yet perfectly serviceable and has a hatch through to the dining/living room.  It offers double sinks, wooden cabinets in which to hide your pots and pans, and wall shelves in richly-hued hardwoods.  There’s also a downstairs bathroom offering a toilet and a shower – how convenient to be able to shower off after a day on the beach without traipsing sand and seawater all through the house!   

To reach the sleeping quarters we ascend the wide wooden stairway to the second floor.  Here, we find two spacious bedrooms with built-in wardrobes (closets) and sea views.  Currently, the bedroom to the rear of the house is set up as a twin, with the front room sporting a queen bed and wooden floors.  Both have fans suspended from the wood beamed ceilings to complement the sea breezes, but it’s doubtful you would need them except in the summer months.  There’s a substantial bathroom to service the two rooms, comprising a loo, tub and shower, and offering an in-built linen closet.

Tamarind’s location is a highly desirable one: as mentioned there are numerous amenities within minutes of the house.  It’s a step away from the beach and just a short drive from major attractions.  An older house, oozing rustic charm and offering romance on a daily basis, its practical advantages are plentiful, from the 20,000 gallon cistern capacity substantiated by the town water supply to the low-maintenance layout of both house and garden.   It also has a long and substantive rental history – who wouldn’t be interested in holidaying in a house like this, with sun, sea and sand quite literally on the doorstep?  Its offerings rival most Island hotels and there’s even a little shop a minute’s walk away that can provide the essentials.  Whether it’s a surfers rest, a retirement home or an investment property you seek, Tamarind will certainly fit the bill.  And in the words of another great American, Abraham Lincoln, “Property is the fruit of labour; property is desirable; it is a positive good in the world.”

Asking: $950,000