Bvlgari

Out on Lady Pinto, Candida has told us that we’re heading to Bvlgari Island, a new hotel & resort just off the coast at Jumeriah that only opened in December 2017. It would be nice to experience a bit of Bvlgari sparkle today as I am showing mum the highlights of Dubai on her trip here. However, we have the boys in tow and have decided to picnic on the boat and swim to the beach for some play time, rather than to try our hand at a fancy lunch. After all, Grandma time is precious and lunch is not considered an amusing pass time for young boys, no matter how glamorous the setting.

Candida’s boat, is, however, considered suitable for getting excited about, as is seeing Candida with the boys racing along the Marina for morning greetings. They both have their sights set on being allowed to drive for a bit and nothing will seal this deal better than hugs & kisses on arrival.

The morning is cool still, clear and calm and we set about getting things ready. The boys enjoy otherwise mundane tasks like hosing the dust off the boat, drying steering wheels and chairs and clipping down cushions. We’re on our way in no time.

There is no rally today, unlike previous trips to the Zaya Nurai Island or Dubai Creek and so we’re on our own. There aren’t any other boats to wait for which means we can get underway right away. On the downside, there’s perhaps not quite as much anticipation or sense of adventure. Still, we’re considered experienced crew now (at least in so far as we know what to expect!) and mum and I settle in to enjoy the view while Harley waits his turn at Captain and Jasper enjoys the ride up front.

Our course is set around the top of The Palm and we are afforded views back to a receding JBR skyline across a glassy bay. As the Atlantis comes into view Candida carefully slows the boat and we manage to snap a few photos with it as a backdrop. These will certainly make suitable Dubai memories for any trip and perhaps will afford some bragging rights for mum once she’s back at work.

Jasper gets a turn at Captain too and it doesn’t take long at all to get to the bay at Jumeriah Bay Island.  It’s a crystal clear bay and we watch from the front of the boat as the anchor hits the sandy bottom.  No security or Dubai Marina Yacht Club staff holding our hands but Candida has it under control.

We spread our picnic out on the front of the boat and settle in for a meal and a drink – a nice cold bottle of white wine for the adults and a Fanta for the boys, a very special treat indeed.

Out picnic of BBQ chicken, salad, cheese & Arabic bread goes down pretty well and there are also chocolate treats and biscuits for afterwards.  Perhaps not quite to the standard of Candida’s superbly prepared picnic on Antarctica but it was a busy week.  I would like to kick back and enjoy another glass of wine but the boys are keen to get into the water and play on the beach so I volunteer (mum & Candida don’t seem quite ready yet!) to get changed and swim them in.  I glance across the bay at this point wondering if, perhaps, I could be lounging by a sapphire colored pool with a glass in my hand at this point but a “come on mum!” snaps me back to reality.

We get changed, apply sunscreen and gather paraphernalia only to need to pack stuff away and find it again.  I’m not sure how people manage to live on boats when I can barely manage to change into my swimwear without losing something!  Still, eventually we manage and I swim Jasper in.  The water takes my breath away to start with, it’s still cold by Dubai standards but I must admit, it feels quite nice once I’m adapted, certainly refreshing.

I swim back to the boat for Harley and we also make it to the beach.  By this time Candida and mum have packed up the remainders of the picnic and decided to brave the water and join us on the beach.  Harley wants to swim back to get them so off we go again.  The water is nice but there are some rocks in the shallows that we tentatively navigate and I remind myself again that I must arrange some swim/beach shoes for us all.

Candida takes a while to adjust to the water too but eventually we’re all in the water.  Just as we’re nearing the beach again, a security guard turns up.  We can’t hear him from this distance but his message is clear.  Get out!  This turns out to be a private beach.  Clearly it’s extremely private as there’s no one in sight, not just no one but nothing – no people, no houses, nothing.  There’s the resort of course and what may be a display home right at the other end of the bay but not a sole in between, except for the security guard that has come to secure the beach from us.

Oh well.  We’ve had a bit of a dip in the water and although we didn’t get to play on the beach, the boys are getting a bit cold.  We head back onto the boat and settle in for a bit.  There’s not much else for the boys so I set them up with a movie on the iPad down below deck whilst we while away the afternoon in the sun with some idle chit chat and another glass of wine (or did I imagine that…).  In any case, the couple of hours seems to go quickly and it’s time to get going.  Candida has managed a nap and the movie is over.  We pull up anchor and we’re on our way again.

The ride back is just as speedy and we have time to stop for a few more snaps of some iconic UAE landmarks.

Jasper is quiet at the front of the boat as we make our way back into the Marina.  After a big day on the water I know the boys are tired.  I have asked Jason to come and pick the boys, knowing they won’t make it through the clean up tonight.  Turns out Jasper is already asleep!  As we tie up to the Marina he’s fast asleep on the front of the boat.  I think he’ll wake up when we stop and start to unload but no, I literally have to get him up and he looks around dazed and confused.  Time for bed!  There’s not even any of the usual protests from Harley.  So mum and I help to give the boat a hose down.  Candida is heading out again tomorrow so the big scrub is a bit more subdued than normal and we’re only an hour or so behind the boys as we say our thank yous and goodbyes for the night.  The sparkle in all our eyes at the end of the day is almost as good as a Bvlgari sparkle…

Good To Know

You need special permission to anchor at (near) the Island and although you can swim in the bay the beaches are private so you’re not allowed to actually go ashore.

Knowing this I would likely have opted for lunch in the resort instead although the website doesn’t give much information as to what is available (if anything) for children.

Would I Return?

Yes.  Perhaps next time I might leave the boys at home and try the sparkle of the resort instead….if I can get away with it!