We are not lost

Caneel Bay to Red Hook and Dinghy run to Cruz Bay

Haven't posted for a few days.  We've been busy since...went to St Thomas to pick up our supplies in 20 knot winds so anchoring at Red Hook (a very busy harbour) was a bit of a pain so Mark and I decided not to go shopping as the Captain would have had to sit and wait for us.  Instead we headed back to Caneel Bay and dignied to Cruz Bay and shopped there.  We asked the locals for a good restaurant and were directed to Sobo's a small place of the beaten path but OMG the food was amazing...of course we had conch fritters and a vegeterian platter and both were tops!! We will return if ever we lunch in Cruz Bay.  We shopped at Little Switzerland (big jewelry chain here in the islands).  Mark and I were assisted by Mike...Mike the psychic...he nailed our accents as Canadian from Ontario then wait for it...he said "you must be from Sudbury",  my jaw hit the counter and Mark and I started to try to quash our private thoughts as we figured he was a mind reader.  Turns out he guessed Sudbury because he said that that was where Bobby Orr was born.  (not quite as Orr was born in Parry Sound) but you can imagine the camaraderie that we developed in a very short time...we were served champagne while Pandora took our money!  We dingied back in a big squall and got soaked to the bone.  What fun and we were frozen!

Caneel Bay to Francis Bay for training videos

Francis Bay to Foxy's (JVD) to Penn's Landing

Next few days in St John we spent watching sailing videos and practicing maneuvers at sea. The Captain is prepping us for our sail to St Marteen which we will be leaving tomorrow.  Mark and I spent an afternoon at Francis Bay on the beach relaxing between lessons.  We left St John's on Wednesday to return to Jost Van Dyke to check in to the BVI once more it took us less than 10 minutes to check in (Captain thinks we are having way too much difficulties with the authorities this year!!!)  I took the opportunity to go to Foxy's and the man himself was there so we chatted a few minutes and got some pics with him.  We shopped a bit then had lunch at the Roti Ladies (the name that Ricky has baptised her with since he has been enjoying her rotis for many many years) We had conch roties, 2 split between the 3 of us with half left over, and they were very good (I still believe my favourite is at Trellis Bay) but nonetheless they were good and should be for $30 dollars per roti!! Lunch cost us $85 which included 6 Caribs and the tip!!!  Conch is a delicacy here but F****! I'll stick to goat rotis from now on!!!! Left JVD at 1415 hrs and arrived at Penn's at 1730hrs...we sailed and motored as the winds have finally decided do die down a bit.  Since our departure for St Marteen is now Saturday, Mark and I decided to take Valentine's Day (our anniversary) and go to Roadtown to spend the day.  Our bus ride was an adventure in itself.  Of note it is left hand drive here in the islands and the door of the bus opens to the right in oncoming traffic...watch out as you get of the bus...we went to Crafts Alive market which was very quiet as there were no cruize ships in the harbour.  We bought a few things then went in search of a few local restaurants recommended to us...(we like out of the way places where the food is authentic west indian food) This was an exercise that had us walking around for the better part of lunch hour.  "Bobbies" was a self serve in a grocery store...food did look great but no place to sit...nope...second place was Gloria's...no air conditioning ...nope...third one and I can't remember the name...by this time we were almost dying of heat stroke!...was so packed we couldn't get a table so we decided to go back to the waterfront and go to Pusser's...if anyone really knows me you will remember that Pusser's is my favourite shop in the Caribbean...so after a long leasurely lunch in air conditioned comfort, I proceeded to shop.  Mark joined me and spotted a pair of shorts that he really like so tried them and along with the few other things I'd found we started our journey back to East End via bus...(the funny part to this story is that Mark only noticed the price of the shorts after we got back to Grand Cru...$89.00) needless to say he was shocked and probably would not have bought them had he realized the price but since he never changes size he figures they will last him the rest of his life!!!!!

Overnight run to St. Maarten...uphill

Back to the ship for a libation and another shower up at the marina...shopping is HOT work here!!!
We are in the final prep stages of getting the ship ready for it's first long crossing so we will be at the dock later for a water fill and cleaning Grand Cru...will post again later if time permits.
Greg...great job with the maps...I will try to get Mark to add a few pics as well. 
P.S.  I had a dream that our 2 cats who are being cared for by Louise had left a lovely gift on our coffee table at home for her one morning...7 dead black mice!!!!  I wonder what that means?
ttfn

Kevin and Raindancer's location this morning