Saturday March 23rd

Friday March 22

Toronto March 24th

Toronto

Jeni and Mikey picked us up at the airport at about 1:00 a.m. Today we will drive home to the island. I will fill in the blog blanks when we get home. Pictures are not cooperating this morning.
Wearing trousers and socks today...

Thursday March 21st

St. John USVI

This morning I was surprised to find the Captain was up and was doing my work. He had light the fire under the coffee and T pot and I had been replaced. Apparently there were repercussions to my revolt of the previous morning...

We find ourselves moored for the duration of our vacation here in Francis Bay, the only thing better would be a life sentence.

St. John was found by the Europeans in the 1700's and was developed for sugar cane and refineries. It was held by Denmark until 1917 when it was purchased by the United States. It wasn't until the 1930s that tourism began to develop here.

Laurence Rockefeller donated 5000 acres of the island to become a National Park and it remains so to this day. Since then other donations have been made and presently the Virgin Islands National Park includes 7200 acres of land and 5600 acres of underwater lands.

Above the bay there are tourists living in platforms in the trees. They call them tents and they pay a large number of dollars to have this privilege. 

Wednesday March 20

Morning rituals

It is morning again and I have completed my morning chores. I had to chastise the Captain last night for failing to prepare the coffee pot and tea kettle. They are normally all loaded and all I have to do is light the fire and deal with outcomes. Yesterday everything was in chaos, I had to find things. Notwithstanding that we recently spent the day sharing the cockpit with Louise's granny panties and flimsies and the like but I had to search through the cupboards for coffee and the other stuff. My morning routine was upset and I never recovered until Euchre and we kicked their ass. All is good again.

Exit Plans

Because I am OCD about flying we may have to leave the ship on Friday and get a hotel in Charlotte Amalie. The right thing to do would be to take a ferry from here on Saturday morning and taxi to the airport just in time for our flight. Too many variables out of my control for that to happen without a meltdown.

I don't know how this has happened to me but I have to be early and at the front of the lines. I even moo on occasion. I will knock over old (older) people and children and wheel chairs to get to the front. So, I have one flaw

Yesterday's sail

Captain Rick

 Those of you who sail will know of what I am about to speak. When you get a boat on a point of sail that she likes and you accidentally or by your knowledge happen to get the boat set in her sweet spot she starts to hum.
The picture at left shows the results of getting the boat to hum on the face of the skipper. At this moment we were just off a beam reach and we were solid 7s bouncing to 8 and baby this old girl started to perform. We should have left her in her groove and kept on going perhaps to Venezuela or where ever.  Mary Lynn on the other hand prefers to be seated well aft on the aft cabin top. I think that she has an escape plan and she takes very seriously the woman and children first garbage. She was thrilled with the sail and when we occasionally were studying the electronic gadgetry she was quick to suggest that someone should steer the course.
This day ended with some rain showers and some blustery stuff but just in time for sunset things cleared away and the elements conspired and shared a spectacular sunset with us.

Well, for the rest of the day we took the women to shore and sent them off on their one hour walk. We were unable to replace them in one hour so we had to pick them back up. Apparently picking up chicks is way different when you are near 60 and with an older guy. The chicks are no longer chicks. Are they hens? Not overtly trying to be sexist, just an observation.
We have in fact booked the hotel for Friday night in Charlotte Amalie so Mary Lynn has the morning to shop for some diamonds for me. Ya right.
We were able to fix the alternator and I finished my chores in the cockpit. Nothing left on my list other than try to shake off this sense of worthlessness and or Caribbean calm that has wafted over and enveloped me. F**k thats sounds worse than the foodie stuff.
The beach here is very nice, they taxi over tourists from St. Thomas to spend the day at the beach.

 

Tuesday March 19th

Go home day minus 5

Our remaining days are down to one hand. This trip is different for me, Mary Lynn is already starting to think about work I go back to my retirement. For me retirement is still a work in progress though. I hate leaving here thinking about going home and starting to work on the boat...but mother nature slaps me upside my head when I get back...ground hog be damned there are still 6 weeks til boat work.

Departure from Jost Van Dyke

 The weather for today is typically Caribbean except for the rain. There will be a few showers but the space between showers is beautiful. Nice breeze for our run across to the US Virgins and St. John.
We fly out of St. Thomas on Saturday and will likely ferry to Charlotte Amalie from Cruz Bay Saturday morning.
We will anchor in Caneel Bay and go by dinghy into Cruz Bay to check into the U.S. then for the night perhaps Lameshure Bay or Francis Bay.
We love to snorkel in Leinster Bay on the north side. I don't think we have time to go to Coral Bay at the other end of St. John. I like the food at Skinny Legs best burger I've had since the 70's. Any of you remember a place in Toronto called the Night Spot??? OMG my arteries started hardening that day in Toronto.
It is now 08:05 coffee and tea made, Mary Lynn awake but not up. No sounds from upper management in the aft...perhaps this day will unfold slowly.

The Sail

We left around 10:30 this morning with the wind generally easterly at around 13 to 15 knots. Beam reach across to the US virgins. The boat ran 7's and touched 8 on many occasions.
We did in fact get a mooring at Caneel Bay and all went by dinghy in to the US customs and managed to get the forms filled out eventually and was allowed to enter the US. We shopped at the Dolphin market and they are well stocked. Managed to get what we needed and didn't even spend 200 bucks. My rum is 15 bucks for a 1 liter bottle. I am used to .750 and 1.14 size bottles so this has in fact been a challenge to manage dispensing and maintenance dose.
It was extremely hot ashore out of the wind and there were hills to climb.
We got back to the boat and motored around the corner to Francis Bay and had a fairly large number of mooring balls to choose from. They are only 15 per night and are managed by the US park system.
Dinner is underway now and it is not safe to be below or near the galley. All of the alphas are battling for space.

Final notes

We had a nice dinner with recently boned chicken with cranberries, mandarins in a tangy sauce WTF sounded like a foodie there for a bit.
We have a little problem with the alternator. The wind is down which means output from wind generator is low. Hopefully we get sun to make up some amps that way. I think the problem is related to the belt that got changed the other day. Likely loosened a connection.
We will dig into that in the morning.

March 18th - Jost Van Dyke

It rained through the night and it was the old dance opening hatches closing hatches...bumping into the captain in the dark (scary in daylight). The plan for today is to go across the river to Jost Van Dyke likely to Foxy's were I hope to celebrate a salute to the human liver and behave. You are all thinking 'the road to hell is paved with good intentions' so be it.
Rick changed the alternator belt on the engine yesterday. The old one had been working for two years and was slipping. We could smell the occasional puff of burned rubber and once we ruled out Louise's bathing suit we zeroed in on the belt.

this mornings short route

The Ford Lehman diesel is unique in that to take the belt off and replace you have to take off the hose for the circulating pump and off course the antifreeze all has to be drained out to accomplish this. Access is not bad but you have to lean over the engine for an hour or two.

Jost Van Dyke BVI

Once we get the ship shaped or is it shipshape...when we are ready we will move over to Jost Van Dyke. There are several notable harbours and anchorages on Josie. JVD is named after a dutch pirate. the island is only about 4 miles by 3 and has less than 300 permanent residents.
Today we will moor at Foxy's in Great Harbour. There are many options on Jost Van Dyke as shown; Soggy Dollar and Ivan's in White Bay are good day anchors or taxi over from Great Harbour. Then Great Harbour, Little Harbour and the relatively new Tabu at the east end.
more later

The Crossing:

We had a spirited sail across from Tortola to Jost Van Dyke. We were steady 6.8 to 7.1 in cross swells and stern quartering 20 plus breeze. It was a nice run to say the least. This boat can lift up her skirt and go. 

Our plan for today continues to evolve. Louise is preparing to stomp her flimsies, Mary Lynn is making lunch and Rick is changing to look less pouffie when we go to shore for ice.

Later that day

We went to shore and Louise walked over to White Bay while we took the cab. Our cab driver 'Gregory'. He proceeded to introduce us to as he framed it a reggae white boy from Jamaica 'Mishka' not only did he play cuts from Mishka he sang and gesticulated. Now for those of you who have taken the road from Foxy's to White Bay it is not a road that one should combine driving and gesticulating while singing. Then he singled me out when he got to the lyric 'the fool in the mirror' and he was looking at me in the rear view mirror, his tip reflected that (pun intended).
Mary Lynn arranged the return trip with Gregory in two hours hence. (that meant drinks at Soggy over to Ivan's and back in two hours) We managed to cram all our activities into the two hour window. I prefer the pace at Ivan's to that at Soggy.
About mid path between Ivans and Soggy there was a pair of sandals sitting nicely together...

We met Gregory who was exactly on time and he sang and pointed and looked at me in the mirror etc...all the way back to the police station.

We went back out to the boat and prepared for shore leave, dinner at foxy's and some dancing. Dinner was relatively uneventful but the pace was not moving too fast and we had timed our peak early.

Walking down main street in Foxy ville - Great Harbour

We played many games of air volleyball from the hammock

The hump between Soggy Dollar and Ivan's stress free bar

A former Continental flight attendant

Mary Lynn asking her where she gets her hair done

The beach, White Bay on Ivan's side of the hump

Ricky always goes crazy when he comes across a member of Apocynaceae

 He is actually a Frangiopansy

the Captain loves what Louise has done with his place

St. Patrick's Day

My St. Paddys persona 'Jock FitzItchy'

Good morning all. It is St. Patrick's Day and we are going to shore to drive the snakes out of Cane Garden Bay.  I have inserted a pic of me before St. Patrick's day begins...I may not have all my make up on and have as yet not trimmed my growth.
We have so much to do and so little time to do it. We have to play euchre this morning and the loser has to drive the dinghy to shore.
We did make it to shore eventually, the dinghy dock is a roller coaster here with the swells and all. A dinghy or two fell victim to the swells and were trapped under the dock. We used the old anchor and line to dock to hold it off. This means that the last guy has a jump to make but as rick lost the toss he made it...at least most of him.
Louise went for her walk while we staked out the bar stools we held last year to similar effect. It did in fact get turn out to be a pretty good St. Patrick's day.
We ended the day winning at Euchre again and rolling and rocking in the swells and rain.

Saturday March 16th

We are leaving Leverick for Cane Garden Bay. We have reached Cane Garden Bay. We had a nice sail, saw a whale as well. Watched him or her play for a while then we both moved on. I apologize for the image quality but I am nearly 60 and a moving sailboat and a whale that pops up here and there... Rick has only seen one in all his time in the Islands and that was down in Venezuela in 1840 or sometime ago...
We had a great sail downwind but ran out of time and had to fire up the iron smoker to finish the trip in before dark.
We had dinner, Louise made her grandmother's recipe for jailhouse ghoulash (?sp). We only had hamburger not one can of Spam, Spass, Slips or whatever variant of canned meat-like food you might have aboard. Everyone ate it all except Mary Lynn who chased her peas around and they go in the omelet.
For pictures we also had to re-take some of the pictures of Captain Rick wearing his Birthday gifts....

The birthday festivities were held on Anguilla where we lucked out and were able to find him a balloon. They were inseparable, Rick and his balloon go everywhere together. It is sad now some 9 days hence to see he and it, the helium depleted and it dragging along on its ribbon...

He received many gifts all of which seem to him to complement the mid-drift bulging cut off shirt he is so fond of. He also got some new shorty socks he is found of wearing or stuffing in his gitch (either front or back depending on required effect).
He also is sporting a tattoo sleve thing cut from some gay panty hose.
He has a new man bag to carry his socks when they are not required for his feet or his gitch.

Fill in some blanks 1 - Anguilla

Hi, with the spotty availability of internet I have been unable to keep up and even remember what I have done about the blog. I am going to try and fill in some of the gaps. We went over to Anguilla for a day or so and the north shore has some amazing rock formations. We had to go up to Road Harbour to check in. To say that Anguilla operates at a slower pace is an overstatement.
Jen and I went grocery shopping with some money in our pockets some Euros and some American...The grocery story is in EC or Eastern Caribbean pricing. At the end of our transaction the cashier pulls out her trusty Casio calculator and proceeds to mash and poke the keys with a fervor and venom I have seldom seen. There were several calculations requiring guzzintas and some timezas and a formula involving how much money we had and how much they needed. Groceries were expensive there.
We did go on an outing to Elvis's were Rick won a hat and t-shirt for some slinky moves in the sand even before the music started. Something reminiscent of his dancing girls at the anchor.
We bar hopped over to the pump house when Louise and I succumbed to the effects of the long day of travel, sun, fresh air and booze. We had to cut the day early...so?

Rick in his birthday suit on the bow...any closer is gross

shoreline of Anguilla

Pumphouse menu etc

I won't tell you what happens here but it is quick

Paris Hilton's signature...Who's she

Friday March 15th

Back in a land where you can steal internet from the boat. It may be a touch slow but so are we. We completed the 90 nautical mile cruise from Sint Maarten to Leverick Bay on Virgin Gorda at about 7:20 a.m. or as they said in Sint Maarten 07:20hr??
The trip was relatively uneventful. The weather was as advertised, mostly 10 to 12 on the beam or just aft of beam very easy run lots of sandwiches and ipad scrabble.
We made all the preparations ready for the worst and happily experienced the best. Some traffic along the way other sailor/cruisers making the same run either east or west...a pocket cruise ship and whatever else missed us or we missed during the dark hours.
As we left Sint Maarten we had a good look at 'Freedom of the Seas' humongous and reputed to be 4th largest at over 1100 feet in service.
We had happy hour early this morning, then went to sleep for a couple of hours or so. Went to shore for a shower at Leverick Bay and a little shopping...sweet jesus they gave me a list and I was alone.
The item said Pepper...not peppers or red or green or black. What would you do? So I bought a red pepper, a green pepper and a can of black pepper. I was going to get fabric softener too, I have been told that when stomping your clothes it helps the complexion of your feet.
I was in trouble for being so stupid as to buy black pepper.
We swam in the pool and had some very expensive drinks. 

Sunrise in Sint Maarten

Our weather window

Saba on the horizon...

Sun set at sea

Sunrise at sea

Freedom of the Seas

sun set

Finally we arrive at Virgin Gorda (Fat Virgin)

Sir Richard is rebuilding the 'cottage' that burnt (you can see him up on the roof:)

I have a lot to fill in for the missing days but first some pictures...