Day 12
18 November 2013 | Crown Bay
John
Just to be sure everyone got the word we have arrived St Thomas (11/16 at 1930) and are now in the Crown Bay Marina dropping off crew and making repairs. The boat took a beating in the storm but we have made most of the repairs but still need to have the port transmission looked at by the experts. It doesn't want to go into gear and we suspect a clutch problem.
We have eaten quite well since arrival. All it takes is a flat serving table and good company. The crew of Pas de Deux came aboard last night with mahi and rainbow runner. We combined that with two pork tenderloins, green beans and ham and wild rice. All 9 managed to get around the salon table at the beginning of the meal but it was very tight at the finish.
Today we moved from Brewers Bay (see the rainbow picture along with others on the blog) to Crown Bay. Tom and Cindy Guminski had to begin the very long trip back to San Diego and the marina is but 5 minutes from the airport by cab.
Mike Eason and I hiked ("it is just around the corner...") to customs and immigration only to be told that if we are an American documented boat (we are) with all American crew (we were) and had touched no foreign lands in between (we didn't) that we didn't have to check in. Just as the captain believed, but no one believes the captain any more. We did have dinner with a Canadian Sunday night but I don't think that counted against us.
We also made a grocery run and had two wonderful restaurant meals. Today we washed the memory of really big waves in a wonderful fish chowder and conch fritters. I am also now super saturated with cold iced tea. It is such a delight to have more than two cubes at a time. "Warm beer and bread..." is how the song goes, you know.
The broken main halyard has been replaced, the TV antenna reinstalled, the bilge pump cleaned out, the dinghy outboard reignited, lifelines repaired, dinghy davit lift block replaced and countless other repair jobs performed. Tuesday we trudge off to find the Yanmar mechanic to work on the transmission clutch.
We are anxious to read some of the reports of the rescues during the storm. We don't have the whole story yet but heard that the Navy and Coast Guard stayed quite busy.
Mike heads home Wednesday so that means no company for 11 days. You each know where to find me so come on down before your feet freeze in place. The water temperature is in the 80's and the air temperature is the same. Why face a dismal winter chipping ice of your windshield when you could be down here complaining about the bright sunlight and your new sunburn.
One of the great mohawked and multi chained philosophers said it best "I pity the fool..."