We tucked Good Trade into the fanciest marina we have been to yet. Although our elated arrival was dashed by the local dock attendant who decided to help keep Good Trade off a wood piling by ramming into the side of us. It would have probably been OK, but the dinghy he was driving had little or no air in it. So upon impact the stainless bow d-ring on the rigid inflatable hit Good Trade and gave us our first dent. A few choice words and scenarios of the attendants ultimate painful sacrifice went through my head, but for some unknown reason I was able to keep it all to myself. I shook his hand and asked if it was customary to drive an inflatable dinghy around with almost no air in it. His response was, “Si' Senor.” What’s a guy to do?

*The picture is of the infinity pool behind Good Trade.

Good Trade

We departed at 9:00 a.m. heading for Puerto Rico. Our plan was to go east as fast as possible and as the winds filled in from the S.E. we would be able to turn and sail slightly S.W. to the N.W tip of Puerto Rico.... What actually transpired was not enough speed out of the gate and more crappy conditions. We didn't make Puerto Rico but instead we made Samana Bay in the Dominican Republic. Wow! What a fantastic place. We were welcomed into the Bay by tail slapping Baleen Whales and dolphins surfing the waves. We are so lucky that our original plans were dashed, and we are here. To have missed this place would have been a shame.

*The picture above is the Dominican Republic flag made by Ashlyne.

We left Sapadillo Bay this morning bound for Six Hills Cay with light winds forecasted on the nose. We knew the day would consist of short, choppy seas and dodging coral heads. The water depth averaged 10feet and the coral were looming to put a dent in anything that came to close. Our track line looked as if a drunken sailor was steering the ship. What we didn't plan on was the light winds ratcheting up to 28 knots on the nose. Good Trade's nose spent most of the day pointing down at the sand or what seemed like straight up at the moon. The seas were 4 feet with an interval of about 2 seconds. Take it from me this is a very shitty sea state and nothing short of a terrible ride. We finished the day by 4pm and dropped the hook behind Six Hills Cay, feeling as though we had just exited our first prizefight. Realizing later that it was true, we had broken a piece of our nose off. No emergency, just the scupper that covers the anchor drain hole exited the boat. Damn it's not a spare I keep on board.

*The picture is of another beautiful sunset in Sapadillo Bay.

Good Trade

We were up early the next day and decided to head for the Turk’s and Caicos instead of Puerto Rico. This would be another overnight run instead a 4-day run. The day started with seas on the beam, definitely not our favorite, but as we settled into our day and began to prepare for nightfall the seas co-operated and went dead calm and the stars came out to play. A fantastic night! Kyler did a watch from 8pm to 11:30pm. Which was a huge help to the other sleep deprived crew. Thanks! We have been in Sapadillo Bay for the last week waiting again for some weather. The stay has been great. We rented a car, toured the island, found quite a few not so smart lobsters, shopped at an IGA supermarket that rivals that of the states supermarkets and even purchased a $7.50 latte. Who says Starbucks is expensive. Not a bad place to be stuck…

* The photo above is where we are currently anchored

Good Trade

During my watch from 10pm to 1 am the seas became very confused and the crew and Good Trade were taking a beating. The seas would hit under our bridge deck and it sounded like sacks of concrete being slammed against the hull. Ashlyne relieved me at the helm and I went to bed hoping for some much needed sleep, but what I found down below made me realize immediately sleep would not come tonight. I tossed and turned trying to gain some sense of control and comfort as the sea state flung me around the bed. Finally exhaustion must have came and I drifted in and out of sleep to the sounds of concrete sacks slamming out their chime. I awoke startled by Good Trades rhythm and lack of the slamming sounds. When I came to the helm, Ashlyne mentioned she had made an executive decision that enough was enough and turned 60 degrees off the wind towards land. The bailout had happened and I was never so grateful. Five hours later we dropped the hook in Atwood Harbor, a beautiful little bay surrounded by Lady Slipper Cay. Naps all around.

* The photo above shows a Columbus monument marking the northeast entrance to Atwood Harbor

Good Trade

Moral was high and we were off. A five to six day run was in the plans. We motored around the north end of Long Island and headed east by southeast the seas were rough but expected to calm. Later in the day the seas co-operated and began calming and the buddy boat we were traveling with called FISH ON! CRAP, the Good Trade didn't even have a line in the water. We dropped three lines back as quickly as we could, hoping for dinner. An hour went by and it was FISH ON for Good Trade. Kyler was on the reel immediately and yelled help the reel is coming apart. Shit! Not now. I assessed and found the handle coming apart in three pieces. PERFECT. We reeled the fish in with a stump looking handle. Whatever it takes, right? We finally got a good look at the fish, it was a big Dorado. We began celebrating when we got it to the boat when all of a sudden Kyler started screaming shark and telling me to get out of there. I couldn't see it because I had one arm in the water wrangling the fish. I now immediately understood why the fish was acting different than most we have caught. As I backed up the steps I got a good look at it. An Oceanic Whitetip Shark (Carcharhinus Longimanus) about eight feet long was just two feet off the back step and coming for our dinner. I jerked the fish out of the water and got high up on the boat. This kind of shark is known to be aggressive, dangerous and sticks almost entirely to the deep blue ocean. Enough excitement for one day!

Good Trade

We made our way over to Long Island, a new spot for us. In fact, all the places ahead will be new for us. We are heading for Puerto Rico. The weather gods may have given us a window to go southeast by going east. Our plan is to spend three days exploring Long Island and then head out around the north end and motor east into the Atlantic Ocean for three days until the Trade Winds fill in. At which time we will turn south and sail a beam reach to Puerto Rico. This would be in a perfect world. Fingers Crossed.

Good Trade

The vibe this year in G-town is quite different than last. There are only about 90 boats in the anchorage compared to last year’s 300 boats. Everything is much lower key and people seem happier. I know I am. Good Trade has pushed back a bit and we have lost one of our cooling fans, but this year I’m ready with dark chocolate in hand. You are probably asking what in the hell does dark chocolate and cooling fans have in common. Well, I’ll tell you. We have a great friend nicknamed Curlers who happens to be shorter and much more flexible than I am, as well as a mechanical engineer by trade and willing to work for dark chocolate. What a find! With the fan shot I decided to get to jerry rigging and curlers got on with the technical stuff. The final product is the photo above. We have to get out of G-town before Good Trade really begins to push back. See you down the road.

Good Trade.