Sailing the Karina C

Vessel Name: Karina C
Vessel Make/Model: Spencer 35
Hailing Port: Nanaimo, B.C.
Crew: Jay + Anita Bigland
About: We are a crew of 2 ready to take on adventure on the Pacific Coast. We have returned from sailing to Mexico from 2010-15.
Extra: email us at jayanitabigland@gmail.com
25 July 2023 | Home port
25 July 2023 | Home Port
12 July 2023 | Poet’s Cove
21 May 2023 | Home port
14 August 2022 | Home port
20 July 2022 | Home port
15 April 2022 | Nanaimo Home
14 April 2022 | Nanaimo
13 April 2022 | Saltspring Yacht Club
12 April 2022 | Van Isle Marina
11 April 2022 | Van Isle Marina
09 April 2022 | Van Isle Marina
08 April 2022 | Van Isle Marina
07 April 2022 | Sidney Spit Marine Park
06 April 2022 | Montague Harbour
05 April 2022 | Clam Bay
30 March 2022 | Home Port- Nanaimo
10 February 2022 | Mill Bay
06 September 2021 | Home port
31 July 2021 | Home port
Recent Blog Posts
25 July 2023 | Home port

Ode to Old Age

We made it back in time to do a little work on a project we have going in the back yard: a retaining wall. We have bought 4 palettes of bricks and we are about to lay them. We've hired a young man who is a very good worker and he has been ever so helpful. Today I (Jay) went to the ophthalmologist's office [...]

25 July 2023 | Home Port

Poet's Cove to Home

Heading N on Trincomali Channel

12 July 2023 | Poet’s Cove

To Poet’s Cove

Beautiful costumes at Mexican Festival

21 May 2023 | Home port

First Big cruise of 2023

Jay & Anita at Tod Inlet

14 August 2022 | Home port

August Cruise

Rion and Michelle Berg at Gowland Point

20 July 2022 | Home port

Out for a couple of weeks

In late June, Anita’s shoulder and my eye healed sufficiently to make a little journey on Karina C.

Cruise Part 2

05 January 2017
San Juan Puerto Rico
December 1 1408
We arrived in San Juan at 1600. We took a brief walk around the fort and town before returning to the ship at 1830. We went straight to the Manhattan room as we wanted to dance to the band. As usual, the service was slow. We could have done better at the buffet and then ran down for the dancing. I think we’ll do that tonight.
After the dancing ended, we hit the hay as we needed to be up early for a tour. This morning’s tour (at St. Thomas) was to leave at 0800. We got up at 0630 and buzzed up to the Garden for a quick breakfast and then to the tour. The tour started ominously as it was a little on the late side. Further, it started to rain when we got to the tour operator. As per usual at any US port we had 2 extensive waivers to sign before we left. However, it soon picked up when we got off to the snorkel island. There were turtles and some little fish. It wasn’t the best snorkeling I’ve done, but it is the first time I saw turtles in the live. After the snorkeling, there was bottomless rum punch all the way back to the boat with a stop at a private island for an hour. Anita and I walked the beach. We had a very nice time. We were back to the Breakaway by 1230 and then had a quick lunch up in the Garden before heading into town for wifi and shopping. Right now Anita is off cashing in on anything free while I spent a frustrating visit to Hooters attempting to get some wifi (unsuccessfully). We have another tour to the (BVI) Baths tomorrow, so it looks like another early night tonight.
December 2 1304
We got to bed early as forecast. We were up at 0630 and easily made our tour by 0800. Even though the activity level for this tour was high, there were many out of shape people who were struggling to make the trail to the bay through the baths. The tour was warned as a high activity level tour, yet there were many 300 pounders attempting to squeeze through the narrow trail. The trail was narrow and steep in places. We managed easily in bare feet. We enjoyed the snorkel although the sea life wasn’t as abundant as we saw in St. Thomas. On the way back they had the free rum punches and a good tour. Tortola is not as nice as St. Thomas though. Tortola is certainly the charter sailboat capital of the world. I know where all the ads in Cruising World magazines come from.
1742- The tour was good, but not as well attended as St. Thomas. So the crew was a little subdued. We got back to the boat at 1245 and after a quick lunch went and did the town. Again we made another fruitless attempt to get some wifi. This was even more pathetic than St. Thomas. Anita was a little more productive with the freebies that were come-ons for walking into a jewelry store. I don’t have the stomach to go into a store with the deliberate intention of buying nothing. We got back to the boat at 1445 and made for the pool where we hung out until supper. Tonight was Indian food. What I was eating had me looking around for a fire extinguisher. Sure tasty though.
December 3 1815
We had a quieter day today in St. Maarten. We stayed in Phillipsburg where the boat docked. Anita and I walked the town. Anita got yet another swim suit that she busted the ass out of on the water slides. No more for that girl. She also picked up a nice backpack that is made of strong material for $20USD. I bought a bottle of 126 proof rum that I am enjoying. I smuggled it back in my thermos. She got a $10 used mask in a dive shop with prescription lenses that are approximately hers. Nice silicone.
This afternoon we spent at the pool and Anita enjoyed the water slide in the dying moments of her 3rd swimsuit. There is no good dancing as the Manhattan Band is playing a show (that we will watch). Tomorrow we will do Fort-de-France Martinique. Early night for us tonight.
December 4 1728
Martinique was pretty good in the morning. We went on a tour of the fort that gave us a good history of the fort. After the fort tour, Anita asked me to watch her backpack while she went to the loo. Someone came up behind me and stole the backpack with her ID and $20 cash. The bother was that we had to cancel the credit card and we had a bit of a time getting back aboard Breakaway. The staff at the guest services desk were very accommodating and we soon had the credit card cancelled. Fortunately, we were able to photocopy the passport for photo ID to get on and off the boat. The main bother is the driver’s license and MSP card. That will take a visit to the government agent back home and some money will need to be paid. Anyway, we are not going to let this setback spoil our vacation. We are just going to have to be extra cautious in the future. Among the victims of the theft were both our swimsuits. Anita has an extra. Unfortunately, I had to sacrifice my shorts as a swimsuit today. Tomorrow, I will look for a replacement in Barbados. The rest of the stuff in Anita’s backpack was on it’s last legs and was overdue for replacement.
December 5 1229
We had a pleasant night last night. When we woke up, we were tied up in Bridgetown Barbados. We had a pleasant 2 mile walk into town. I bought a replacement bathing suit for the one that was stolen yesterday. We also bought a new USB-Lightning cord for the ipad as well as earplugs for The Threshold of Pain ( the band that plays on the pool deck in the afternoons). Bridgetown a few blocks off the main strip is very deep waters for a tourist to be navigating. We walked to the beach which was lovely. Attractive, but not as nice as the pool on the boat. So, we were back by 1030. Anita got all the gifts for walking into the store in the jewelry places. Wonder if she will wear any of that stuff when she gets home. We are going to spend the afternoon in the pool area. We will dig out the earplugs when the DJ or band gets there.
December 6 1549
We have just finished lunch. The Threshold of Pain is now going on the pool deck. We finished our tour of St. Lucia @ 1430 and, after a little shopping, we headed back to the boat and got ready for lunch. The tour of the Pitons was great. The roads….not so great. We should have toasted the emperor with saki before leaving Castries. Anyhow, we survived and all went OK. We bought a USD $12 sun hats of St. Lucia after I thought I lost my hat at a stop along the way. As it turned out, I left it on the bus and found it on the way home. The hats we bought are great and will be nice for summer cruising on Karina C.
The Pitons take 4 hours for a normal person to climb. We didn’t do it. They look awful steep to me. We took a tour of the volcano crater (which was a bit of a bust) and passed on the waterfall which would have made Amonite Falls look amazing. I guess if you are from New York, it would be impressive. On the way back, our driver stopped and bought us some local bread and cheese which was very tasty. The driver, James, was feeling a little down with the flu today and soon his commentary dwindled down to short answers.
Castries has a beautiful natural harbour. According to James, there is a thriving business of yacht chartering here. We didn’t see it. There did seem to be a large number of good natural harbours on this side of the island though. Ripe for development for Moorings no doubt.
December 7 0700
We closed off the night with dancing and a magic show. Both were very good.
1208
We had a nice tour of St. Kitts for $20. The best deal of all the tours we have taken. We did a full circumnavigation of the main part of the island. Very pleasant tour. Not much economic development other than there seems to be many medical schools and the University of the West Indies is located here. Apparently, education is big business. Not sure if the medical schools have Canadian accreditation.
December 8 0820
The Manhattan Band was off last night so we took in the hypnotist show and one set of the blues band in Fat Cats and hit the hay early. We gained an hour of sleep last night. Even at that, we were up at 0720 this morning. The hypnotist was a lady and very talented. Unfortunately, I don’t seem to be suggestable without a huge dose of sodium pentathol. Anita is, but she refused to go up on stage.
December 9 1211
Yesterday was our first full day at sea. Finally, no wondering what tour we were going to take! We spent the first part of the day riding the exercise bikes and playing sudoku at the same time. Then, after a little walk, we hung out at the pool until lunch. After lunch Anita entered the Ms. Norwegian biceps competition (which she lost ably). We hung out at the pool listening to The Threshold of Pain through our 22 decibel earplugs (work great). I guess we will have to say that, as we are aquatic type folks, we’re going to take a pass on Norwegian for the future.
December 11 0930
The next day was a sea day again. We didn’t do much there was sleet on occasion. Only Edmontonians were in the hot tub. We watched a juggler with a very deadpan humour. He had an amazing sense of balance. We danced the last set of the Manhattan Band and then caught an early night. I was up early and had a quick shower before we had one last breakfast in the Garden Cafe. We made it to the La Guardia airport in good time and there is a better than even chance we will make it to Vancouver earlier than anticipated on standby. That plan didn't work out. Toronto was closed for a long time due to a snowstorm. We were delayed and had to run to make our connection to Vancouver. Our bags didn't make it home until the next day. We were in bed at the Quality Inn around 1:00 a.m. and we had a leisurely breakfast making the 1030 ferry. Chris picked us up at 1230 and so we had plenty of time to restart the house.
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