02/23/2008, Statia island, the Caribbean
We normally post a new blog entry when we have a lot of good photos/videos to share and a pretty good story to tell. This time we have few photos but the story is so good we figured it deserved a post just the same.
In 1999, we spent a wonderful week on the south end of St Lucia and got our open water PADI dive certification. That winter and spring we did a lot of diving in the Caribbean and really got comfortable with the diving experience.
The next few year we sailed north along the Atlantic coast then back over to Europe. Every time we talked about diving we thought about the wonderful experiences in the Caribbean and agreed that where ever we were at the moment the water would be much too cold and the visibility would be terrible. Sailing around in the Mediterranean we had the same arguments, plus, there was a lot to do above water and it never seemed the right time to take a dive trip.
Somehow time got away from us and we both agreed that before we went diving again we needed a refresher course to get our scuba legs back.
We arrived at the island of Statia (St Eustatius - Netherland Antilles) a few days ago and noticed a number of dive shops along the shore. We then discovered that the reefs and wrecks around the island were well maintained and protected by "Statia Marine Park". For not much more than it would cost for a meal ashore we could get a refresher course and have an open water reef dive with Golden Rock Divers.
We showed up with our wet suits and flippers and Joel helped us with our gear and took us into the shallow water off the dock to get reacquainted with diving. After 15 minutes of mask clearing, regulator recovery, and buoyancy practice, we boarded the dive boat with 6 other divers and headed out to "Barracuda Reef".
We had done a little snorkeling around the boat the day before and saw a few sand dollars but little else. We were expecting to see some reef and a few fish but, WOW, were we ever surprised. 40 feet down the reef came to life and we saw a number of tropical fish we had not seen snorkeling anywhere else in the Caribbean. Redband parrot fish, Squirrelfish, Bluehead, large Angelfish, Yellowtail Damselfish, Bar Jacks, Yellowtail Snappers, Blue Chromis, and on and on and on.
The reef was not only huge it was incredibly colorful - Bright purple Sea Fans, red Barrel Sponge, Yellow and Lavender Giant Tube sponge, and lots of creepy brain coral.
We swam around the edges of the coral and then down to around 65 feet at the base where we saw a number of lobsters hanging out in the ledges. The Statia Marine Park is protected so the lobsters have few predators in these waters and can get quite big.
As we made our way slowly along the reef and pointed at everything, Joel kept close watch over us and made us feel very comfortable in the water. When our tanks were half empty we headed back toward the dive buoy, skimming over the top of the reef at around 40 feet. We ascended slowly on the rope and watched beneath us as the brilliant colors faded to gray and the reef finally disappeared. As we hung at 15 feet for a few minutes to equalize before returning to the surface, we watched a large Barracuda study us.
Back on the dive boat we made a promise to each other not to let so much time go by before returning to such a beautiful place.
For this blog entry there are no great photos of our experience, you'll just have to use your imagination. Thanks Golden Rock Divers and an extra special thanks to Joel for getting us back under water.
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02/03/2008, Antigua
A few months ago we decided to look for a wifi antenna that would let us connect with web access points while never having to leave the boat. We found a reasonably priced antenna online but when we got it back to the boat and tried to use it we realized it would not last very long in the salty, wet environment on the deck of our boat.
What to do?....
We have waterproof containers for all kinds of devices, boxes and bags that allow us to carry cameras, phones, etc., on wet dingy rides. We dug through our collection of retired waterproof boxes and found one that was not in use any more. A water tight pelican box (brand name) about 9 inches x 5 inches x 1.5 inches high looked like it might work as a 'house' for our wifi adapter and antenna.
We drilled a few holes in each end, added silicon to fill the holes and make them water tight, and removed some foam to allow the adapter to sit snugly inside. The result - a super tough, water tight, powerful wifi adapter that can sit outside on deck in any weather.
We're using it right now to post this blog entry...
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01/29/2008, English Harbor, Antigua
You may remember from a position report long ago (2 months maybe) that we had met a crazy group of people in Gomera (Canary Islands) who were getting ready to race across the Atlantic in row boats. Open cockpit row boats ranging in length from 23 to 30 feet in length.
We wished them well and told them we'd see them on the other side.
Well, here we are in Antigua (English Harbor) and there are 6 boats already here! Charles saw the first boat tied to the dock, 'Go Commando', and we recognized it as one we had seen being loaded up with food and water a few months ago in Gomera.
We then found out that another boat was due to arrive in a few hours and might even set a record in the process. We decided to wait around to see 'Oyster Shacks' landfall.
They arrived around 2pm to loud cheers, horns, and a steel band.
They were obviously thrilled to be finished with the race and could not wait to see friends and family.
They also set a new world record for the time from Gomera to Antigua in a 6 man row boat. Good job guys! Check out their web site at Oyster Shack's home page
and the race web site at The Woodvale Challenge 2007
for more information about the boats and the crews.
There are still a lot of boats out there to cheer for and they all have their own web sites where you can track their progress.
Our personal favorite is Paul Attalla, a solo racer who is at the back of the pack right now.
We met him and his lovely family in Gomera and learned a little about the challenges he was about to face with the solo crossing. We will not get to meet Paul when he arrives in Antigua as he is still at least 30 days out. Please visit his web site to read his story and send him a few words of encouragement!
Paul Attalla's web site
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01/10/2008, Dominica - Caribbean
On Sunday, January 5th, our guide Pancho took us and another couple on a hiking trip to Dominica's famous 'Boiling Lake'. This is a 7 to 8 hour round-trip adventure, which begins in the village of Laudat, offering some of the most spectacular views into the heart of Dominica's rugged interior.
The first part of the hike was pleasant with an average level of difficulty apart from the puddles and slippery roots caused by the constant rain. Our pace was quick and energetic as we made our way through the rain forest, we were just sorry later on that Pancho did not warn us of the difficulties ahead. We would have saved some of our energy...
After reaching the Trois Pitons river the hike got truly challenging. The climb up Morne Nichols was often steep and narrow and we were careful to follow Pancho closely so we stayed safely on the trail. On the crest of Morne Nichols we were at the highest point of the trail which is approximately 3,000 feet.
Facing West we could see the coastal town of Rouseau, facing Southeast we could see Laudat (where we started). Both places seemed very far away. Facing almost due South we could see the steam rising from the Boilng Lake.
Pancho said we were still about an hour away. It seemed so close, that was hard to believe. When Pancho said it was time to climb down again we were shocked. Why didn't we just go around Morne Nichols instead of up and down it? Pancho's answer - "There's only one way in and out of Boiling Lake." The dramatic descent into the Valley of Desolation began.
Reaching the Valley of Desolation we saw a landscape without trees or much vegetation. Lots of strangely colored streams filled with black and white algaes wound in different directions through the rocks. The smell of sulfur was overpowering and colored the white calcium rocks with patches of bright yellow. In many places there were bubbling pools of water and mud as well as small geysers spraying steam and water. The minerals in the water are supposed to be good for your skin so we gave ourselves a mud facial before moving on.
We followed a larger stream down a ridge and in a few minutes found some beautiful pools of steaming water surrounded by a rain forest. We all took off our shoes and jumped in. The warm water felt great on our sore, aching feet but we also wondering if the warm sulfur bath might turn out legs to jello. For that reason we did not stay in the water very long.
One more uphill climb brought us over the ridge to the Boiling Lake. The lake is caused by a large crack in the earth where hot gases and steam are released. It keeps an average temperature of around 185-200 degrees Fahrenheit. The rim around the lake is very high and the edges are not solid so we were all careful not to get too close. Some hikers adventure down to the edge of the lake but that was more than any of us cared to think about since we knew the hike that was in store for us on the way back.
We sat and ate our lunches while admiring the bubbling lake, wondering to ourselves if Pancho was really serious about taking us out the way we came in. He was.
We headed back towards the Valley of Desolation, meeting a few other hiking parties along the way. Many of the hikers we saw were muddier and looked a little more worn out than we did so that gave us a little confidence that we had what it took to get back to Laudat.
We don't need to describe the hike out in much detail except to say that the climb out of the Valley of Desolation to the top of Morne Nichols was the hardest hiking we have ever done. Our legs were numb and our feet ached so we were all very careful not to take a bad step and add injury to our exhaustion. We made it back to Laudat in 6.5 hours (better than average they say) and relaxed and had a few beers next to TiTou Gorge. Pancho took us back to our boats, we all had hot showers and slept very well that night. Some of us actually fell asleep in the early afternoon and did not wake until morning.
Pancho continues to take tourists to the Boiling Lake, sometime 2-3 times a week. It is a hike we will always remember and will never, ever, do again.
And now... The movie...
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