Last Known Position

Here we are, almost 7 months later, were we started. The trip home was pretty much motoring and beating into the wind. The largest seas we had were the last 30 miles to the entrance of the Chesapeake.(6-8 foot waves on the bow) However, the sail up the Bay was great as the winds shifted in our favor for a one tack trip. It appears that not only was the weather relatively kind to us, we had good luck with our engine, as when I was checking it out at the dock, I discovered that our Heat exchanger had gone bad, and instead of coolant, I now had sea water. So now I am wearing socks and long pants for the first time in 7 months, and have already indulged in Chinese food and pizza, both of which are hard to find in the BVI.

Well, we are here - nice trip, but could have done without the two rainstorms, one thunderstorm on the way - but the worst was the 30 knots of wind directly down the channel on our arrival. Fortunately for us, our anchor held the first time - we arrived at about 8 in the morning, and would usually go to the Customs dock, but with the wind blowing so strongly, we just anchored in the harbor and waited it out. We actually took waves over the bow, while at anchor - amazing.
Then after things settled down, we went thru customs, and did boat chores, and rented a scooter to see the sights. Unfortunately we took a small spill, as its been years since we road scooters, however, it appears that we are both okay, except for some cuts and bruises. We are going to see the America cup boats tomorrow, and then weather permitting head for home this Tuesday.

Wow, time sure flies - its been a long time since my last post - we have sailed around St Thomas, Around St John, gone to St Croix, and have had friends visit us for a few weeks, sailing in the BVI. We are currently back in Christmas Bay off St James Island, between St John and St Thomas. We have had a few days of rain, in the beginning of March and at the end of March. We had howling winds for a week - 25 gusting to 30. That was for 5 days straight currently we are now enjoying 10-15 from the east, with isolated showers - note: there is not a weather report that does not include isolated showers or numerous showers or scattered showers. The sail to St Croix was great 5 hours on the same tack - both going and returning on a beam reach in 15 knots of wind. Very nice.

So, this has been a week of getting things repaired, some that I did not even know about.
1 an oil cooler - one day I had no oil, the next I had too much oil - seems that I have an oil cooler that cools the oil with salt water, by flowing water through small tubes in a container of oil, so if one of the small tubes were to break, which it did, than you have oil and salt water mixing into the crankcase, and in to the exhaust - what fun. Fortunately, I could email our mechanic in the states, and email a boat project Manager in the BVI and get an idea of how to proceed. It took 3 oil changes, a new cooler, and about a day and half to get it all resolved and fixed. I think that all designers should have to fix their own designs in the field. To install the cooler I had to remove various hoses, and blindly find the bolts - I must have sweated a bucket, both my shirt and shorts were soaked - literally,
Then in the middle of this, the fresh water pump, decides to not work anymore - go figure, then we have a leaking hose on the hot water heater, the port head needs a new joker and flapper valves. - So it has been a busy week -however, the scenery is still good.

Just wanted to post this picture from a house ruin on St John, dating back to the 1700's. It looks like this was a view from the first floor, with a balcony over the arch on the second. Our engine is acting up a little currently, so we did an oil change and filter change, and are currently testing things out. We seem to be burning a little oil, and I think that it may be that I was running the engine to conservatively trying to save fuel. So we will see in the next few days what happens.

Went to Anagoda, the only BVI Island that is not volcanic. Highest point is only 28 feet above sea level. Famous for flamingos, Lobster and some iguana. Very shallow to approach, and to anchor at. Fortunately, we had great weather and almost no swell.
We are now back at Virgin Gorda, cleaning the boat, doing laundry and all that good stuff. Weather has been great - lite winds 10 to just under 15, with great night sleeping weather.