Made it! First off I'd like to thank Kristopher and Rebecca on
Wandering Dolphin for shooting and editing the video of my departure from St. Thomas. It turned out great! Thanks guys for the post and see you a couple of few months.
I left you readers last while I was in the Anegada Passage between the BVI's and the northern leewards. I didn't get much sleep due to some traffic. As the sun was setting I pretty much was all alone out on the vast sea....or so I thought. Not long after sundown my
Sitex AIS started tracking a bunch of megayachts and cruiseships. Before I knew it a bunch of sailboat masthead lights were on the horizon behind me. Most having left from the Bitter End Yacht Club on Virgin Gorda. I will make a quick technical comment. The AIS has proved to be very very valuable. I'm the kind of guy who likes his information. The unit gives me everything I need to prevent me from tangling with a big ship. So I spent most of the night up on deck. But what a night it was. Calm and warm, clear with the southern cross tilted to the south and the big dipper moving across the sky to the north. My Sirius Sat Radio is still receiving a signal so I enjoyed some good programing. Toward early morning shipping thinned out and I was able to get a couple of hours rest.
By dawn the sun brought with it 10 knots of SSE wind and I was able to make good progress. I arrived in Simpson Bay on the Dutch Side about 0900 just in time to make the bridge that leads into the inside lagoon. I was safely anchored at about 10 am. Total distance covered on this leg was 126 nm in 27 hours of motor sailing. By 10 am I was very tired but I had to get it together and head to Customs and Immigration. So I pumped up the dingy, clearly one of my least favorite things to do under any circumstance. But with the lack of wind in the lagoon and the blazing Caribbean sun it took me about an hour with plenty of rest periods under the new dodger. But finally it was done and off I went. Customs and Immigration was quick and easy and before I knew it I was taking a quick jaunt down the main drag to get a feel for the island. That is when I turned a corner and headed toward the ocean and Simpson Bay where I snapped this gem of a photo. That is Simpson Bay beyond the coconut palms where I had just come through. I approached the plastic chair under the palm to take it all in when....what's this? That's right a topless beach. Suddenly I had found my second wind. I was lockin up so I took a seat in the plastic chair and then became self aware of the camera in my hand. I quickly stowed the camera to regroup. Thus far things are looking up here in the Caribbean sun.
Now today is a brand new day. It dawned windy and cloudy as predicted with the passage of the cold front. A older couple on a boat next to me dragged down on the boat behind them but thus far it appears Christa's anchor is dug in well. The bottom is somewhat like Luperon in the DR. Six inches of soft mud, but once the anchor penetrates the holding is solid. I'll keep close tabs until I am assured that Christa's anchor is holding as the winds are going to honk for at least another week. I have much exploring to do, but I have already found a great French breakfast joint with free wifi. Always key for the kid. More later.
Capt Chris