Tuesday 16 April 2024

Sent off tax forms and payment to Internal Revenue Serpents yesterday.
Always file honestly, at last possible moment and owe just below
penalty amount to enable using that money as long as possible before
it's coerced from my possession.

"We'll try to cooperate fully with the IRS, because, as citizens, we
feel a strong patriotic duty not to go to jail."
- Dave Barry

Can now sit back for a year and enjoy watching tax revenues, government
borrowing and magically printed dollars be used to influence virtually
everything everybody does while it decreases the value of our currency.
Particularly like supporting a hundred seventy thousand military troops
in a hundred seventy eight countries (2023) and supplying two hundred
thirty eight billion dollars in weapons to fifty eight countries (2022)
for "peacekeeping and world stability". Wonder if a couple bucks could
be used to buy someone a sense of irony.

Jack & Jan

Monday 15 April 2024

Despite valiant effort moving to three different locations, could not intercept dollar bus until eleven thirty yesterday and by that time storm clouds loomed. Stopped shortly for food truck snacks then returned to respective boats. Suspect dearth of transportation due location at University of VI with no classes on Sunday. No worries. May go another day from more active locale.

Returned toward Charlotte Amalie to retrieve regulators, not finished Friday because owner was in San Juan hospital (he looks a hundred ninety), and perhaps to retrieve last part for windlass that finally came. Rain in forecast for four days and last night wet, but this morning sunny. Motored into stiff wind for an hour back to Water Island to await Hi-Tec opening at 1000.

- Later

Scotty still not done with regs. Maybe after lunch. Took delay as opportunity for breakfast ashore, involving a two nm dinghy ride across Charlotte Amalie harbor getting deluged from a wind blown wave. Soaked pants bestowed same experience as wetting oneself, but without the accompanying warm glow. Return is downwind, so less chance of reprise.

Original plan to move after getting scuba gear was abandoned due comfortable location, increasing waves in main harbor, noise from town and congenital sloth - a persuasive combination. Return to boat was lively affair as wind picked up. We were shaken, but not stirred, and remained tolerably crisp.

Despite dire warning from weather weasels sky remains clear so we can leave hatches open for fresh air. One small advantage of rain is that radiant heat is usually blocked by clouds. Unfortunately here sun often shines during rain so more heat, more humidity and no ventilation. Arrrrrrgh! (a little pirate lingo that may be upgraded at one's inclination to more evocative expression)

Jack & Jan

Sunday 14 April 2024

Perhaps yet a third explanation of a previous blog title is in order. We do not explore virgins. We have no interest in virgins. We do not understand historic obsession with virgins. We try to avoid virgins. We rarely discuss Queen Elizabeth I. Once we leave here there will be no more talk of virgins. OK, we go next to Culebra in the Spanish Virgins, but after that, NO MORE virgins!!!

Just installed new Sirocco II fans on either side of bed in aft stateroom. These are very quiet and move lots of air. They are also very efficient. Batteries supply power to them through copper wire by moving electrons from negative to positive poles, spinning fan motor as they scurry by. Although fewer are needed than typical it still takes an enormous number to do this because they are incredibly small. In fact they are so tiny you cannot see them moving through the wire unless you've had at least a dozen rum punches. Haven't made it past eleven, so rely on testimonials from more persistent friends.

Today we hop on Safari bus, also called dollar bus, for a wide-ranging tour of St Thomas. We'll play chicken with storms coming in this afternoon as transportation may or may not come when needed. Living life on the edge... with raincoats.

Jack & Jan

Saturday 13 April 2024

Perhaps explanation of previous blog title is again in order. Some of you, you know who you are, have a naughty idea of what was meant. We do not do virgins, we do Virgins. Did you notice the difference?.. OK, not you Cal, but perhaps many others. For example, we do the Eastern Caribbean. We do Lagoonies and Stir It Up Coffee Shop. We will do the US East Coast again, then maritime Canada. We do not, to emphasize, do virgins. English is a subtle language that must be approached with intelligence and caution. Do not be fooled by your own twisted imagination and sick thoughts. Or by Cal.

In the science section today we review cicadas. This year for the first time since 1803, particular 13 and 17 year broods coincide - over a trillion of them. These guys have lived underground eating tree roots for well over a decade and will emerge for about a month starting in May to 'date' - if you get my drift. They don't bite, but do create sufficiently loud high-pitched mating noises to cause brain damage. The infestations, which normally have separate territories will atypically overlap in central Illinois this spring. The Audiology Promotional Association, Neuro-surgical Marketing Committee and Earwig Hearing Aid Company encourage you to go there for this once in a lifetime event.

Having rebed partners (where mast goes through deck) and screw holes in leaking hatch, have exhausted enthusiasm for further productive endeavor. With Aussie Anthems expect to make our way ashore in awhile for pate and one or more refreshing beers at Kimba's Food Truck. After miserable, rainy and windy day Friday, today is beautiful and calls out for exploration.

Jack & Jan

Friday 12 April 2024

Perhaps an explanation of previous blog title is in order. We are
decent people and do not switch virgins, even if we could find one and
he or she had been really, really bad. We don't completely condemn
corporal punishment, but don't find occasion to use it ourselves. The
intended message is that we changed to a different virgin... This does
not mean we had a virgin and tossed him or her out for another. We
would not cast aside a virgin just to obtain a different virgin even if
we were looking for one. We are not. Anyway, this is irrelevant as we
lack a first virgin. To be clear we are referring to virgin islands
that always remain where they are and will not be discarded. This does
not imply that the islands are themselves virgins nor are they noted
for having an unusual quantity of virgins. Although they were named by
Christopher Columbus for Saint Ursula and the 11,000 Virgins (for
reasons that remain obscure) there are certainly none left of the
original cadre and likely few modern ones. These statements, as they
ethically must, are about adults and ignore children, which we try
always to do especially at bars, restaurants and coffee shops whenever
possible. Hope this explanation provides sufficient clarity to
eliminate any confusion.

Tracking guidance for last windlass part, a spring, originally
indicated delivery by USPS sometime from 12 to 17 April, a six day
spread that implies a low opinion of its own competence. This
information has subsequently been updated by it to show arrival
yesterday, then today and now tomorrow. In fairness, although dashing
our hopes for reasonable timing (it was mailed from US on 5th),
tomorrow is within original commitment. Have confidence that post
office is so embarrassed by slow delivery and false promises that it
will spare no effort to get it here this month.

Jack & Jan

Sunday 31 March 2024

Traditional banana/blueberry pancake breakfast with Adrian & Marianna
before leaving for Jost van Dyke around noon. Wind continued veering,
so still behind us, light. This is the Caribbean. Suppose to have
good wind everywhere, all the time. What up? Life is rather grueling,
but we soldier on through paradise anticipating restorative
establishments at Little Harbour, Great Harbour and/or White Bay, home
of the Soggy Dollar Bar where Painkillers were invented.

Thursday

Have been horribly delinquent for five days in not abusing anyone who
happens on this blog by refraining from providing disgraceful twaddle.
Don't celebrate yet as this could change.

Monday 8 April

A little catch-up: Little Harbour, Great Harbour, White Bay BVI, Crown
Bay Marina USVI, Charlotte Amalie Harbor, Jersey Bay. Clearing into US
Virgins was incredibly easy. Obviously someone had a moment of sanity
and competence - hope it lasts. Filled out immigration information
online, requested verified traveler status for alien crew (Canadian),
sent in arrival notice when close ashore and cleared in with no further
effort requested. Unconvinced this could happen, called CBP (Customs
and Border Protection), which was immediately answered by an actual
human to confirm we were good. Should be the same for Puerto Rico and
lower forty eight. This can't possibly last.

Windlass slipping, unusable due missing parts in clutch. Using rope
with chain hook, snatch block and winch to retrieve anchor four times
so far. May stay same spot until fixed. Two of three parts on order
should arrive tomorrow. Last one picked up by USPS in New York Friday
5th, but not scheduled for arrival until 12 - 17? Should only take two
days??? New York?

Meantime had birthday dinner for alien referenced previous paragraph
with good friends in Red Hook, east end of St. Thomas, then today fixed
watermaker and plan update of chart plotter and cleanup of windlass
parts for reassembly soon.. he projected confidently.

Tuesday

Friends left yesterday and today, so now alone. Aussie Anthems should
be in today, but must go Charlotte Amalie to clear in.

Thursday

Critical windlass part arrived and we in bidness. Moved yesterday to
better anchorage near Charlotte Amalie to meet cruising mates for
another birthday dinner, then back to Antares for wide-ranging
discussions of... have forgotten, but many world issues were solved.
Found our way back to boat with no inconvenient mishaps.

Now waiting until scuba shop opens to retrieve presumably serviced
regulators before moving again as Hassel Island has become rather
uncomfortably rolly. We'll go to Brewer Bay by airport for enjoyment
of airplane noise, but little swell, he posited confidently. Tonight
and tomorrow scheduled for much more wind and wave.

Jack & Jan

Thursday 28 March 2024

Two day delay for wind allowed beautiful sail to Anegada and fun dive at Great Dog meantime. Expectations for two day stay include Cow Wreck Beach tonight and Big Bamboo (no relation to Cheech & Chong) tomorrow. Probably scooter or Moke rental for touring island made from coral and whose highest point is nine meters. Bareboat charter companies in eighties were very restrictive in allowing visit, but now the place is apparently overrun. Hope we find an anchorage.

- Later

Lots of boats in mooring field, but being cheap we anchored away with a few other monos. Blowing a hoolie after island tour, but should improve overnight and tomorrow. That's a theory we're counting on.

Rented a rusty Mini Moke with broken out headlights that looked like it wouldn't get out of parking lot. Proprietor agreed change to Suzuki SUV that had lights and AC for same price. Impressive upgrade, but missed the rare and incomparable Moke experience.

Prior to rental walked around "town" to a few beach bars, then drove to Cow Wreck Bay for early dinner. Lobster salad and "island style" lobster were wonderful. Enjoyment was not spoiled by Painkillers.

Friday

As expected, if one believes weather forecasts, wind went toward north and now flowing over the island. Unfortunately, swell didn't go with it, so boat now side on and rolling. Should have seen that coming. Slowly getting better.

Toured all hotspots (bars) on Anegada, among them Cow Wreck, Tipsy, Flash of Beauty, Anegada Beach Club, Sid�'s and Big Bamboo. For non-cogniscenti, that last is a Jamaican euphemism for which, as this is a PG blog, no further explanation will be offered. Jan and Susan went swimming at West End Point while balance of crew vegged in shade. Not authorized to be there, we were run off.

After lobster - salad, sandwich, burger, bits and fritters - at every meal, topped off visit to Anegada with excellent lobster dinner at Anegada Reef Hotel. Lobster quota filled for foreseeable future.

Saturday

Although piffling wind, needed to move on, so motored to Ginger Island for dive with sharks, hefty angels, schools of surgeon fish and large lobsters (again?!). After a modicum of harassment left them to enjoy a longer life. Erie Spirits went on to Cooper Island next door while two Anthems stayed in place for the night. Anticipate moderate imbibement (not a real word) this evening on Anthem... have yet to decide which one.

Jack & Jan

Wednesday 27 March 2024

We just arrived BVI ummmmm, five days ago. Really!? Where'd the time go. Oh right, drinking heavily with our cruising mates. Had a large crowd plus some guys we just met. One fellow is from Halifax, heading back, and will impart local knowledge when we arrive, i.e. best pubs with best music and beer.

Cleared in Spanish Town on Virgin Gorda, then stayed one night to patronize excellent Cocomayo Restaurant recommended by Tim from USVI. Rest of time in Gorda Sound at Saba Rock and Leverick Bay. Both excellent if expensive - that's the case everywhere here. Four point nine kilometer hike up steep hill behind Bitter End Yacht Club and still feeling it. New knee a bit sore, but more importantly muscles haven't yet gotten with the program - more exercise.

Left Sound this morning for George Dog where we'll spend the night. First dive for us in a donkey's age and some equipment unusable. Fortunately buddies had extra octopuses (regulator rigs). Also, bad O-ring in one bottle could be swapped with only small leak when couldn't find spares. We'll get up to speed in St. Thomas. May service old stuff for backup then buy new. Also need all four tanks inspected and tested. Dive computer batteries need replacement and one band is broken. Parts en route to Tim at this very instant. At least compressor is serviced and works a treat.

Wind should allow nice sail to Anegada late morning tomorrow where we may stay a couple of nights before heading to Jost van Dyke for a couple. Plan to clear out at Soper's Hole with obligatory stop into Pussers for their signature drink. Painkillers are properly made with Pusser's dark rum, a rather harsh spirit that combines magically with pineapple, orange and coconut cream. Add nutmeg and a maraschino cherry to conjure heaven. They live up to their name wonderfully well until next morning.

Jack & Jan

Thursday 21 March 2024

Pre-departure day and, one might suppose, the first day of spring. Ha, ha. I sneer at your fallacy. This year spring sprang at 2306 on the 19th. The infernal Vernal occurred earlier than normal due injecting a leap day almost three weeks ago. In fact 20 March is most common, not 21. Amaze friends, acquaintances and complete strangers at your next soiree. Sneer at them if you wish.

Today we clear out of Sint Maarten, pay harbor fee, top up diesel, buy barrel plug for Starlink (more on this later) and move outside lagoon to Simpson Bay. Since leaving late afternoon, will tidy boat tomorrow morning and possibly dive to confirm clean, efficient prop - depends on exuberance as will likely not use engine except to leave and arrive on anchor.

Now, about that Starlink thingy. Finished installing satellite comms and activated service using standard 110vac so inverter or generator must be on to use. Generation 3 system operates on 57vdc with separate power block to convert from ac. We own 12 to 56 volt converter (unnecessary additional volt would have cost lots more) and only need the connector and a wee bit of wire to go directly from 12 volt primary onboard power. Voila! Running this way will use perhaps two thirds energy versus inverter with its amps of overhead going dc, ac, dc. Grid now permanently available. Anywhere, anytime we wish, we're plugged into to every syllable of no good, very bad, fake news. Yay!!!

Friday

Waited nearly an hour yesterday to get fuel, then station ran out after partially filling one tank. This caused barely missing last outbound bridge from lagoon. At our entreaty kindly bridge tender subsequently allowed us to sneak out after last inbound an hour later. Anchored Simpson Bay next to Deo Juvantes who then forced us, forced I say, to come over and drink too much wine. Returned home after twelve, two and a half hours past standard cruiser midnight. Oddly, felt fine next day.

Busy last day of shopping, finally clearing out, buying obligatory Lagoonies T-shirt (only large left was mustard, Jan got a light blue medium) and securing everything battenable to leave at 1600. Wind coming over island initially light, but picked up nicely after a patch. Genoa on newly fixed and fully extendable whisker pole plus single reefed main was giving us seven knots with ten of apparent breeze. Yowzer! Old girl really flies with a clean bum. Had to slow or arrive dangerous passage in dark. Poo!

Jack & Jan

Sunday 17 March 2024

Still on dock. Were to leave, but couldn't find owner to take water and electric readings and extract funds from our formerly parsimonious piggy bank. We (the royal we) used to be cheap, but have discovered the necessity and joy of pissing away money on boat. Previously informed we could stay over weekend gratis, so here we are.

Despite predilection to lay about, whimpering softly, may use today to replace gasket on last deck hatch that has become detached. Having started on it yesterday, discovered that sealer is attached especially persistently to this frame, making it the most difficult so far. Once that's done, assuming it doesn't take all afternoon and sap what enthusiasm has been engendered by two cups of caffeine, may even try to do something else as there are a multitude of projects, some fairly small, on the list.

- Later

Marina indicated they trust us to leave and settle Monday, so now anchored in lagoon.

Today, as every drinking enthusiast knows, is St. Patrick's Day. Expect to find a suitable venue this evening to celebrate being Irish, as we all are today... except the English.

Monday

As might have been expected, nothing further done on gasket (narrow chisel buggered), but began running cable for Starlink. Runs from port quarter to saloon through cabinets and the most difficult headliner access. Bought adapting hardware to convert from 115 VAC to 48 VDC for Gen2 dish. New one purchased, Gen3, uses 57 volts so may or may not work. However, since generator now operative can run on AC until such time as.

Dinked into Lagoonies, in the rain, for breakfast, to pay dockage, for Jan's regular chat with Jan's BFF Lesley in California and see why Electec, generator people, have not billed us after nine days and two requests. Perhaps this is their pro bono for the month. Yeah, that must be it. I'll relax into these few days of delusion.

Farewell party tonight at Lagoonies for buddy Leslie of Paseafique who goes home for a visit and hip revision (they're getting real popular). We leave end of week for a few days in BVI along with a couple other boats before visiting good friends Tim & Judy in USVI. Will be good to get on the sea again after over two months. And, he bragged smugly, most everything is operational. Who could have known?

Tuesday

Finished running Starlink cable before heading out to excellent French restaurant in Port
Royal with Antares mates. Will satellite internet be available by tomorrow afternoon? Enquiring minds want to know.. especially mine.

After another day of fantasy, Electec discovered our bill and decided it was somewhat larger than anticipated. Could have installed brand new for not much more, but she has now resumed perfect operation, so hard to whinge too loudly.

Wednesday

Possible delay getting started as Ariels left underwater camera at Aqua Mania Adventures before sailing to BVI. We dinked outside lagoon to pick it up and then were forced, forced I say, to breakfast at Zee Best on the way back to boat. As it's only 1000 and we're in motion, might actually get to work earlier than normal. Anything's possible.

Jack & Jan