Sailing At Last

This is the tale of our journey to fulfill a passion of learning to sail and a dream to circumnavigate. Welcome Aboard At Last!

Profile of At Last and the Gorrell's

Who: Mark & Janet Gorrell
Port: Wickford, RI USA

Our Current Position

19 December 2013 | Westerly, RI
17 July 2013 | Mystic Shipyard, Mystic, CT
14 June 2013 | Summit North Marina, Bear, Delaware
04 June 2013 | Point Lookout Marina, Ridge, Maryland
21 May 2013 | Dunedin Municipal Marina, Dunedin, Florida
05 May 2013 | Bahia Mar Yachting Center, Fort Lauderdale, Florida
27 April 2013 | 22 56.8'N:073 02.0'W, Nearing the Exumas & Bahamas
23 April 2013 | 18 25'N:064 50'W, The BVI
13 April 2013 | Rodney Bay, St. Lucia
08 April 2013 | Admiralty Bay, Port Elizabeth, Bequia
04 April 2013 | Tobago Cays and Mustique, Grenadines
29 March 2013 | Port Louis Marina, St. George, Grenada
15 March 2013 | Port Louis Marina, St. George, Grenada
06 March 2013 | Between Salvador, Brazil and St. George, Grenada
05 March 2013 | Port Louis Marina, St. George's Harbor, Grenada
17 February 2013 | Terminal Nautico, Salvador, Brazil
04 February 2013 | 153 miles from Salvador Brazil, Atlantic Ocean
30 January 2013 | Island of St. Helena, Atlantic Ocean
29 January 2013 | 14 36.9'S:22 37.3'W, On the way to Brazil
20 January 2013 | 15 55.55'S:005 43.58'W, Jamestown, St. Helena

Bequia…a real gem of the Grenadines

08 April 2013 | Admiralty Bay, Port Elizabeth, Bequia
Janet
Another quick day sail of 15 miles and we arrived in Bequia. Several other World Arc boats were already there and they sent out a man in a skiff named Don't Worry to help us tie up to a mooring ball very close to shore. We were delighted to be in another much protected anchorage with what seemed like a tremendous amount to explore - shopping, dining, beaches, etc. Bequia did not disappoint.

The anchorage is Bequia is quite active and every morning you can expect people checking in to see if you need anything. The bread man offered fresh baguettes and croissants. Daffodil Marine Services was happy to pick up your dirty laundry and return it later in the day clean and folded. They would also bring you ice and pick up your garbage. On shore there was a man offering us fresh lobsters and would even cook them for you and deliver them to you. There didn't seem to be much that you couldn't get here in Bequia.

Several boats joined forces for a tour the day after we arrived. The island is 7 square miles and has about 6,000 people living on it. The main industry for the island is tourism with the second being fishing. Bequia continues to be an active whaling station and local whalers are allowed to take up to four whales per whaling season, which is only during February and April. We saw the whaling station which is on a very small island next to Bequia and we also saw one of the whaling boats. It was unbelievable to think that a boat so small continues to be used to hunt whales. It seems quite dangerous to me!



Of great interest to our tour group was the Old Hegg Turtle Sanctuary in Bequia. Orton King is a 75 year old Bequian who started the sanctuary in 1995. Since that time, he has released 913 turtles back into the waters around Bequia and other Grenadine islands. He takes turtle eggs and raises them until they are around five years old and able to live on their own. The turtles which are the endangered Hawksbill turtle live to be 200 years old, not reaching maturity until they are 40 years old. Once full grown they are able to stay underwater for three to four hours at a time. These turtles can only see and hear, they have no ability to smell or taste. They eat jelly fish when they are young until they are able to dive deep enough to eat food off of the coral reefs. The turtles we saw had such personality. We all were quite captivated by the turtles who were quite curious of our presence.



The views from the higher elevations on the island were quite striking. Its topography was quite varied for such a small island. From Fort Hamilton built in the 1770s, the views of the water and its coral in Admiralty Bay were particularly striking. These beautiful views just never seem to get old!

While in Bequia, we also organized a trip to Princess Margaret Beach which reportedly is the best beach on the island. It is a quick dinghy ride from the anchorage and on the beach is a delightful restaurant called Jack's. About fourteen of us spent the day there and we enjoyed swimming, a fantastic lunch and several beach games. Hannah (s/v Working on a Dream) introduced us to the Swedish game called Kubb. It is a game where you knock down sticks sitting on the sand with baton like sticks. It was great fun as was our traditional game of bocce ball which has become a real favorite. We swam repeatedly as it was very hot and again we ended up doing some pyramid gymnastics in the water.

Hannah (in the Panama hat) who taught us Kubb gets ready to throw


Unfortunately, the time in the water had repercussions for me. I did remember getting bitten while I was in the water but no more so than several others who also felt a little bite or two. The next morning, I had red welts covering my entire body, apparently the work of sea lice. I tried to count but gave up at about fifty bites, most of which were on my belly, which was curious seeing as I had on a one piece bathing suit. For those of you who are faithful blog readers, you may remember a similar incident while we were cleaning the bottom of the boat in the Marquesas Islands. In our trusty medical kit I found Benadryl and hydrocortisone cream. I used both liberally but found that dousing the bites with vinegar was the best way to relieve the itchiness. Despite the unbelievable discomfort of the bites, I will always remember more fondly a fantastic day on a beautiful beach full of fun!

We thoroughly enjoyed our five days in Bequia. We stayed there longer than expected due all of the enjoyment we were getting on the island. We decided to skip St. Vincent Island due to the reports of great crime on the island. We were sad to miss Wallilabou Bay in St. Vincent which continues to house a set from the Pirates of the Caribbean. Several other boats did stop there and said it was fun to see. We instead decided to make the long trip directly to St. Lucia from Bequia which required us to leave at 6:00 am in order to get to Laborie by nightfall. We did arrive in Laborie in plenty of time. It is a very small and quiet anchorage with a tricky entrance lined with reefs. We entered safely with s/v Anastasia and s/v Spirit of Alcides. We enjoyed sun downers on Anastasia and a one night stay before sailing to Marigot Bay in St. Lucia. There would begin the end of the World Arc activities and the celebration of our circumnavigation.
Comments
Vessel Name: At Last
Vessel Make/Model: Island Packet 465-02
Hailing Port: Wickford, RI USA
Crew: Mark & Janet Gorrell
About:
Hi, We have been sailing for more than twelve years, chartering in the BVI, Leeward Islands, Chesapeake, and Florida. We completed many US Sailing certifications. We have been saling At Last for the last four years in New England between Nantucket and NYC. Mark has crewed on deliveries to St. [...]
Extra:
For those of you who know Mark, you would agree that he is a very conservative and risk adverse person and one who suffers terribly from motion sickness. So, you must be wondering how he could give up the security of a wonderful job to sail around the world, especially in this economy. Well, [...]
Home Page: http://sailingatlast.com
At Last's Photos - Main
Back in the US and heading home
1 Photo | 2 Sub-Albums
Created 3 June 2013
Our time in Marigot Bay, Rodney Bay and other photo albums commemorating our trip
1 Photo | 4 Sub-Albums
Created 19 April 2013
Stops in Grenada and the Grenadines
1 Photo | 4 Sub-Albums
Created 28 March 2013
Carnival and Old Town in Salvador
25 Photos | 1 Sub-Album
Created 17 February 2013
Photos of this unique and friendly island in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean
18 Photos
Created 16 February 2013
The pictures from our stops in Richard's Bay, Durban, St. Francis and Cape Town.
1 Photo | 4 Sub-Albums
Created 14 December 2012
Halloween party and a visit to a volcano
21 Photos
Created 23 November 2012
Our time in Mauritius
46 Photos
Created 23 November 2012
Our visit to the atoll of Cocos Keeling, Australia
23 Photos
Created 21 October 2012
35 Photos
Created 18 September 2012
Our time in Mackay, Cairns and Darwin Australia
1 Photo | 3 Sub-Albums
Created 5 September 2012
Our time in Port Resolution, Dillon's Bay and Port Vila
43 Photos
Created 17 July 2012
Our time in Denarau and Musket Cove, Fiji
20 Photos
Created 6 July 2012
Our visit to Vava'u Tonga
56 Photos
Created 21 June 2012
The Islands of Suwarrow and American Samoa
27 Photos
Created 8 June 2012
1 Photo | 4 Sub-Albums
Created 29 April 2012
Rangiroa
26 Photos
Created 29 April 2012
This gallery include the passage from the Galapagos and photos from Hiva-Oa, Oa-Pou and Nuku Hiva
1 Photo | 3 Sub-Albums
Created 11 April 2012
These are pictures of the passage to the Galapagos and our experience on the islands of San Cristobal, Isabella and Santa Cruz
2 Photos | 4 Sub-Albums
Created 2 March 2012
Here are photos of the passage to Panama, the San Blas Islands, the transit through the canal and events yet to come.
11 Photos | 6 Sub-Albums
Created 22 January 2012
A compendium of pix of our various excursions around St Lucia
5 Photos | 2 Sub-Albums
Created 6 January 2012
These are pictures from the last of the Leeward Islands.
25 Photos
Created 19 December 2011
Photos of Terre-De-Haut, an island part of Les Saintes southeast of Guadeloupe.
13 Photos
Created 18 December 2011
Here are more photos of English Harbour taken form At Last as we left Antigua for Guadeloupe
10 Photos
Created 16 December 2011
These are the pictures of our passage from Antigua through our stay on Guadeloupe
28 Photos
Created 16 December 2011
These are photos of Admiral Nelson's Dockyard and our trek to the top of Shirley Heights overlooking English Harbor
42 Photos
Created 13 December 2011
Here are some photos of the islands as we were leaving Nevis, passing Montserrat and arriving at Antigua. A pleasant 50 mile motor sail into 10 knot head winds. I took a nap for 90 minutes. Blogging keeps me up late at night.
15 Photos
Created 13 December 2011
Pictures of Nevis
14 Photos
Created 11 December 2011
These are pix of Saba, Statia and St Kitts as we passed by them to sail to Nevis
18 Photos
Created 11 December 2011
Pictures of his homes and yacht on the island as we passed headed for Anguilla
11 Photos
Created 5 December 2011
7 Photos
Created 2 December 2011
Some of the photos of the passage that hit the cutting room floor
27 Photos
Created 22 November 2011
These are pictures of some of the results of the recent outfitting for the trip
8 Photos
Created 19 October 2011
These were taken last year sailing in Long Island Sound by Yacht-Shots. My colleagues at Baystate Health were kind enough to have three copies of one these photos printed and framed for me as a going away gift. A large one for home, one for the boat and one for my desk. Very Special!
7 Photos
Created 19 October 2011
This is a compilation of photos taken over the first four years of cruising on At Last in Naragansett Bay and Long Island Sound with close friends, family and the Cruising Club of New England, a wonderful group of sailors.
55 Photos
Created 1 October 2011
At Last is painted in January of 2008
4 Photos
Created 1 October 2011
At last is delivered, commissioned and has its maiden voyage just in time to be in the 2007 Newport Boat Show
6 Photos
Created 1 October 2011
These are pictures of the layout of the IP 465 and the interior of At Last
12 Photos
Created 1 October 2011

Profile of At Last and the Gorrell's

Who: Mark & Janet Gorrell
Port: Wickford, RI USA

Our Current Position