(Picture above from Jost Van Dyke, Great Harbour)
We had planned to take Gloria and Neal sailing so they could get acquainted with the boat, but of course Mother Nature had other plans. High winds and rain all of the holiday weekend. Go figure. That did not discourage the kids from getting in the water when there was a break in the weather or if it was pouring down rain. We took Halley, the seeing eye dog, that Gloria babysits after school for Zane, one of the kids at her school. She is a great dog and adapted pretty good to the boat but the dingy was not her favorite thing. I knew I liked her for a reason!


We stayed in Great Harbour as the weather was looking nasty as we rushed in to anchor and then get checked into the British Virgin Islands. It was a little nerve racking as we due to anchoring since there were no moorings available. I was worried we would swing around and land up in the reef just off shore. I think we had 100 feet of chain out for a 5 foot depth. “Better safe than sorry,” said Jettie. They checked the anchor and it was snug in the sand.

The kids and Gloria went snorkeling. I think Jettie went too. But Neal and I stayed on the boat. He was lifting the dog out of the dingy onto the dock at Foxy's Restaurant and Bar and lost his sunglasses. When he dived for them, he slipped and gashed his knee on the dingy's pad lock. Took 4 stitches from some nurse / doctor down the beach for a $100. Poor Neal either gets hurt or falls off the boat.

I don't know what is worse, swimming horses or swimming dogs? Halley got in the water and would not come right back. It was like she was out there swimming and not knowing where to go. Once we got her back to the boat, Gloria's son, Diego, had to push Halley's butt up the stairs as she could not climb the sugar scoop alone. Whew!

Gloria's kids, Diego and Bella, where making circuits around the boat, going inside, then back out the hatch. I was worried they would leave it open and fall through, so they were told time and time again, not to open the hatch. Well, it wasn't the kids that fell in, it was the poor unsuspecting dog. She had no idea that the deck could open into a 20 inch by 22 inch hole for her to fall through. She was unharmed but the sliding screen and shade did not fare as well. I think the kids finally got the picture because we didn't have to address the hatch further.


The kids and Gloria snorkeling while Halley watches diligently.


After planning on leaving to go around to the bubbly pool over by Foxy's Taboo, the weather hosed those plans so we just stayed where we were anchored. The next day, the group minus me and Halley went over to White Bay around the corner. I could see white caps and had no desire to get banged around in the dingy as it still really hurts my poor knees. While Halley and I stood watch, Jettie came back stating they secured a mooring with Russ' dingy (Who is Russ?) and we were moving which we needed to do before dark. We get over there and I cannot see the reef at all! Now I really know why they only want you to traverse these areas in the height of the day so you can see. Gladly Jettie had already been through there and the chart plotter showed where the reef was. But without visually being able to see it, I felt like I was blind.

We got in without any trouble but we worried the boat owner behind us as he stood on his cat's bow with hands on hips as to say “You better not hit my boat!” We snugged up to the mooring more so than mister worry wart behind us. One would think he would do the same, but not a chance. It was quite rough out there as the only thing to break the oncoming waves was the same reef behind us. Both anchorages were beautiful and I hope we get to go back there again when the weather is not so crappy.

I sat up all night with Neal. We talked and played cards. Too bad no money was wagered as I beat him in every hand. Ha! I was more worried about the location that night than the one we anchored at because of how rough it was. We were swinging at least 180 degrees and pitching constantly. I felt better just being outside and watching the situation.



From White Bay

Oh yeah. Who's Russ? Russ has a cat as well and was anchored out behind us. Jettie talked to him at the bar and they used his dingy to tie off to the mooring to hold it for us to motor back from Great Harbour.

After four days, we left for Cruz Bay to go check back into the US of A and opted to sail. We had way too much canvas up and Dutchess refused to cooperate with 20+ mph winds. We rolled in some of the jib, but it was the main that needed to be reefed. We did not have the reefing block out and it was already after 2 p.m. so down came the sails and we motored down wind to Cruz Bay.


For the first time, they charged us to dock at the Customs dock. What? We have never had to pay before. “Well, you must have been getting away with it all this time," said the Customs guy. That is not the point! It is like they decide to charge when they want to and what they want to. ::sigh:: Wait til I get my hands on one of those comment cards. I forgot to pick on up before we left.


Off to Christmas Cove for the night and then to American Yacht Harbor so Kevin can put our 4th solar panel up. We have that big hole up there, might as well fill it with 7 more amps of electricity!

Good thing we took the sails down as when we got settled for the night, Jettie found the bale that Kevin replaced for us last year. It holds the blocks (pulley like wheels) under the boom in a track. It is riveted in and should not just fall out like it has done TWICE. The rigger thinks we jibed and did it. Nope. No accidental jibes and probably not even a controlled one since it was replaced. Kevin is going to install the old fashioned bales that go through the boom and look like big U's instead of little elongated V's. We may have to secure the boom differently to take the load off the bales. If it ain't one thing, it is one of the thousand others on the boat!

Until next time....