Back at Saba Rock
04 April 2014 | Virgin Gorda, BVI
DAY 93 – March 30th 2014 – St. Marten
We met Donna and Jack for a croissants and coffee this morning and a little Skyping to family. We said our sad goodbyes to them and headed back to the dinghy. Kathrian is going South and we are heading West, we shall meet up again hopefully in the fall. This is the last day of the Bucket Races so we decided to go out on the start line and watch up close. It was amazing being so close to these mammoth yachts, they are so beautiful at the dock and even better sailing. Before the last two passed through the start line we started heading back down the course toward St. Marten. Very quickly they overtook us and I was able to get some more photos. We arrived back at Simpson Bay after a glorious sail with the wind behind us for a change and then had to wait for the bridge to open. Quickly anchored and went ashore to meet Heather and Rob at the yacht Club, they had shouted to us when we came through the bridge. Tonight we slept well in flat calm waters for the first time in a week.
DAY 94 – March 31st 2014 – St. Marten
Happy hour at Barnacles tonight and met up with a couple of crazy people. We had planned on getting groceries but got side tracked. Another calm night, had forgotten how it was to sleep and not rock
DAY 95 – April 1st, 2014 – St. Marten
Laundry, groceries, internet and then fill up with water and diesel and went out into Simpson Bay on 10.30am bridge opening. Beautiful day, we took the dinghy to a little beach and cleaned her which was tough, she had quite a beard underneath. Back on board we had dinner and an early night as we plan on leaving tomorrow morning for the BVI.
DAY 96 – April 2nd, 2014 – Saba Rock – Virgin Gorda
I did not sleep that well as always anticipate an early rising when we travel, but this night there was a big party going on shore and kept me awake. Eventually it stopped about midnight and I was just beginning to drift off when I heard this choking and coughing really close to the boat. I lifted the hatch and saw a guy in the water, panic mode, woke Doug and yelled at the guy, he said he was swimming back to his boat as his dinghy had been stolen and that he was OK, well I am not sure about that but he did make it and we watched as he boarded the boat next to us. We woke at 3.30 and put on the coffee and prepared for leaving, up anchor at 4.00 and off out into the dark. Smooth sailing as we went along the coast of St. Marten and out into the open sea. By the time the sun came up we were a good couple of hours underway and the rollers were beginning to grow. Due to the light wind we had a really comfortable ride to the BVI in the big swells at 10 sec intervals and blue sky. We managed to snooze and I actually read a whole book on the crossing. As we arrived in Virgin Gorda we noticed four hobie cats sailing from Necker Island to Mosquito island and one came up so close to our stern we could have shaken his hand. It was Sir Richard Branson of all people, very friendly, waved and shouted hello to us and off he went, I took me a while to get my camera and take a picture. We anchored at Saba Rock and did not bother to go ashore. This was our best long crossing ever but it had been very hot and I was quite drained. Early to bed.
DAY 97 – April 3rd, 2014 – Saba Rock – Virgin Gorda
Took the dinghy over to Gun Creek to check in and the customs officer even topped up our digicel sim card, where else in the world would they do that. Wandered up to the shop, Gun Creek is not all fancy like the rest of the North Sound, think most of the locals live here as we see many ferries coming and going to the different resorts and new building sites every morning and evening. We motored all around the shoreline and picked up Pinot and then to Fat Virgin for lunch. On our way back we stopped at Mojo for a chat and then met up with them on the Rock for Happy Hour.
DAY 98 – April 4th, 2014 – Saba Rock – Virgin Gorda
I am very glad we came over from St. Marten when we did; a huge cold front came through yesterday mid-afternoon, if we had waited another day then we would have been stuck for a week. So today we woke to rain, 20 knot winds and gray sky, not going anywhere today, a good day to chill and catch up. I cleaned the galley and Doug changed the oil.