Day 110 – April 16th, 2014 – Puerto Del Ray
After spending the last week removing items off the boat and packing away sails, canvas, dinghy and everything else that can be blown off the boat through the hurricane season, it is time to head over to Puerto Del Ray. Moma gets put to bed in a drier area than we had last year at the end of the same row. Another winter over for us sailing, Doug returns to Ottawa on Sunday and Pinot and I are heading to Florida for a couple of weeks before heading home. Be back next winter.

DAY 103 – April 9th, 2014 – Culebra – Spanish Virgin Islands
HAPPY BIRTHDAY DOUG
This morning the Disney ship came in again, and poor Dumbo is still painting the stern, bless him….We were off early to pick up a few items, most of all Rum and Vodka, pulled up the anchor by noon, gotta love heading downwind, but the trip still was bucking and rolling up to 20o either way across to Culebra. Anchored by 14.30 and got out some munchies and enjoyed the remainder of the afternoon. Took Doug ashore to the Dinghy Dock for Ribs for his birthday.
DAY 104 – April 10th, 2014 – Isleta – Puerto Rico
OK this trip is over, 104 days and now time to go home. Head out at 08.00 wind of course is still behind us and strong enough that we are glad we are not heading up wind. Thought it nice not to motor sail today, but really not enough wind to push us forward with the wind and current it would have taken a few hours more so after enjoying the peace for an hour and only moving at about 2 knots an hour we turned on the motor and motor sailed at a respectable 5 – 6 knots. We bucked and rolled back to Isleta, pleasant ride, able to read and only saw one boat out there. Got home just after Noon and spent the rest of the day chatting with friends and Michael, had dinner on board and headed up to the apartment for a good night’s sleep. Not sure yet when Moma is being taken out of the water, a few things needing done before that sad day.

DAY 99 – April 5th, 2014 – Saba Rock – Virgin Gorda
Another day on the boat, but enjoyed not going ashore, caught up on work and am reading huge amounts lately. I got through another book.
DAY 100 – April 6th, 2014 – Trellis Bay – Tortola – BVI
Hopped across to Trellis Bay today, great sail even though the wind is still topping 17knots and up. Met a couple from the UK at the Loose Mongoose, Tina and Martin on Petronella, had a great chat and then dinner, the best Shrimp Alfredo I have ever had.
DAY 101 – April 7th, 2014 – Cane Garden Bay – Tortola – BVI
Coffee on board Petronella, what a lovely boat, Tina and Martin had bought her across the Atlantic in December and have been cruising for ten years. We let go of the mooring and headed off to Cane Garden, I have wanted to visit here for a while but have heard stories of the big swells so we thought we should give it a try and if it was too bad head over to Jos Van Dyke. It was beautiful; the bay is very large with mooring balls that are spread far apart. The bay was protected with the wind direction tonight so we decided to stay. We also found a dock where we could get propane, good note for anyone as propane is not that easy to get and sometimes have to carry the tank a long way, well Cane Garden has it right there. Ashore we found many beach bars and a few little groceries with limited supplies. Happy hour and munchies at the Sailors Rest, a cute little place on stilts by the dinghy dock, chatted with a few cruisers, one couple from Canada another strange guy we were not sure where or what he was doing or going.
DAY 102 – April 8th, 2014 – St. Thomas – US Virgin Islands
Doug found a rum factory here in Cane Garden so we went ashore for a walk and then a visit to this very ancient rum factory where Doug bought a 10 yr old bottle of rum. Left Cane Garden and had a great sail to Sopers hole to check out, I was even able to sit on the deck. No mooring ball fights today, got one straight away and Doug went ashore to check out. Actually the amount of boats especially charters are getting less and there is a mooring ball everywhere you go now. Heading off to St. Thomas, we did a drive by or sail by I should say past all the lovely bays on the North Side of St. John, will stop there another time, the wind is picking up and as we sailed between John and Thomas the waves grew, but going downwind is not so bad. Arrived in Charlotte Amalie early enough to head in and Visit Belle at the Customs Office, “we’re back I said” Belle has family in Toronto and we had chat a lot about Canada each time we go in. She even gave us our check out papers so that we did not have to go in again. Then a windy walk back to Blackbeards pub for Nachos.

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.

DAY 90 – March 27th 2014 – St. Barts
Enjoyed the wonderful internet again this morning, worked, updated my blog which had not been done for at least ten days, but still not able to Skype for some reason, whenever I do Mum and I sound like fish in a bowl. Spent all day wandering around the wonderful little cobble streets and great shops, we were going to come back for the party but it was bumpy and we must have had too much sun and were quite tired so decided to stay aboard tonight.
DAY 91 – March 28th 2014 – St. Barts
As the boats started to leave the dock we headed ashore to watch the first Race from the top of one of the hills. It was a fantastic sight but really hot so we went and had lunch to cool off and then back up the hill to watch the finish line. The Bucket Races are just like our Turkey Trot where all the boats are rated and have start times instead of all at once. Yesterday Doug fished out of the harbour a cap from State of Grace one of the Grand Dames in the race. I wore my new cap all day. About 8.30 we headed ashore for the Boat Hop (for VIPS not mere mortals like us) and I was itching to see my boat. There she was in all her glory alongside all the others, State Of Grace is 40M and from Douglas on the Isle Of Man so I felt very close to her being British and all that. Donna and I walked on while the lads were discussing something and we started chatting with another boat security about how we can get on these boats, he said you have to be invited but if we wanted too we could hop on and have a quick look. I felt odd doing that and walking around knowing that we really were not supposed to be on board, so I declined and thanked him and then headed back toward the lads. WELL there they were on the stern of my boat, the nerve. It took a while to get us on board, the swell in this harbour is huge and these massive boats were swaying back and forth a good six feet. Eventually we did it and there we were on a MEGA YACHT, champagne was handed out and we took pictures and then a quick tour of the guest cabins, very nice I must say. It even had a full gym and a sauna that has never been used. Top that I don’t think so, we said our goodbyes and good luck tomorrow and then headed home to our MINI YACHT and another bumpy night
DAY 92 – March 29th 2014 – St. Barts
Second day of the races and the boats are heading North in a Zig Zag line so we decided to watch from Moma and take a day off from going ashore. They started under Spinnaker which was really exciting and passed in front of us, but a long way away. We could see them all milling around in the distance as they Zig Zagged around the marks and we enjoyed the commentary on 68 and the competitors on 17 being very polite, saying things like “coming up behind, what is your intention” and other requests “I have the line, give us room”. One ran aground which was sad but not much damage I think, one had an injury that was not serious. Eventually they all came back and we watched a close finish. Tonight is Caribbean theme and lots of fun, after getting our drinks and doing another walk past the yachts we arrive at the tent and the entertainment just started up and goodness me who was the opening act for Soley a popular performer here but Jimmy Buffett himself. Well that was fun, he sang about five songs and then hopped on one of the boats to relax and chat

DAY 88 - March 25th 2014 - St. Barts -
I am always excited about heading toward a new island, one that I have not seen before and to mark it off my bucket list. As we approach I notice that St. Barts is an unusually pretty island with mountains, lots of bays, a rocky shore line that reminds me of Canada and small rock islands surround the main island and entrance to Gustavia. For this three hour passage the wind was on our nose and I commented that it will be fun when we head back next week with the wind behind us for a change. The day was so clear we could see for miles towards Barbuda, St. Kits, Nevis, Antigua and Saba. We motored around a few islands which were National Parks before heading into Gustavia. The reason why we are here is to watch the Bucket Race, (no pun meant earlier) which is a regatta for yachts over 100ft. Well, we are not disappointed, we anchor and go ashore to check in and to ogle the fantastic boats at the dock, about 8 huge yachts are here stern in so we can get quite a good look. There are loads more at anchor outside the bay, we did not stay too long after spending $25.00 on two drinks we decide to head home.
DAY 89 - March 26th 2014 - St. Barts
A very rolly night we had, so we went ashore early to get some stable ground for a while, picked up a new sim card for the internet, some lovely Baguette's and Croissant's and a few groceries. On our way back we saw that Kathrian had arrived and stopped by to chat for a few minutes. Back on board I got caught up on my blog and found that our hot spot was not working so headed out again to try and get it sorted out. Got the hot spot fixed and met up with D & J at their favourite Pizza place, they take us to all these amazing places that we may not have found on our own. Later we walked the million dollar dock and looked at all the amazing yachts. Back to the boat for another bumpy night and more Game of Thrones episodes but ended up with watching a movie on Netflix, yeh the hot spot is great and unlimited internet.