Sailing the SVI in the Nina Rose

Days out 8 18,19th St Thomas Bay, Spanish Town Virgin Gorda Tuesday/ Wednesday
In route there we saw the HotShots guy and he snapped a picture.
We put down anchor at about a 5-1 scope. There were a lot of boats that day. There was big older german fellow beside who was wearing a speedo, till he took it off! Well, its British and other countries have different customs I guess.
A little rolly but good groceries and water. We get our water machine in a 5 gallon bottle @ 1$ a gallon. You can go around to the boatyard to see some sweet boats and use the big dumpster (dump the boat garbage). I made a note of that because most places charge 3$ to take your trash.
I am planning on returning in my own boat someday and want to do it for the least money. 3$ for trash, 5$ for water, 20-30$ for a mooring ball all adds up. You can save 30-40 a day if you avoid those and other charges.

Out in the end of the bay, behind us, was the old blue freighter Idle Wild. There several of these big iron freighters in the area. Most are working for Tropical Shipping. There were locals who kept boating up and boarding, but we never saw any one on deck, or doing any work. Maybe there was a good card game going below deck!
Awesome sunsets!

The following is my log from 2014 on the S/V SnowShoo. It's my buddy Kim's boat, a Beneteau Oceanis 400. I had been to the BVI's before but this trip convinced me to find my own boat and sail the caribbean! I'll get back to the Nina Rose story in December when I'm back on my boat in Fajardo.

Days out 6 16,17,18th Peter Island Deadman's Bay Sunday/Monday/Tuesday
Exclusive high priced private resort but you can anchor down at the end in the last bay across from Deadman's Chest. Kim went for a hike and I went snorkeling. We walked down the beach later and mingled with the paying customers. There was a great steel drum band, CaribeSupply, on Sunday noon. They were beating those drums furiously for hours. Great mango banana strawberry smoothie for 6. Add your own rum. We brought a plastic liter bottle that we half filled with rum! Oh yes, for an expensive resort, they have really uncomfortable beach chairs. We kept sliding down further and further till we were laid out. :) Course it could have been the rum....

The following is my log from 2014 on the S/V SnowShoo. It's my buddy Kim's boat, a Beneteau Oceanis 400. I had been to the BVI's before but this trip convinced me to find my own boat and sail the caribbean! I'll get back to the Nina Rose story in December when I'm back on my boat in Fajardo, PR and I have more time to write.

March 14-2014
Left Penn's Tortola and headed down the Drake Channel. Days Out 3 13,14,15th. Little Harbor Thursday/ Friday/ Saturday

Little Harbor is the westernmost of the overnight harbors on Peter Island. It's a small harbor, as the name suggests, with room for a handful of boats. Little Harbor is a well-protected overnight anchorage with good holding ground along the eastern side of the harbor.

Anchoring in Little Harbor

Once inside Little Harbor, proceed to the eastern end of the harbor for the best anchoring. You will find a sandy bottom with good holding and anywhere from 15-30 feet of water. You may find that you are back-winded during certain times of the year. As a precaution, make sure that you have ample swing room or you may want to consider deploying two anchors as a precaution.

Little Harbor is a great spot especially for a full moon. Anchor, back to the shore and swim a line over to a tree or a rock. Nice snorkeling spot towards the far end. Explored the old Quarantine buildings.
There is a large house, workshop, two bay garage, generator shed, oil tank, and various structures rusting and rotting away. It was used back in the 70's or 80,s when there was some type of quarantine on Tortola. You can see the old dock piers and there are more old government building on the top of the ridge.
The moon was so bright at night, you see the blue of the water, and when you stepped out the swim platform, it felt like there was a spotlight shining on you. It did that the next 3 nights and it still looked full.
Sweet!

I bought my boat in the BVI's. The same boat would cost 20% more in the States. The boat I 'thought' I wanted was a 1984 Tayana 38. They are awesome boats but require lots of work as the a full of wood that needs sanding and varnishing. Also the electronics were about 30 years old. My budget could not afford the upgrades and maintenance. I also single hand and I'm over 60 years old. If I was younger and had the money I would have bought it anyway!
My broker said the best way to sail the caribbean for long time on less money was to take advantage of all the used charter boats that are available on Tortola. Buy a late model, slightly smaller fiberglass, Beneteau or Bavaria fresh out of charter. I agreed with him and found Nina Rose a 2005 Benneteau 343, 30HP Yanmar, self furling main, with walk out cockpit, and swivel helm. Never regretted it! Almost no maintenance and single hands great.
Now I had a boat but all the tools, spares, and misc items I needed were way expensive in the BVI's. Solution- Sail to Puerto Rico where everything is MUCH cheaper!

I'm busy preparing my return to Puerto Del Rey PR. Many things to do. Renew Coast Guard documents, DTOP's sticker, EPIRB, and re-activate my InReachSE satellite tracker. Already set splash date reservation with Puerto Del Rey Marina.
I started this writing a little early, but I'll have more time to write in about a month.

Dave
S/V Nina Rose

This little blog is about how I went to the Caribbean for 15 days (in 2012) and returned to look for the perfect single handing sailing vessel.
Though life throws many things in our path, if we keep focus on our goals we can persevere!

In the end I have a Benneteau 343 and I am returning to the Spanish Virgin Islands for another full season of smooth sailing in December. How I got there is what this story is about.


Sail the world on next to nothing. The path of minimalism, with a dash of wind, will set you free!
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