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January 1, 2001
Good morning to everyone! I hope you all had a nice evening to bring in the New Year. Since we cruisers get up with the sun, we had to allow ourselves some dignity so when it turned 8:00pm, we toasted to the New Year in GMT. John and Ginny came for a wonderful dinner aboard Mutual Fun. Bob and I made a run over to Soper's Hole, Tortola for steaks, just for the occasion. With it we made baked potatoes and a big, green salad. John made fresh, homemade rolls and Ginny brought a crab dip appetizer and some sort of yummy rollups. They also hauled over a big bottle of wine and a bottle of champagne. That, in addition to our two bottles of Asti Spamanti. A 33ft. Hans Christian had rolled into the anchorage several hours earlier and they stopped over with a bottle of bubbly to exchange "Hans" tidbits and toast the New Year. John and Ginny arrived at 6:00pm with all of their goodies and the Hans couple took off. We had a very nice evening of good food, good company and a little euchre (Ginny and I just can't seem to beat these guys!) They left at about 10:30pm. I cleaned up the galley (Bob was dead to the world) and went into my bunk to read and wait for midnight. At 12:00am, the boat horns blasted and there were noisemakers and I heard the next day there were fireworks but I didn't think to look.
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Well, no rest for the hung over; Bob and I took off for St. Thomas at about 1:15pm. It was a gorgeous day and we had a nice motor sail over but a powerboat ran over my fishing line and I went up on deck and pouted for awhile. I guess I shouldn't have had it out that far in such a crowded area. Here we are back in Elephant Bay, St. Thomas. We took down our staysail as soon as we got here and laid it on deck. In the morning, the sailmaker will come get it. He thought he might have it ready for us overnight. Then, we'll just have to take off the headsail, put the staysail back up and maybe head off for a few days. Really looking forward to our company this month. HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!
January 5, 2001
We sailed back to St. Thomas and took down our staysail down for the sailmaker to pick up the next morning. He returned it that evening and we put it back up the following morning. Oh, it looks so pretty. He took off our old, shredded UV cover, which was white and sewed on a dark green cover, which accents the boat. This should last us forever. We then had the sailmaker come back that same morning so we could unfurl the headsail to see exactly how he wants to cut it down. We left the headsail with him and sailed back to St. John. We're now in Caneel Bay where it's a bit rolly but surrounded by beautiful beaches. We will sail back to St. Thomas on Monday, pick up the sail, do our laundry and grocery shop and my brother will meet us on Tuesday.
Meantime, I am working everyday on the teak. Bob's job of sanding is done on the starboard side and I have to apply 5 coats of stain. Today I will put on #4. It's really looking great. We just have the port caprail to do and the rub rail and we should be about done. I don't really mind doing it because it gives me something constructive to do but my back and knees are showing their age.
We had a nice dunk about 5:00pm, after begging Bob to go in. I jumped in and swam around waiting for him to get the courage to get in. The water is just a tad cooler than when we got here but is still refreshing. Bob is reluctant to get his ears wet yet so he just goes in to his shoulders. We rinsed off with fresh water in the cockpit and then sat there and waited to dry off since we both forgot to get a towel. Bob grilled pork chops and we had these with peas and German potato salad. We played a game of dominoes and spent the rest of the evening reading and vegging.
Today, Bob has to tear apart the forward head and try to stop the leaks. He's so not looking forward to this that he actually slept till 9:00am. He would have slept longer but I had already been up 3 hours and I was getting restless so I started banging in the galley, which woke him up. I needed to run the generator and I didn't want to wake him that way. In his unconscious state, he might have confused it with the engine and thought I was taking us somewhere. All well here in the USVI. Hope your weather is improving!
January 8, 2001
January 8, 2001
Yesterday was a great day. After our morning chores, we dinghied over to Caneel Bay, to find a superb hotel. The grounds were exquisite, making use of some sugar cane ruins as their dinner restaurant. There were tennis courts and a golf course. Thinking if my mom hates living on the boat and wants me to get her a room, this would be perfect. Well. I asked about prices in the lobby and she gave me a brochure. Winter rates start at $400.00 per night and go to $1,00.00 for the cottages. Ha! My mom will LOVE living on the boat, I'm sure.
After wandering around the lives of the rich and famous, we dinghied back to a coral area well known for snorkeling. We threw the dinghy anchor over and had a very nice snorkel. There are some really beautiful fish here. We then had lunch and prepared the boat for our sail back to St. Thomas. It was a nice motor-sail with the wind and waves from behind. After we moored, we gathered the laundry to get that over with and Bob got to watch football and eat wings while I did the laundry. My preference, mind you.
We will get our new headsail tomorrow and Gary comes in at noon. We'll then be off to show him a good "island" time. First, we'll do some provisioning because he likes beer almost as much as Bob does.
January 14, 2001
My brother had a nice visit, I think. The winds were light except for part of one day so he didn't get in as much sailing as he would have liked but he enjoyed the weather, swimming and snorkeling. One day we had short gusts up to 19k but then it would drop back to 5 or 6k. We were sailing with all 3 sails up so when 19k hit, we were heeled over nicely and things went flying below.
He was at the helm and he looked happy.
Our headsail that we had cut down is performing beautifully and we are quite pleased by it. We can sail much closer to the wind and it's easier to handle. If we were hit by 19k with it the way it used to be, we would have had the rail in the water.
It's Sunday evening and the next 2 days I will spend cleaning the boat because MY MOMMY'S COMING. We'll provision, get water and wait for her arrival Tuesday 3:20pm. I can't wait to see her. It's been about 5 months.
Oh, I almost forgot. I caught my first fish today with my rod and reel that I bought at a yard sale in Annapolis. As my brother and Bob and I were sitting in the cockpit, underway for St. Thomas, I heard the line take off and was up like a shot. I set the line and started reeling. I knew he wasn't too big but he gave a nice fight. I had about 150 ft. of line out so it took awhile to get it in. I got him up to the boat and Gary brought him up and over. He was about 16-17" of mackerel. Quite pretty, I think. I put him in a bucket of salt water until I got a big baggie and threw him in the cooler, on ice. Bob did the filleting honors when we got into St. Thomas. It was his first time and he did beautifully. I set the filets in milk for a bit, drained, added bits of butter and Lawry's and Bob grilled them for 10 minutes. We then ate them with mango chutney and they were very good. We were a little afraid as many fish down here are poisonous but so far we're not tingling or vomiting so I think we'll be OK.
January 17, 2001
Well, things are going nicely aboard Mutual Fun. My mom got in safe and on time. We had a drink at the bar before returning to the boat. We had a light supper of tuna salad, assorted veggies and delicious rye bread from New York. This morning we "did" the shops, bought some gifts for the land-based rats and got underway about noon. We motor sailed to St. John's and made it here in less than 4 hours. BUT, not without incident. I prepared my fishing line and got it trolling behind us about 150 feet or so. My mom went below and popped back up with the camera. By the time she got back up, she said, "oh, I wanted to snap a picture of you fishing." I said, "I am fishing." Of course, the pole was in its holder and I was sitting comfortably in my chair.
About an hour and a half or so out, the drag sounded and the line started going out on its own; fish on! I got up and successfully reeled in a beautiful bonito. So much for the thawing hamburger meat. As we were all sitting around the table eating fresh tuna, peas and rice and a fresh green salad, I said, "this sure beats last night's meal. What did we have, anyhow?" And my mom said, "tuna." We all burst out laughing.
Tomorrow we'll hang out here at Francis Bay, swim and snorkel. My mom has never snorkeled before. I think she'll like it so we'll rent her equipment and give it a go. All's well in paradise!
January 22, 2001
Where has the time gone? We've had a wonderful time swimming, snorkeling (my mom loved it) eating and vegging. This being her last night, we motored over to Caneel Bay, St. John where we can easily dinghy her in to catch the ferry back to St. Thomas tomorrow, 2:15pm. This anchorage is a bit rolly from all of the ferryboats coming and going but the wind has died down and it's a beautiful evening.
My mom took us out for dinner tonight to thank us for a nice visit. We had a great meal of fresh fish and the trimmings. Bob had dropped us off at the beach in the afternoon and went into Cruz Bay to scope out a good restaurant for us tonight. And have a few beers, of course. He picked a good one for us. We're all happily stuffed. This has been a nice treat for me to have my mom here. And tomorrow, we'll go back to our old ways of sanding, staining, laundry and groceries.
January 26,2001
My mom got home safe and sound. She's certainly not enjoying the grey skies and snow but she certainly is enjoying her big bed and a shower that doesn't move and keeps flowing. We had a nice visit.
We immediately got started on our last caprail. Bob got the sanding all done in 2 days and I have 2 coats on already. 4 more to go! Then, when that's all done, I can start all over again. Good thing I like to stain. Boat chores have kept us busy along with hauling 2 bags of laundry up 180 steps, getting it done and hauling it back down, into the dinghy and back to the boat. I don't know why it's such a good feeling to have the laundry done. It was that way on land, too.
We've spent the last few days at Francis Bay, St. John and moved over to Great Cruz Bay today to see John and Vicki English. John is my ex-broker whom I worked with for about 16 years. They have a time-share here at the Westin. The grounds are beautiful. If I weren't living the life that I am, I'd like to live here, too. We took a taxi over to Cruz Bay where they rented a little Jeep-like car and then they drove us over to Caneel Bay for a wonderful buffet lunch at a fancy-shmancy place. The rooms there are REALLY expensive. The lunch was a real treat for us with salads, pasta, salmon and other fish, jumbo shrimp (I love that oxymoron) and a whole slew of fruit and desserts. Then they were kind enough to stop at the grocery. Another treat to be at a grocery and haul it all back in a car. Tomorrow, we are going to pick them up at 10:00am and take them sailing.
The next 10 days or so we will spend seeing some of the islands here we have missed and then we will be off "down island." We have some wonderful exploring to do. We are toying once again with sailing to Bermuda, the Azores and the Med either next spring or the year after. Bob wants to pick up an experienced crewmember. I want a kitty that can cook. Stay tuned!
January 27, 2001
A nice day with John and Vicki.
We had a boisterous sail, the long way, to Francis Bay for lunch, a swim and snorkel. That sounds nebulous enough except that we had to tack every 15 minutes and I wore my arms out. Then, when we reached Cinnamon Bay, where we planned to anchor, there were big waves crashing into the anchorage so we had to go over to Francis Bay. Not a problem, it is right next door. Except when we reached Francis Bay, it started raining. No problem, we ate lunch. Then we all piled into the dinghy to go snorkeling but the surf was so strong we couldn't beach the dinghy. No problem, we anchored the dinghy. Then, we all piled into our snorkel gear and went over the side. Except you couldn't see 4 feet below because the water was so stirred up from the swells. No problem. We just all swam and floated around for awhile. Getting back into the dinghy was a bit of a problem but we all managed to topple in, if somewhat not too gracefully. We then dinghied back to the boat and sat around and talked for awhile before deciding we better head back to Great Cruz Bay. Well, by then the swells were 6-8 ft. but they were with us so, once again, no problem. We decided to stay the night there. I dinghied John and Vicki back in and returned to the boat with the promise of coming back in a couple of hours for dinner and a SHOWER. Oh, what a treat. Vicki gave me a big, fluffy towel right out of the dryer and a washcloth. And all of the free, running hot water I wanted. Oh it felt so good. We then had a glass of wine and watched the sunset out on their balcony. They drove us to a restaurant where I had the best meal I've had in forever. It was Chilean sea bass encrusted in potatoes. And sautéed vegetables with honey and a banana daiquiri and rice. Unbelievable! They wanted to buy our dinner but we couldn't let them. We just got dropped off near the beach where we dinghied back to our little home without hot flowing water, washcloths, fluffy towels or air conditioning. As nice as those things are, and they are nice, we're not ready to trade them in on night after night of beautiful sunsets, right at our front door. It was great to see those guys. Tomorrow we're off to another harbour. One that has TV nearby so Bob can watch the Superbowl. Some things can't be done without.
- MORE TO FOLLOW -
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