I ate the Barracuda - Carriacou

Amaris Sails the World

Tyrrel Bay, Carriacou

May 25, 2014

I ate the Barracuda - Carriacou

I have been doing a lot of snorkeling and a little diving - especially around the reefs where all the pretty fish live.  Well all the pretty fish and the barracuda that eats the pretty fish.  In fact, i believe the barracuda to be anything but pretty with horrid teeth that make the creature look quite ferocious.  Most fish see you snorkeling and keep their safe distance, as if they know you to be neither friend or foe.  The Barracuda however seem a little "too friendly."  In a recent snorkel at the Tabago Cays, a barracuda slowly inched its way towards me-almost as if it wanted to hide from the sun in my shadow.  I found this to be a little queer-especially as i began to back away, and it increased its desire to be closer.  Eventually i ended up swimming back (quickly) to the dinghy and cutting short my snorkel (complaining not of the "scary fish" to Shawn, but of the flipper that has worn through the skin on middle toe.  Heaven forgive me if i encourage any reason to be fearful of fish.)  I have known other cruisers to have similar experiences.

After a lumpy sail to Tyrrel Bay (the winds were around 20 knots and the swell exaggerated in the shallow waters around Carriacou Island) we anchored in the delightful anchorage which had a few shops along the shore - and the needed customs office so we could clear into Grenada.  While doing our usual walk through town, we found a pizza joint - and an opportunity to have dinner for 2-for $15 US.  

After finishing our walk and enjoying a glass of wine and bag of potato chips with our friend Steve aboard Pannikin, we returned for pizza.  Of course they had a special appetizer with shrimp....  and a flat bread with olives.  So we started with these (I only had one small piece of Shawn's flat bread.  He stayed away from my shrimp as he would anything that comes from the sea).  Then came the night's special -Barracuda.  I have always heard barracuda to be full of bones making it difficult to eat - and dangerous to eat as it can harbor a toxin carried by reef fish (in the northern Caribbean islands).  Shawn was no longer excited by the option of sharing a pizza (he had just finished the flat bread) so I ate the barracuda - which was lovely.  I found it to have the taste and texture of halibut.

Dinner was $100 US - so much for the cheap pizza.  That said, i won't be so quick to throw back the next barracuda i catch - if i can get past its teeth to get it off the hook!

Strange dreams in the Tabago Cays

Amaris Sails the World

Tabago Cays, The Grenadines (St Vincent)

May, 24, 2014

Strange dreams in the Tabago Cays

When doing our research and reading about the Caribbean, Shawn and I were most looking forward to sailing around the Grenadines specifically the Tabago Cays.  The Cays consist of several reefs that provide protection from the Atlantic Swell - but leave you exposed to the trade winds.  It is sort of like "ha ha Atlantic-you think you can get us, but we are safe behind this reef - and we have a good stiff breeze to keep the wind generator spinning like mad."  

Our timing wasn't exactly perfect in getting to the Cays.  I think i would suggest that people visit in more "settled conditions."  We were certainly safely anchored with great holding, but with 25 knots blowing across the water a bit of chop builds making it difficult to snorkel around the reef and contributing to strange dreams at night.  I had a horrid nightmare that i anchored in a "no anchor zone" and was hauled out of the water and towed to the city impound lot on a semi-trailer.  Of course by day 4 the weather has started to settle a bit which has made much better conditions for friends just arriving Debbie and Jim from s/v The Black Pearl and Stan and Lann of s/v Barefoot Life barrysonbarefootlife.wordpress.com  (coincidentally from Spokane).  Fingers crossed they are not subject to bad dreams now that things have settled.

The Tabago Cays have totally lived up to expectations.  I have a habit of snorkeling the anchor to make sure it has set correctly when we arrive in a new harbor.  While following the chain up to the anchor, I saw my first "big" ray which was about 4 feet across.  Swimming with it was a yellow jack-which may have made a great dinner had i a spear gun.  After setting in, I went snorkeling with Steve from s/v Pannikin on the lee side of the reef where we saw 20-30 different species of fish.  After several recon trips, I was able to convince Shawn to even get in the water (and with further pressure, put on a mask) so that the two of us could snorkel with the local turtles.  At one point I cold see 7 different turtles swimming back and forth between the grass and the surface 2-3 meters below.

 

 

 

Shawn and I discussed the difficult life a turtle must have over dinner (rack of lamb, white bean mash, and brazed carrots- we do rough it).  They don't exactly have efficient bodies for swimming.  Four flippers and a tiny tail don't make up for the big shell they have to carry around.  They have to crane their heads way out of the water to breath -especially when the waters are choppy.  When they sleep, they dive to the bottom and hold their breath for up to 5 hours.  I can only imagine what holding my breath while under water would do to further influence my dreams.  Further, when they do dive down to eat, they must open their mouths to bite off the sea grass.  How do they open their mouth while holding their breaths?  I may have to look on youtube for a nova special on turtles.

Coincidentally, we also learned that throwing popcorn for the birds near the wind turbine is a bad idea.  Very fortunately for both us and the birds...  we learned this when the first bird got close - but not too close.  That would have made for a horrible mess (and likely contributed to further nightmares).

A Tale of two cities - St Vincent

Amaris Sails the World

St Vincent, Windward Islands

May 18, 2014

A Tale of two cities - St Vincent

It is no secret that I don't like to start the day early.  We are used to not having the "best" anchorage in a harbor if that goes to the early bird.  That said we usually leave early enough to get into a harbor before dark.  That wasn't the case with St Vincent.  If there is one thing i dislike, it is anchoring in the dark.  St Vincent was one such example.

As we neared St Vincent, I opted to change our landfall destination as it was pitch black (heavy clouds in the lee of the island obscure the stars and moon).  Although we had a nice sail from St Lucia, once we got behind St Vincent, the winds reduced and sailing became impracticable.  We made landfall at Chateaubelair.  Luck was with us as a boat boy came out to meet us on a kayak with a recommendation on where to anchor.  We decided we liked his spot, which cost us 10 East Caribbean Dollars for his advice.

Chateaubelair is a point of entry to St Lucia, and a pretty harbor.  After a good night's sleep we went into town to clear in.  Every person on shore was eager for us to beach in front of their shop or home, more eager to help pull our dinghy up on the beach, and most eager to put their hand out for a bit of change.  I walked around town while Shawn cleared us into customs.  

St Vincent was hit hard by the "Christmas Storm" that had also washed out many of the roads on St Lucia.  The stream bed in the center of town was littered with the remains of two homes that had been taken by the storm.  Fortunately, no one was killed here (although 5 people died in St Lucia).  Locals were very eager to escort me to local bars (although at 10 am - i was't quite ready), give a tour of the local area, or sell local produce.  Honestly, by the time Shawn had finished checking us into the country-we were very ready to leave this poor village.  By the time we were making it clear that we were leaving, the locals began asking for clothing, old lines, and even a AA battery charger.  

We sailed from Chateaubelair to Willilabou (where they filmed Pirates of the Caribbean).  The one restaurant in the bay offers a free mooring if you dine in the restaurant.  This of course seemed like a win to us.  After we had secured to the mooring, we decided to walk into "town."

The walk into town was up a hill and down into the next bay.  The major point of that sentence is it was up a hill in 90 degree weather.  It was HOT.  It didn't take long to realize that the only thing these people had was their million dollar views.  Each "home" had a view out over the bay.  Most of the homes were built of cinder blocks and corrugated sheet metal.   People along the way kept offering assistance, and we kept replying that we were just on a walk.  Soon, we had two followers.  Two cousins who had the day off school one in the equivalent of 6th grade and one in 5th.

The kids were super friendly and gave us a tour of the town (Keartons).  Very happy for us, the tour began with a grocery where we bought juice boxes for the kids - and gatorade for the two of us.  With renewed vigor we began our search for lunch.  The kids showed us options that included the bakery (which was no longer serving), and a restaurant (which was also no longer serving).  Fortunately, as all pre-teens are able, the tour continued to the local "chicken shack" where the four of us had fried chicken and french fries-which we took to the beach and ate overlooking the water.  The kids introduced us to their uncle - a local fisherman who regaled us with tales of fishing for tuna, dolphin, and whale.  

We began our return hike, refreshed and with invites to the town party that would take place that evening.  It was a kind gesture, but one we didn't end up accepting.  We did however become a bit "parched" after walking up and over the hill back to where the boat was secured.  Fellow cruisers had recommended a bar just up the street - and nothing sounded better than an ice cold local beer.  Although the bar was closed (appropriately named "Pirates Hide-a-way" or some such name), we were able to obtain beers from a local "tour guide" that had set up a camp along the beach with a few other local vendors.  We learned a lot from Bagga about the marijuana growing and trafficking trade that has established roots in several of the Caribbean islands.  We had heard that there was still discrimination against US sailors from a recent US government "round-up" spraying that had happened a few years back.  This has apparently been lifted in favor of tourism.

After a big day, we dined out at the establishment with our free moorage.  We should have anchored and cooked for ourselves.  Nonetheless, it was a great day and wonderful adventure.  We drifted into sleep with the sounds of live bands drifting over the hill from Keartons.

A Classic Sail - Martinique to St Lucia

Amaris Sails the world

Marigot Bay, St Lucia

May 16, 2014

A Classic Sail - Martinique to St Lucia

Getting to France was a bit convoluted.  To get to the Outremer Cup I found a cheap flight from the island of Martinique.  Martinique, being part of France had the equivalent of "domestic flights" whereas flying from St Lucia (where Shawn wanted to be for the Jazz Festival) was both "international" and triple the price.  This left the challenge only of getting from St Lucia and back - a distance of roughly 30 miles.  

Getting there was easy-Two different flight options, the latter with only a 4 hour layover before the flight to mainland France.  Getting back was another story.  There were no flights that departed the day i returned - and the ferry service only runs 2 days a week.  A no go there as well.

Fortunately I have a good friend who is cruising on a very limited income.  (Actually, we have a lot of friends that are cruising on a very limited income/budget)  Paul happened to be at St Lucia for the Jazz fest as well and was happy to make the journey northward to meet me in Martinique, then sail me back to St Lucia in exchange for what i would have paid for a flight between the islands (had one been available).  A win win for all!  And on top of it an excuse to go sailing.

Paul has a "classic English" 10 meter sloop built in the late 60's.  She was a dream to sail.  Unfortunately, the weather offered a few squalls and soaked us within minutes of heaving up the anchor (Classic sailboat = no windless).  As we were drying out and having delectable sandwiches made by yours truly (inspired by my trip to France of course), we were joined in company by a whale which surfaced twice within 20 meters of the boat.  Paul and I both had thoughts of suddenly sailing without either a keel or a rudder - neither of which a classic English sloop can sail without.  As if that wasn't enough, dolphins played in our bow wave as we neared St Lucia a few hours later.  Paul typically sails alone, and without an autopilot.  As i had the tiller, he had a rare opportunity to stand on his bow and watch the dolphins dance around and play.

After deploying the anchor in Marigot Bay, I was able to rejoin Shawn on board Amaris.  I will welcome the slower pace as we restart our cruising southward through the islands.  Next stop, St Vincent!

Sailing the dream , Outremer Cup -continued...

Amaris sails the World

La Grand Motte, France

Outremer Cup -continued...

Sailing the dream

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sailing in La Grande Motte France has been wonderful.  Although the weather has been...  cold (so i have thinned blood), I have managed to make due by wearing either a light jacket or pants (but rarely at the same time).  The last two mornings have started with light winds (on day two causing a delayed start) and these winds have built throughout the day. 

The sailing has been nothing short of spectacular.  Days 2 and 3 involved coaxing every ounce of speed from the wind during the first of two races.  The afternoons (second races) have involved keeping the boats in control while the winds have built to 25-30 knots - each boat owner waiting for the first wimp to reef their sails.  Of course no one did. I believe the competition to be friendly however i never know when people are yelling between boats in French if they are asking for mayonnaise or telling the other skipper they are in violation of sailing rules.  I can say however, that French sailing involves a decent sit down lunch on a long run between marks (two courses and a glass of wine or beer - to support the habits of the Germans on the boat).  All that said, these cats have so much better control when over powered (no tendency to round up) which makes racing a little more calm and the boats more predictable.  

To provide as much exposure as possible to the different boats, visitors were shuffled between boats. Something i was grateful for.  Day one was an older design 45, days 2 and 3 the new 49 (same model as Amaris), and day 4 the 5X (the new flagship of Outremer).  I have always wanted to sail the 5X which is the newest and largest design and has stunning speeds and acceleration.  Fortunately the winds started the day strong (20-30 knots) and we were given a true feel for how the boat performs.  Shawn will be shocked to hear this- but i prefer the size and performance of our 49 to the 5X (59 feet).  The speeds were of course higher, but the boat would literally surge forward at times accelerating so quickly I was nearly knocked off my feet.  The boat was a little "too comfortable" for my taste and seems a great option for someone with crew rather than a couple sailing around the world.  I suppose the dream boat may change.  Perhaps it is time to realize that we are living the dream.

I will be back next year for the 2015 Outremer cup.  I may ask to sail again on the 49, but i will surely ask to sail on the 40.  I think of all the boats, the 40 impressed me the most and looked to be the most spirited.  The boat kept up with the top finishers of the fleet and the cockpit is half the distance above the water of the new boats.  While we were having a glass of wine on the 5X, the 40 had spray flying across the bows and was just to our stern.  Sure the crew members were covered with a bit of salt when they finished, but i think their smiles may have been a little larger from the thrill of the sail.  There is a special word used to describe the spray and water that rushes across the leeward hull as it crashes through the seas..  I am told it that doesn't translate well to English - but roughly as "smoke."   It is a sight that cannot be described - and one i hope to see a bit closer next year when i race the cup.  

Outremer Cup Day 1

Amaris Sails the World

La Grand Motte

Outremer Cup Day 1

In order to better my skills at sailing Amaris, I decided to participate in this year's Outremer Cup - a competition of Outremer boats hosted by the factory in La Grand Motte, France.  

Today was a day of great learning.  The weather for the first race was - well, anything but windy.  True to French form however, we made a race out of it.  True to Outremer form, it was quite a race.  I sailed on a 45' Outremer roughly 15 years old.  She was a screamer and I hate to say a bit faster than many of the 49's on the field (boats of the same vintage and length of Amaris).  Sadly, we were quite often in last place (though fortunately one is only issued a placing when they cross the finish line).  I will have to say that i think you learn more when you are in last place than when you are in first place.

My first lesson - know where the marks are when you start a race.  Sure the race instructions were all in French (a language which i do not speak).  Our skipper however spoke perfect French - and English!  We had a great run along the shore humming along just behind Outremer's new flagship the 5X.  As we watched the boats tack off one by one behind us we wondered what fools they were.  Turns out they were all sailing towards the first mark.  We were not.  We spend the rest of the race catching (and passing some) of the fleet.  The 5X however had a stunning down wind leg and lurched forward in the standings.  

My second lesson - everyone needs a genoa.  Amaris comes with her stock sails of Main, solent (small headsail), and code zero (very large headsail).  The boat i raced on was performing extremely well to weather with her large genoa.  I gotta get me one of those!  There is no way we should have caught up with the other boats in the fleet after our horrible mistake making the first mark.  But we did!  And we did so quickly.  The genoa continued to perform well as the day progressed and the winds climbed to nearly 20 knots.  She honestly seemed to be the secret weapon of the boat.

My third lesson - everyone had fun.  The Outremer cup doesn't really start until tomorrow.  Today was a special race (with a French name i cannot pronounce) for boat owners and those that built the yachts.  I was only invited last minute as I didn't bring Amaris - i had nothing to offer the builders!  HA!  There is not way to adequately explain how it was explained to me without sounding like Tim the tool man Taylor after getting a lesson from Wilson.  I will however try.  There is a part of the pig which is quite favorable in France - and is saved for the butcher/butcher's family.  So the butcher and his family get the first day of racing - strictly owners of Outremers and crew from the manufacturer.  I am not sure that they have done a lot of racing (the builders) and most were quite terrified to take the helm. To my skipper's credit, he challenged them to.  I think they all had a blast in the end.  More importantly, i believe they were given an incredible gift of understanding the product that they build.  Of course, as evidenced by the photograph, the crew thoroughly enjoyed a day off from sanding, gluing, wiring, engineering, selling, or whatever they do for Outremer.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I am very much looking forward to the next three days of racing.  Between looking at the rigging and customization of other boats, talking with the builders of Amaris, and sailing with great fellow sailors I will be going home with a lot of new knowledge.  If i can pry Shawn's eyes off the checkbook, I may also be coming home with a new genoa.  (Don't worry Shawn - i did't put down the deposit for the 5X...  yet)

Fish, mangos, and dasheen yes. KFC no

Amaris Sails the World

Portsmith, Dominica

May 2, 2014

Fish, mangos, and dasheen yes.  KFC no.

Dominica is among my favorite of the Caribbean Islands.  Although we did little of it, there are tons of hiking trails to explore-many leading to waterfalls, hot springs, vistas, etc.  The island has the highest mountain in the Caribbean chain as well-which leads to tropical rain forests.  Parts of the island see over 300 inches of rain (slightly more than Seattle) leaving the island lush and the inhabitants with a surplus of water.  Dominica has installed one of three planned geothermal power plants and will soon be selling power to neighboring islands Guadeloupe and Martinique.  As if that isn't enough, Dominica is the home to more centurions per capita than any other country. Recently, the worlds oldest person (who lived on Dominica) passed at 127 years old.  Sadly she left two friends that were 116 shy of a Dominos player.  The island was also covered in volcanic ash 100 years ago with the eruption of the volcano at the north end of Martinique.  The ash leads to very fertile soil and growing conditions-and limitless water for irrigation.

Shawn and I spent three days in the main harbor at the north of the island.  The people are incredibly friendly - which i know i keep saying about the people in the Caribbean.  In general they all are.  Many of the islands in the southern half of the Caribbean have "boat boys."  These men greet incoming yachtsmen as they sail in and help tie to a mooring, arrange or sell produce, set up tours of the island, assist with finding repairs or parts, etc.  For the most part, these "salesmen" walk a fine line between helpful and annoying.  Sadly, they don't have a ton to sell - and they are all selling the same tours.  Dominica has taken a different approach with the boat boys forming a type of "co-op" whereby they ask visiting yachtsmen to chose one individual to be their guide to the island.  This individual arranges for all the items someone may need and in general can be quite helpful to a visitor.  You are not continuously barraged with "would you like some grapefruit?  Would you like a tour?  Would you like some "Bob Marley" (marijuana)?  In addition, the co-op has laid a myriad of moorings that visitors can tie into instead of anchoring.  The funds from these moorings as well as a weekly cook off (Fridays) go to support the co-op.  A warning however, I dove on the boat to clean the bottom while anchored here-the mooring behind us was tied to two anchors (a large fisherman's and a Danforth) and not the typical 2-ton concrete block.  A good reminder to dive on your ground tackle even if it is a mooring. 

While visiting, we took the island tour by van with friends Tom and Sabina aboard their boat Honey Ryder (yes-named after the James Bond super model).  The all day tour drove through a valley between mountain ranges where we hiked into two spectacular water falls.  Sabrina of course encouraged us to swim by claiming the pools under the falls had magical properties that may help us look young forever.  Whereas it was wonderful to swim under the falls in fresh water-the water was quite frigid.  I suppose we are soft after swimming in the 85 degree water of the Caribbean Sea.  We also made stops at several vistas including the islands Red Rock Cliffs at the north end.  I believe Dominica to be one of the Caribbean's more beautiful islands.

Shawn and I agreed that if we ever become plantation owners - Dominica is the place to do it.

 

Hand Steering

Amaris Sails the World

Portsmith, Dominica, Caribbean Islands

April 29, 2014

Hand Steering

Of the last 15,000 miles of sailing, We have hand steered for about 500 miles.  A bit embarrassing i suppose to admit, but our good friend Otto VonPilot has done the majority of the helm work for us.  Otto decided to take a bit of a vacation-or broke down!  It will be an easy repair once we get parts (a fitting in one of the drive arms has worn and the now enlarged opening causes a clunk sound each time the helm is turned by the autopilot).  In the interim however, we are hand steering.

I was able to rig a fix for the auto pilot (so don't stress mother-the autopilot is actually working normally if we need it) but until we get replacement parts - it is good practice for us to get a better knowledge of hand steering.  Shawn and I take 30 minute "watches" and trade turns as we sail between the islands - and yesterday was a dream sail, sailing from The Saints to the north end of Dominica (20 miles). Not surprisingly, I look a forward to my turn at the helm and focus on our sailing as opposed to a book.  The timing is indeed perfect as I am honing my skills prior to an upcoming race in France (Outremer Cup which May 8-11) and great practice for Shawn who has less helm time.  In addition, the sailing is now getting more enjoyable with the wind at between 50-60 degrees apparent.  The further we go down the island chain, the more this wind angle opens up and we will get faster more forgiving sailing runs between islands-assuming normal trade winds continue.

We are both very happy to be in Dominica.  Portsmith harbor is very well protected, has a wonderful cross breeze to keep the heat down, and great holding for our anchor.  Translation - Windy (the wind turbine) in conjunction with Sonny (the solar panels) can make all the power we need and our good friend Dick Cheney (the anchor and chain) is keeping us in one place!  Dominica has a wonderful slow Caribbean feel with great swimming, local produce, yet few amenities (no loud music all night long).  Shawn and I went out to dinner last night to the only open restaurant - again, Chinese.  The medical school has closed for the semester and with it most of the restaurants.  This morning we enjoyed our usual yogurt and coffee hour with the local Caribbean news on the radio-a fun way to listen to all the problems in the world.

Today we are off to the market to load up on local produce and prepare for our random day of thanksgiving.  Turkey dinner tonight while we enjoy all we have to be thankful for - after a good swim which will include a half hour of scrubbing the growth from the bottom of the boat.

The road less traveled by...

 

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Amaris sails the world

Monteserrat, Caribbean Islands

April 25, 2014

The road less traveled by...

Traveling up and down the Caribbean Island chain typically involves stops Northward at Dominica, Guadeloupe, Antigua, St Martin.  These islands have great anchorages, plenty of restaurants, fuel, services, and provisioning options.  Heading Southbound, the same islands are used in reverse - although people may chose to anchor in a different bay thus still exploring what appears to be a new place again.  

There is however an alternative - less attractive option of (again Northbound) Dominica (lovely), Guadeloupe (again-lovely and easy provisioning), Montserrat (difficult rolling anchorage with active volcano/exclusion zone), Redonda (interesting history - no safe anchorage), Nevis/St Kitts (actually lovely with a few protected places on St Kitts but noted for high crime), Statia (again with the rolling anchorage), and Saba (rolling anchorage).  After completing that run, a cruising yacht may seek the protection and calm of St Martin - where they may want to never leave.

For our southbound trek, we chose the less attractive route.  I can claim this had much to do with how the winds were blowing - but Shawn and I certainly like finding the "road less traveled."  Montserrat is certainly on the road less traveled by - and is usually bypassed by most cruisers even if they are doing the St Kitts.  In the mid 90's, Soufriere Hills (a funny name for a volcano) erupted burying the southern half of the island including Plymouth, the capitol - and the one attractive/protected anchorage.  Ironically, Jimmy Buffet, who wrote the song while staying on Montserrat "I don't know where i am gonna go when the volcano blows" (not real title obviously) had left before the eruption.  The island has no town center and everyone is living and operating out of temporary structures (envision shipping containers on concrete blocks) that line the three mile stretch of road between Little Bay and Salem.   

After anchoring in Little Bay, we enjoyed lunch out.  The mile walk back burned off the delicious "mutton" that I had.  Mutton as it turns out is what is served when the cook doesn't know if they are cooking lamb or goat.  Ironically, all we saw on the island were lamb, goats, and ONE LIVE COW.  So, if I think they should be able to identify goat from lamb unless Bessie stops mooing.  Nonetheless - it was quite tasty and I didn't have to wash up.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We both wanted to see the active volcano of course.  We hired a recommended guide from our cruising guide book.  Joe drove us around the island after a 15 minute lecture about our being 7 minutes late.  We were actually 10 minutes early - however were sitting in the wrong spot.  Joe then gave us a 5 hour tour of the island during which time he said no fewer than 100 times how his tour, which included photos, was so much better than the other offered tours.  I am still confused if he was telling us this to reinforce his high cost (400 EC or aproximately $150 US), build his ego with a captive audience, or cover the awkward pauses when Shawn and I had nothing to say.  The tour covered a lot of houses that were buried in mud, bridges that were covered (in mud), and finally a hotel with a pool that was filled (with mud/ash).  We did get some nice views of the volcano, watch as sand was being processed for export (apparently a tour highlight), and see the other cow on the island (it was dead and by the smell of things-had been for quite some time.)  On a fascinating side, Montserrat has invested in a steam electricity plant that uses the heat from the volcano to heat water (from a spring) which can turn a turbine to generate electricity.  Unfortunately, they have only built the steam tube-and never connected a turbine.  A massive amount of steam and free energy (probably enough to power the entire island) billows into the sky.

Although Paul McCartney did a bit of recording on Montserrat before the explosion, we felt the need to no longer look like we belonged in the Beetles band - translation, we needed haircuts.  We hired a cab to find a barber - and find a barber we did.   This same barber we did scare!  The exact quote to Shawn - "I have never seen hair so fine and blonde."  Words that always inspire confidence in the consumer.  We both received haircuts (that were great in the end) entirely provided with clippers and a significant amount of conversation that neither of us understood.  How i wish we had the woman from the movie "Airplane" that speaks Jive to translate for us.  

And the best part of Montserrat - the flies.  Somehow while at anchor we were able to fill the boat with flies!  Fortunately this happened once previously in the Med and we were now prepared - thanks to our friends Sue and Benita that joined us shortly after the Mediterranean experience with fly paper - once readily available and now only available in ACE hardware (probably left over inventory from the 70's).  

All that said above - we enjoyed Montserrat.  The people of the Caribbean continue to be very friendly.  Going out of the way to this island allowed for more "real" interactions with the locals.  The people are struggling to find a new identity with half their island inaccessible - and are getting there.  Little harbor is in a state of transition and a new wharf is being built to reduce the surf action in the bay and create a new town center.  There continues to be a fear that the volcano will erupt again - which explains the fear people have of rebuilding the south half of their island.  That said - there were some beautiful homes available (likely on the cheap) including that previously occupied by Jimmy Buffet - with a clear of the Soufriere Hills Volcano.  And thanks to brisk winds, we were given a great sail to Guadeloupe at the conclusion of which we opened all the hatches and blew out the remaining flies.  

Holed Up

Amaris Sails the World

St Kitts, Caribbean Islands

April 20, 2014 - Easter Sunday

Holed Up

The Easter winds have hit the Caribbean.  It seems that each year the Caribbean gets high winds right around the Easter holiday.  This year has been no exception.  Shawn and I greatly enjoyed Statia, an Island 25 miles north of St Kitts, however the anchorage became extremely uncomfortable as the winds built over the last few days.  I felt like a martini.  And more important, there was no way i could have one without spilling to say the least.  Things were so bad that we spent as much time on shore as possible to stay off the boat that wouldn't stop rolling side to side - and borderline seasick while on the boat.  Let's just say we started "happy hour" at the local Chinese restaurant an hour early, stayed through the munchie hour, then through dinner, met some locals, and reluctantly went back to the boat with leftovers.

While anchored we even tried the trick of running an anchor from the back of the boat to keep the boat pointed into the swell - which was about 90 degrees from the wind.  The anchor slipped almost immediately after we were able to get it set.  There was no escaping the rocking - So we split to St Kitts.

Moving from one country to another in the Caribbean is relatively easy.  Easter however is a huge holiday with major impacts to the customs/immigration offices.  A very surprised woman cleared us out of Statia (she was ironically also at the Chinese restaurant the night before).  Port fees paid, we left and beat into a strong headwind and heavy seas for 4 hours to get to St Kitts.

St Kitts is totally closed today.  We were able to clear into customs (again a VERY surprised representative was able to help us) - however his immigration partner apparently didn't make it into work.  We paid the port authority their fee and ran out for Chinese!  The only restaurant that is open in St Kitts on Easter.  After lunch we have fingers crossed we will find immigration open at the airport.  

The forecast lightens tomorrow and we hope  the seas will as well.  We plan on making this a quick stop as we move further south to Guadeloupe.

Sailing to windward

Amaris sails the world

Sint Eustatius (Statia), Caribbean Islands

April 17, 2014

 

Sailing to windward

 

Statia is a wonderful place.  So far we grabbed a mooring buoy (a welcome relief as all i wanted to do was anchor in the dark after 29 hours of sailing), made a lasagna, and slept in an anchorage that wont stop rolling.  

 

Our passage to Statia was actually more eventful than most.  We left Anegada with about an hour prior to sunset as we needed to watch for coral in the shallow waters that surround the island.  The winds took an un-forecast favorable turn and came from the NE at between 10-20 knots.  This made for a delightful sail with great progress towards the leeward chain of the Caribbean.  Sadly, the wind did become the forecast 10-15 at daybreak and we had to fall off towards the south, adding a bit of mileage to our trip.

 

About 40 miles to the west of Saba, a huge bank (the Saba Bank of course) rises to between 25-10 meters from the surface (from 500 meters).  During my recent fishing trip with friends aboard Joy of Shamrock Quay and Pannikin, I learned that these banks are great spots to fish.  I dropped a line off the back and Shawn went to bed.  About 45 minutes after Shawn fell asleep i heard the familiar although RARE sound of a running reel.  I had hooked my fish!  Shawn came up to help me land what would soon fill the freezer!  We can get dinner for 7-8 people off this fish!  Now, if only i could get Shawn to eat fish.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Of course this trip wasn't all blissful sailing and fishing.  While still crossing Saba bank, I managed to snag a fish net buoy.  (apparently, i was a little too into my book and wasn't watching as well as i should).  After trying unsuccessfully to get the buoy (and think line) out from under the boat we had to cut the line to prevent damage to the bottom of the boat.  These lines are connected to multiple buoys, so hopefully the fisherman will forgive me when they find a float missing.  After a few hours of further sailing towards Statia, the wind again turned towards the north-exactly in the direction of Statia.  We had to motor (on our one engine that didn't have a float attached to it) the rest of the way where we grabbed our mooring just before dark!

 

A quick snorkel this morning (after a rummy sleep deprived conversation with my parents and a long sleep) showed that the fishing float had floated free-most likely shortly after I cut it free.  

 

Thanks to the trades, we are done going to weather for a while and can return to the blissful beam reach and or downwind sailing as we continue southward through the Caribbean chain.  Now if only i could figure out a way to disguise fish so that Shawn will like it.

 

Round and round she goes... Where she stops nobody knows!

Amaris Sails the World

Anegada, British Virgin Islands

April 15, 2014

Round and round she goes...  Where she stops nobody knows!

Anegada is BEAUTIFUL.  Of course had lobster (everyone that has been here is asking us-well, me as we all know Lobster is not part of Shawn's "balanced diet."

Sadly, we need to start heading back south.  Anegada will serve as our northern most point in our cruising of the Caribbean chain.  Typically, when people make the turn, they wait for a weather window where as winds either are calm, or blow from the north to prevent a beat into the wind all the way back to St Martin (90 miles to windward).  We are not so lucky to get a northerly wind - and I am too cheap to pay for fuel to motor all the way to St Martin.

And so we sail!  Our intention is to leave this evening.  We will split the overnight watch between the two of us and point as high as we can to the wind.  We anticipate being able to make Guadeloupe, but fingers crossed, we may even hit Saba.  An island we both loved...  at at only 100 miles, we would love it again (it is about 100 miles closer than Guadeloupe!

Tune in shortly for the dramatic conclusion of the sail!  How exiting to go sailing and not even know where we are going.

Turning this ship around

Amaris sails the world

Pond Bay - Virgin Gorda, BVI

April 13, 2014

Turning this ship around

After nearly 3 weeks in the British Virgin Islands, It is nearing the time for us to return to the Leeward Islands and thus end our northerly progression through the Caribbean Island chain.  It is likely silly to say, but Shawn and I are both looking forward to returning to the "more Caribbean" islands of the windwards (Southern half of the Caribbean).  I think we both have our favorites, and honestly i shouldn't complain about the BVI or our current location in Pond Bay.  

Cruising in the British Virgin Islands has felt like we were intruding on people's vacations.  The majority of the harbors have been packed with people eager to "get their drink on."  There has been great "outdoor cinema" watching as people who sail one week a year have the chance to prove their skill in front of 75-100 watchful pair of eyes in a boat that is - well, quite big and difficult to control.  That said, the BVI are packed for good reason.  The crystal clear water, the amazing snorkeling and diving, the glorious beaches, the abounding beach bars and restaurants with never ending views make the Virgin Island a great destination.  

I think we were somewhat lucky to find our current location in Pond Bay.  It is behind a reef with a narrow entrance - and thus off limits for most of the charter fleet.  We have a glorious beach and amazing snorkeling to share with two other boats.  Last night was date night (delayed by a few days this week), and we hiked up to Giorgio's Table, a restaurant that looks over the bay and the majority of the Virgin Island Archipelago.  After tying up to a rather dilapidated dock and hiking up to the restaurant - we found the restaurant entrance overgrown with weeds and brumble - and nary a light on inside.   I suppose this should be expected when you find the one glorious spots without tourists...

Tomorrow we will head up to Anegada - the northern most part of our trip and our departure spot from the BVI.

Bite Every Apple Twice

Amaris Sails the World

Great Bay - Peter Island, British Virgin Islands

3/29/2014

Bite Every Apple Twice

As a kid, my mother would often advise me to try every apple twice.  It seems i may have needed motivation after biting directly into the bruise of an apple to try the other side - where hopefully there wasn't another bruise.  9 times out of ten if i didn't like an apple on the first bite, it suffered of "water core" and my opinion would stay- bad apple.  That said, my mother is a bit sneaky sometimes, and this could have been a good ploy the stretch the fruit and veg - especially into a kid that just wanted bologna sandwiches on white bread with extra mayo (which coincidentally i still love).  Nonetheless, there was the 10% chance that I would like the second bit and finish the apple.

Oddly, I carried this bit of advice into life - often in conflict with the "fool me once shame on you, fool me twice shame on me" proverb.  Somehow this was particularly true with dating.  I had to go through a few bad apples in my time - and most of them were given a second chance.

The British Virgin Islands seemed to need a second chance as well.  Originally, i was going to write a blog on how i disliked the BVI.  As it seems to be one of the world's charter havens, there are a lot of people who don't know how to use their boats.  I understand if I were plunked down on a boat (and often these are big cats) that i hadn't operated before there may be a little confusion.  But honestly some of the things i have witnessed...  for example, when pulling up to a dock in a relatively new boat - wouldn't you think that fenders might be a good option?  When anchoring, consider you need to drop the anchor not where you want to end up - but where you want to end up PLUS the scope you need for the anchor.  In addition, and likely of a larger pet peeve, we don't need to disco into a drunken stupor all night long (and then begin again the next day at noon).

So, with my second "bite of the apple" i have focused on the positive aspects of the BVI.  Great snorkeling, great weather (as the Brits say - it is quite "lovely"), and the continuation of the steady trade winds which do make for some great sailing.  In addition, because the inner islands and waterways are protected from the swell - the anchorages are quite protected and the sailing can be both spirited and-well dry!  I think we will just need to learn to find places that are not listed as a "must do" in all the guidebooks - There certainly are more than 7 anchorages here.

You say goodbye, I say hello

You say goodbye, I say hello

Amaris sails the world

St Martin/St Marteen

March 16, 2014

We have now been hanging out in St Martin for the last 6-7 weeks with friends and family flying in and out.  The island has been great with one of the Caribbean's major airports and even a dingy dock where we have been able to pick up and drop off travelers at the airport.  We have found the best restaurants (and know specials - ie, Fish and chips night at Lagoonies on Fridays - Shawn just has the chips, not exactly a balanced meal).

While here we have participated in the daily "net" and have met people that live "on" the island and others that are just traveling through.  Living on the island is a bit of a misnomer, as most of the people that we know that live "on" the island - live at anchor on the island.  As there are only a few months left in the cruising season - a lot of us are realizing the need to move on and explore new islands.  Moving on obviously means saying good bye to many of the friends we have met.  

Many of our friends are heading off to the BVI and we may be shortly following them...  or catching them as we do have an addiction for speed. Two of our friends Tom and Sabrina have been looking the island over for popcorn and left only successful as I gave them 1/2 our stash.  Secretly, this will help us find them Hasel and Gretel style.  Many others are staying behind to continue on with repairs or look for opportunities to make a few more bucks to refill the cruising kitty.  Of course we hope they catch up soon.

We have yet to determine where we are off to next.  If we take a right, we end up at Barbuda - a remote island with beautiful beaches and colonies of birds that can be seen no where else.  We would likely have anchorages to ourselves.  We could then continue exploring in Antigua - another island that would be fun to explore with resources to restock the stores after exploring Barbuda.  Alternatively we may take a left to follow our fiends and make new ones in the BVI.  There is something a little enticing about a palm tree, a nice book, and a few pain killers.  

I suppose where ever we go - we will make new friends.  Either those that slur from the painkillers and tell stories with no point - or those that quack and speak "Frigate."  

lesson learned - Kayak upwind first -return down wind

Amaris sails the world

Anguilla - Road Bay

February 25, 2014

lesson learned - Kayak upwind first -return down wind

Shawn and I had a wonderful down wind kayak to Mead's bay this morning followed by the predictable over priced (under performed) lunch at a beach restaurant.  Kayaking down wind is, well, quite leisurely.  Shortly after leaving the comfort of Roads bay, we were surfing down 2 foot waves watching gorgeous beaches pass us along the shoreline.  After about 45 minutes we turned behind a sandy point into a beautiful bay - Mead bay!

Mead bay is stunning.  Crystal clear water, empty beaches, and a sandy bottom where you can see the rays fluttering about.  Stunning.  Perhaps we will include it on the tour with the parents when they come visit in two weeks.  Perhaps.  Only later were we recommended Blanchard's Beach Shack - which apparently has better food at a more realistic price.  Again, the opportunity is there now for a return visit.

The trip home however...  I don't plan on moving tomorrow.  Shawn and I paddled our hearts out, nearly flagging down a boat for help, as we bashed our way through those waves that were so fun to surf a few hours earlier.  I know that i will be sore tomorrow...  Heck, i am sore now and I just finished the kayak trip a few hours ago.  Fortunately, I can alleviate the pain with a good gin and tonic (or perhaps two).

Tomorrow i plan on kayaking again.  I think we can go downwind to Sandy Island (where there is one restaurant that we know is both awful and overpriced...  no lunch for us there) do some snorkeling...  and catch a water taxi back (with our without our kayaks).

 

 

 

 

photo is of the beach at Mead's bay.

finding the perfect hurricane hole...

Amaris Sails the planet

Marigot Bay - St Marteen (French side)

February 24, 2014

finding the perfect hurricane hole...

Although it is only February, we have started looking for our hurricane hole for the summer.  Hurricane season begins June 1st and lasts through October.  June and July have less likelihood of hurricanes - so we feel as long we watch the weather closely and have defined "hurricane holes" in mind, we could cheat our way through June...  That is, if we haven't settled into the perfect hurricane hole by then.

Hurricane holes are spots that offer natural protection from hurricanes.  One example is Marigot bay on St Lucia.  This particular harbor is surrounded by hills on 3 sides and is open only to the west (typically hurricanes blow from the east).  The bay is also surrounded by mangroves where boats can tie extra lines to their exposed roots.  It is said that during the last hurricane that came through St Lucia, the peak winds in Marigot bay were 30 knots (33 miles per hour) with virtually no waves.  Many islands have such safe harbors.  

Other islands are outside the defined typical hurricane path (Aruba or Grenada for example) and could be sailed to within 24 hours if a hurricane is predicted.  (The joy of a fast boat...)  We have friends on an Outremer 55 that have stayed in St Martin in previous years knowing that they could sail to Grenada in 30-36 hours-thus using a defensive strategy of just "getting out of the way" and having the beautiful islands to themselves during the down season.

Shawn and I have been discussing our season's hurricane hole.  Priorities include...  in no particular order;  1-Safe from the hurricanes!(and other weather...  ie lightening - we do have a pretty significant lightening rod)  2-Spanish speaking (we both want to enroll in an intensive Spanish class) 3-Interesting culture to explore, which may put us near a larger city? 4-close to a major airport.  We plan on flying up to Seattle for the month of September and down to Peru to explore Machu Piccu for a month as well.  5-good security for the boat while we are gone.  6-good exploring by boat when there is no threat of hurricanes.  

Enter our current choice for hurricane hole...  Rio Dulce Guatamala!  Plenty or exploring both by boat and on land.  Good safe marinas.  

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dulce_River_(Guatemala)

Turn up the power

Amaris sails the planet

Feb  22, 2014

St Martin, Caribbean

Turn up the power

Power management is always a concern when yachting.  Although we have a generator, I dislike running it daily to keep the operations of the boat with power.  Not only is it noisy, but it burns diesel, which i would rather not do.  Many cruisers need to run their engine once or even twice a day to recharge their batteries.  It seems an abomination to me to sit in a beautiful anchorage, mother nature's beauty all around, perhaps a few other souls drifting by in kayaks and needing to run a generator.  UGH!  

When we took delivery of our boat, I doubled the solar panels to help with our energy generation.  To put things into perspective for you - my dear reader...  I will simply things by saying we use an average of 400 amps/day (when we are on board using all the gadgets-opening the fridge all the time, turning on lights, etc...).  Our solar panels make between 250-300 amps/day.  Recall that it is winter right now...  so this number should improve in the summer.  This configuration left us needing to run an engine or the generator daily for just under an hour - or (perhaps the better solution) going out to eat so we didn't use the water pump, lights, radio, etc.  

We were about 100 amps short of being energy independent.  Introduce wind generator!  Although let it be said, i think "wind generator" is a misnomer.  It doesn't generate wind...  it generates power from wind.  Shouldn't they be called "power from wind generators?"  After literally days of research - I chose a wind generator made by silent winds.  For my cruising friends, this generator was chosen with priorities to 1-power generation, 2-weight (6.8kg as opposed to the second highest producing generator the d400 which weighs in at 17kg), 3-integration with current systems, 4-sound production, and 5-cost.  The silent winds is a top energy producer, one of the lightest models, and true to it's name - is quiet thanks to its carbon fiber ultra rigid/strong/light blades.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

With the help of my friend Maas (actually he did most of the work), we were able to get the new generator up in a couple of days.  I believe if we were to re-do the instillation now we could do it in 5-6 hours.  And of similar importance, should something go wrong with the unit, I could swap it out in about an hour (even without my friend Maas).  But i suppose 1/2 the fun of an instillation such as this one is the engineering and design.

Fortunately, here in the Caribbean we are exposed to the trade winds - which have kept that generator humming!  I believe we are making better than the 100 amps that we needed to bridge the gap to energy independence.  We will need to run the generator for hot water-cause someone in this household (boathold?) needs to have hot showers once in a while!  That said, once summer comes, I think we will have enough power to run a load of laundry or run the water maker for an hour each day!  How cool will that be!  And - at that point we will want COLD showers!  

Long time no blog...

Sorry for the lack of blogging. I wish I could say I have a good excuse – but I don't.


We had a busy last few months - several trips back to the states (Holidays, work, and the loss of Shawn's Grandmother to Alzheimers), our first charter, some good sailing, and a lot of maintenance/repairs to Amaris. All that said- I think the biggest factor in my lack of blogging is that we are settling into “cruising life.”


Like it or not, we are now getting up with regularity for the local “cruiser's net.” Although we have made suggestions to move the daily net from 7:30 to 8:30, these suggestions are sadly unanswered – so we get up and have the first cup of coffee at the early hour of 7:30. The net is basically a daily conference call that happens over our vhf radios. Discussions begin with weather, security issues (mostly theft), announcements (usually people offering to do some type of trade to stock their cruising kitties... we tried offering tax prep with little luck), barter or trade (where we were able to lighten our boat by giving away a printer, some cruising guides (that were all in French), and our old stereo.


We have also started developing friendships with other local cruisers – which begins to occupy our time as some of the “group leaders” put together activities such as hiking, happy hours, pot lucks, etc. Shawn and I recently participated in a hike that started at top of a local “mountain” and was to end up near where we all left our dinghies. This seemed like such a great idea – a nice walk down a hill right? Well, because all of us are basically “in transit” the knowledge is sometimes... a little suspect. The first trail was wrong and ended up hiking UP to the top of another hill. Great views, but we were certainly going the wrong way from our dinghy. The second trail seemed to go in the right direction, but after 3 miles of down hill hiking we ended up at an old plantation. Not the right hill. The group of 20-30 hikers then had to head back up a very steep hill to hopefully find the right trail. Shawn and I gave up and had a wonderful lunch at the plantation and took a cab back to the dinghy. Glad we didn't lead that trip! We also decided not to have all the hikers over to our boat for happy hour – lots of sweaty stinky dirty people!

After nearly a month here in St Martin, we are getting itchy feet and hope to be exploring some new cruising areas for the next week or so (while we wait for more parts to come in... for more repairs! Joy. We still haven't determined where we are going... I suppose we will see what the wind is doing this afternoon...