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.