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.