Had a great downwind sail to Sopers Hole with lightish winds but enough to get a good run going. Sopers was pretty full – as well as some mega private yachts anchored out and two cruise ships in the channel. Have never seen so much traffic here before….but then I’ve never been here this time of year so have nothing to judge it against.

During the sail the north swells were starting to make themselves known as we came along the coast of Tortola. After arriving we went ashore for a quick look round the shops – didn’t buy anything – and watched the cruise ship passengers being ferried in and out. Pussers the bar was rammed and it took forever to get a diet coke so we didn’t hang around for long although did bump into a couple of cruisers we had met before.

A quiet evening on board having dinner and then, as the sun went down, the mayhem started. We had already heard that the swells were bad on Jost……and all these charter boats (who are not allowed to sail at night) started turning up and driving around and around the mooring field looking for a free ball….and there weren’t any! Too deep to anchor for these boats at 60 ft as they won’t have enough chain on board. This was a dangerous situation to be in at this time of the day so many of them had to stump up and pay to go alongside one of the slips in the marina or run over to St John for shelter. Maybe next time out they will read the weather forecast before they decide where they are going to spend the night?

In the morning up early and checked out of the BVI after a great breakfast at De Best Cup and sailed downwind to St John to check into the US islands. Went ashore after the formalities were done and rescued a very drunk guy who had fallen into the sea under the ferry dock from his kayak and couldn’t climb back out….. don’t know how long he had been there but he was pretty distressed. But not so out of it that he couldn’t hit us up for a couple of bucks to get the bus home!

Anyway into Red Hook and met up with Blaine Parks who helped us deliver Morpheus down island in November 2008. Great to see him again. Blaine had just delivered down a brand new (huge) Island Packet for the fleet from Florida and came bearing goodies for us! At last….not long now before we are free! Really excited. So I spent the afternoon doing pink jobs like laundry, banking etc while Richard helps Blaine with all the last jobs to be done…. Fantastic….. A new (stern) anchor and the life raft were the main items we had been waiting on plus some extra jobs like putting new sacrificial washers on the gooseneck.

I virtually skipped back laden down with fresh clothes and bedding and as I walk down the dock I spot the problem. The damn sail is the wrong colour!!!! I try not to cry or get mad – Richard was angry enough for both of us – so we talked through the options and decided to pay to get it fixed locally and then claim back the cash… We really cannot wait for another sail to be produced and shipped…we’ve already lost weeks of our travels on the back of it – and if they can’t get it right twice, who can guarantee third time lucky???? Grrrrrr…… The people who could authorise this plan are on holiday until the 7th so we just went for it and sent assertive emails etc to start the process running. Notice no names? Yep – let’s give them the chance to put it right first – so watch this space!

We also went shopping for more stuff – new mats and extra bedding in the January sales. We even got a new blanket as it is a bit chilly at night at the minute, so we must be getting acclimatised….

After putting everything away and cleaning up we decamped to Molly’s for dinner and caught up with the bar manager Sharme, Blaine, Chandler and Dan (his crew as the owners didn’t do the trip)…..

then off to Duffy’s Love Shack – for a night of memories, dancing and drinking….followed by a visit to the Caribbean saloon for blackjack and more drinking….

How Blaine got his 6am cab to the airport I don’t know! Fantastic time and took us back to the start of our journey four years ago so a fitting way to start our cruising life. Shame that Brad couldn’t be here to share it again too – but he has a proper job now!!!

Friday we did jobs – I cleaned, waxed and buffed the topsides and gave some tender loving care to the stainless steel – Richard did some engine modifications and had an in depth walk through all the boat systems with a guy who knows these boats inside out. Headed off shopping in the afternoon for more crates, padlocks and other things on our spare parts list and loads of great meat which we’ve vacuum packed and frozen, taking advantage of being on shore power.

After a physically demanding day – and still emotionally drained after all the dramas – we headed back to Molly’s to have a quiet evening with Sharme who, unusually, was off duty and sat on the other side of the bar with us.

So now it is Saturday morning and we’re carrying on with the boat jobs…waiting anxiously for the local sail loft to turn up so that we can get out of here… Please please let it be right…

Bye for now

Jan

PS – phone reset and working again…… Phew!

After a couple of relaxing days on Anegada, including an international rescue operation when a boat ran aground at the back of the mooring field, we decided to head back towards Tortola as we are going to spend New Year’s Eve in Cane Garden Bay….so, as it’s Sunday, we may as well go a day early and visit our favourite watering hole the Elm for some live music.

We had a fantastic downwind sail and enjoyed chasing down boats who had left ahead of us – we are really getting to know how to trim Morphie now – and we overtook one monohull and held off a big catamaran behind us.   Colin – our autopilot – played his part as we watched on in admiration at his skill.   Why Colin?   Well, Richard used to sail occasionally with a guy called Colin North who is a great skipper and a safe pair of hands so our autopilot is named in his honour!

While underway I’m also getting to understand the AIS and how it depicts boats near us.   It is also a great tool for anybody who is slightly nosy as I can tell what the boat is called, how fast it’s going, it’s draft and whether it’s sailing / motoring or moored.   Nice!  And will be a really useful piece of kit for future night sails…

No Elmtones tonight at the Elm – instead Steve was joined by Jeff who has played with Bob Marley and the Wailers….a fantastic set and the place was absolutely full to the brim…  The staff were rushed off their feet trying to accommodate everyone but they managed it.  We spent the evening enjoying the music, chatting and catching up with old friends who had arrived on island that day.   

During the night it was really rolly …. if you can imagine trying to sleep on top of an inflated gym ball you’d get some idea!  In the morning we decided to move further out to see if we can get a more peaceful night – also, north swells are predicted for Tuesday morning and, if they come early, we can get out of here quickly.     We found a better spot and got ourselves set.    Did a few boat jobs and had a swim…as well as a bit of breakfast at the Sailors Rest and some provisioning at Bobby’s supermarket.    Oh yes, did I mention that it was raining cats and dogs at this point?   And then we realised – oh no – it’s cruise ship day and the beach is being transformed into huge lines of beach chairs and umbrellas.    These poor passengers are being shipped in and then dumped on a paradise beach – but in the rain…  Oh well, it’s only liquid sunshine, and at least it’s warm!

We went ashore about 2pm and went into Stanleys – now renamed Tonys – and chatted to some people.  Amazed by how many people are on this beach, but hey, at least they are spending money to boost the local economy.   And then, like magic, they all disappear and the locals pack up all the chairs for another day.

Back on board and a relax before getting ready to go out tonight.   Richard wants to party and is a bit grumpy because I didn’t let him go to Foxy’s on Jost for the big event of the year.   There was a reason – not just me being a party pooper, honest – but this is such a big event there are hundreds, literally, hundreds of boats crammed into the harbour and outside and no sane boat owner would put their boat at risk of being rammed in the night, particularly if the wind gets up.   Richard did agree – I just hope that there is a party happening somewhere to make him happy!

Well we went to Myetts for a drink around 8.30 pm – and Candyman was playing and getting the crowd up dancing.  We all got crowns too…   Had some fun and met some more people we knew from before.  Including the two Dutch families we had met in Anegada – although it is a bit like land of the giants as they are all over six feet tall including the gorgeous 11 and 14 year old girls who could be models if they wanted – legs up to their armpits, you know what I mean!   

Anyway….we decided to decamp to Quitos as we knew that Quito and the Edge were playing live tonight.   The party was in full swing when we got there with a real nice mix of locals, ex-pats and tourists all mingling and having fun.  Dancing, drinking, laughing were all compulsory elements and we had a really really good time.

Then suddenly, it was midnight – Happy New Year everyone!    Suddenly I felt really sad not to be with friends nor family – what a wuzz – really must get a grip….   So wiped away the tears and enjoyed celebrating the start of a new year which, for us, is the start of a great adventure…

And to cap it all, today we had also heard that the rest of our stuff has turned up – so we are heading to Sopers Hole in the morning (also to escape the swells) in preparation for checking out and returning to the US on Wednesday.  Soon we will be free….

Bye for now

Jan

PS – my iPhone has decided to go on the blink – so no texts to / from me at the minute.   Sorry for anyone who has sent something through…  When I get a good internet connection I’m going to try a factory reset and see what happens.  Fingers crossed!