Sunday afternoon we dinked around the point to White Bay to visit the Soggy Dollar and were surprised how quiet it was. Pulled dink up the beach – so he could show off his new painted numbers and his clean bottom – and left him alone to enjoy the space!!! We wandered into the bar and got a great welcome from Mic who gave us beers before we even opened our mouths LOL. Was pretty hot so we – surprise, surprise went bobbing …
After a while we headed down the beach to One Love. Seddy was missing although Teddy the dog was around and we bumped into Christian and Karen – the honeymoon couple from Florida – that we’d met the previous night in Corsairs. They were drinking bushwackers and were quite jolly! They hadn’t been to Soggy yet – having started at the other end of the beach – so we escorted them down so they could try a famous painkiller and they then joined us in a bobbing session. Getting out of the sun and it was time to pay our tab – returning to the bar we had a lovely ‘welcome home’ from Simone, Winsome and Shaneek who had just come on shift…. Time to go and we gave the couple a lift back to their boat as they had swam ashore – but did think that they should have been picked up really as they were the only guests on a crewed catamaran charter!
We headed back around the point – enjoying the view of Morphie in the anchorage – and were back on board for dinner and to get cleaned up – and then into Corsairs.
Vinny greeted us by telling us that our American friends were already there! We had recommended the food and told them we would be going there later, but we really didn’t think they would make it back…. They were pretty sozzled when we had left them in White Bay – but somehow they had managed to persuade the captain to move the boat to Great Harbour. We had a lovely time ending up in the boys doing shots…. Oh well….. Then they left to go back and we found out that they had a dinghy on the dock – we couldn’t believe that a paid skipper just gave his non-boating guest who was already a little worse for wear a dinghy to come ashore in. Really not good enough!! Richard helped them on the dock and thankfully they made it back without incident.
After a pretty hectic Sunday we decided not to go ashore Monday – so got up later than usual. We sorted out the water maker, serviced some more winches, did some laundry and polished some wood down below. About three o’clock we were taking a break in the cockpit and saw Orion coming into the anchorage…. Hurrah! They got their anchor set behind us and went in to clear into customs and immigration. They came back legal and we all got together for a reunion on-board Orion. Such fun to see Lyle and Julia again….
Tuesday morning and we were up early and into Corsairs for internet again – the only semi-reliable service it would appear at the moment.
Back on board mid-morning and we waited for Lyle and Julia to pick us up as we were going to dink around to the Soggy Dollar. Had a lovely bobbing afternoon followed by a roti at Gertrudes and back round the point … to found that we were surrounded by large boats anchored. After a fun afternoon in the sun we had a quiet evening on board.
Wednesday morning – Christmas Eve – and back out to get internet again – still trying to sort out spare parts to be shipped into St John and to secure a slip in American Yacht Harbour to allow Kevin the mechanic to come on board to fix stuff…. Finally all sorted out – phew – and while I was on line Richard fixed the D-ring at the front of dink which had been leaking. Back on board and more wood cleaning / polishing again and got the generator running to charge things up and make water. Unfortunately our water maker decided to spring a small leak so we investigated with Richard’s new wifi endoscope. Great tool – spotted the source – just a shame we can’t reach it easily! Nothing to worry about though just a loose fitting – we’ll sort that out soon…..
Later on we went into Corsairs for dinner with Lyle and Julia. Perfect day and the anchorage started filling up quite early – and we ended up surrounded by big boys again!
We had a lovely dinner and a few drinks and laughs – we caught up with Vinny and Lori too – and then headed down to Foxys where there was karaoke going on. Pretty busy night but the singing was dire – maybe that’s why the rest of the people there looked so miserable!!!!! Richard asked the DJ to play one of his favourite songs from down island and then we had to dance of course. We had a good time….
And so to bed – late!
Thursday morning – Merry Christmas!
We had already planned a full-on party day today starting with a trip to the Soggy Dollar scheduled for early afternoon. So we got up – had breakfast – had a swim and chilled in the cockpit, having opened our Christmas cards. Thanks everyone – we miss you all….!!!!
Lyle and Julia gifted us their sea anchor as they no longer have any need for it. We had this on our list for future purchases so were very grateful for this generous gift. For our non-sailing friends you only use this in serious storm conditions…. So something that you should have and hope never to need to deploy!
We went over to Orion to pick them up and dinked round to Soggy. Was a perfect day on the beach – everyone was in a great mood – and we looked the part in our Santa hats. So bobbing in the beautiful blue water was the order of the day. There was a small stingray moving around which made a few of the other people get out quickly – and some little fish that kept nibbling our toes!!! Funny….
During the afternoon we also enjoyed the wandering Christmas minstrels who came in and entertained us with some carols for a while before they moved on….. Great service from Mic and Shaneek as always!
We dinked back around to Great Harbour before the sun went down and we got absolutely soaked – the waves were building and breaking over the front of dink – and I took the brunt of them, much to the delight of the rest of the gang!!!! Oh yes, and to keep morale high, we sang Christmas carols en route…. LOL
After getting cleaned up we headed back into Corsairs for their special lamb dinner. Was lovely and we had a great evening. Lyle and Julia bailed on us a bit earlier as they were leaving the anchorage in the morning but we stayed on – moved down to Foxys in Vinny’s army truck – and partied with the Corsairs gang which, of course, involved more dancing….. Oh yes, and spot the Duffys hat worn by Pizza Dave…. We donated them to the local kids and they left behind one in Corsairs – so Dave nabbed it!
Another late night….
Friday – Boxing Day – and we had a lazy recuperative one. We stayed in bed, we lazed in the cockpit, we dozed and we read books….. We even ate some chocolate to make it feel more Christmassy!!! Orion had left us by the time we surfaced – but we have made plans to get together for New Year’s Eve so didn’t feel sad at the loss of our Canadian play mates. We didn’t attempt to go ashore just enjoyed watching the boats moving around and the usual mad dash for mooring balls at the end of the day. This is a great anchorage with the sounds of the goats in the hills; the views across to Tortola; and now that the big boats have left we are out here on our own enjoying the lapping of the waves on the hull and the wind whistling through the rigging……
A quiet day, followed by a quiet night, and so to bed.
Saturday – up early and Richard has installed our transom shower hose and tap covers while I wrote this…. We then came ashore for breakfast and to blog….. planning a quiet afternoon on board and perhaps some after dinner drinks at Corsairs. It was a quiet morning in Great Harbour and the anchorage…. and we just ran into Shaneek with her new baby boy Kaleb…. Lovely cuddles!!!
Bye for now
Jan