Don' Touch Dis

Stage 3 Turks & Caicos - Culebra to Providenciales: 16-20 Jun 09

A Leap of Faith along a Thorny Path

Our giant leap of faith was of course, five straight days of sailing….challenging or tempting fate for the GS!  Anyway, there’s little to report except another barracuda and a thankfully uneventful crossing.

So five more non-stop days of this

We had tossed up whether to follow the well travelled thornless path – south coast of Puerto Rico; wait for good weather to cross the MONA Passage (Please! Whispered reverence when speaking of these treacherous waters!) and then hiking up the north coast of the Dominican Republic.  Our need for speed had made us take the adventurous route and simply sail the passage between the Banks and the largest of the Caribbean islands – just like they did in days of old. 

And five more days of tweeking this & that.  But actually sailing!

The weather ranged from calm (motoring) to enough wind to give us a pleasant sail.  So what did we do?  We wore our harnesses, slept lightly in the cockpit, took turns at keeping watch for passing ships (fortunately not many) and made sure the ipod was well charged.  Our Cap’n-of-the-strong-stomach read a book-a-day and did all the cooking.  Don’t feel too sorry for him; all he did was open cans or make up cups-o-soups or 2 minute noodles, whilst GS survived on her potato crisp ration.  As the Cap’n read & slept, so the GS slept & read. 

Docked at South Side Marina

We had hoped to make landfall at French Cay, once a French pirate lair, now an isolated marine park on the southern edge of the TCI Bank.  However, our arrival at 4am and growing respect for navigating coral reefs in shallow water persuaded us to keep going to the “Freighter Channel”.  In the early morning light, even this deep water channel seemed to have bommies lurking at every turn so we rounded West Caicos and in better light headed for the Sandbore Channel; a mere 9.5nm of nervousness.

Sailing past Turtle Rock along the Sandbore Channel

So, in the space of 5 days, we had saved ourselves at least 2 weeks of day sails…thorny indeed but incredibly fast!  Our reward is to sit here in the magnificent warm turquoise waters of Sapodilla Bay, Turks & Caicos Islands.  Hallelujah brother, pass the beer!!

From: Cayo Pirata, Culebra Lat/Long: 18 18N  65 17W  Date/Time: 16/6/09: 1010

To: Sapodilla Bay, TCI  Lat/Long: 21 44N  72 17W  Date/Time: 20/6/09: 1230

Time Taken: 500nm (98.5hrs)  Distance (this year): 1037nm (238.5hrs)

Distance Total (since 2008): 1987nm  (406.5hrs)   Fastest Speed: Not noted**

Weather: Winds light to brisk, mostly ESE 10-20kts; Seas 5-6ft; SE current

(**Mixed bag of thunderstorms out from Puerto Rico; following breeze & current to push us along at a leisurely pace; no whales!)

Play that Funky Music Loud

Culebra: 15 Jun 09

Rocky small cays off Culebra - good for diving

The decision was made.  Tomorrow was check-out day.  We repositioned ourselves just off Cayo Pirata.  This small cay was “constructed” to give shelter to pirate ships in days of old.  Sir Henry Morgan (and many others) is said to have frequented the waters and multitude of tiny islands off Culebra.  These days, the options are diving and beaches; beaches and diving.  Even the Cap’n was overcome at the multitude of interesting dive sites and secluded cays – oh, the possibilities of finding a cray or grouper….  Sadly, not for us this time!

Life all at sea

Sliding into our anchorage, we found ourselves right beside some friends we’d met last year in Nanny Cay.  Their boat had suffered damage at the hands of a modern day swashbuckler, a charterer.  (Yo ho ho & a bottle or two of rum!)  Needless to say, there was lengthy discussion over who was to pay and for what.  Of course, our charterer had to rush home.  Can you imagine?….  We were glad it wasn’t us, although the incident strongly re-enforced for us the tenuous difference between insured and those at greater risk, the “self-insured” community. 

Bruce is all tucked up in bed and rearin' to go!

Tony & Suzanne on Gabra had set sail from Canada and, entranced by the delights of a very laidback Culebra, had stayed.  It was nice to catch up and swap stories of our travels and adventures since our last meeting.  We liked their home away from home – it was like stepping back to the 70’s.  But we had places to go and people to see.  So after provisioning, taking lunch at the Dinghy Dock, watching tarpon (big lads, they were) at play in the shallows, and signing out the airport, we drew breath and hit the magenta line (lines on the charts that connect our waypoints).

Hasta la vista, baybee…..

So Much Time - Not a Lot to Do

Cruzan Cool Down: 14 Jun 09

A tropical island cool down with friends

This is now our critical “Things-to-do List”.  After sitting in a number of Caribbean ports we’ve hit upon a list of essentials for both WJ3 and crew. (Clearly we’ve got no telly!).  Visitors take note – you will be expected to comply.

 

WJ3

• Rename to something exceedingly ostentatious
• Drip decks with gorgeous gals & huge hunks
• Employ staff (minimum 2 to 1 ratio)
• Install bigger, better, louder sound system

Bruce

• Insert centre console with steering wheel
• Cap’n to STAND UP when driving
• Drive fast to ensure huge wake in anchorage

Cap’n

• Always drive & shout orders at the same time (can’t be heard above engine that way!) 
• Must have a shiny, gold earring (chains are so passe, darling)
• And a hairy chest...
• Wear short shorts

Crew

• Recline on the bow (Bruce or WJ3) and chat endlessly & loudly (nasally twang is best)
• Must have a tattoo (yes, the older the bod the better!)
• Dress skimpily and wear only pristine white, of course, darling
• Leave hair to matt into dreadlocks or is that just too much hairspray….

Finally, it seems that one takes drink in hand and spends all day sitting in the warm, reef protected waters chatting to friends beside one’s boat.  Not sitting politely on the back of your (mostly) beefy hot water boat, but yes, beside it in neck or knee deep water.  Ahhhhh, a real tropical island beach cool-down!  At last.....

Other suggestions can be forwarded to WJ3 via email.  Be nice now!!

Barracuda Boooooor ring....

Stage 2 Spanish Virgin Islands - St Croix to Culebra: 13 Jun 09

Dakity Harbor Culebra

There is little to tell of our crossing.  Fingers were crossed for a fresh mahi mahi, perhaps a tuna or something edible at least.  We caught yet another barracuda – a total of 5 now!  Full of ciguatera.  And nasty teeth.  Sent him packing but not before a fun tussle for the GS. 

Bar Pontoon

Our Cap’n Cautious negotiated yet another difficult harbour – thank goodness for GPS and modern computerised chart systems!  He safely dropped our hook in turquoise, reef-fringed waters of Dakity Harbor.  For the first time, moorings a plenty were provided free of charge for the fun loving Puerto Ricans.  Now there’s a sensible decision.  Being Saturday, we were lucky to snag one.  Later we sipped our rum punches listening to upbeat Latino music coming from a floating bar in nearby shallows – a reminder of our BBQ pontoons.  Welcome to the very definitely Spanish, and very cool, Virgin Islands.

From: Christiansted, St Croix Lat/Long: 17 45N  64 41W  Date/Time: 13/6/09: 0645

To: Dakity Harbour, Culebra  Lat/Long: 18 17N  65 16W  Date/Time: 13/6/09: 1600
Time Taken: 45nm (10hrs)  Distance (this year): 637nm (129.5hrs)
Distance Total (since 2008): 1486nm  (307.5hrs)   Fastest Speed: Not noted
Weather: Winds E 10-16kts; Seas 5-6ft.