Yesterday we had a very pleasant motor (upwind) sail (reach and downwind) from Charlotte Amile (USVI) to Jost Van Dyke (BVI.) So we made it to the BVI. We got the dinghy in the water and headed into Customs and Immigration to check in. As usual the process required a lot of forms to be filled out. The people were nice (they usually are) and we got through it all in about 1/2 hour.
We adjourned next door to Ala Babbas for a cheeseburger and beer. Yes, Jimmy Buffet was right - a Cheeseburger in Paradise does hit the spot. Since the dinghy engine was giving me fits we took a cab over the hill to the Soggy Dollar Bar - a "must do" spot on Jost. When we arrived in White Bay we agreed that we had made the prudent choice of anchorages. There were no mooring balls and all of the boats were shallow draft - runabouts or catamarans. There was a decent sized crowd drinking and swimming in the 82 degree water. We settled in, made some new friends, and had a nice time. Cam purchased some memorabilia including a Soggy Dollar ball cap for the Captain (me.) We ended the evening talking to a couple from Milwaukee, WI and their friend. (I left on August 1, 2009 from Milwaukee to start my world cruising career.) Obviously what happens in the BVI doesn't stay in the BVI!
The sunset was beautiful. Pink sky at night, sailors delight! Then it was "cruiser's midnight " Yes, at 6 PM everyone went home leaving us to close the bar at 6:30. Not quite the wild party place of its reputation.. We took a cab back to Great Harbor. I was pretty wiped out and concerned that the boat had no lights so Forrest and I took the dinghy back to Reboot leaving Cam talking to our new friends at the local bar.
The outboard finally cleaned up its act and the trip back to Reboot was quick and easy - except for trying to find her in the mooring field. Forrest and I chatted until about 10 PM when Forrest headed back to shore with the dinghy to pick up Cam. I decided to go to bed as I had told Forrest they needed to be back before sunrise. They did get back as when I checked the lines in the middle of the night they were both asleep on Reboot. I will hear their story today.
One unfortunate thing. When I was a boy my family used to go camping. The campsites were being "invaded" by these new things called RVs'. We would not have cared except that they ran their gen sets all night so they could sleep in air conditioning. You guessed it. The idyllic sounds of a moorng field at night are now the sounds of the gen sets on the boats around us. Quite the disappointment.
XO is so delighted to not be on a leash and able to have the run of Reboot. He has been walking (slinking?) post all night prepared to repel boarders (unless they pet him.)
We will head in this morning to purchase some minor supplies. Depending upon the outcome of last night's expedition we will either stay another day or head up to the Bitter End on Virgin Gorda.
Fair Winds and Following Seas :)
Cruising my 1995 Catalina 42 MK II sailboat with my cat XO, the good, the bad, and the ugly of the open ocean world cruising life.
No comments:
Post a Comment