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Wednesday 18 April 2012

The Caribbean part two

Monday 27th Feb - Guadeloupe.


In preparation for cruising amongst the Pacific islands, we thought it prudent to haul Sula out of the water in Guadeloupe for a detailed survey and a report of her seaworthiness. At the same time we decided to have her topsides painted while we would apply a couple of coats of antifouling.


Would you believe it? Having paid an arm and a leg for a professional paint job for our very tired looking hull, a strip of the new topcoat came off with the protective masking tape we had applied for painting the boot topping.


Our 0930 launch was cancelled. The painter was recalled, and to be fair to him he came almost immediately from another job. He was most apologetic, but couldn’t explain why it had happened. Our options were to have the hull repainted, or to have a decorative strip applied to the damaged area. We couldn’t face another week in the yard, so opted for the latter.

We eventually launched later that afternoon and went to a berth in the marina close to the super yachts. What a contrast to being in a scruffy yard next to a rat infested, overflowing skip.



The view from our cockpit.





Then we found the fridge wasn’t working! So the Gas man was called and diagnosed a leaking condenser plate. Fortunately I had a spare. It had leaked two years previously and had been repaired with Araldite. Expecting it to fail again, I bought a replacement, though being a thrifty sort of person didn’t fit it while the repaired one was working. I think two years of extra life is good value for a tube of glue.

Later that day, Bernard our surveyor, & Pascaline, his wife, took us to see the film ‘The Iron Lady’, and to have supper with them afterwards at their house. How very kind of them. It was a lovely evening. You would have been proud of me, I resisted the urge to boo and hiss when Meryl Streep appeared as Mxxxxxxx Txxxxxxx on screen.


The very next day, fellow Elizabethan 31 owners, Francoise and Joel came round to invite us to dinner. We were picked up in their motor launch and were transported to their delightful house on Ilet Boissard, just a few minutes by fast motor lunch away.

Never have we been such socialites. The following day we went to a local Creole restaurant with Bernard (our friendly surveyor) for lunch. Pippa was aghast at us drinking Ti Punch (Rum, lime and sugar) at lunch time. Well, when in Rome...


Eventually we escaped the marina but the socialising didn’t end there. We Left the following morning and sailed in company with Joel and Francoise, to the island of Ilet de Gosier for a very French picnic lunch. Table cloth, Ricard, wine, terrific cold buffet and great company.


We will not forget the generosity of the splendid people who helped and entertained us in Guadeloupe.




Sula on the right with Chiquito Limon on the left,

Elizabethan 31s both.


 Friday 2nd Feb


We Left Pointe a Pitre at 0415 to motor all the way up the river Salee, await the 0500 opening of the road bridge, and continue into the Grande Cul-de-sac Marin, on the north side of the island. Once there we found an excellent place to anchor and returned to our bed until a more respectable hour.


We were in no great rush to depart Guadeloupe, so decided to Visit Ilet a Caret in the afternoon. It proved to be very pleasant, though demanded great care while navigating through the extensive reefs. It wasn’t really suitable for an overnight stay though, so we returned to our anchorage of the morning and remained there overnight.

 

River Salee to Passe a Colas





Saturday 3rd Feb


We had another early start, though this time the more reasonable 0630.


The route out of Cull-de-Sac Marin leads through a maze of reefs. However, it was well marked with buoys so provided one kept alert it was not too difficult. All went well until a tricky S bend between the final two reefs. Then we lost the channel! We could see a red and a green buoy, but we were looking for a green one on quite a different bearing!

This was not the place to put blind faith in the GPS. We approached with the upmost caution watching the echo sounder like a hawk. We were expecting it to be shallow but ½ a metre under the keel was ridiculous. The bottom was clearly visible and looked none too inviting. We dragged the mainsail down and retraced our route. It was Pippa who worked out what was wrong. “I bet our buoy is behind that anchored catamaran!” And so it was. I gave the skipper a piece of my mind for obstructing a vital navigational aid, when later on we passed within a few feet of his stern.


Once clear of Guadeloupe, we had a fast if lumpy passage to English Harbour in Antigua. We were on a beam reach in the trade winds and didn’t drop below six knots for the next 36 miles. Most of the time it was 6 1/2 and occasionally 7 knots. The wind and the swell continued right up to the time we entered English Harbour on the south coast of Antigua Freemans Bay was very crowded and the yachts were jiggling around a fair bit, but we eventually managed to squeeze into a vacant gap. Despite its historic importance English Harbour was just too crowded with yachts and tourists for our taste. We left shortly after completing immigration and customs clearance.




Monday 5th March


We had a cracking sail today. Just the Jib for much of the time, as we ran down wind. As we left the Goats Head passage between terra firma and the reefs our run turned into a reach. The sailing improved and we easily kept up our six to six and a half knots. Eventually, as we approached Deep Bay, we were hard on the wind, but we had a reefed main up by then and still managed five knots. We tacked into our anchorage and anchored in two metres in sand. There was no shelter from the wind, but the sea was calm so we were content. It had been a fine day’s trade wind sailing in the sunny Caribbean.





We felt so small!



Tues 6th. March


In the morning we motored round the corner and into St Johns to get some provisions (beer), and pick up Email. The approach between two huge cruise liners looked rather improbable, I called up the harbour master on the radio and got permission to proceed to Redcliffe Quay, though I still found it difficult to believe we had got it right. We entered very slowly, expecting to be shouted at or blasted with a ship’s horn at any moment.


"But hey, this is the Caribbean man, they do things differently here". We didn’t risk outstaying our welcome though and after completing our jobs ashore, we moved to Long Island on the north east coast.


We anchored off a splendid luxury hotel & holiday resort. Reputedly fit for royalty. But we weren’t invited ashore.

Luxury resort at Long Island








Thursday 8th March


Great Bird Island was much more our cup of tea. We sailed just a couple of miles further round the coast to find this quite fabulous anchorage. What’s more we had it entirely to ourselves. After the almost compulsory swimming and snorkelling, followed by a bite of lunch, we rowed ashore to explore. Access was easy and the island far exceeded our wildest expectations.


Sula is anchored just out of sight in the gap between

Bird Island and the first islet in the background




One of many Long Tailed White Turns nesting on the island.

Or is it? Please someone let me know.



But it wasn’t only birds.
We almost literally bumped into this Iguana.






Sat 10th March


Saturday found us in the quite extraordinary Jolly Harbour marina.
The harbour and marina complex are built in a dredged out mangrove swamp.
Its all very up market with a slightly tired look about it in places. There are rows and rows of private houses each with its own jetty complete with yacht or motor boat. The biggest surprise for us was that we could afford to stay there. At the marina we tied up to piles with our bow to a pontoon with the help of a very laid back boatman.


That evening a cacophony of excruciatingly loud live pop singing drove us to explore our surrounds. On the other side of the marina some distance away from the offending open air bar we found two other establishments, though unfortunately, they were both even worse than the one we had tried to escape.


We left the following morning, in search of something more akin to our liking.




Wednesday 14th March


We had a good fast sail across to Basseterre on St Kits.


I managed to blag a free short stay at the small marina while I checked in with customs and immigration. A process we had to repeat on nearly every island we visited.


After inspecting a couple of recommended bays in which to anchor, we sailed back to the unfortunately named Shitten Bay and bagged the best spot to anchor. It was really lovely; sheltered, attractive and with good snorkelling. It was here that I saw a huge sting ray, it must have been a metre in diameter. I left it alone.


Thursday 15th March


Got up at 5am and sailed to Saba. Unfortunately the moorings outside the harbour were quite untenable in the strong wind and heavy swell. The harbour itself was only of any use to small fishing boats, so we continued round the island and picked up a visitors mooring in the much more sheltered Ladder Bay. Still very windy though. No chance of going ashore to check in or explore the island.

Ladder Bay Saba. With the Old Customs House in the trees.




Not so many years ago (1943) Ladder bay was the only ‘harbour’ on the island. Everything and everybody landed on the small beech, and walked or was carried up the 800 step stairway. No wonder the island was never invaded by pirates.




Friday 16th March


We moved a little further up the coast and anchored in the better protected Wells Bay.


Before lunch, we had some excellent snorkeling off Torrens Point. Quite the best snorkelling we have done in the Caribbean so far. A pair of barracudas made me jump as they swam into my arc of vision. I don’t think they were hungry, so I was OK.


 We left Saba at 4pm, just two hours before dark (They don’t have much dusk in this part of the world), and made passage towards the BVI’s





Saturday 17th March


We had a most relaxing passage of 85 miles to Virgin Gorda in the BVI’s.
Four to five knots or better on main and a partly reefed Jib with a quartering wind on the starboard tack. (Come on the land lubbers amongst you, keep up).


Arriving soon after dawn, we went directly to the pleasant though hot Virgin Gorda yacht harbour near Spanish Town. We cleared customs, bought some essential victuals and left before incurring a full days harbour dues. Then we anchored free of charge behind the reefs in Savannah Cove. We had this lovely bay all to ourselves, probably because of the reefs.






Sunday 18th March


We moved the short distance to Long Bay. Anchored and had a lovely relaxing time. The snorkelling just got better and better, Long Bay on Virgin Gorda was quite spectacular, It provided everything I could wish for: crystal clear water, a huge variety of spectacular coral, hundreds of fish of a staggering variety of colour and size. In some places the bottom dropped vertically for twenty or so feet. It was more like flying than swimming.





Tuesday 20th March


Moving further around the coast we found Drakes Anchorage off Mosquito Island in the lee of the huge Colquhoun reef. Despite it’s name, it was a fine anchorage with no mozzies.


We were just about to crack a tin of cold beer and were congratulating ourselves on our seamanship skills for having entered Gorda (North) Sound under sail. When a tall ship in all her glory sailed in, had a look round and sailed out again. We were duly humbled.




"Pippa, why do you suppose they call it Mosquito Island?"








We were duly humbled








Wednesday21st March


As we were leaving North Sound, on our way to Prickly Pear Island in Eustatia Sound, we came across this monstrosity. The BVI’s certainly cater for all tastes.




From the sublime to the ridiculous.

The BVI’s have it all.



 23rd March


Yet another great sail today. We were bound for South Sound on the little visited windward side of the island. We motored out through the reefs, then had a short beat to windward to clear the head of Virgin Gorda. Once round that it was plain sailing down the outside of the island. On arrival at South Sound we treated the pass through the extensive reef with great care and found we had the whole place to ourselves. A fine day’s sailing.





Our route to South Sound






Our thanks must go to Sarah and Geoff for the benefit of their experience in this part of the world. (Sarah & Geoff, you will notice that we chose to go through the Eustatia Sound Pass. rather than Oil Nut Pass as you recommended. This was because the wind direction on the day gave us a better sailing angle to clear Pajaros Point).



Glorious solitude in South Sound Virgin Gorda,

with the reef clearly visible to seaward.








24th March


We sailed to the south of Virgin Gorda in the morning, through Round Rock pass and on to the Baths. Having picked up a free National Park buoy at Devil’s Bay, we set off to explore. Yet more wonderful snorkelling was had around and in-between the giant boulders, before arrive at the neighbouring Bath Bay. Rather than retrace our steps, we followed a short trail to what is called ‘ The caves’ which leads along the beach and in-between the boulders above the tide line and so back to Devils Bay. A grand day out. One can’t stay on the moorings overnight so in the afternoon we sailed for Long Bay for a second time.


The Baths on Virgin Gorda







Sunday 25th March


After lunch we sailed the 12 miles down Sir Frances Drake Channel to Brandywine Bay on Tortola. It’s conveniently situated close to Road Harbour. And anyway we liked the name.






Monday 27th March


We moved into Road Town’s Village Cay marina in the morning for three days, to prepare for our 1000 mile passage to Panama.


I think I may have mentioned before that we like to have a ‘Hudson Bay’ day before a passage. That means we sail just a modest distance on the first day, to a sheltered overnight anchorage, to check we haven’t forgotten anything too urgent, before setting of on the crossing.

The expression comes from the fur trappers working for the Hudson Bay company. They would have a short day before canoeing off for the wilds of NW Canada.

Our last day in the Caribbean's Leeward Islands was off Treasure Point on Norman Island. It is a lovely bay in a very attractive setting. We picked up a mooring, and subsequently paid up, a king’s ransom for the convenience. It would seem that the owners of the island have found a way of generating the fortune that eluded Long John Silver.

We were very lucky and had an easy crossing of the Caribbean Sea. There were good winds and not too much swell most of the way. We would have made a remarkably good time as we were regularly clocking over 120 miles per day and on one occasion 148 miles. However for the last couple of days the wind fell light. Even with our spinnaker up 24 hours a day we were often making only three knots.

Having arrived in Panama in the early hours of the morning, we anchored of Colon for a couple of days to adjust our sleep patterns and relax a bit, before moving to Shelter Bay Marina (Fort Sherman).


 
The Panama canal
Notice the trains controling theship's lines.


We have a mountain of bureaucracy to climb before we can go through the Panama canal, but we are already approaching camp one. I had the misfortune of having my wallet stolen while clearing customs and applying for a cruising permit. It was very well done and I didn’t notice until I came to pay my taxi driver. (Its much too dangerous to walk in downtown Colon).


Having paid $100 for the cruising permit, a very ammusing and helpful man engaged me in conversation, while his accomplice removed the wallet from my rucksack that was laying on the counter. I had turned my back on it for no more than a few seconds. The only clue that implicates them is that they suddenly turned and walked quickly out of the office.


So, soon it will be goodbye to the Atlantic. Sula will transit the Panama canal and enter the Pacific.


Helping out as line handlers in the Panama canal


While waiting for a date for Sula to transit the Panama Canal we volunteered to help a neighbouring yacht as line handlers. The canal company stipulates that there must be four line handlers per yacht in the canal. It’s good for the other yacht’s crew in that they don’t have to pay us. It’s also very good experience for us. Better to bend their boat than ours.


All being well, the next Blog update will be from an idyllic South Pacific island. I don’t know, but I would expect Blog updates and Emails will be rather erratic once we are in the Pacific. However, I will do my best to keep you informed. In the mean time remember to check out the P.S. and Where next? pages in between Blog updates.


Our outline plan is to visit the following Pacific island groups:-

Galapagos (900 miles).

Maquesas (3000 miles).

Tuamotus (500 miles).

Society Islands (180 miles).

Southern Cook Islands (350 miles).

New Zealand (2000 miles). We might just rest up there for a bit.

Our route is known as the Coconut Milk Run, and sounds just fantastic.
I will let you know.