First Season, Almost Done
Hard to believe but we're almost done with our first season of cruising! What was an interesting conversation just a year ago has become a reality. We'll be in Trinidad in less than 5 weeks. Our plane tickets are purchased. We're looking forward to our trip home and especially to the wedding of my daughter Julia and her fiance Morgan.
Our plans are to stay in California from mid July to after the wedding, which is on July 28th. In August and September, we're thinking of taking a road trip up to British Columbia and possibly back down through the Rocky Mountain States. Of course this requires a vehicle. We're wondering if anyone has an "extra" vehicle they are not using and would be willing to let us use from July through September? If so, send an e-mail to me or Ken and we'll figure out arrangements. If not, we'll do a rental or a purchase/sell, but we'd rather make it worth your while.
We had just arrived in Marin on Martinique in my last update. We decided not to stay, but to sail on to St Lucia where there would be boat services, a land-locked harbor and English spoken. We arrived in Rodney Bay on Sunday afternoon and took a slip at the Rodney Bay Marina. We have been working on the boat since our arrival. Ken repaired the aft head toilet as well as the aft head sink. We had the generator problem confirmed and ordered two capacitors to replace the broken ones. Ken purchased an additional 50 feet of chain for the anchor. He also discovered that the main sail furling problem was just a popped breaker. No motor repair required! I've been busy cleaning the boat. We had all the stainless cleaned and polished. We also did a large grocery shopping, filled the propane tank and got the laundry done. Whew, been busy.
As a result, we've not toured St Lucia yet. We hope to do that soon. There is a zip-line course in the adventure park on the east side of the island. I understand that one can zip through the rainforest canopy. We may just give it a try.
The sail from Martinique to St Lucia was quick, but with big seas. We saw our first 10-to-12-foot swells. That means the top of the swells are well above the deck of the boat. From the cockpit I looked UP at the waves and saw the sun shining through the water! Fortunately the swells were coming at the boat from the side; we were not heading into them. As a result we just went up and over. It made for a "theme park ride" experience. At one point, they were off our port stern and we were surfing the swells. The wind was off our beam, so we sailed quickly, 8+ knots most of the way with a few 9+ knot moments. Of course, we had the motor running, as we had only the jib out (no main sail per in-mast furling problem), needed to charge the batteries and had to make water. Too bad we couldn't have just turned it off. Would have been enjoyable to just sail. But with a land-locked harbor as our next destination, we had to fill the water tank. You don't want to make water in such a harbor.
When we first began our adventure we would not have gone out in such large seas. Now we're more experienced and what would have been too much six months ago is manageable today. I remember the first time we anchored. It was scary. Would the anchor catch? Would we drag and be blown on to shore? Would the anchor get caught on some debris on the ocean floor? We didn't sleep much that night, and both Ken and I kept getting up to make sure all was well. Now we drop the anchor, make sure she's secure and go about our business, including sleeping through the night. We are not careless, but rather we know what we are doing. Still, there's more to learn.
As there is still more to learn and we have not seen all of the Caribbean, we may just stay here another season. The decision is not firm, but we've discussed the idea. Some folks never leave the Caribbean. While anchored in Roseau Harbor, Dominica, we met a Michigan couple who had been sailing the Caribbean for 7 years. There is couple from Alameda, CA a few slips down from us in the marina, who have been in the Caribbean for 3 years. I could spend another year sailing the Caribbean.
That's it for this update.
Safe Passages,
Maryann
Our plans are to stay in California from mid July to after the wedding, which is on July 28th. In August and September, we're thinking of taking a road trip up to British Columbia and possibly back down through the Rocky Mountain States. Of course this requires a vehicle. We're wondering if anyone has an "extra" vehicle they are not using and would be willing to let us use from July through September? If so, send an e-mail to me or Ken and we'll figure out arrangements. If not, we'll do a rental or a purchase/sell, but we'd rather make it worth your while.
We had just arrived in Marin on Martinique in my last update. We decided not to stay, but to sail on to St Lucia where there would be boat services, a land-locked harbor and English spoken. We arrived in Rodney Bay on Sunday afternoon and took a slip at the Rodney Bay Marina. We have been working on the boat since our arrival. Ken repaired the aft head toilet as well as the aft head sink. We had the generator problem confirmed and ordered two capacitors to replace the broken ones. Ken purchased an additional 50 feet of chain for the anchor. He also discovered that the main sail furling problem was just a popped breaker. No motor repair required! I've been busy cleaning the boat. We had all the stainless cleaned and polished. We also did a large grocery shopping, filled the propane tank and got the laundry done. Whew, been busy.
As a result, we've not toured St Lucia yet. We hope to do that soon. There is a zip-line course in the adventure park on the east side of the island. I understand that one can zip through the rainforest canopy. We may just give it a try.
The sail from Martinique to St Lucia was quick, but with big seas. We saw our first 10-to-12-foot swells. That means the top of the swells are well above the deck of the boat. From the cockpit I looked UP at the waves and saw the sun shining through the water! Fortunately the swells were coming at the boat from the side; we were not heading into them. As a result we just went up and over. It made for a "theme park ride" experience. At one point, they were off our port stern and we were surfing the swells. The wind was off our beam, so we sailed quickly, 8+ knots most of the way with a few 9+ knot moments. Of course, we had the motor running, as we had only the jib out (no main sail per in-mast furling problem), needed to charge the batteries and had to make water. Too bad we couldn't have just turned it off. Would have been enjoyable to just sail. But with a land-locked harbor as our next destination, we had to fill the water tank. You don't want to make water in such a harbor.
When we first began our adventure we would not have gone out in such large seas. Now we're more experienced and what would have been too much six months ago is manageable today. I remember the first time we anchored. It was scary. Would the anchor catch? Would we drag and be blown on to shore? Would the anchor get caught on some debris on the ocean floor? We didn't sleep much that night, and both Ken and I kept getting up to make sure all was well. Now we drop the anchor, make sure she's secure and go about our business, including sleeping through the night. We are not careless, but rather we know what we are doing. Still, there's more to learn.
As there is still more to learn and we have not seen all of the Caribbean, we may just stay here another season. The decision is not firm, but we've discussed the idea. Some folks never leave the Caribbean. While anchored in Roseau Harbor, Dominica, we met a Michigan couple who had been sailing the Caribbean for 7 years. There is couple from Alameda, CA a few slips down from us in the marina, who have been in the Caribbean for 3 years. I could spend another year sailing the Caribbean.
That's it for this update.
Safe Passages,
Maryann
posted by Maryann at
9:04 AM |
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