OUT OF AFRICA

6-30-11

A rusty colored residue was found settled in the grooves on deck this morning as we swayed on a mooring ball off of Christiansted, St. Croix.  We clean and polish Exit Strategy’s rigging on a regular basis, so it was odd to find so many rusty traces about the topsides.  Astute “First & Last Mate” that I am- I immediately alerted the Captain.  He merely tsk-tsked at my report and said that had I been up early enough, I would have heard the radio news reporter explain that an immense African dust storm loomed over the Sahara Desert last week and the dust was carried here and deposited throughout the Caribbean Islands over the past few days. 

So, we have seen the sands of the Sahara without stepping one foot on the great continent of Africa.  (AND the cleaning of the rigging can be stalled for another time.)

Another Lip Piercing

...or Yet Another Fish Story
   We were moving along at a pretty good clip as we made the 35 mile crossing from the eastern coast of St. John to St. Croix-USVI.  Captain Dan said we were probably going too fast to put out a pole, but a few moments later that's just what he did.  It wasn't long before the drag on Dan's Ugly Stick (fishing gear brand, for you nonfishing readers) began to reel!  Then it stopped abruptly.  I suggested that we bring in the line to check the hook for seaweed.  When he began reeling it in, his drag began screaming again and the line was being pulled out at a high rate.  Dan held fast to the pole and tried to tighten the drag, but in an instant the line snapped free! The size of our lost dinner must have been great because the eyes on the rod were bent flat.
   So there is yet another huge fish swimming around in the Caribbean waters with a colorful, huge, and often expensive lure piercing its lip compliments of the crew of Exit Strategy.

We suspect it could have been a fish like this one.
(Thank you, Google Images.)

   

Trip Home

May 25-June 11, 2011
       It was no surprise that Captain Dan had the vessel in tip top shape when I returned from a trip back home to attend family parties. My God-daughter Kimmie celebrated her 40th birthday in style at her house in Dunedin, FL. in late May. Then our son's family asked me to come up to their house in Indianapolis for a visit, so while there I drove up to Michigan for the weekend to see our daughter's family and my Mom. 
        This morning having my coffee on deck in Honeymoon Bay,Water Island- USVI, I look out over the channel to St. Thomas and am reminded of sitting on Kimmie's terrace with a morning cup and watching the manatee glide by and the mullets jump. At this hour, Honeymoon Beach is quiet and calls to mind the whimsical sight of barefooted Lyla, Mino, & Maya digging in the small sandbox behind Grandma Glista's house.  I find comfort daily that both the sun and moon that rise and set are the same represented by Lyla's sun-moon "clock" in her room.  And these warm memories will fuel me until my next sortie stateside.   

St. Barthelemy, FWI

May 10-17, 2011

This, our second trip to St. Barth’s, was unhurried and allowed more time to do the “touristy” things we’d missed on our previous 24 hour stop. We walked the historic tour up and down the hills that surround the Port of Gustavia.  We shopped the “End of the Season Sales” and came away with some great bargains.  We lazed around Shell Beach that literally has more shells than sand.  We snorkeled the Reserve Naturelle of Anse de Colombier, another area donated by the Rockerfellers. While there we hiked up and around the rocky ridge to Anse de Flamands  to have lunch at a beachside cafe. 

Capt. Dan and a real anchor.



Entertained by the local sailing school



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Relaxing on Shell Beach



Going Dutch

We finally sailed on to explore some of St. Maarten, the Dutch side. Our first stop took us to the dock at Captain Oliver’s Marina in Oyster Pond Bay with the objective of synchronizing our batteries.  NO, No, we didn’t lose any overboard (again).  This time we plugged into shore power to give them a total charge so they’d work more efficiently. 

A few days in Phillipsburg proved to be interesting as it is a hustling, bustling, bargain shoppers “Mecca” IF there’s a cruise ship in port. There were so many shops here that Dan & I split up and went our separate ways.  We made a few good purchases and were delighted that the prices were mainly in US dollars or Netherland Antilles florins which are worth less than dollars. On the French side, we had gotten used to everything being priced in euros and kept trying to mentally convert from euros to US dollars to determine if we were getting a good deal.  There’s a beautiful beach here and a rainbow of coordinated umbrellas and chaise loungers appeared daily when the ships were in.

Simpson Bay is another long stretch of perfect sand lined with 2-4 story resorts/condo complexes.  We anchored here for a few days while we contemplated our next course.  Watching the Simpson Lagoon Bridge traffic provided some entertainment, as it opens only three times daily so vessels can jockey their way into or out of the lagoon.   

"RUM is the answer..."

“What was the question?”  Island t-shirts emblazoned with this saying are a favorite although neither of us owns one yet.  This blog entry has nothing to do with rum or any sort of liquid libation, but it does focus on us finding solutions for two problems that have perplexed us since Exit Strategy became our home.

Problem #1: Our refrigerator-freezer has ample space, but has never seemed to keep its contents cool enough consistently.  About a week ago, I was laying around for a few days trying to get over a 48 hr. flu that Dan passed on to me after his 48 hr. bout.  In between dozing on the settee in the salon, I began to review the ES Boat Manual and discovered that we had been setting the thermostat for the fridge-freezer incorrectly.  As soon as I felt stronger, I defrosted and cleaned it and reset the thermostat according to the manual.  VOILA, it’s fixed!

Problem #2:  We had family sail with us during the first three months of this year. (That wasn’t the problem.)  During each trip, we experienced varying degrees of trouble with the engine.  Oil was added and filters checked; fuel filters were changed more than once; additives were put in the fuel tank to clean it; a new fuel tank gauge was installed; starter battery was fully charged and tested. Dan even thoroughly studied the engine manual.  Yesterday, we sought the help of St. Maarten’s Horizon Yacht Charter staff.  Ian asked a lot of detailed questions and then said, “Get a new starter battery.”  We did and ALLELUIA, it’s fixed!

Roughing It

The anchorages north and east of St. Martin have been extremely uncomfortable!  We've learned how to "tuck into" a cove to reduce the exposure to excessive wind and swell.  Nevertheless, in the past four days, we've spent some very rough nights on board without being driven to seasickness, thank goodness.  The Captain and I are ready for a peaceful night's rest. 
 

Look how tired I am trying to rest on a rock!

 

Hiked around Tintamare, an out island that is part of St. Martin's
 Nature Reserve. (This is not our boat.)

 

The surf at Orient Bay anchorage never calmed down.
  Our sorties ashore for sunning and lunch at the famed Club Orient
provided much needed respite. (Don't fret-we sat on our beach towels.)

 

Ilet Pinel, another out island in the Nature Reserve,
 seemed promising for a quiet night, mais non.
 It did have a great nature hike, though, and the warmest water!