I AM the Captain…

…of the dinghy more and more these days. Since we bought Exit Strategy back in 2007, I rarely operated the dinghy.  There was no need to, as Captain Dan was always going along to do his errands while I did mine.  I recall the last time my brother Joe and his wife sailed with us, Dan gave me the choice of jumping into the dinghy to grab hold of a mooring that was just vacated OR take command of ES’s helm, up anchor, and maneuver to pick up the mooring with Joe’s help.  I carefully got in the dinghy and headed toward the mooring, but I couldn’t quite coordinate slowing the dinghy and moving it in the direction of the mooring- not to mention actually grabbing the pennant attached to it.  I think I circled around it 4 or 5 times before I was able to accomplish the mission.  (Oh, I guess I could review the video that the Captain took of me that afternoon.)

But today I can tell you with confidence that I AM the CAPTAIN of the dinghy.  How did this finally happen?  Well, I’ve been up and out early most mornings in the dinghy to pick up some of the other cruiser wives so we can walk Water Island.  I also drive a group ashore for yoga at sunset a couple of evenings a week.  After this stint of being the “designated driver” I’m happy to report that I no longer stop the dinghy by ramming into a hull; I can gauge the drifting current to let my passengers off at the side ladder of their vessels; I have not had to flag down another dinghy to hitch a ride back to the boat and get Dan to unlock the security cable using the very same key that didn’t work for me and 2 other people. 

Yes, I AM the Captain of the dinghy and it feels good.

Green Flash Phenomenon

Our good friend Jimmy was the one who alerted us to the green flash phenomenon that occurs at sunset when the conditions are right. For one to happen, the sun must set clearly over the water with absolutely no clouds between you and it.  Contrary to what you may think, the sighting of a green flash does not require drinking cocktails, but usually that is just what one in the islands on a boat is doing at sundown. 

We've been watching and waiting to observe one for over three decades since Jimmy first taught us about it. WE FINALLY SAW ONE!  It was not a quick flash, but more like a lasting pea-green circular glow that hung above the horizon for 6-8 seconds after the sun went down. It was very cool- thank you, Jimmy! 

(Sorry, no photo- couldn't even find a Google Image that matched what we saw.)

Christmas Tree Affair

     We don’t have a Christmas tree on Exit Strategy yet, although unspoken peer pressure among our friends in the bay may change that before too long.  Each evening, we notice another sparkle of Christmas lights on the island or a neighboring vessel. Lights have been hoisted to the top of masts or in and around cockpits.  Heck, some boaters even have their dinghy decorated with red bows and bells!

      I pause here to introduce you to two cruisers in the bay who decorate for Christmas with great spirit and lots of good cheer!  Christy & Boomer (s/v Pirate’s Lady) are a fun-loving, energetic couple who have become very good friends.  The other day we met them downtown for the annual Lighting of the Christmas Tree and all its merriment.  Captain Dan & I probably looked like little puppies as we followed them around to view the best of the festivities, but didn’t mind because they always seem to know how the most fun can be had around these parts.

Bet you never thought you'd see Dan wearing reindeer antlers!

The camera man was tipsy when he took this shot- or did we take a shot?

Santa gets a deep tan in the islands.

We've never seen a mocko jumbie quite this young.

Pierogi In Paradise!

Believe it or not- there’s a restaurant on the waterfront that is owned & run by a couple from Poland.  It is aptly named Tavern On the Waterfront. (Some poles have no imagination- or could it be a brilliant marketing ploy to make the place easier for the tourists to find?) 

The name itself did not lure us in.  It was the small sign on the sidewalk that listed “Pierogi”.  They had us at pierogi- we couldn’t not walk into the place.  The menu offered a good selection of mostly American-type foods, obviously to please tourists with a variety of appetites.  We ordered pierogi and golabki, the later was listed as stuffed cabbage on the menu, but our Polish waitress knew what we meant.  Our Polish taste buds were not disappointed in the least!

The Bloomin' Onion on right was dessert...

PS:  I’ll be rolling out our own pierogi in a couple of weeks to celebrate Wigilia in the traditional way.

Captain Dan

     It's almost official.  In 2004 Dan & I both took enough sailing courses to allow us to charter as bareboat captains. However, in 2010 Dan began working on his official Captain's License via online coursework. He is not usually one to procrastinate, but life got in the way and, in this case, he did.  His sales job frustrated him; selling the house stressed him; sorting his necessities down to 10 moving boxes challenged him; learning to maintain all the systems on board Exit Strategy perplexed him.  When we finally set sail, there were other distractions that impeded his completion of the program.  It was too sunny to study; the mystery novel was just about to climax; the fish were biting; friends were talking him into joining them on another island adventure.

      This year's hurricane season  presented the perfect opportunity for Dan to finish the course, especially when I left ES for a two month home visit. He cleared the last hurdle a few days ago after finally taking a required "hands on" First Aid and CPR class here in the USVI.  So, Dan will officially be Captain Dan as soon as the ream of his application paperwork is processed by the US Coast Guard in Boston.

     You may wonder, What will this official title mean? Will he don dress whites when ashore?  Will he be able to marry you or bury you at sea? Will we need to bow a little more deeply when addressing Dan or add a touch more energy to our step when we step-to-it?  PRAY, NO!   

      The Captain hasn't given me any new orders yet, so I'll have to let you know.