It's All about the VOLCANO

Exit Strategy at anchor in Little Bay, Montserrat

The first draft of our float plan did not include Montserrat because the description in our cruising guide was minimal and, at best, depressing.  In the summer of 1995, the Soufriere Hills Volcano erupted repeatedly, destroying much of Plymouth, the island's capital that was located at its foot. The island's population went from about 11,000 to 4,500 people when many residents of Plymouth accepted Britain's (their mother country) offer to relocate them to England rather than rebuild in a safe zone on Montserrat. The rumblings and eruptions continued in 1996, '97, '03, '06, '07, '08. '09, with the most recent occurring in February of 2010.  The activity of the Soufriere Hills Volcano has rendered the island two-thirds uninhabitable, leaving only one-third of the land in the safe zone.

Plymouth as it looks today; many buildings were buried.

So why did we stop in Montserrat after all?  Some of our cruising friends said it was a "must see" during our island hopping, so we took them at their word.  We were not disappointed thanks to a superb 4-hour tour of the island given by Joe Phillip (avalonstours@live.com).  Joe was born and raised on Montserrat and decided to stay and rebuild a home for his family in the safe zone.  His tour was comprehensive, complete with "before" photos he collected over the years to show the extreme changes causes by the volcano.  Joe made it real for us, taking us into some select abandoned buildings, walking in the ashy sand where the rains washed huge boulders and rock down the valleys covering golf courses, roads and bridges,houses and everything in its path.

This 3-story home sat at the edge of the golf course.

Today, the island of Montserrat is looking strong and beautiful.  The tour with Joe Phillip was awesome and obviously given with much heart.  We'd encourage you to visit Montserrat and witness the resilient nature of its people for yourself. 

Standing in a resort's pool with volcano in background.

Excellent snorkeling here in Rendezvous Bay.

ST. KITTS and NEVIS

Looking south on St. Kitts with the Atlantic on the left and the Caribbean on the right.
Nevis can be seen in the background.

Our 136 mile crossing from the BVI to St. Kitts culminated just as the day was dawning.  In the gray morning light,  St. Kitts' main port of Basseterre looked rather industrial with its many two and three story buildings lining the waterfront.  The beach looked like regular dirt and we could not see the anchor hit the bottom at a depth of 16 feet.  As the sun rose overhead, we were able to read the bottom clearly and were utterly surprised to find it dotted with sea stars in every shade of orange and loads of white sand dollars!  We learned that the beaches on the island were not dirt, but soft dark sand that resulted when fine bits of volcanic ash washed down the mountainsides during heavy rains.    The volcanic ash enriches the soil and much of St. Kitts and Nevis is lush with growth. 

Original Caribelle Batiks hung out to dry

The week we were there, St. Kitts' radio reported that they were expecting 31,000 tourists on 15 different cruise ships.  And from what we witnessed around the shopping mall squares of Port Zante and The Circus, the Kitticians really know how to capitalize on tourism!  You couldn’t walk six steps without someone trying to stop you to explain why you shouldn’t miss their tour of the island.  We had planned on hopping on the local bus to get a cheap feel for the lay of the land, but finally succumbed to a polite young man who introduced himself as “BRYAN” but wore a name tag that read “ALEX.” 

NOT our tour guide;there were multiple mannequins like this around the malls;
 each was missing at least one appendage.

Nevis, on the other hand, was quite a different story.  This island is much smaller and more rural, in a kinder and gentler sort of way, with more sea stars and sand dollars.  No hard sells for tours and trinkets were experienced.  We did take the local bus to see what the island was like and when the rest of the passengers got off, our driver gave us a little guided tour along his route, even offering to stop at some places to let us get out & look around.  The high light of our brief stay in Nevis was having dinner at SUNSHINE’S on Pinney’s Beach.  Dan likened it to “Foxy’s ” on Jost Van Dyke-BVI. 

The meal at SUNSHINE'S was DEElicious!

"...then home again, home again, jiggety jig!"

My Captain- He Dah Man!

A typical day with no lines.

The Captain skillfully led his First & Last Mate along Road Town's winding waterfront street toward the Customs and Immigration Office which is housed at the Ferry Dock.  He side-stepped right into the street or left into parking lots to pass hoards of tourists who sauntered along the walk to escape the cruise ship for the day.  The Captain & Mate finally rounded the last bar adjacent to the office  and what they beheld was a staggering sight.  A surprisingly huge crowd of vacationers were there preparing to leave Tortola by ferry in order to catch a flight in St. Thomas.  One line ran the length of the building; the other had people terraced down the main entryway steps and nearly onto the driveway.  Everyone looked hot and tired. 

The Captain calmly and matter-of-factly said, "I'm going in the back door."

10:04 am- The First & Last mate noted the time.  She knew that her presence was not required in the office and that the captain had her passport.  Her decision to stay out of the process was two-fold: first, she thought it prudent to distance herself from any possible embarrassing scene that might occur; second, someone needed to be free to arrange for an attorney, bail, or a donation to a BVI program of the officer's choice.  The Mate sat down to make herself comfortable and passed the time by people watching as still more arrived at the terminal.

10:12 am- The Captain exited the front entrance unscathed and with the proper departure papers in hand.    He dah MAN!

Waiting on the Weather

We filed our float plan with our family and said our "good-byes" to friends in the USVI  over a WEEK ago.  On Wednesday, we left the homey surroundings of Honeymoon Bay-Water Island and spent the night in Round Bay on the far eastern end of St. John to get a good night's rest before our jump off into the deep for our 134 mile or so journey to St. Kitts. The next morning-Thursday, the predicted winds were brisk, but sailable- so we thought.  However, after two and a half hours of being pounded by 6-8 foot waves, we came about and headed northwesterly toward Spanish Town,Virgin Gorda- BVI.  Once ashore, the weather reports indicated that the winds would be a bit calmer the next day (Friday).

So the following morning, we weighed anchor and headed out along the southeastern coast of Virgin Gorda, past the Baths and through the pass between Round Rock and Ginger Island.  Everything seemed fine.  I was at the helm and Dan was adjusting the sails.  The headsail was lufting noisily which thoroughly annoyed the Captain.  As he stood studying the genoa, I noticed that the sail was slowly falling down along the headfoil!  I immediately alerted Dan and he scurried forward, reaching it just as the bulk of the sail blew over the starboard side into the sea.

Dan was using all his might to pull the sail back on board, with seemingly minute results. Still at the helm, I maneuvered the vessel to head more into the wind and reduce the speed.  I set the auto pilot and carefully worked my way to the foredeck to help.  It seemed we'd pull some sail up onto the deck and then the water would pull that and more back under.  It was an exasperating experience and the whole time we both kept checking our position to make sure that Exit Strategy was not about to kiss the rocky shores of Round Rock or Ginger Island. 

At last, the sail was completely out of the water and Dan lashed it to the lifelines.  As he did, we saw that it was torn near the top along a horizontal seam and vertically near the UV panel along the leech. It had come down when the knot that fastened it to the halyard came undone. We jibed to sail back to Road Town, Tortola where we anticipated that we could get the sail repair done, clear into Customs/Immigration, and access the internet to monitor the weather and communicate with family.

The repair was easily accomplished, although we had to deal with waiting until the following Tuesday for some things because Monday was a local BVI holiday. We kept a watch on the weather; the winds and the waves only got worse.  Today- nine days later- they have calmed down considerably and tomorrow we will once again attempt to set sail for St. Kitts, hoping that the third time is a charm.

PLEASE- Not on MY Watch!

After extensive reading of cruising guides, talking to seasoned sailors, float planning, readying the vessel, and provisioning, we're finally about to head down island.

 HURRAY!

Then yesterday we happened to listen to a radio program that focussed on the variety of whales that one may see here in the Caribbean waters right now.  We were not entirely unaware of the possibility of seeing whales here as we'd heard a small group was seen around the southwestern point of Water Island just a few days ago.  Since hearing that report, when on deck, I've been looking in that direction down the coast hoping to see some sign of the great mammals.

COOL- WE'RE GONNA SEE WHALES!



Google image...NOT our boat

BUT- as the radio program began to describe the size of the whales and their various behaviours- I began to get apprehensive about the possibility of an encounter of the close kind ...

EXIT STRATEGY

VS

SPERM WHALE!

 

 

 

 

While sailing during the day, I'm certain we'll able to see humpbacks cresting to breathe or their distinctive flukes raised as they dive.  We should be able to sight activity well in advance and adjust our course to avoid a collision.  What concerns me, though, is the crossing we'll make at night on our 134 mile trip to St. Kitt's.  Whales usually rest/sleep at night and do so by floating at the surface so they can breathe.  A cruising friend from Boston says you can hear them breathe as you go by.  But if the wind and current has us keeled over doing a good clip, I doubt if we'll hear a whale snoring!

 



NOT Captain Dan! (Near Dominica-Google Image)

 

 

ES's First & Last Mate respectfully requested that the Captain modify the float plan to include an island stop for the night to reduce the chance of a midnight rendezvous of the worst kind.  He denied the request.

PRAY FOR US!

"DO YOU WANT TO BE A WELL FED SLAVE...

...OR A HUNGRY FREE MAN?"

Our good friends Jeff and Kristy, of Chartering with Friends s/v As You Wish, turned us on to a new reggae artist called Lucky Dube.  They got acquainted with his music at the recent Rastafarian Fair on St. Thomas.  Quite by chance, we began listening to Lucky Dube’s Taxman CD this morning while the Captain began to organize our 2011 taxes.

One of the tunes, Well Fed Slave/Hungry Free Man, got me thinking about the reaction we often got from people previous to our retirement when we told them about our plan.  Some would respond, “You’re too young to retire- how are you going to do that?” or “Why would you want to retire before you’re eligible for full retirement benefits?” Yet, others would say, “That is SO-O-O COOL!  That’s a GREAT plan!  I hope your dream works out for you.  I wish we could do that…”  

 

 

This blog entry is made today to let you know that Captain Dan & I are doing just fine on our fixed income that is approximately 75% less than pre-retirement. And we plan to enjoy this life for years to come. 

So we encourage you again- MAKE YOUR OWN PLAN AND WORK TOWARD IT!  Are you  currently a “well fed slave” and reluctant to accept less than full retirement benefits if it means that the  building stress will possibly infirm you physically during your final years of employment?  Please consider that quitting early may result in an improvement of your emotional, physical, and spiritual well-being!   Avoid falling into the could’ve-should’ve-would’ve syndrome.   Figure out how much $$ is enough to make YOU comfortable.   Then JUST DO IT.

Lucky Dube 1964-2007;
Life is short.

Christiansted JUMP UP

We dinghied into Christiansted’s boardwalk with a cruising couple from Minnesota, Nancy & Rick (s/v Nancy Ellen) to see what St. Croix’s Jump Up was all about.  The downtown streets were closed off and a variety of vendors were stationed here and there.  Five bands were set up in different locations and provided lively music- syncopated reggae, plinkety steel pan, and groovy oldies R & B.  Loads of people- tourists and Crucians- milled about enjoying the festivities.

Among the crowd, we recognized the pastor from Holy Cross, Father John, although he was in “civilian” clothes.  He told us of his Polish homeland and his travels as a Redemptorist Missionary.   Our Episcopalian friends queried him on the new wording of the mass and we exchanged tidbits about our ties to Chicago and Poland. (Father brought up the royalty in my mother's Potocki bloodline.)

Down another street, we found our son Bob's family along with a group of other missionaries from YWAM- St. Croix.  They positioned themselves to feel every vibration of the Rising Stars Steel Pan Band's lively performance.  Their son Aslan is five and an aspiring drummer.  Their daughter Lyla was amazed at the height and dance moves of the Mocko Jumbies.

We went.

             We saw.

                        We reggaed.