A year ago, for the first time in my life, I spent a week aboard a sailboat. Living, sleeping, eating, cruising. As a lifelong powerboater, I must admit that it was an interesting change of life, and a definite change of pace.
And, in May 2012, I got to do it again! My wife, Robie, and I were invited for a second straight year to spend a week, or so, with our friends, Linda and Larry, aboard their shared 34 or 38 foot Beneteau, Reggae. I say 34 or 38 because documents list it two different ways. I guess it depends on whether you're paying by the foot at a marina, or you're bragging about the boat.
We flew from Jacksonville (NC) to Charlotte to St. Thomas via USAirways. And, I will say up front, the connections were absolutely superb, the crews were friendly...not just officially courteous, but actually friendly. And, I can tell a difference. On every leg, going and coming, we left on time, and we arrived either on time, or a few minutes early. A real pleasure instead of a challenge. Congrats USAirways for running a topnotch operation.
In St. Thomas, we ran into the typical Caribbean airport chaos. In reality, it was organized chaos at its best. Cabbie bosses wanted to know where we were going, and quickly directed us to vans going our way. About a dozen of us boarded the van and headed straight to the Charlotte Amalie waterfront where ferries heading for Tortolla, on the British side, were waiting. We were politely and efficiently ushered to the check-in window where we purchased tickets and checked our luggage.
Not quite as prompt as USAirways, the ferry set sail about 15 minutes later than posted. But, no problem, mon. We're in the islands, and we're now officially on island time.
Within the hour, we're pulling into West End at Soper's Hole on Tortola. Had to check in with Customs and Immigration, assuring them we were the good guys, and weren't bringing anything into the country that we shouldn't. Friendly folks, they were. Made the international transition as easy as pie.
Our friends, Linda and Larry, were waiting outside, and eagerly greeted us with hugs and handshakes. We loaded our bags into their dingy (a rubber boat with a motor) for a short ride to their moored sailing vessel about a hundred yards from the dock.
And, in May 2012, I got to do it again! My wife, Robie, and I were invited for a second straight year to spend a week, or so, with our friends, Linda and Larry, aboard their shared 34 or 38 foot Beneteau, Reggae. I say 34 or 38 because documents list it two different ways. I guess it depends on whether you're paying by the foot at a marina, or you're bragging about the boat.
We flew from Jacksonville (NC) to Charlotte to St. Thomas via USAirways. And, I will say up front, the connections were absolutely superb, the crews were friendly...not just officially courteous, but actually friendly. And, I can tell a difference. On every leg, going and coming, we left on time, and we arrived either on time, or a few minutes early. A real pleasure instead of a challenge. Congrats USAirways for running a topnotch operation.
In St. Thomas, we ran into the typical Caribbean airport chaos. In reality, it was organized chaos at its best. Cabbie bosses wanted to know where we were going, and quickly directed us to vans going our way. About a dozen of us boarded the van and headed straight to the Charlotte Amalie waterfront where ferries heading for Tortolla, on the British side, were waiting. We were politely and efficiently ushered to the check-in window where we purchased tickets and checked our luggage.
Not quite as prompt as USAirways, the ferry set sail about 15 minutes later than posted. But, no problem, mon. We're in the islands, and we're now officially on island time.
Our "escort" on the crossing
Within the hour, we're pulling into West End at Soper's Hole on Tortola. Had to check in with Customs and Immigration, assuring them we were the good guys, and weren't bringing anything into the country that we shouldn't. Friendly folks, they were. Made the international transition as easy as pie.
Ferry at Soper's Hole
Our friends, Linda and Larry, were waiting outside, and eagerly greeted us with hugs and handshakes. We loaded our bags into their dingy (a rubber boat with a motor) for a short ride to their moored sailing vessel about a hundred yards from the dock.
Our home for 8 nights
Gear stowed in the aft berth, it was time to get dinner started. Take note that we always looked after our bellies during the entire voyage. Our trip would take us southeastward, towards the eastern chain of the BVI's. Norman Island, Cooper Island, Salt Island. At least, that's the way the plans started out.
Sailing aboard Reggae
First thing Sunday, we cut loose from the mooring ball, and wound our way out the harbor. We headed for The Indians, a small outcropping of rocks off Norman Island. It took maybe an hour to get there. Maybe two, maybe three. Remember, we're now on island time, and the best I can tell you is that it's daylight and we've had breakfast. The Indians are so-named, the tale goes, because some wayward sailors of yesteryear said the rocks resembled Indian tee-pees. You've got to remember that sailing ships carried as much rum as they did fresh water. I don't think I need to paint you a picture, do I?
The four of us took to the warm, clear Caribbean waters, donned in our best snorkeling gear. We checked out the shallows around the outcropping, making note of the various tropical fish we saw. After a couple hours kicking around, we headed back to Reggae. It was time to hook up to a mooring ball in an area known as The Byte. Calm waters, making it comfortable for cooking and sleeping.
We made our plans for the next day, plans that called for Larry and me to dive on a site he had heard was a good spot. Located in about 60 feet of water, on the southeast side of Norman Island, Santa Monica Rock only had one dive ball. The seas were running 4-5 feet, and the easterly winds were kicking in at about 20 knots. It would be a little more challenging locating the spot as we did not have an on-board GPS. However, I had brought along my trusty handheld Garmin, something I keep as a backup aboard my boat back in the States. I punched in the "numbers", and we headed towards the rock.
Larry plots our course
Unfortunately, as I had not gotten wet since the summer before, and I had obviously put on a few extra winter-pounds, I quickly learned that I needed more lead weight to get my plump backside to the bottom. As the seas were not comfortable on the surface, I chose to work really hard to stay on the bottom. Doing so, I didn't have the opportunity to see as much as I would have liked. And, I burned up twice as much air as usual. Twice as much as Larry.
Lesson learned. If you haven't been in the water in a while, do a shallow water dive FIRST. You can quickly determine how much weight you'll need. It'll also give you a chance to get the lay of the land, time to get comfortable in calm, quiet waters.
A kayak tour at The Caves
Back to Norman Island. On the west end, protected from the winds, the seas were calm. And, there was a great snorkel site known as the Caves. So, after a little food, back to the water we went. Well worth the effort, I'll tell you. Fish of all colors were everywhere. A nice dive, for sure.
We moored, again, in The Byte, planning to dive at a site at the harbor's entrance the following day. Food and a good night's sleep, that's all we needed. And, as usual, Linda prepared a great meal.
After breakfast, we headed for the dive buoy. An interesting dive, with a little more sediment than at Santa Monica Rock, a lot of fish life. And...a full fledged 3 to 3-1/2 pound spiny lobster hiding in a hole. I've picked up a lot of lobsters diving in the Caribbean and the Florida Keys. Most are small, in the pound and a quarter class. I've picked up a few larger ones, including a 7-pounder in Guantanamo Bay. And, this guy, under other conditions, would have made a great addition to our dinner table.
Larry waiting to board Reggae
Ok, time to plan the next day. We decided to move to Cooper Island, a few miles away, to spend the night. The following morning, we intended to go to the site of the RMS Rhone, a British mail ship that sank in the 1860's. The ship is best known as the background in the 1970's film The Deep, starring Jacqueline Bissett. It is now a protected national site, and a popular destination for divers. A local diver calls it his underwater studio, and has been shooting underwater photos there for decades.
But, our plans didn't work out. Needing ice to keep our food cold, we learned, as the sun was heading down, that no ice was available at Norman Island. We quickly headed across the passage to Mya Cove, at Tortola. It's where Reggae is home moored, and our hosts know there's ice there.
But, the dive on HMS Rhone would have to wait. The weather turned a bit ugly, and we decided to hang out in the cove for a couple days. But, those days were not wasted. More on that with the next installment.
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