San~San Adventures

Leaving Grenada we were minus two crew, Jenn and Nate are staying in Grenada for a while to see what adventures are available to them from this yachting mecca. Early morning leaving Grenada we were sailing smoothly in pretty big seas. What lay ahead us for the next 400 miles was still unknown but we were optimistic since the winds were east and pushing us in the direction we were heading. Our first day proved smooth and uneventful. After our dinner, the clouds rolled in and we were pelted with rain from about 7pm til midnight on and off. We did 2 hours watches and saw mostly 20-30 knots of wind all night. The next day was blazing hot but cool in the shade of the bimini.We saw dolphins and seagulls were flying next to us every so often. Again, after dinner that night we had to quickly jump into our foul weather gear as the rain came down. The next day was a good one, after 3 days offshore the seas start to look small even if they are 6 ‘, it’s like you become a true salt. I felt like I could have done another 3 days, it’s the nights that suck. This night for dinner since I was feeling so good I made sloppy joes! Yea baby, a good hot meal does wonders! One step ahead we put on our foul weather gear and got ready for the night well in advance. Needless to say it didn’t rain much but it was a fabulous moon, just about 2 nights before full.

400 miles and 3 nights and 4 days later we arrived in St. Croix! We arrived a bit ahead of schedule and anchored at Buck Island just outside the Green Cay Marina entrance. The smell of land was so powerful it was amazing how heightened our senses were. We ate pancakes and went to sleep, woke up about 12pm and headed into the marina for fuel, water, A/C and showers and all the other great amenities one misses while at sea. This marina has been one of the most welcoming we’ve seen. So once in the slip we enjoyed the burger from The Deep End restaurant and called it a night early. After a wonderful night’s sleep in the A/C there were chores to be done. All three of us went up the masts, Gia went up the mizzen mast first, then I went up. I didn’t lock the mizzen halyard very well and it dropped the sail and got stuck at the top. GR went up the main mast to check on all our running and anchor lights, everything was up to par. We looked at 2 boats in the marina one Columbia 50 we’ve seen it once before but it never hurts to refresh ones memory. Another was for sale by owner, a Morgan which was your typical production boat, but yet again it’s always fun to look. St. Croix Marine located in Christiansted is a pretty long walk, how do I know well we got a ride in but the walk back was pretty far. We went into town for some supplies and to say hi to our friends on Sea Loco, a vessel we met in Staniel Cay.

Threw off the dock lines and headed over to Norman Island one of the Out Islands of the British Virgin Islands. Norman Island is said to be named after the priate who is to believed to have buried Spanish gold on the island in the caves.

It is uninhabitated and there is one bar on land (Billy Bones) and one on a Schooner called Willie T’s after William Thornton II, a quaker born on Tortola in 1761. He studied medicine in England and later entered a design competition for the capital building in Washingon D.C. And won. The island is beautiful and green. We picked up a mooring and waxed the dinghy, got it off the deck and continued with some other lame chores we have to do. Watched the sun go down behind St. John’s to the sound of steel drums and party goers at Billy Bones Bar & Restaurant.

Tortola, Soper’s Hole is where the 46′ Kelly Peterson we are looking at is located on a mooring.

Colorful and full of shops Soper’s Hole Marina and Wharf complex is home to Voyage Charter company and Pusser’s Famous Rum Shop complete with a boutique. Customs and a Ferry dock here make this a busy location. Here we met with the Yacht broker who showed us the interior of the Kelly Peterson as well as drove us across the island to see other boats.

The next day we took a 9 mile dinghy ride to Road Town where we bumped into the Mooring headquaters and got to view several big catamarans.

Also there was a charter yacht show and we got invited aboard a 100′ motorsailor. What a cool day!

Lazy Sunday, boats all ready to go to Jost Van Dyke in the morning after we have $0.25 wings tonight at Pusser’s. We are so excited to visit Foxy’s!