Started the day off at Christmas Cove St James USVI after a really great
night sleep. Weather was perfect
Got up early...
about 6 and headed back East to the BVI. Pillsbury sound was rough in the
middle and the Hawks nest Channel was also a bit of a mess but everything else
was really nice. I did motor most of the way since I was dead on the nose
into the wind and I needed to be back in West End by 9 AM and in East End by mid
afternoon. While seas were forecast for 4 to 7, in most of the Sir Francis
Drake Channel today it was more of 3 to 4 and the winds were an almost constant
14 knots. I locked the wheel and only had to make a few adjustments for a
easy trip back.
Here is a photo of a Cruise Ship coming into Pillsbury Sound in USVI early
this AM. They appear to have took a holding position to sent their shuttle
boats (fancy life boats) into Cruz Bay.
This is actually a shot of me arriving at St. James which is just off
Channel Rock ahead on the photo. St, Thomas is to the right, St James and
Christmas Cove to the Left.
Really great trip up the channel with no gust just constant winds and a
good number of sailboats were out. Unfortunately a couple did not realize
you had to get out of the wind shadow of some of the island to get wind and
sail.... but they soon learn and looked as though all had fun.
Here is a shot of when I was just getting to West End Tortola this
AM.
After a quick check in with Customs and Immigrations, I was again off on a
run up to East End.
Two cruise ships were in Road Town today... down town is very small....
would hate to have needed to get some place!
The seas, winds and sun were about perfect.... the only thing that cause a
gloom feeing is a VHF MAYDAY which indicated a Diver was Down. Appears a
dive may have had a heart attack while out on one of the charter dive
boats. Several boats responded to the USCG notice and the BVI Viscar
responded. Only info provided with the person was male and 59 years of age
and estimated weight was 300 pounds. The medical officers request for any
know medications the victim was taking resulted in a list of heart, cholesterol
and blood pressure medications you may anticipate. Sure hope the gentleman
pulled through. Not sure these conditions and problems really match up
well with a Scuba Diving trip that most consider to be at novice max
limits. Not saying he was a novice but these dives are to depths of 60
feet and better in many cases. They were located off Cooper Island which
always results in delays in getting on the spot assistance. We can only
hope it was in time.
As I moved up the channel toward East End Tortola I saw a large motor yacht
just outside Fat Hog Bay. Not something we see much of!
Yes even with rather smooth seas... a sailboat does sometime rock when you
don’t expect it to!!! Or was this real and I just thought it was the boat
that rolled?
Later,
da
Wayward Sailor
da Wayward Sailor recommends the hilarious book:
"Hurricanes and Hangovers" as a must-read for anyone who loves the Caribbean and
our Dear Miss Mermaid. Check out "Hurricanes and Hangovers" at
http://DearMissMermaid.Com
