AND THEN THERE WAS MAINE!

Approaching Maine

Arriving on a grey blustery day we approached the coastline of Maine and immediately we were struck with the beauty of the place. Emerging from the the low lying fog was a forest of pine trees growing out of the rocky shore, bathed in the most beautiful light. We realised we were in for a treat.

We had a couple of days to kill until we were meeting Chris and Di in Portland and so busied ourselves with the usual chores. We dropped a hook outside Portland but found it difficult to land ashore with the dingy and our first impressions of the town were not great. So early the next morning, having  scooped up our shipmates,  we headed out to the islands eager to explore the beauty and remoteness of the area, slightly apprehensive of the many lobster pots we had been told we were about to encounter . Many of the villages and towns are named after places from home, hence the name New England, and the Yarmouth river looked like a must for our first stop. Motoring up the river Andrew called the harbour master to inquire about a mooring ball only to be informed by a passing fisherman that we were not in the Yarmouth river after all! I doubt this installed much confidence in our guests, who must have wondered how on earth we had got so far  from England with such appalling navigation skills!! However our stop in Freeport was very enjoyable, a long walk to and from town where we finally managed to purchase a mosquito net, perhaps not the usual purchase in a duty free village, and a much enjoyed lobster supper onboard the good ship Hullabaloo.

Chris & Di

Jule Island was our next port of call anchoring in cocktail cove, happily not full of locals enjoying such beverages on this occasion. We went on a hike around the island, climbing the old World War Two look out towers which afforded us a memorable view of all the many islands. Having returned to the boat we were telling Chris and Di about the local weather station NOAA that we had nicknamed the Voice of Doom because every time we switched it on we felt that they were overly pessimistic in their forecasts and seemed to be constantly warning us of our imminent demise. To prove the point we switched the VHF on and sure enough we were being told to get into our basements immediately to avoid being hit by falling roofs... we were having a good laugh when I spotted a tornado heading in our direction followed closely by a lot of lightening, needless to say we all ended up down below with all electrical equipment in the microwave and a little egg on our faces. 

Supporting our team

We had not been following the World Cup but Chris had and as we were in the Semi’s we made it our mission the next day to find a bar with a television. This we duly located in Sebasco Harbour and we settled in for lunch and a nail biting match. Returning to the boat we had our own disaster when our generator decided to pack up and there followed over the next couple of days much head scratching by the skipper and Chris his new engineer. Sadly the generator decided it really had had enough and the water separator melted sending all exhaust through the water pipe and thus creating a mini Vesuvius under the boat. Time for a professional yard once Chris and Di had left us.

We spent our last couple of days with them around The Basin, a very beautiful and remote anchorage. We ventured ashore fighting our way through the undergrowth to find a track feeling quite brave, once I had a long stick in my hand that is.  Di and I had dusted off our TRX a few days previously, she made it look easy and I was reminded that I needed to do more of it in the future. Having had another work out and warmed by our exertions we decided to go for a swim to a buoy only forty meters away. I hit the water at breakneck speed apparently and realised once I got to the buoy that I couldn’t breathe, looking behind me Di had gone blue! We made it back to the boat shaking with the cold, for once I was pleased with my seal like qualities! Maine is no place to go swimming!

Our man with the technology 

All to soon it was time to head back to Portland and say a sad goodbye to our shipmates. We dropped them ashore and headed out to Peeks Island to drop the hook and work out what to do with the generator, another one of those days!! Luckily the Maine Yacht centre came to the rescue and having visited us on the Island we followed them into their marina where we spent three days with the boat in pieces whilst the lovely Rand set about putting our generator back together. He had the technology and we were back in business. We went out to dinner in Portland on our last night to celebrate our belated wedding anniversary. We had an excellent Japanese dinner, found a bar with live music and had a very jolly evening and surprise surprise Andrew developed his usual chocolate cravings. Spotting a Starbucks still open and being a caring wife I rushed into the store but alas it was the cleaning staff and they could not sell me anything. Imagine my horror when a young lad came running after me offering me some pizza that had been left by someone, he was worried that we were in need of feeding. OMG do we now look like homeless people!

In the fog

The next morning we motored out into the bay smile firmly fixed back on our faces despite the great patches of fog rolling down on us in waves. And so began a whole new skill set navigating in fog whilst trying to avoid the carpets of lobster pots, an almost impossible task. The fog was so thick at times that we couldn’t see in front of us and then it would suddenly lift and we could see the beautiful coastline for a little while, and then it would roll in again and we could have been anywhere. Added to this when it is very thick it is almost like being in the rain, an event that we named Frogging.

We put a hook down in Riggs Bay and enjoyed a fabulous sun set. Then the next day we anchored in Boothbay where the fog came back with some rain and we had to console ourselves with a shopping trip to buy some new plates and our first try at cooking live lobsters. Carrying them back to the boat in a paper bag we were both rather dubious about the whole affair, watching them running around our cockpit we felt like killers, putting them in a steaming pot seemed very cruel, but they tasted absolutely fantastic and all reservations disappeared with the fog.

There followed a trip to Linekin Bay, memorable because I anchored for the first time on my own, I know how sad am I, and also because I made Andrew canoe around the Island and he was not a happy bunny as he was convinced that we would capsize and that would be the end of us. The next morning we headed to Port Clyde, hook down couldn’t see a thing! Breakfast in the store we felt like we were on the set of Little House on the Prairie, walking around the local area we came upon some interesting keep out signs on a property, only in America!

Our new American friends Kim and John were around the corner at his family house in Tenants Harbour so that was our next stop. The usual fun and frolics, dinner in a local restaurant where we met at the bar the skipper of the yacht in the Perfect storm, his tales made our storm experience seem rather tame in comparison! Then with promises to meet later in the summer we headed off to meet our lovely girls, another two weeks en famille lucky lucky me! It is so special to be able to spend a whole two weeks together..

Our precious cargo

We picked them up from Rockland a sight for sore eyes and after a quick provision ashore we headed out to Perry Creek with our precious cargo onboard, much chattering en route as we had lots to catch up on. We were keen to cook lobster on their first night and approached one of the fishing boats but apparently it is illegal to fish on a Sunday so we had to wait until the next day. We were up early due to our girl’s jet lag so the the morning was spent with George killing me on the TRX and Andrew and Emma going for “the most memorable Kayak of their lives”..... Tipple (George’s giant lilo) was retrieved from the bilges and filled with water so now we had a swimming pool onboard, apparently the sharks of North America are much more ferocious than those in the Caribbean and even Tipple is not enough protection from then in the water.

Dinner

We  purchased four lobsters out of an old rowing boat from the local store in Northhaven that had definitely not entered the twenty first century, and took them back to the boat in a bucket. We left them in the cockpit having first made sure all the windows were shut, we didn’t fancy four lobsters in the bilges! We jumped in the dingy and went on a hike around the island, Emma in the lead, old people trying hard to keep up! Arriving back at the boat we were apprehensive as to what we might find, the girl’s as squeamish as we had been in Boothsbay about  broiling these poor creatures alive. In the pot they went amidst much squealing from the humans, the lobsters themselves pretty quiet at this stage as only one of them was still alive. General agreement much tastier cooked on the boat, everyone went to bed tired and happy.

Our PT at work

Out came the sun the next day and we motored to Winter Harbour, another remote and beautiful spot. All four of us killed on the TRX in the morning thanks to the efforts of George our personal trainer with whom I then set off with in the afternoon to better the most memorable kayak. We were both very happy to be picked up at the head of the river and towed home, especially as the rescue party supplied a nice glass of red wine!

The sun came out again the next day, in fact the weather god’s favoured us for pretty much the entire time that the girl’s were with us. We headed to Camden and dropped a hook in the bay. Dinner ashore, the girl’s having to return to the boat to retrieve their passports in order to have a cocktail the drinking laws being very strict in Maine, the best Cobb salad ever as it was served with lobster! There  ensued a very rolly night and we happily decamped ashore the next day on a mission to climb Mount Battie. This time Georgie leading us on, it almost killed us! We enjoyed some well earned Oysters and drinks before returning to a much more stable vessel for dinner. We loved Camden, a really pretty town with a great vibe.

The dreaded lobster pots

We spent a night in Rockport where the entertainment involved retrieving lobster pots from the shore for Emma to take home. Then back to Rockland for the Lobster Festival. I have never been to a Festival and I thought this might tick the box.  It didn’t but we did eat copious amounts of lobster which I only just kept down when taken on a rather adventurous fair ground ride. Andrew’s and my screams could probably have been heard in Florida, together with the girl’s chuckles.

Heading North, navigating through the now familiar lobster pots, we enjoyed the beautiful scenery, loving the cute seals swimming along with only their little faces poking above the water, admiring the small fat dolphins and staring in awe at the soaring bald headed eagles. We made our way to the National Park the jewel of Maine, if it needed one. Our first port of call was South East Harbour and having purchased our park tickets we set off the next morning catching the bus our mission to hike St. Sauveur. Personal trainer dancing before us we climbed the rock faces gasping for breath, the heat so intense I stripped down to bikini top and shorts, for once I really couldn’t care who saw me. What a great way to spend a morning though and such fabulous views from the top. Lunch in the town and then a sail up and down the sound looking up at the heights we had scaled, hook down at Cranberry Island.

The next morning our now regular TRX work out, followed by the quickest dip in the water to cool down. It was rather like taking an ice shower after a sauna! Then off to Barr Harbour for our last stop with the girls. We meet Kim and John in town for dinner, which led to drinks which led to them missing the last bus back to their boat and there were no taxis so a sleep over ensued. Six very hungover individuals enjoyed the skippers fry up and a quiet day followed, weather for once a little wet and grey. We took a sunset tour to the top of Cadillac Mountain where the views were spectacular and then had tacos in town.

Kim & John & Dallas family 

The next morning the sun was out again which was lucky as the girls were on a mission for one last hike and the chosen route was the Beehive. Never again will I be able to hear mention of a Bees home without a slight shiver of fear! I knew that it was going to be scary but it really didn’t help when at the bottom of the trail we came upon a sign informing us of the risk to our lives if we continued. Law suits are rife in America but you may take your life into your own hands, no health and safety here. Up we went hand holds in some places, not in others. Sheer drops to one side, rock to the other. The situation was not helped by the delay in some areas when we had to wait clinging to the mountain whilst unknown adventurers froze ahead of us. Once we got going again I just wanted to keep moving and get to the top, in previous less steep climbs I had found myself out of breath but on this climb I don’t even remember breathing! I had the advantage of having calm Emma behind me talking me up, carefully chosen after a similar experience in Verbier on the Tortain run.... I did giggle when I heard George’s retort to Andrew when he told her to stop nattering at him, ‘perhaps you won’t go on about my fear of Sharks daddy’.

Exhausted and exhilarated we made it back down to terra firma and a last night out was definitely in order, if not earned. We had a lobster supper and then we found a great bar with live music. Not ready to go to bed we found ourselves in the local night club where there was a pool table. Plenty of time to dance later we thought but night life finishes early here and we were cast out into the dark before we had finished our game, let alone a dance. Probably a good thing judging by the hangovers the next morning, well we had climbed a Mountain and risked life and limb...

The usual mad dash for the girls to pack in time for the cab and the usual heart wrenching good bye.  I just want to stop the clock and make them stay, god knows what it will feel like when we say goodbye after Christmas and we won’t see them for eight plus months.  On a happier note did I mention that I won the family games cup AGAIN!!

We made one more stop in the park to visit North East Harbour with the intention of a bike ride around the old carriage ways the following day. Waking in the middle of the night, as you do, in this truly beautiful harbour surrounded by fir trees I felt that I was somewhere truly special. Bikes were acquired in the morning and we set off, bloody hard work up and down the hills we went, it felt like we were in a ski resort in the summer. It was truly beautiful and worth the effort. Returning tired to the boat disaster struck, our VPN would no longer let us download TV from the BBC! 

We had thought we would go to Nova Scotia so that we could add Canada to our list of countries visited, but having ventured to Winter Harbour we realised that our timetable meant we needed to head back south. I read on a sailing blog once that you cannot possibly see everything and therefore there is no point in stressing about what one doesn’t see and that is so true, we will just have to come back. And besides we had the Richards to pick up but not before a very Jolly day with Kim and her two girlfriends Bonnie & Darrel picking them up from Castine and taking them out for a sail and lunch.

Ben and Karen were bringing our son Sam out to start at North Eastern University in Boston and came to join us for six days. We picked them up in Belfast, it was so lovely to see them all and they were so kind in telling me that my accident with the hair dye that morning really suited me, when I in fact looked like a member of the Gestapo complete with black helmet!

The first stop had to be Winter Harbour so that they could experience the beauty and remoteness of the area. We picked up five lobsters on the way, the cooking experience a little more traumatic for all concerned when one of them escaped the pot jumping out of it and down the back of the cooker. Andrew once managed to pour an entire risotto down the back of a cooker on a family sailing holiday, this meal proved harder to retrieve putting up quite a fight.

The fog made a comeback the next morning so we motored to Camden, ten eyes better than four. Tying up to the dock Karen and I browsed the shops, Ben and Andrew the bars, poor Sam unable to drink had to put up with some silliness later in the evening from his elders who should probably know better. Hangover brunch the next day and then a beautiful sail back to Port Clyde store for Andrew’s birthday breakfast the next morning. 

The birthday dinner was consumed in the yacht club in Riggs cove and the after dinner entertainment on the boat was put on by the girls and Sam with the aid of Grandma, her gambling addiction and her numbers 369! Well we thought we were fabulous if the other members of the crew were not so convinced! A last sail with our crew mates to Boothbay which was much prettier in the sunshine. A final lobster dinner and all too soon it was time to say goodbye and they headed back to Boston to settle Sam into Uni. As always a marvellous time was had with many fond memories.

It was finally time to leave Maine and head back down to Rhode Island. We loved our two months there and both felt that it was up there on our list of favourite places, despite the fog and the lobster pots. And you really can have enough lobsters!!!

BACK IN THE USA

The Gulf Stream

After three nights at sea, turbo charged as we crossed the Gulf Stream,

we arrived at Beaufort to Grey skies, big seas and strong winds and headed to the marina, pleased for once to tie up to the hard stuff. Seeing the American flag flying in the breeze gave me a thrill to be back in America again and keen for new adventures on the East coast.

Out of fresh food it seemed a good idea to go ashore for dinner, and then it seemed like an excellent idea to go to the bar for a nightcap, not realising it was Memorial Day. We met some very jolly locals and ended up drinking shots with them and that seemed like the best idea ever! Waking to the customs man knocking on the side of the boat the next morning, feeling very worse for wear, none of it was a good idea at all! And then another rap on the hull and the chap the skipper had been chatting to as we left the bar wanted to know if we were going to take him around the harbour or just show him around the boat?? It transpired he was homeless and living under a pergola in the park, we were somewhat taken aback but invited him for coffee and he was actually a very nice man despite the aroma.. After a couple of hours Andrew gave him beer to encourage him to leave and after that we were his new best friend which became a little 
awkward, time to leave! 

The marina lent us their hire car and we drove to the nearest Teeter Harris where we fell upon all the beautiful fresh food! So fully fuelled and provisioned we headed to the Bight, one of our  favourite anchorages from our last visit. We had encouraged our neighbours in the marina, Kim and John, to come and join us which they duly did the next day. We went for a walk on the long 
sandy beach of the outer banks, got on so well we invited them for drinks, which turned into dinner and another new friendship made. 

We had recounted to our new friends our story of the previous time that we had sailed alo
ng the stretch of coast from Hatteras to the Chesapeake when we had been escorted by five US frigates for several hours  leading us to believe that they were using us as a foreign vessel to practice manoeuvres on. Travelling in convoy the next day on the same stretch of water we had several very close fly pasts by some US jets which kept us all entertained for a few hours, very impressive stuff even if they were clearly more interested in our British flag.

Arriving in the Chesapeake we were grateful that John had given us some pointers on places to anchor, there is nothing like local knowledge. We spent our first two nights in the Mobjack East River. Visiting the town of Mathews dressed in an Antiguan kaftan and shorts I caused one local matron some upset, apparently her mouth fell open and she definitely thought I was white southern trash. Time to put away the Caribbean wardrobe. Our next stop was in Locklies Creek, Irvington where we had the most excellent dinner at Tides Inn. Sitting under a giant cedar, our beautiful vessel anchored in front of us, we ate the most succulent and enormous piece of steak and drank some delicious red wine, and there followed the worse nights sleep ever! 

We headed into the eastern branch of the Corrotoman river to catch up with Jonathan and Anne aboard Sophia and to meet the local Ocean Cruising Clubs officer. We had been persuaded to join the club by Ann & Jonathan, but had as yet had had no direct involvement in any of their activities. They were all about to head off on a Historic rally of the lower Potomac river which we had not intended to join. Then we met Lydia who was so lovely, friendly and enthusiastic that suddenly there was nothing else in the whole wide world that we wanted to do more, and what a good call that was. Over the following week we met some lovely like minded sailors and enjoyed the American Pot Luck get togethers where you bring your own drinks and a dish to share. Our favourite was a raft up of twenty dinghies tied together in a circle floating downriver in the sunshine, the odd blip of an engine to put us back on course. 

We started the rally in Reedsville yet another beautiful riverside town with fabulous houses lining every bank, I swear you get a house with a water view with every packet of cereal you buy in America! The local fishing museum held a party on our first night to which we were invited. The next day in true American hospitable form Walter, a local who had made his dock available to us all to tie up our dinghies to, took us to the ferry terminal and several of us jumped on a ferry to the rather different Tangiers Island.

A small flat island in danger of sinking, it is inhabited by only 450 people who mostly make their living from the farming of soft crab shells. Rather poor and somewhat interbred, there only seemed to be four family names on all the tombstones and war monuments. In fact many of the tombstones were in the front gardens, we were told the reason for that was so that when the waters rose the bodies would not float up to the surface.  All the children go to one school and when there is a hurricane warning a ship arrives and takes them all to the mainland for the duration. Strong Trump supporters, due to the fact that he has authorised the new sea wall they so desperately need to stop the island from sinking, they are a friendly if different people with a strange Elizabethan accent.  Although we all enjoyed the visit none of us wanted to miss the only boat back to the mainland and in retrospect it is probably the most depressing place we have visited so far.

That evening brought another get together in the Fish museum with a rather splendid band playing Blue Grass which of course had to be danced too. All wrapped up by 9pm and back on the boat for an early night. I hate to admit it but I rather like the American way of life, in fact I find my self thinking on many occasions that I would rather like to be an American! The trip to St. Mary’s on the Potomac the next morning brought fresh winds and lumpy seas, it reminded me of sailing in the UK and I wondered quite how we had developed such a passion for sailing after our recent champagne experiences. Perhaps that is why we have always liked to go racing so much in the UK as it takes one’s mind off the weather!

Arrival at our destination brought the discovery of Windowgate. I had failed to properly close my bedroom port hole and I came below to discover the side submerged in sea water, the bed and our lovely bespokemattress saturated and my kindle and the keyboard for my IPad swimming in it. What a nightmare and it goes without saying that I was not at all popular! We put thebedding into our washing machine which decided to pick that moment to pack up and empty water all over the Pilot berth. We now had a very damp boat, wet mattresses propped up in the galley and saloon,  lots of dripping sheets, bad weather so no hope of drying anything on deck and not the best relations on board! As someone said to me later that day you have days why you wonder why on earth you are living this life and then the next day you remember why, I have to admit to it taking two days to reach this happy conclusion, one kindle beyond repair and a defunct washing machine, everything else back to normal! 

We had drinks at the college in St. Mary and then sailed on to Leonards Town for the memorable dinghy float and a farewell dinner in a local restaurant. And not to forget the great talk given by our new friends Neil and Ley on visiting Cuba, which we have now firmly decided to do in January on our way to Panama. We said our goodbye’s and headed to Annapolis stopping in Solomon’s Island, disappointing except for the two excellent starters we had for dinner. After that we headed to the East Rye river for a couple of nights enjoying the peace and an epic kayaking expedition.

We had a few reasons for revisiting the beautiful town of Annapolis. Our radar had given up the ghost and we felt it inadvisable to visit Maine without one so we needed help, happily given by Annapolis Boat services. The usual provisioning & laundry, a new part for our ships clock to pick up from Weems and Plath and most importantly to visit our new friends Kim and John. They picked us up in their Boston Whaler, took us back to his lovely house on the water, several drinks later we headed back into Annapolis for more drinks and dinner, I now love oysters! Many giggles and a promise to meet in Maine later in the summer.

We headed up through the Delaware canal and down the gloomy Delaware River, a night in Cape May and an early start, which way to go?  New York or Block Island, not a bad problem to have on a Monday morning! The weather dictated the latter and off we went, running the gauntlet of the little fuckers those horrible blighting flies that we had encountered last time around, back hand fly swat now very effective! Coming into Long Island Sound I was rewarded with the capture of Queenie the largest bass we have ever seen, eight meals at least! Andrew saw a whale and a shark, happily I did not see the latter!

After a couple of nights in Block Island our next port of call was Newport to meet Will from Oyster to discuss works to be carried out in September. A small saga with the gas cylinders, ours now so old the Americans refused to fill them, so we bought some new ones, turns out they have a different fitting, a few hours worry, then we find we had the fitting all along.  And I had to buy some trousers from Helly Hanson as the weather was not great and I didn’t have anything warm to wear, of course the sun came back out the next day!

Next port of call was the Cape Cod Canal and North to destinations unknown, so much excitement. The canal is quite an experience as you are going down hill with the tide from one end to the other. Popping out the other side we headed to Plymouth where the Pilgrims settled. A strange town, visiting the rock they landed on Andrew felt sure it hadn’t originally been on a Plinth, walking through the graveyard where many had been buried there was a feeling of peace and tranquility, overlooking the bottom of the hill there was a modern day protest against society in form of a mural which made me smile. Perhaps the Pilgrims suffered a little more....

We had thought we would visit Boston next to celebrate 4th July but at 1600 bucks for three nights we decided to go to Marblehead instead. We were made very welcome by the Boston Yacht Club their Dock Master Ken is a member of RORC with many great memories of racing in Cowes.

As part of the festivities there was a music stage which we visited on two different evenings. It is all done by 11pm but not before lots of dancing.  In the yacht club the next night we met the drummer of one of the bands, we thought he was pretty good, it turns out he is quite famous! During the day of 4th July there was a re-enactment of a battle against the Brits, they were definitely firing their canons at us, I almost got the ensign down and waved it in surrender ! The fireworks were spectacular, a very good idea to celebrate the 4th in Marblehead especially as it reminded us so much of Cowes.

HIGHLIGHTS OF FOUR MONTHS IN THE CARIBBEAN

Back at work

We arrived back in Antigua having had a pretty miserable three weeks in the UK whilst Andrew had an operation on his nose. Poor chap had a rotten time of it and we were both pretty much stuck in the house avoiding the horrid flu bug that seemed to have taken over England. So getting back to the boat and some sunshine was a huge improvement all round. We spent the first few days in Jolly Harbour as it was very windy and caught up on lots of chores and several oil changes, good to get that all out of the way.

Once again we found ourselves in town with RORC and the 600 race and as always Sue and Eddie included us in the celebrations. My birthday fell in the middle and we celebrated at Catherine’s which as always was a treat. It also meant there were lots of friends to see and we had a very jolly week catching up and remembering how to socialise. Just a shame the skipper overdid it on the dance floor on the last night and ended up with a cracked rib to add to his ailments!

Eddie swan out to say goodbye

My fine vessel

We took ourselves off to Guadeloupe for a couple of weeks reacquainting ourselves with the delights of The Saintes. Unable to join me in swimming, due to his exuberant dance moves, we set  out on a couple of motorised excursions, the first being in a very fine electric buggy around the  island of Terre de Haut. We visited the Fort with its French museum, that  seemed to gloss over the large British Victory in the Battle of the Saintes  and then drove around the Island. I seemed to cause much frustration amongst the locals at my lack of speed in my fine vessel and got shouted at. This gentleman mistook me for someone who cared, after all I am the proud winner of the booby prize at a hen night for slowest driver ever in a Go cart. The embarrassed skipper and I decided to  climb the tallest mountain in the midday sun climbing some two thousand meters in the spirit of mad dogs. We were however very pleased with ourselves on reaching the summit and the views were spectacular and well worth the effort.

We made it to the top

And the view made it all worthwhile!

Our next excursion several days later took place in a very sedate hire car in Guadeloupe . After I had navigated us by foot to the hire shop through the red light district of Pointe-a-Pitre Andrew very firmly took control of the driving and the navigation for the day, resulting in a much faster traveling experience. We visited the rain forest which was spectacular, learning that the two Islands of Guadeloupe were in fact formed twenty five million years apart. A fine and memorable lunch on the coast, the obligatory Carrefour experience and it was time to head back to Antigua.

We had decided as a late call to join the rally organised by the New York Yacht Club in celebration of their 175th anniversary and to which the Squadron had been invited to join. We had met on our return in February Poul and Sophia and asked them to join us for the five day trip which they bravely agreed to do. It was a huge success and they have become firm friends. With Sophia’s excellent cooking and provisioning and Poul’s Olympian helming of Hullabaloo, on one occasion for eight hours non stop, we had a fantastic trip. And that was on top of the very fine events we attended being a drinks party in St. Barts, then one in the Super Yacht harbour in St. Kitts, the most fabulous lunch at a Cotton Plantation in Nevis, Dinner in the Admirals Inn in Antigua and all finished off by a farewell Drinks in a private home in Mill Reef and dinner in the club house, the latter at the invitation of our shipmates.  All fantastically organised we finished the trip feeling totally spoilt and with many new friendships made.

A day in the office

Sophia making us lunch at sea

The beautiful garden at the Cotton club

On our way back to Antigua from St. Kitts Andrew commented that we were nearly home, making us realise it was time to leave before we started putting down roots which was not the idea of our adventure! We spent a last night in Deep Bay as Mary and Jeremy were in residence and  a delightful afternoon racing lasers with the Thorpe family as always a joy to see them. Setting sail early the next morning we were excited to be moving again and back on our travels, knowing we would be seeing our new home and old friends again  soon for race week.

Not such a fine catch

We sailed to St. Barts trying once again to catch some fish and only managing to hook the Sargassum weed which literally carpets the sea. Then onwards to St. Martin on a mission for a shiny new anchor.  We bought the boat with a CQR which is challenging in certain situations so after much deliberation we decided on and purchased a new Rocna.  Whilst sweating and cursing as we removed the original and replaced it, we caught the attention of a large Iguana who put his feet up on the deck and had a little nose to see if this would be a nice new home, if only I had had the courage to step over him to get the camera! We are very pleased with our new anchor, every time a gold star!! The first time we used it it almost took the winch off the bow as it took up, what joy! 

We didn’t stay long in St. Martin, it was sad to see all the broken boats in the harbour after the hurricane. We did catch up with our new friends Ann & Johnathan on Sophia and then we headed North to the BVI’s and more sorry sights of devastation. However it was good to see that there were quite a few charter boats about and that things were starting to get back to normal and we were reassured that our boat card was still where we left in in the roof at Foxy’s!

St. Thomas

The US Virgin Islands were in a much better state of repair.  Going ashore in St. Thomas we  were amazed to find an entire street packed with jewellery stores, money no object! The Spanish Virgin Islands were still without power and living on generators but still smiling. After checking in at Culebra, we headed for Vieques but could find no shelter in the swell and spent the night at the Western end of the island. I had wondered why we could only find one very inferior pilot book for the area and now I know there are very few cruisers after the US Virgin Islands until you get past the Dominican Republic.

The mangroves

The South coast of Puerto Rico beckoned. Our first night was spent in the mangroves in Baya Jobos, the water was now very green and no longer tempting to swim in, not least as there are supposed to be manatees around.  The next night we visited the port of Salines were sixty one sunken boats had been removed by the coast guard, so far. We spent a jolly evening ashore with some locals and heard their stories, how they were cut off from the outside world for months, their only form of communication through the satellite phones of the yachtsmen. Many of the boats have been abandoned by their owners, up for sale from the local authorities for one dollar there are now local owners who never dreamed that they could afford such vessels. There is a feeling that the US could have helped more, they certainly seemed to have helped the residents of the more affluent US VI’s quite a bit more. Our last night was spent anchored of Gilligans Island. It was a Sunday and we joined the  hundred of locals who had caught the ferry and bought their entire families and most of their garden furniture to wallow in the warm waters. Swimming through the mangroves against the tide was hard work, floating on our backs back down was memorable, far superior to the man made theme park equivalents.

Leaving early the next morning we had a horrible overnight crossing to the Dominican Republic, known for nasty conditions traversing the Mona passage we were faced with lumpy seas, pouring rain and not enough wind to sail so we had to motor all the way.  We were meeting our old friends Andy and Lucie who had booked us into the marina in Samana which was an absolute delight with an infinity swimming  pool overlooking the National Park on the other side of the bay. The local army man and his sidekick the drug officer, who looked more likely to be selling them than confiscating them, came on board to clear customs. They were actually terribly charming and very friendly as everyone we met on the island turned out to be. We were struck by how lush and green the island was having had no hurricane damage and water was obviously not an issue judging by the amount the boat boys let run into the harbour on a continual basis. 

A fine marina

Our shipmates Andy & Lucie

Andy and Lucie arrived bringing with them a car and we set out to visit the surrounding area. In search of some rock formation that our skipper was keen to see we had to divert for lunch as it transpired that they were actually located in Australia and that seemed a little far to go, needless to say this caused much hilarity amongst the females!  An amazing Paella in an Eco restaurant on the cliff side with a blow hole to explore after lunch was not a bad alternative.  We spent a night anchored off the National Park, having had to obtain special consent from our new friend in the services and were thrilled to see the vast array of birds swooping above the trees amongst them many vultures, a particular favourite of Andrew’s.

The Flintstone hotel

Returning to the good ship Hullabaloo in the marina we set off for a couple of nights to stay in another Eco hotel that Lucie had booked for us in the National Park. We caught the local ferry which was an interesting experience to say the least. Packed to the gunnels with people and then loaded up with a few motor bikes, the remaining passengers climbed onto, and not doubt needed to cling onto, the roof as we rocked our way across the bay for an hour. The driver could not see through the patched windscreen and was helped by the young ticket collector who hung out the side of the boat and I doubt there was a life jacket onboard! 

A cave with a view

An old carving

Our hotel was lovely if not a little unusual in construction, it looked like it had once been part of the film set for the Flintstones, but the food was okay and the staff friendly and attentive. The next morning our guide came to collect us for our first outing of the day delivering us to a motor boat that took us out to see some caves, mangroves and all those lovely birds and this time we had an informed guide to tell us all about them. 

Loving the look...

After lunch at the hotel we then set of on foot into the rain forest for another informative tour. Returning the next morning on the ferry was equally perilous, the poor woman breast feeding her baby ended up on the floor when her seat came apart, but nobody seemed at all concerned as she rolled around infant firmly attached!

The next day, spoilt brats that we are, Andrew and I left Andy & Lucie to explore and  took a plane back to Antigua for Race week with Mary and Jeremy, their son Peter and friends Nicky and Mike. Staying in their lovely villa and commuting each day on the Wally to race on a GP42 we had the most fantastic ten days. FANG was a joy to sail, sailing down wine at 22 knots completely under control was just amazing, particularly when we got our Swiss crew mate to yodel at the top of his voice. It was hard work and I ended up covered in bruises but we both loved the experience. In addition we saw lots of friends from home and just had a great time as we always do with Mr & Mrs Thorpe.

Mary & Nicky enroute to the racing

Andrew and Jeremy ready to go

We returned to the boat which had been moved further North to Ocean Marina in Luperon by our crew mates. Not such a nice marina but the staff couldn’t help us enough and we managed the usual laundry and visit to the supermarket. It was a shame that on our early morning departure two days later that the three officials who came to check us out demanded additional payment on top of the extra fees we had already paid. In general though we found the people very friendly and although they would try quite hard to sell their services they didn’t push when you said no. We will go back.

We sailed overnight to the Bahamas stopping for a night in Crocked Island where we had encountered bad hurricane damage two years previously and where pleased to see the progress made. Swimming ashore there was seemed to be  a large black shark like shape that passed between us, I was grateful on our return to the dingy when Andrew offered to swim out and collect me from the beach!!! Our next stop was Exuma Island where checking in we were charged US$320 which we thought a little steep! We decided to stay put in the Sound for the rest of our friends stay and spent a very pleasant few days enjoying the lovely beaches and swimming in the largest natural swimming pool I have ever seen, nice clear water and no dark shapes

Swimming with the family as my husband so rudely suggested!

Hullabaloo in the National park

The Skipper with an ancestor

Happy Days for the crew of Hullabaloo!

Once Andy and Lucie had left us we headed to Staniel cay anchoring a couple of miles out limited as always in the Bahamas by our draft. We swam with the Pigs, large and hairy and very keen to eat our carrots it was certainly a different experience. We explored the Thunderball  grotto, had drinks ashore and then headed to the Grotto National Park for a few days. A truly glorious anchorage which we just managed to squeeze into. Taking the trails we paid homage to Boo-Boo Hill where sailors leave a memento to the lost souls of a shipwreck and to appease King Neptune. 

Another overnighter to the pretty Abaco Islands for a final couple of days before setting off to the USA , what a lovely and varied time we have had in the Carabean. As always the lands we visit our memorable and then we go to sea and remember just why we are doing this, we just love the sense of adventure and the tranquility of being in the Ocean.  Time to head North ahead of those hurricanes....