MUTUAL FUN - A SAILING ODYSSEY

	Sign In Sign-Up

FIRST MATE'S LOG - February 2001

FIRST MATE'S LOG-January 2001
CLICK HERE

FIRST MATE'S LOG-December 2000
CLICK HERE

FIRST MATE'S LOG-November 2000
CLICK HERE

FIRST MATE'S LOG-October 2000
CLICK HERE

FIRST MATE'S LOG-SEPTEMBER 2000
CLICK HERE

FIRST MATE'S LOG-AUGUST 2000
CLICK HERE

FIRST MATE'S LOG-JULY 2000
CLICK HERE

FIRST MATE'S LOG-JUNE 2000CLICK HERE

FIRST MATE'S LOG-MAY 2000CLICK HERE

FIRST MATE'S LOG-APRIL 2000CLICK HERE

FIRST MATE'S LOG-MARCH 2000CLICK HERE

FIRST MATE'S LOG-FEBRUARY 2000
CLICK HERE

FIRST MATE'S LOG-JANUARY 2000CLICK HERE

FIRST MATE'S LOG-DECEMBERCLICK HERE

FIRST MATE'S LOG-NOVEMBER
CLICK HERE

FIRST MATE'S LOG - OCTOBER
CLICK HERE

FIRST MATE'S LOG-AUGUST
CLICK HERE

FIRST MATE'S LOG-JULY
CLICK HERE

TO RETURN TO THE HOME PAGE
CLICK HERE

February 5, 2001

February 5 (I think), 2001 Tomorrow we start our trek "down island." First stop: St. Maartin, 90 miles southeast. We will leave around 10:00am and sail all night. We should arrive St. Maartin about the same time, 24 hours later. In order to get into Simpson Bay lagoon, our destination for customs check-in, we need to go through a bridge that only opens at 9or11:00am or 5:30pm. We would like to catch one of the earlier bridges so we can be in and anchored by dark. We'll probably have to sail, tack and motor all of the way because the wind will be the typical trade winds here, out of the southeast. They're supposed to be lighter starting tomorrow and Wednesday. So, we'll just take this little weather window and be off. This is the first overnight passage we have had since we left Bermuda, over 2 months ago. We have gotten soft and lazy so it ought to be interesting.
For now, we are anchored in Spanish Town, Virgin Gorda. We will check out of the BVI's in the next couple of hours and deflate our dinghy, storing the motor and dinghy aboard once again. We took the dinghy over to the beach and cleaned off 2 months worth of growth on the bottom. The weather is hot and beautiful and I'm looking forward to a nice trip there, maybe catching dinner and an almost full moon. Once we get there, our friends on "Joss" will be waiting for us and hopefully they will have scouted out a mechanic to fix our broken generator. Never a dull moment.

February 9, 2001

Well, chalk up another crummy passage. We diligently waited for a weather window and picked one where the wind would not be in the most favorable direction but should still allow us to sail some and the winds would be 15k. Wrong and wrong. The wind started out at 15k and toward sunset piped up to 20-25k and on our nose, the whole way.

It made for a bumpy ride going up and down the waves. Dinner consisted of crackers, cheese and salami. Breakfast was a packaged blueberry muffin but we motored hard, kept an alert watch as cruise ships and other sailboats were around to keep us company, as was a very full and beautiful moon, and arrived just in time to miss the 9:00am bridge, we thought. There was another opening at 11:00am so we weren't too concerned but Bob revved it up even more and I'll be darned if we didn't just make the 9:00am opening. We hailed "Joss" and they directed us into the anchorage and we plopped down right behind them. They popped over in their dinghy and we had tea and coffee and caught up on each other's lives for the past month or so.

We are in Simpson Bay, St. Maartin, on the Dutch side in the "lagoon." It's a very large anchorage with all sorts of marinas, marine stores, commercial buildings and huge yachts surrounding us. The water is open at both ends but there are many boats anchored here and the water is not suitable for swimming or bathing. The holding is very good. "Joss" has seen winds up to 40k in here and held fine. Yesterday, Cliff (Joss) offered to help us with our generator problem. He immediately found a leak in our water pump where air was getting in and fixed it in 5 minutes. Unfortunately, we also had a small water leak and when they went to replace the gasket, had to take the whole pump out and found it to be in bad shape. They hopped in the dinghy, peanut butter sandwiches in hand, and headed for the wonderful marine store here. No pump but the guy there, for some reason, found it a challenge to rebuild our pump and they were back in an hour and a half with a rebuilt pump. Bottom line, Cliff spent most of the day on our boat, sweaty, greasy and hot and we still have a problem. Bob is over trying to get an appointment with a generator guy right now. We took Cliff and Mary Ellen out for a wonderful pizza dinner where our hostess was French and our waitress Dutch.

There is a local net on VHF radio at 7:30am and I awoke just in time to tune in this morning. I heard a voice advertising haircuts so I hailed her after the net and made an appointment. Anya came to the boat and gave me a grand haircut. She just learned, I think, so it took over an hour but she was very conscientious and did a nice job. She and her husband are on a small 32ft boat. She is Russian and he is Canadian. They met in Russia where he was a plant manager for Pepsi. Go figure! She's adorable, 26 years old and he is 49. She's never been to the States and would love to see New York. As she cut my hair, I couldn't resist the urge to ask and she told me all about life in Russia. Extremely interesting culture lesson for me. And all of this for 10 bucks!

There is a big Cost U Less Store here, which we will take a 1-dollar bus to and provision with food, towels and sheets. Our linens are taking a beating and they weren't new to begin with. One set is full of grease stains and had a big hole torn out of the top sheet. I kept making the hole bigger with my feet as I turned over at night until pretty soon we just have a bottom sheet which is all greasy (leak from generator pressure gauge.) And there is a wonderful grocery here with fresh produce, which I can't wait to visit. And, of course, laundry is a must do. We keep so busy doing these little mundane chores.

February 21, 2001

Yesterday we sailed from St. Maarten to St. Barthelemy (St. Barth's.) Again, it's very hard to have a nice sail when the trade winds are SE and we are going SE. The best thing to do…actually I don't have a clue what the best thing to do is since we wait for a favorable weather window and then go. We were supposed to have winds from them NE, 10-15 knots and we had winds from the SE 20-25 Knots. We motorsailed for awhile and then tacked back but it's a crummy ride and I got slightly seasick. The worst part for me is that I didn't feel well enough to fish.
We really had a great time in St. Maarten but we were anchored in Simpson Bay Lagoon and the water is dirty. No swimming and the bottom of the boat and dinghy got slimy. Also, our intakes got all clogged up with tiny crustaceans and my head (toilet) isn't working so well. Our generator is on the fritz and today our dinghy motor almost died. So, the list of chores begins. We'll have to dive and clean our intakes and the generator, who knows? The dinghy motor fixed itself like maybe it had something clogging up the fuel intake and it cleared. That is our favorite thing to happen, when parts fix themselves. St. Maarten had a lot to do in the way of potluck dinners and inexpensive buffets and of course, the casino. We met some new people there and made new friends. Also, there are plenty of stores and things to spend money on. The native people aren't particularly friendly and all in all, I was so glad to leave. When we went through the bridge out to the ocean, I said, "we're free!"
We made it to St. Barth's in 4 hours and felt instantly like this island was the reason we are out cruising. "Joss" is here, around the island in an anchorage on the north side. We contacted them upon arrival but they are not in VHF range as they are over a big hill. We went into town and checked into Customs, then we walked for a bit and checked out the shops. It's an all-French island and not a lot of English is spoken here. I asked a sales clerk to see some earrings and she showed me nose rings. We got back to the boat around 4:00pm and I immediately fell sound asleep for 2 hours. I got up and made us hot dogs and beans and then went back to sleep for 10 hours. What's up with that? How did I ever sail for 8 ½ days straight?
"Joss" popped over in their dinghy about 9:00am this morning and hurried us up so we could all rent scooters. We had a ball! This is the most beautiful island I have ever seen. The roads are very steep and a bit gravely so riding was a real experience. And me afraid of heights! The views were a stark contrast of turquoise water and black rock. The houses are adorable. The food is great. I had a quiche Lorraine (very French) and Bob had a great burger and fries. If I can ever get that man to eat other than brown food, I'll be so happy. We stopped and swam at 2 beaches. It appears all of the beaches here are optional nude. We stayed clad for the first beach but we girls had changed out of our wet bathing suits into our shorts and forgot to bring them for the 2nd beach. A real problem. We decided to go to opposite ends of the beach and the girls went for it. It felt good and very right. The French sure know how to live. They are a very chic group of people. Their clothes and makeup and jewelry are all up to the minute. Well, like I would know. Also, they are all very pretty. Men and women. I have the feeling that the younger men here like older women. Them being younger, me being older. In any case, it was a wonderful day and we're now showered and waiting on macaroni and cheese in the oven. As we were preparing dinner, Bob spotted a rainsquall way off the stern of our boat. By the way, we are anchored in Gustavia, St. Barth's. I'm happy again!

February 23, 2001

Last night we ate Sushi with a couple from Sandusky. Steve and Pat aboard "Equus." We ran into them at Customs as we were signing up for another day in Gustavia. For some reason, they charge to anchor here but if you go around to the other side of the island and anchor in Pointe a Columbier, it's free. You have to come back here to check out so I don't get it but I'm not one to make trouble. Actually, I am but Bob's not. It runs 25 Francs a day, about $3.75. For that you get...nothing. Oh well, I'm not complaining; it's beautiful here.
Bob's down with some sort of bug today. No fever but queasy tummy, headache and achy joints. He didn't eat all day so I made him a delicious dinner of mac and cheese, French bread with real butter and a fresh green salad. I offered chicken soup but he felt up to a real meal. He gobbled it, of course, and had to go sit in the cockpit, just in case. He's OK though. Lying on the couch reading a who-done-it. Our friends on "Elysia" and "Shamal" have made it safely to Jamaica. They will spend a few days there and then sail to Honduras. Destination: Belize. Sure wish they would come this way but the winds aren't right for it and it would be a terrible trip.
Today starts Carnival here. Lots of parades, which we will try to go see tomorrow if the Captain is up to it. All for now.

February 27, 2001

Please take a moment to honor the passing of my friend, Kathy Anstead King's father. He passed after a severe heart attack in Florida, where he resided. Kathy shared his last days on this earth with him and they were both at peace. Harley and his wife Hazel opened their home to me, fed me a wonderful Christmas meal and allowed me to beat him at poker. God Bless Harley Laux.

February 28, 2001

Yesterday was the big Carnival parade at 2:00pm. Well, it was supposed to be at 2:00 but it actually started at about 4:00pm. We thought it was a business ploy to keep the bars pumping out drinks. Well, it worked and there was dancing in the streets; water pistols kept busy in the 90-degree heat and bottles of water being poured over those that looked especially hot. The parade was very different but colorful and fun. The costumes were rather pathetic but the dancing, music and enthusiasm made up for it. Many of the bystanders were costumed and painted, including dogs and children. We had a great time watching from inside a bar, in the shade. Patti and Randy from "Passagio" were with us and when we spotted Jodi Foster, Patti decided to go talk to her and check out her true identity. We got a picture of them and we still aren't positive if it was she, but she was on a big yacht and said she had to go check on her baby. Well, for this purpose, we shall say it was Jodi.