A Short Move Inside

Capt Chris
01/29/2009, Honeymoon Beach Water Island St Thomas USVI

Honeymoon Bay is not all that big and can get crowed so when I arrived a week or two ago I set the hook on the outside. The outside has some advantages such as not being on the inside and the wind blows more steady giving max support of the wind gen. But the outside does have some downsides. For starters it is not the inside, it is pretty deep at 32 feet, you can be subject to some swell and the buzz of many dingys going into and out of Crown Bay Marina. So yesterday when some room opened up I fired the Yanmar and hauled up on my 160 feet of chain/rode to stake my claim on the inside. As I approached my spot I could see the Burton's on Wandering Dolphin "hanging out" watching all the comings and goings. I got the anchor down in a relatively tight spot and moments later a squall came ripping through. I quickly acknowledged that it's "just a little squall" and hunkered down. The nice thing is now I know my anchor is well set after a couple of 30 plus knot gusts. Thus far I'm liking it on the inside. Just a tad less roll and a tad less wind. To top it all off, Susan and Hale from SV Cayuga delivered my new canvas splash shields for the cockpit. They look great! They now will start working on my new dodger and mainsail cover. I am changing all the canvas to an off white color and will have "Christa" sewed into the mainsail cover. Pics to follow upon delivery.

Another nice addition to my week is running. Susan from Cayuga is a runner as well and have gone together a couple of times. As I have mentioned before the hills in the Virgins are a killer. Water Island is no exceptions, but the route is beautiful and the quality of the workout is fantastic. I'll try and remember to bring the camera next time and get the money shot of the Honey Moon anchorage as seen through the eyes of runners. So as you can see I have been dreadfully busy since my arrival back in St Thomas. Boats tend to deliver an endless worklist and Christa is no exception. Each day I try to tackle something. Up coming projects include resurfacing the caprails with Cetol, drilling holes to mount the new (old oars for the dink) servicing the outboard, pickling the watermaker, mounting the tillerpilot for use with the monitor, changing the engine oil and it goes on and on. But that is how we roll!

Capt Chris

Update

Capt Chris, 80's, winds East 15 to 20 knots
01/26/2009, Honeymoon Beach Water Island St Thomas USVI

It has been a busy few days since my arrival back in St Thomas so I thought I might bore you with the mundane details of my life. I appreciate all the well wishes and medical advice I have been receiving about my fungal infection on my left index finger. The infection had taken a turn to negative town and had a serious eruption. I decided to dash back to the doctor and see what the deal was. The fungus in the nail was being treated properly with meds and is going away, but the skin portion was in horrible shape. So armed with my new prescription I jmped on the Safari which is the local taxi service and headed to Kmart. I am happy to report that my Tricare Insurance that I have via the military has pretty much worked as advertised. It is the usual government program that requires a substantial amount of patience and perseverance. I was able to walk out of Kmart with a 3 dollar copay for a 100 plus med. And most importantly within 24 hours the infection started a quick retreat. I'm am on the mend.

Another issue I've been working on is the Transportation Safety Workers Identification card or TWIC. From what I gather if you're a licensed mariner or work in any transportation field such as the railroad or TSA, your required to have this ID or the Masters License is voided. It is a post 911-security thing. So I went through all the hoops and made the application in person. Now a full FBI background check is done and once that is complete then they issue the card. I had to have fingerprints and palm prints done and pay the $132 fee. So it should be ready for pick up here in St Thomas in a month. So I will have to stay in St Thomas at least till then.

I also made contact with a company that is an employment placement service for the mega yacht industry. I put together my resume and all my documents from the service time and the company created a file for me. So apparently how it works is the Captain of you of these gigantic yachts go to the employment service and stipulates the position that needs filling. The service then hands over a few resumes fitting the description and then the captain decides based on the resume who he/she would like to interview. So I'm now out there and if something comes up I'll certainly look at.

In other business news I headed on over to the VA Clinic to get registered with the VA. I waited a year from retirement to register as they have a financial means test to determine cost shares to the patient. It is the dirty little secret that just because your were in the military does not mean you get free health care. They base the patient's portion on financial health. So they would have based my situation on my last year of active duty but now they will base it upon my retirement pay. So I have taking the time here in St Thomas to learn as much as I can about my health care situation so in case I get sick or injured I will have a clue as to what my options are.

In boat news, I have been equally as busy. I contracted with the nice folks on SV Cayuga to stretch out some new canvas for Christa. I'm having spray shields put in to help with protection in the cockpit. I also having estimates for a new dodger and mainsail cover done. If the price is right I'll have those items stitched up. I have a bunch of other nickel dime projects that need to be done and they all add up to a buck fifty. The new Yamaha 4hp 4 stroke in working like a champ and I'm very pleased. As soon as the break in period is done I'll take it back to offshore marine for its 10-hour servicing. As far as sailing south the only thing pushing me to leave sooner rather than later is the presence of Tom and Amy on Sandpiper who are now on their way to Bequia. I really want to meet up with them in the southern Caribbean. So current thoughts are to wait until I get my TWIC, wait for northeast wind, put Christa on a comfortable course and sail toward the southern Caribbean and land at whatever island allows a comfortable sail. Many people who spend a great deal of time in the Caribbean sail in that fashion. They don't plan on a destination they plan on a nice sail and land where the elements allow. For me I think I can fetch up in Martinique, Dominica or St Lucia without to much of a strain assuming a good weather window. Other than the Tom and Amy factor, I feel no rush to bolt and still have plenty of time till next hurricane season.

More Later

Capt Chris

Busy With Business

Capt Chris, 80's, winds East 10 to 19 knots
01/23/2009, Honeymoon Beach Water Island St Thomas USVI

New Pic!

Picture Compliments of Janina

Capt Chris
01/19/2009, St Thomas USVI

Here it is!

Rolled to St Thomas

Capt Chris
01/18/2009, Anchored Water Island St Thomas

Ahoy! I slipped the mooring line this morning from Maho Bay as the sun was rising. Check out the pic I snapped as I was leaving on a rare dead calm that had engulfed the entire island chain. As it was Sunday morning I seemed to be the only boat moving which added to the peacefulness. It was a three hours motor sail to Water Island. I had the anchor down in 30 feet of clear water right next to Wandering Dolphin. It is wonderful to be back next to my peeps! I'll have more to say later on.

Capt Chris

As Maho Turns

Capt Chris, squalls, rain
01/17/2009, Maho Bay, North Coast St John USVI

I feel for you folks up in the North Country. The bone chilling temperatures are really shocking. Of course it is in the 80's here in Maho Bay. But surprisingly enough a tropical wave is passing through bringing with it squalls and plenty of rain but nothing to the tune of what I experienced this passed summer. So I decided to stay here in Maho Bay and wait for the weather to improve.

On a down note, Janina has departed good ship Christa and headed back to Florida to pick up some employment. We will miss her. On an up note since I've moved over to the north shore of St John I have been able to pick back up the running habit again. Yesterday was the first day I was able to run in about two months. The route is magnificent along the north shore road. I have wonderful views of Virgin Gorda sound and the British Virgin Islands and in the afternoons waning sun the hues of the water are spectacular.

It has been nearly a week since arriving in Maho Bay. I established a pretty good daily routine that swirls around the Maho Bay Eco-Lodge and the many wonderful guests that continue to come and go. In particular a program is in secession called Omega. It is a program that entails the yoga/mind body experience and is basically a retreat. The resort is the perfect place for such a program for people to come in and unplug from the rat race. A very loving bunch indeed. So I pretty much have been hanging out with the Omega folks during meal times. The lodge serves very good food in a cafeteria-style setting. So all hands are present for the meals. I also headed into Cruz Bay one night with 3 Omega ladies for dinner and we laughed and laughed. It was nice to have some company to cushion the blow of Janina's departure.

I likely will pull chocks tomorrow and sail back to St Thomas to take advantage of the provisioning and the hustle and busle of the "big city." Plus I will need to take my new Yamaha 4 HP outboard to the dealer for the 10 hour servicing or the warranty will be voided. Speaking of my new outboard. Love it! Part of said love surly has to do with the reliability factor but also with double the horses. The dink planes very nicely and I simply can get places much quicker. On the flip side, the motor is much heavier which strains the stern pulpit where I stow the motor.

I likely will settle into St Thomas for an unknown length of time waiting and watching for a weather window to either get me to St Martin. Tom and Amy from Sandpiper are now in El Carib and I very much want to hook up with them. So I will entertain a straight shot to St Lucia given the correct weather.

I snapped this picture from Christa which shows a nice view of one of the beaches in the bay just after an afternoon rain shower.

Capt Chris

In Maho Bay with Christa

Capt Chris, 80's, winds East 15 to 22 knots
01/12/2009, Maho/Francis Bay

Well the new outboard is working like a champ and that pleases me greatly. The downfall of the Honda 2 HP delayed our intended departure from Coral Bay by a couple of days. So in true fashion the weather window closed and the winds picked up. However we only intended to do the 3 hour sail to Maho Bay on the north shore. I decided to suck it up.

We had the anchor up by sunrise and began the arduous bash to windward. We had numerous squalls with heavy downpours and occasional wind to 30 knots. Thankfully, the proximity of so many islands blunts the size of the ocean swells but you still need to do the Caribbean two-step into the 4-foot chop. We motorsailed out way around the east end of St John and made the turn into Virgin Gorda sound which brought the wind around to a more respectable angle. From they're just a 5-mile downwind run to Francis and Maho Bay on the north shore.

Christa is now safely lashed to a National Parks Mooring in Francis Bay/Maho Bay. It really is one large bay and for some unknown naming convention is split into Maho/Little Maho and Francis Bay. I love it here. Were moored just under the Eco-Lodge with its jungle like atmosphere and white sand beaches. But more importantly for me the bay is very well protected with calm conditions. Last night several mega yachts came and dropped anchor further out in the bay. These ships are really impressive. Suddenly the whole anchorage was alive with wi-fi signals but all of them password protected. At night they will turn on underwater floodlights which makes the coolest aqua marine glow.

The cruising plan is still evolving. I am still learning about myself and what my desires are. Admittedly they change. I like to immerse and don't like feeling the pressure of having to move to the next tropical island. I have found that naturally a place wears thin and then I need to move on. But for now with the hurricane season well astern and no immediate need to get down island I think we'll just enjoy the local area. I do see heading back to St Thomas soon to stock up on provisions. I also have a fungal infection on my left index finger that I have already seen a doctor about. It just is not going away and I think I need to see a dermatologist. Also it seems a ton of cruisers are piling in St Thomas and I miss the community. So I still intend to head further east and then south but it just may take me awhile as the Christmas trades have filled in. A weather window could be a ways out.


Capt Chris

Outboard Woes

Capt Chris, 80's, winds East 15 to 20 knots
01/10/2009, Coral Bay St John

Pictured is my new Yamaha 4 horse four stroke outboard purchased today in St Thomas. The passed 3 days have swirled around outboard troubles. I've been trying to shake off the troubles with the Honda 2 horse which was less than five years old. I had a fuel leak deriving from a rusted carb bowl which was masking the fact that I had an oil leak as well. So after spending nearly 100 boat dollars to have the carb fixed, the very next day much larger problems developed. Oil was leaking into the exhaust somewhere which killed it. It likely can be fixed but at great expense. I just bought a new engine. I had been thinking about upgrading anyway as the two horse was not cutting it.

For the folks back home having an outboard go out is tantamount to having car trouble but worse. You see, if your car breaks well you just drift on over to the side of the road. If the outboard craps out your really in a bind. Most dinks are terrrible for rowing and your generally left adrift which is just what happened to Janina and I. I had to swim a very long way back to Christa while Janina nursed her fresh bee sting. Why a bee is out on the ocean still is a mystery. But I got back to Christa and got her fired up and slipped the mooring to go rescue Janina in the dink. Since we now had no way ashore I decided to anchor down in Coral Bay which is less isolated than Johnsons Bay.

So with this trauma I flew into action and made my way to St Thomas and Offshore Marine. I am so thankful for Wandering Dolphin as they were their to help me with the whole thing. I picked up the new motor and spent the night aboard Wandering Dolphin after they bought me a big juicy steak at a nice hotel overlooking the harbor. Next day we shared a breakfast and Christopher dropped me and the new motor at the ferry dock. All in all the mission was complete in less than 24 hours which is amazing to me. But I am now shy $1380 dollars.

So I spent sometime breaking new motor in today. Ran like a champ. So tomorrow, weather pending Janina and I are going to make the sail over to the north shore and grab a mooring at Maho Bay.

More later

Capt Chris

Maho Bay Eco Lodge Trip

Capt Chris
01/07/2009, Maho Bay, North Coast St John USVI

Things have been quite busy the past few days with limited time for me to write up a blog entry and Internet has been limited. So please forgive my lack of entries.

So as of the moment I'm jamming out this entry on my MacBook sitting in the Maho Bay Eco-Resort over looking the gorgeous Maho Bay. It really is a sight to behold. I fear that I may sound like a broken record with all my enthusiasm for the views. I would not want to mislead anyone. While the beauty is substantial nothing is easy here on St John. In fact I have come to call St John "The Island of inconvenience." It really is inline with the paradox of the cruising life. While the rewards are quite substantial the level of effort required to realize said rewards can grate on you. Please keep in mind that I am not a normal tourist. For someone who may come to St John and stay in The Westin or Caneel Bay you would see little of the inconvenience hat I complain about. However you will pay through the teeth. These resorts have set up whole processes to circumvent the lack of infrastructure and frankly avoid the local population who are less than thrilled about the tourist invasion. But the cruising life is all about soaking into the local population so you can learn about them. I'm finding I love my American culture very much. Onward.

Janina has a friend visiting so we have been all over the place. The past two nights we stayed at the Cinnamon Bay Campground. While once again the surroundings were just beautiful the campground itself, run by the National Parks Service left much to be desired. We didn't see any rangers so I think it is all contract labor from the local population and unfortunately it was administered like many other things on the island. The tents were okay, but the beds were circa WW2 and even I, the guy who has been sleeping on cushions for years awoke many times longing for the Doans pills. I don't want to continue to gripe, just suffice it to say the cots were just the beginning of a disappointing stay. However....

As mentioned before we are not at the Maho Bay Eco-Lodge, run by a non-profit conservation deal of some sort and is a purring operation no doubt. We are very pleased thus far. These cool wooden lodges sit on stilts that surround the hills overlooking Maho Bay, has a well stocked mini-mart, restaurant, yoga, glass blowing, sailing tours and good coffee thank god. For four people the cost is $160 a night. A definite step up from the campground. But for those looking for max comfort in the vein of a Marriott you'll need to...... well look for a Marriott.

So tomorrow Janina a crew head back over to St Thomas for the night to get her friends safely back on a plane. I'll head back to good ship Christa who I miss. I will also swing by Coral Bay Marine to pick up the outboard motor which I repaired. The carburator bowl rusted through and was leaking fuel. So some JB Weld took care of the situation. Future plans and intentions should see Janina and I leaving Johnson Bay ASAP. Since Maho Bay has been so nice I'm thinking of coming over and lashing up to a National Parks Mooring ($15 a night) and hang out for a day or two. But soon we'll head to Jost Van Dyke and start our sojourn to the British Virgin Islands.

Something I did fail to mention awhile back was my termination for captain's duties aboard Sadie Sea. The boat was constantly breaking down and since I am not a mechanic capt Ben had to keep coming out to repair his boat. After awhile it just was a waste of his money to have me running the boat. So he took the boat back over with no hard feelings between us. Just a business choice.

Well that is it for now. Keep checking My Google Photo Album as I keep updating pictures to the Virgin Island Folder.

Capt Chris

Movie Night Set Up!

Capt Chris
01/03/2009, Coral Bay ST John

Here is a picture of the movie night set up on Water Island. Enjoy!

Capt Chris