24th February, 2006
Position: Sunsail Depot N18°25.496 W064°34.095
Well here I am on Tortola in the British Virgin Islands. You quickly learn to do it their way – slowly. If you try to rush the locals then you will just get very frustrated and get nowhere. It has been a frustrating but good time working out what's right and wrong on Valdolese and with the growing realisation that there are no chandleries handy in the Pacific, all has to be sorted out before we leave.
Was wondering why there was water in the bilge and perchance turned on the fresh water pressure system and noted a small hairline fracture in the sight glass that was expelling a steady stream of water. Great way to fill the bilge with fresh water.
Been out for a sail for a few hours and the boat felt great so looking forward to many weeks of travel back to OZ.
Now waiting on a wind shift to head off to St. Maarten for much needed work on Valdolese. This will happen on Sunday evening and an overnight passage to arrive there in the morning so we don't hit too many reefs.
Remind me to tell you of the luxury of being on a 66' Oyster Yacht!!!! Simply magic.
ps: a couple of Tortola links from the Get Away program: Tortola ... Necker Island...
6th March 2006
Sunset over Cane Garden Bay on Tortola in the British Virgin Islands.
I was very lucky to meet a fellow yachtsman and his god-daughter from New York way and as they had transport, was driven over the island for the day. On the way, we picked up another NY yachty who invited us to drinks aboard her 66’ Oyster. What a magnificent vessel. Drinks over and we headed off to Cane Garden Bay for more drinks at sunset.
This whole island seems to work on drinks for all occasions and who was I to complain? Rum being the drink for all occasions – Pussers Rum being the rum of choice.
Tortola was home to many cattle and goats drifting along the roads on corners when you least expected them. Another great obstacle to negotiate were the large transporters stuck on narrow corners making driving on the island very slow but then who cares. After a few days you have to slow down to their way of doing things or become very frustrated – Welcome to the Caribbean.
At last time had come for the push to St. Maarten in the Leeward Island group. Had been waiting for a weather change to come but that never did, so on Sunday afternoon set off for a 90nm overnighter. The wind was on the nose as were the waves so it turned out to be a motor job and the old Yanmar performed flawlessly.
This was the first passage on Valdolese and one of many in the months to come. Had the help of Kurt, a young American who will hopefully eventually be joining me with his girlfriend for the trip back to Australia. Still have to finalise the rest of the crew. Below is the sunrise coming into St. Maarten.
Now I have promised not to use bad language but found that very hard to abide by when getting communication (i.e. mobile phone). Took 2 days for phone and 1 week to get or find a reliable internet connection but all well now and settled into my new “home” on the hard stand at Bobby’s Marine in Philipsburg. Pity they lock the toilets and showers at 22:00 hours.
Now waiting for all the new electronics to arrive so the work can begin in earnest.
And to think I thought that Tortola was bad for traffic!!!!!!! The public transport here i.e. mini buses, take great delight in obstructing the traffic so they don’t lose out on waiting passengers up the road. You have to see it to believe it. The state of the roads also doesn’t help as much time is spent in slowing down to avoid big holes.
The following are a few scattered photos of this great part of the world.
The photo below is a back street of Philipsburg.
Another back street shot.
a great bar – 12 Mtr. Yacht Club at Bobby’s Marine (my home),
An offshore shot from Holland House.
I did take a trip though to the French side and they have some wonderful restaurants there, but will explore that next week when I take Valdolese over there for fitting of dodger, bimini and targa bar for radar and dinghy. Photo below is of Marigot on the French side. Another home in a week’s time
Can hear the scraping going on down below as they near the end (think it might take another few days) of stripping off the old anti fouling. It’s been a hard job for them in the hot sun. I did try to help but realised I needed safety equipment so that let me out.
Dying to get out on the water and go sailing for a few days or weeks or months after seeing all the yachts involved in the Heineken Regatta. They were not lucky with the wind as the last day was called off due to lack of, but that’s sailing. Party on till next year.
