It’s 2023, let’s embrace it!

Our 2023 really started Nov 5, 2022 when we flew back to Wahoo in Salinas, Puerto Rico. That started the mad dash to get to the USVI to meet Dave and Angela, who were cruising with friends, in early December, and then reach St Martin prior to Dec. 20 to meet our sailing buddies and now, ex-owners of Alta Mae. That seemed easily doable when our plans where made in October. St Martin is less than 200 NM from Salinas and reachable in mostly easy passages. Ahhh, but we didn’t give enough thoughts to the dancing demons of the deep with their tenacious tentacles sliming up every project and passage. 

We flew into PR in a furious storm, rain was pouring, roads where flooding. Almost couldn’t reach the marina and, once there, we needed a dinghy ride out to Wahoo. Thank goodness for sailing friends. Mark Haskins from Liahona actually came out in all that rain and ferried us to the boat. He also offered his car as a storage depot for most of our boxes and luggage. We approached with trepidation, there had been a hurricane and now it had been raining for a week. Wahoo is not normally a “dry” boat. But we found things dryer than expected and sent a huge Thank you to Steve for caring for her while we were away. 

                      

Of course, that didn't mean chaos wasn't the order of the day. Took us awhile to even clear off the bed!

Getting her ready for the sailing season started the next morning. Again we were thankful for Mark and Randy to help get the tough stuff done. 

Like launching the dinghy

And lifting the sails

A rainbow to brighten our day

Eleven days later we were ready to get underway.  But not before one more dinner with friends.

Lobster tonight!

Easting along the South coast of Puerto Rico involves leaving very early and dropping anchor before the East wind really gets going. 

A 2am departure rewarded us with this lovely dawn on our 2nd day.

OMG! back at the Dinghy Dock!!

  We did not have the best of windows but made it to Isla de Culebra in 2 days. (this is a distance of less than 70NM). As seemed the norm, a weather system was moving in and we knew we should get to the Virgins ASAP. But no way were we going to pass up a couple of days in one of our favorite places. 

The Dinghy Dock restaurant is a cruisers delight. Of course it has a dinghy dock, also a hose to fill your water jugs, a beautiful view of the harbor and a wonderful owner and staff.

On top of that the resident frigate was being fed his dinner while we watched. 

Ensenada Honda, in Isla de Culebra is only 25 NM from Long Bay on St Thomas but the East wind and seas were kicking up 4-5 ft seas which made for a lumpy, salty sail. We were happy to get some relief as we finally got in the Lee of the island and turned into Crown Bay to get fuel and water at the marina. 

The fun continued as we left the marina and the steering cable disintegrated. We embraced redundancy and steered with the auto pilot knob to a safe anchorage in Long Bay a mile away. Whew! 

While this was a major issue the timing couldn’t have been better. We were in protected waters, close to an anchorage and in the US. Virgins so getting parts was no issue. This happened Saturday and on Monday Roy ordered the steering assemble from Edson and we picked it up at the airport on Wednesday afternoon. Our Thanksgiving was indeed thankful and spent installing the new parts. 

Is it Christmas already?

Shredded steering assembly

  
By Saturday we could do a “test drive”. Sunday we celebrated our 47th anniversary 

Back aboard with a bottle of bubbly 

Cable Car ride took us high above St Thomas

 

Angela, Dave and friends

A few days of quiet enjoyment at Christmas Cove off of St John and then it was time to meet up with Dave and Angela. 

By this time a weird weather pattern had settled into the Atlantic kicking up West winds and a sea swell, often reaching 12-15 feet. We were happy to be in the protected waters of the Virgin Islands even if it meant rolly anchorages. We spent a few days in the bays along St John, had a memorable afternoon and dinner with Dave, Angela and their friends.  

After they moved on we headed into the BVIs to stage for the 90 NM passage to St Martin.

What could have been hellacious as the swell was still 6-8ft turned into the most pleasant motor-sail of all time. The swell was long and the winds light. We left North Sound, Virgin Gorda by 7am and arrived in St Martin by 10:30pm. An easy wide open harbor that we’ve been in many times made anchoring at night a breeze. Felt great to get the anchor down and know we had made it.

                                  The sun is setting on a tranquil sea as we close in on St Martin

We last were in St Martin in the summer of 2016. Lots has changed and the island endured a massive hit from hurricane Ida in 2017. As we know it takes a long, long time to recover from such a blow. Some never do. But we're glad to return to the land of baguettes, croissants, pan de chocolate  and tarts de citron. Our first foray had us searching for Mussels as only the French can do it. 

Kent and Shelley arrive and we have a plan, it involves rum.

A contest for best decorated boat has been announced and we are determined to win!

Despite the 20kt+ wind gusts, those lights are going up.

Merry Christmas Y'all!!

Yay to us and drunk judges. (The judging was to be Christmas Eve. We were all ready to flip the switch when the inverter (which gives us the 110v needed for the lights) wouldn't turn on. While Kent scrambled and Roy's flipped every switch available Shelley and I decided it was a "c'est la vie" moment and we had dinner reservations to get to. But Santa wasn't sleeping he was just partying. STAY TUNED.

 

Christmas Morning on Wahoo

On Christmas night who did we hear tap, tap, tapping on our hull but... yes the judges. Seems they'd partied too hearty on Christmas Eve but still were here to award us

Best Decorated Boat in the Harbor!

View from Fort Louis

Christmas Day cruisers BBQ

   

Some beach bar somewhere

Moho Beach bar-see the plane

    

 

Welcome to 2023!