Back to Reality

We are at American Yacht Harbour on St Thomas waiting for Tim Matheson's group of charterers to come in at the end of their charter, but since it is now dark, we assume they will show up early tomorrow morning. Our understanding is that their flight is at 11:00a.m. so it will be a busy morning for them & we'll likely barely have time to hear the highlights of their charter week. The house picture in our blog last week, I think I found that particular house in a real estate magazine. If you want it, it's for sale - price $32 million.

We spent the week back at St John, doing a bit of sailing and touring the south side of the island. In Lienster Bay, we got our first dose of reality of what life was like 200 years ago on the slave sugar plantation. Rum is simply a by product of making sugar. In 1733 the slaves revolted and controlled the island for 6 months. Eventually they lost and slavery continued for another 110 years.

We had one free night of anchorage in Coral Bay, but Joan's best comment was "this place looks like a slum for boats". There were all kinds of derelict boats shipwrecked on shore and there were all kinds of people living on derelict boats that would never sail again. We were happy to leave early the next day, looking for a more picturesque anchorage.

The snorkeling around St John has been the best - swimming with turtles and stingrays and once in a while seeing these stingrays jump 10 ft in the air. One of our anchorages on the south side of the island was Little Lameshur. It's claim to fame was that during the 60's NASA ran an underwater program here where some aquanauts stayed under water for 2 full months. The program was called Tektite and its purpose was to see how people functioned in small spaces previous to the long space voyages. There was a nice museum on this program at the Virgin Islands Environmental Resources Station. I'm sure it would be possible for BPDS senior science environmental class to come to the centre for a trip. This area is also a UNESCO biosphere reserve.

On my second day at Little Lameshur, I wanted to do some hiking to a former plantation great house, sugar factory and pictographs. First stop on the trail was the great house. While walking the trail, numerous mongoose scurried across. They were an introduced species to control the snakes and rats in the sugar cane fields; but much like the slaves, they didn't like their new job. The mongoose hunt during the day and the rats & snakes come out at night so they decided to settle on bird and turtle egg nests instead. They are a pest but there is no way to get rid of them now. Arriving at the great house, it was all boarded up as someone had tried a restoration but had obviously given up. Walking around the back, there was one doorway pulled off. It was very dark inside but the sunlight was able to highlight the arched plaster entrance way which would have been impressive in its day. I slowly walked in, a little bit nervous about the quality of the floor as all these homes had cisterns in the basement and I didn't want to fall through the floor and drown - so I just continued to creep in slowly - wishing I had my x-country skis to spread my weight over more area. There was lots of crap on the floor and I wasn't sure what animals were responsible and were they waiting for me outside. Pretty soon I got my answer. OH SHIT - they are dive bombing at me. My first reaction was to grab my hat and wave it above my head to try to protect myself. OH SHIT! my sunglasses were on my hat and now they're somewhere on this dark floor. I can't run out as I'm too worried about the safety of the floor. I continue waving my hat above my head and find my sunglasses but the earlobe piece is missing. I still don't know what is attacking me. I grab my glasses (minus the earlobe piece), carefully shuffle towards the door. Nothing followed me outside - so now it's time to turn & look back inside. I thought they were birds nesting but now I can see the house is filled with a very large bat colony. Joan is thankful that she wasn't with me. The house was in partial disrepair, which was great for me as I was able to see building construction. There was all kinds of special brick work and fancy cornices - some in disrepair but also some had been refurbished. Just before leaving, I spotted a plaque on one of the porch pillars that was dated 1846 - one year after slavery ended. The journey continued down the valley to the sugar factory. This was the last operating one on St John and closed about 1907. Its first operation was under slave labour and when the slaves were emancipated, it was converted to steam power and worked that way for over 50 years. All the steam equipment was still there and again I was able to marvel at the machinery that was built in 1861 - some of it looked like a good dose of WD40 and it could be back in running condition. From my previous experience at the great house, every room I entered started with an inspection of the ceiling and yes - there they were - great thriving masses of bats in clusters of probably 100 or more - again Joan is thankful that she wasn't with me. The third part of the trip back up the trail was to the sometimes waterfall. I sat down for lunch beside a pool of still water - it was too dry for any waterfall. While eating lunch, I looked up and there he was staring at me - a Tatino indian pictograph face carved into the rock. After lunch I inspected the next lower pool and there were more carvings in the rock. This second set of pictures was placed so that they were reflected in the still pool of water but here in the water, their images were upside down. Upon leaving the waterfall pools, I came upon 2 unexpected inhabitants - were they wild goats - no maybe wild donkeys - no must be on the Bruce Peninsula - those were 2 whitetail deer. They must hang around the pools as the only source of fresh water. During this hike I passed miles and miles of stone fences, obviously piled by the slaves, to mark roads and planting fields. The sugar farms disappeared when slavery ended. The slaves were not free labour but were simply a commodity and they were bought and sold just like any piece of equipment. At the end of the slave rebellion in 1733, many slaves chose to jump off the cliff rather than to return to slavery. For us - who have only known freedom - the concept of slavery is simply words and pictures, but their stories and hardships were real.

US Virgin Islands

We went to St. John's this week. I could lie and tell my mom it's a church, but no it's just really one of the three main islands in the U.S. Virgin Islands. The USVI is really a recent terminology as the U.S. bought them from Denmark in 1917. It was the Danish who ran the slave plantations in the 1800's and because they needed money in WW1 they sold them to the States. 2/3 of St. John is a national park. I know, we said we were decadent last week, but maybe it was this week that we were really decadent. We never sailed once, but moved 2 or 3 miles every day to a new anchorage beach. The day's activities were swimming, snorkelling & beaching.....sounds pretty decadent doesn't it! We knew Tim Matheson was chartering this week, but we miscalculated his starting date as we had booked into the marina tonight hoping to see him, but they left this morning. However, he was able to catch up with us in an anchorage early in the afternoon before he headed off ot the BVI's.

The monster homes, possibly the Rockerfeller estates that Joan mistook for hotels at Cinnamon Bay were pretty impressive as you can see from the picture included here. Alot of the old plantation ruins are marked on trails, but we haven't had a chance to pull ourselves away from water based activities to put on the hiking shoes and heaven forbid socks!

Decadence & the Drapers

The BVI's are a special place - no doubt about it. Think about an entire country that doesn't smoke cigarettes. Of course there are people smoking cigarettes - they are dumb white people from off island and they probably have to look hard for a place to buy them as they aren't very visable. They also avoid (or ban) all the North American fast foot restaurants. You also can't have seadoos or motor bikes over 125 cc's. One newspaper story told about the police consficating a large motorcycle, but the owner simply broke into the police station that night and took it back, but smuggled it off island.

Of course, now we are in the USVI and all that American culture is full face in front of you. For the 6 weeks in the BVI's, we never had any soft drinks or obviously fast food. Two days in the harbour here, we've eaten at Subway twice and the beverage was obviously a soft drink.

Joan's indulgence has been to search out the ads for a hair salon and she found one at the spa at the Wyndam Resort. Now the serious question is what has caused those gray roots to show. Is it:
a) Sailing on life jacket & safety harness days

b) Trying to pick up the mooring ball

c) Worrying whether the anchor is going to hold

d) Trying to handle the dock lines when docking

e) Spending 31 with Bruce (24/7)

f) Always the Mate - never the Captain

g) Boats float, but Joan doesn't

h) Trying to keep the boat headed into the wind for sail take downs

i) Trying to hang on when heeling angles approach 45 degrees

j) Trying to get into the dinghy without falling over or falling out.

Now our decadence pales in comparison to some other people down here. A couple of weeks ago in the North Sound, I saw a nice mega yacht come in so I went down to have a look at it and its name was Rising Sun. It had some unique features like the anchors were not exposed on the side of the hull but were hidden behind doors that lifted up when it was time to anchor. At the aft end, there were a number of garages in the side of the hull where the fleet of accessory boats were kept, ranging up to 30 or 40ft. I couldn't see it, but the empty deck space at the back end was the helicopter landing pad. A recent article identified this boat (ship) as being 450 ft long. My quick calculation makes that about 120 ft longer than the Cheechimon (ferry). The owner of the boat is Larry Ellison of Oracle (computer hardware or software). He is the America's Cup sponsor for the U.S. entry.

After our open air taxi ride across St. Thomas today, seeing some of the poorer sections, some of the locals might find our lifestyle of sailing quite decadent.

Cruising with Jeremey & Melissa

Sometimes the stars align and you hit a home run (Nathan only hit a few) and at other times, the stars don't know what the hell alignment means. The day before Jeremey & Melissa arrived, sailing to the airport anchorage was another one of those safety harness, double reef sails. We never took the double reef out for the entire week that Jeremey & Melissa were down here with us. Their plane arrived on time and so did they, but they were the last ones out of the baggage claim area because it's hard to claim your baggage when it doesn't arrive. They had to run to catch their connecting flight in Chicago, but I guess the baggage couldn't run quite as fast. All those warm northern clothes they arrived in just isn't going to cut it down here in the Caribbean. Smart thinking Melissa had packed her bathing suit in her carry-on though. Baggage didn't arrive in on the next flight that night, or the first flight the next morning either. We weren't about to sit in the anchorage and wait for luggage so we told them we would keep in touch as we travelled through the islands and they would have to find us. Baggage finally arrived 2 days late and because the airport was on our return route, we picked it up. The smiles on Jeremey & Melissa's face brightened a little bit after 2 days of borrowing "old" people clothes.

Cane Garden Bay is the anchorage where they taxi all the cruise ship passengers for a day of sun and fun. All the lounge chairs are neatly lined up on the beach for the throngs that will arrive. We happened to be lucky and be there on a day where there were no cruise ships in so we had most of the beach to ourselves - didn't have to share. Jeremey found some literature that put a price on renting Richard Branson's house on Necker Island. Most literature says that if you have to ask the price, you can't afford it, but the number Jeremey found was $47,900 per night! That might make it an expensive week. Because of the strength of the winds, we almost had Peter Island to ourselves as well. The night before Jeremey & Melissa were to leave, the airport anchorage at Trellis Bay had a Full Moon Party at the beach bar. Some of the local artisans talked and demonstrated their skills - pottery wheel work and kiln firing were impressively demonstrated. But more was still to come. Even though it had rained quite heavily during the day and early evening - which meant we weren't sure we were going to see the full moon - the sculptured metal ball bonfires were able to be lit. Later in the evening, we had another chance to see the Jumbie stilt dancers again and unfortunately one fell from a great height during the routine but wasn't hurt. We had the good fortune of running into Adam Matheson twice this week. The first time, we passed each other as it took the brain awhile to register that that face might be someone you know. The second time, we caught up with each other at the Full Moon Party.

The flight home for Jeremey & Melissa had more adventure as a flight was delayed resulting in a missed connecting flight, but they did eventually get home early in the morning.

Our visitors visa for the BVI's expires tomorrow but we left the BVI's today & cleared through U.S. customs at St. John. Tonight we sit in St. Thomas at Red Hook on the patio terrace. Two bars have competing bands so the music gets a bit mixed. We hope to be travelling in the USVI's for the next 2 or 3 weeks.

Note to Tim: Clearing in and out of the BVI's might be easiest at Jost Van Dyke. This would have the added advantage of going to Foxies twice. If Adam has not made plans past your charter and wants to sail the Leeward Islands with us, contact us at draper.bruce@yahoo.ca or 284-545-6389 (if we're still using our BVI cell phone sim card).

News Flash - Canada's Population Increases by One

On January 20th official paperwork was completed to allow Living in Fiction to immigrate to Canada. Of U.S. parents, she has spent her entire life living in the BVI's.

In a wide ranging interview, Living expounded on a number of factors relating to the decision. Even though she had spent her entire life in the BVI's, she could never become a belonger (citizen) but would always remain a non-belonger (immigrant). 45% of the BVI population is belongers and the majority 55% are non-belongers, most on 6 month work permits - nothing longer is available. Belongers also have the right to vote and as a non-belonger, she would never get that right. With her parents being from Minnesota, she had enjoyed many conversations about the white, fluffy stuff and relief from this heat, also the idea of putting her feet (keel) up on shore for six months had a strong appeal. The health care system also was a determining factor. Now that she has offspring, AB (dinghy) and Tohatsu (8hp motor), concerns for their education was something she had to consider. Most BVI islanders have to leave the island for post secondary education. She understands that Lion's Head has a good university just down the road (Waterloo). It is with great anticipation that she looks forward to the trip to her new home after 3 more months of glorious sailing in the south.

P.S.

Jeremey & Melissa arrive tomorrow so will be out cruising - mostly out of touch with internet for about a week.

Anegada

Friday in North Sound was a full day of rain but it did stop enough so that we could see the Jumbie (stilt dancers) in the evening and enjoy a buffet dinner complete with a roasted pig. Hoping to go to Anegada tomorrow (Saturday) as the winds are supposed to be from the east and that is what we want. When we wake up Saturday morning, the line squalls are still coming through but we have to leave by 9:00 a.m. so that our arrival coincides with the high sun so that we will be able to view the reefs and coral heads to enter the anchorage. The BVI's are volcanic with some islands rising to 2,000 ft. Anegada is different, maybe a bit like me, and its highest point is only 28 ft. Hell, I've got trees in the backyard more than twice that size and it's only a little over 4 times my 5ft 8 1/2 ". Let me qualify that 5ft 8 1/2" - I was that height the last time I was measured. We all know at some point you will reach that magic plateau when you start to shrink, but I do know that I am taller than all my boys.

Anegada is the site of more than 300 shipwrecks and charter boats are not allowed to go there. For years the small community of about 100 people lived off the avails of the shipwrecks. I tell Joan we're leaving in 10 minutes. When the 10 minutes is up, I see another line squall coming through the anchorage so I delay, telling her we'll go 10 minutes after it stops. However, 10 minutes after it stops - there seems to be another one behind it so maybe we'll go tomorrow. After it goes through, the sun comes out so I give her another 10 minute warning. Joan knows it's not going to be her kind of sailing day when I pull out inflatable vests, safety harnesses and tethers. While still on the mooring ball, I hoist the main sail with a 2nd reef in place - drop the mooring ball and we are off. Once through the entrance of the harbour, I hoist a very small hanky of a jib. We are only doing 5.5 knots but if we get hit by a line squall, this might be manageable. As I look back at the harbour, it looks like it is about to get hit again but I think it is going to miss us. There are some boats out ahead of us so maybe I can follow them to the island and anchorage. Oh shit, I think that line squall is going to hit us. It does and we are up to 8.5 knots, semi under control. Oh shit, remember that story about the plates. They didn't get turned upside down and jumped the fiddle inside the cupboard, knocking the door open, spilling all the plates onto the floor. Remember how they didn't break last time - NOT this time. There was shattered glass everywhere as only corelle can shatter. With the boat's motion, the cupboard door is smashing around wildly. I have to go down below to close that door. The first step down puts glass into my left foot and then glass into the right foot follows, then I cut my hand trying to take the glass out of my feet - but I did get the door closed. Back up top - look at that, the sun is coming out. Oh shit, the GPS chart plotter has lost its fix. I need this to get into the anchorage but maybe if it doesn't come back, I can follow those boats up ahead. Oh shit, we're getting hit by another line squall and I can't see any of the boats up ahead or any chance of the 28ft high island. Compounding this, my speed is back up to the 8.5 knots and I don't want to be going this fast as I'm too close to the island. A cat boat has overtaken me from behind (the next day he tells me he was doing 11.5 knots), but why is he way over there to my side? If his course is right, I'm too far inside. If my course is right, he's headed to Iceland. My chart plotter comes back to life, but now I don't know whether to trust my instrument or the boat far off to my side. The squall starts to subside and I can faintly see the boats ahead and the island. The picture book showing the entrance to the anchorage unfortunately is down below and with all the motion of the boat, I'm not taking a chance to go down there again. We found the entrance through the reefs successfully and were able to locate a mooring ball for the night's anchorage. The first order of business was to find some shoes down below and start to clean up the glass.

On shore one day I "rented" a bicycle (the vendor wasn't there and we never did find him) so I guess it was free. The few homes on the island were all fenced in and I thought this was strange as surely there wouldn't be any crime. The explanation is that the island is a free range for cattle, goats, sheep and donkeys so you fence your property to keep them out. Anegada is about 11 miles long and the entire island is rimmed with a beach, but with this big of an island there are only 2 entrances to anchorages. During our stay we saw 2 boats go aground and then struggle to get off. Another day ashore we passed a pickup truck sitting just outside a bar and there he was, sitting in the back of the bed. The owner of the pickup truck asked if I wanted to go swimming to see if we could find his brother. I said I would pass on that one just in case his brother was bigger. In the back of the pickup truck was a very large shark, cut into 3 pieces so he would fit. My guess is he was about 2ft wide and probably 12 to 14ft long and probably weighed in the neighbourhood of 750 lbs.

When Nathan & Kelly visit, they want a remote place with few other people and Anegada seems to fit the bill perfectly. Because of all the reefs around Anegada, the local fishermen supply most of the BVI's. Lobster being the main attraction - and they were HUGE.

Want to buy an Island?

The BVI's is made up of about 60 islands and rocks. Not unlike Georgian Bay, some are owned by the government, some by individuals and some with shared ownership. How does an island get its name. When we left Deadman's Bay 2 weeks ago, we passed Dead Chest Island. It seems William Teach (Blackbeard) found some of his crew to be recalcitrant about their duties - maybe they didn't like murder, rape & plundering. So Blackbeard put them off on the island with a cutlass, a bottle of rum and no hope of getting ashore since they didn't know how to swim. When we were up in North Sound with Trev, we mentioned Necker Island which is owned by Richard Branson. This is where he chose to get married in 1989. This last time up into North Sound, we anchored off Mosquito Island. With the onshore wind, we certainly didn't find any mosquitoes on the water. We anchored behind the reef in 25 knots of wind, gusting to 35 knots. The reef did an excellent job of knocking down the seas. An anchorage is supposed to provide shelter from the seas and winds. We were 100% open to the direction of the wind and yes those gusts seemed very strong once it got dark. I should have put out a second anchor but did dive down to see if the anchor was set. Remember that story about dragging anchor at Foxies New Years Eve, well this time we didn't drag anchor and found the boat where we put it when we got up the next morning. Mosquito Island was supposed to have mooring balls and a restaurant - no mooring balls were present and the restaurant was abandoned. The place seemed a little run down. We heard that there was a new purchaser of the island - maybe he needed my financial help to get things back up and running. Richard Branson owns Necker Island, Virgin Airways, Virgin Mobile and this year Virgin Galactica (2010 space trips start). Apparently he is the new purchaser of Mosquito Island with grand plans for it for tourism development. I bet one of the first things he does is change the name. I'm going to start the rumour that Richard Branson's real plans are to buy the country. It only has 20,000 people. He probably has a worldwide work force that big and the name of the country fits perfectly with his business moniker.

We hope to get some blogs done while in a marina. Time for the trek to get provisions for Jeremey & Melissa's visit.