Today is Nikki and Brett’s last day on board so to give them a full last day we up anchor before they are even up. However, the sound of all that anchor chain dropping into the locker by the side of their heads soon rouses them!
The day is very hazy but we have good winds, albeit not necessarily in the right direction, and after a slow start along the north side of Tortola, we round West End and Soper’s Hole we really get going and have a lovely sail tacking all the way to The Indians.
Mike is fishing and suddenly the line starts running out but it stops after a few seconds. He gets hold of the line and gives it a tug to see if there is anything there – there is – and it doesn’t like being tugged and heads off at great speed in the opposite direction to the boat, the line running out so fast that it burns Mike’s fingers. It keeps going until the reel is empty and the line snaps. The line is 50lb breaking strain so whatever it was must have been enormous. Maybe it’s better we didn’t catch it! Mike now has deep cuts in his thumb and forefinger, for his efforts but they don’t bleed – the line actually burned and therefore cauterised the wounds.
When we arrive at The Indians for our snorkelling stop, it seems that everyone else has had the same idea, and there are lots of yachts moored, with yachts waiting behind them, vying for first shot at the mooring buoys as they are vacated. Mike does not do queuing. I learned this sitting beside him in a car, so we sail past and head for the caves instead.
There is one mooring ball left there and we to straight for it as we can see another yacht coming up behind. Nikki and Brett go snorkelling while I prepare lunch. I am determined to get Nikki to eat sweet potato, so I prepare them with red onion, whole cloves of garlic, olive oil, herbs and spices and pop them in the oven to roast. By the time they come back, having seen lots of fish, the delicious aroma of caramelised onions and garlic is wafting out from Jeannius but the inside of the boat is like a sauna as the oven has been on for an hour at least. The temperature must be about 95 degrees!
Mike suddenly notices that all the boats around The Indians have disappeared so we up anchor, motor over, attach ourselves to a ball and have lunch.
Nikki looks at the potatoes suspiciously but tries one – and likes it. I am vindicated.
After lunch, Nikki is game for some more snorkelling but Brett looks decidedly sleepy. It looks like she is going to have to go alone, but with some gentle persuasion and prodding, he goes with her, although it has now clouded over considerably and the visibility is not so good.
When they return we motor over and anchor near to the Willy T as they have decided to eat there tonight.
Mike needs to get the genoa down so that we can get the model number for the ridiculously expensive piece of plastic and ball bearings that sits on the top. $1000 worth to be precise. Don’t get me started on the price of marine spare parts again!!! We get the genoa down, he checks the number and just as we start to haul it back up, the heavens open – and stay open for some while. Eventually it stops and we haul it up, spewing water from its folds all over us, but at least it’s fresh water.
Last night at The Elm, Jim told our honeymoon couple stories about goings on at the Willy T – things involving naked girls, whipped cream and licking bodily parts. Now they are in the vicinity, they look decidedly unsure about going but Pirates is a long dinghy ride away and the weather is still bad so Mike persuades them to go although Brett looks more unsure than Nikki.
When they return I look Brett over (for signs of whipped cream on the nose and chin area) but he looks as innocent as when he left, so they must have just eaten their meals! They disappear to pack. Tomorrow they are going to St Thomas for the last part of their honeymoon.
As I get ready for bed, I can hear the party continuing over at the Willy T, but the noise of the wind drowns it out and I am able to drift off to sleep.
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