St Barths to Nevis

Mike gets up early to change the gas bottle.  As it is in the front bow locker, right by the forward cabins, the rest of us wake up pretty quickly as he bangs, clanks and crashes around.  Unintentionally, of course, but it makes sure we leave by 8am which is what he wanted.

Photo:  Bye bye shops – probably the last good ones we’ll see for a while

Photo:  Gustavia Town Hall

The winds start off in the right direction and we put the genoa and main sail up and head off towards St Kitts.

After a couple of hours Johanne suddenly notices lots of movement in the water over the starboard side – it is a pod of dolphins!  They come leaping through the water towards us and as soon as they reach the boat, they play off the bows, leaping and twirling around each other.

   Photos:  Dolphins playing off the bows of the boat

We try to count them – there must be 20 or so.  They stay with the boat for over 10 minutes but eventually drift off as we are probably not going fast enough for them to continue playing.  Johanne and I can’t understand why they are attracted by boats and Mike explains (probably making it up, of course) that they like to surf in the wake produced by the boat.  Sounds feasible I suppose.  I am so pleased with my new camera, especially as I am able to take motion pictures with it and manage to get nearly 4 minutes of the all the action.  At some point I will upload this too.  This is the first time I have seen this many dolphins since 2002.  It is an absolutely amazing spectacle.

We are all so excited by having seen this that we nearly miss the two turtles which are busy attacking each other.  At least, that’s what it looks like.  I try to take a photo but it is straight into the sun and I can’t see where I am aiming.

Photo:  Two huge sea turtles doing god knows what!

I go down for a nap in the afternoon and amazed that I am able to sleep as it is so hot with all the hatches shut and just the fan on.  When I get up Steve is in the middle of reeling in the second fish in half an hour.  The first one got away and unfortunately this one does too.

  Photo:  Arriving in Nevis with its usual cloud covered peaks

Photo:  Mike, Master and Commander, directing operations from the bow

We eventually arrive at our destination in Nevis.  It has taken nearly nine hours and we are all tired.  As usual, there is a beautiful sunset.

Photo:  Watching the sunset develop

Photo:  A sunset with wings

While I sit and watch the sunset, Johanne goes for a dip in the sea.  I make scallops with Swahili sauce.  We can’t be bothered with pasta and have Indian puff parathas instead.  It’s an early night for us all as it’s another early start in the morning.