We have to wait for the provisioning to arrive and despite many phone calls to Bobby’s the delivery is late. Since they started putting this order together yesterday, there’s really no excuse for this.
They manage to get the order wrong by not using the correct spreadsheet, duplicate some stuff, leave other stuff off and substitute incoherently. I am really pissed off with the service especially as I went into the store to talk to them about the order yesterday. I will not use them again but will use Riteway next time and do it myself.
The engineer arrives and refills the freezer with gas. Just in case, we add lots of blocks of ice in the bottom to keep it cold.
Mason and Matthew, 7 and 10 respectively, are so eager to get in the water that they get one of the kayaks out so they can paddle around the docks while they wait for the boat to be ready, then finally we head for the Indians but the mooring balls have all gone and go instead to the Caves at Norman Island before heading to The Bight for an overnight. In an attempt to wear the boys out, Donna and Bryan take them over to the beach in the kayaks but they still seem full on energy when they return and swim around the boat.
The next morning, on our way to Soper’s Hole, one of the blocks holding the dinghy to the davits suddenly breaks and the the dinghy plunges into the sea, left dangling from the one davit. Luckily it’s the front end that takes a dive, not the outboard motor end, and although the gas tank comes detached, Bryan is able to grab it with the boathook. We lose one of the oars though.
Once we reach Soper’s Hole, Mike finds another block and fixes it on, clears the fuel hose of salt water and once again gives us a working dinghy.
From Soper’s Hole we head around Steel Point for White Bay, JVD, then Great Harbour. I cook all the food in the freezer. The continual dripping from the freezer as the ice blocks melt is a pretty good indication that re-filling the freezer with coolant has not solved the problem and the freezer is only working like a fridge. I marinate shrimp for that evening’s dinner, chicken for tomorrow’s dinner,I and cook a huge vat of bolognaise sauce. Generally it’s a hot sweaty day in the galley
The promised clouds appear and we have some intermittent rain on the way to Monkey Point for snorkelling, which reduces the visibility for everyone, then we go over to Trellis Bay. We head for Marina Cay first but the weather turns nasty and Mike changes his mind. That night the tropical depression blows through and the wind gets up to 38 knots, howling all around with really heavy bursts downpours of rain.
Sunday its over to The Dogs for more snorkelling. Someone spots Jeannius and comes over to the boat to say hi and that he’s been reading my blog. Fame! After that it’s off to Leverick Bay in the hope that the Puerto Rican Navy has left after the festivities of Christmas in July. Quiet as anything until about 6 pm then they all come screaming back and party until about 3 in the morning. With the air conditioning on and the fan, I block the noise out. Safely attached to the dock, Mike takes a pill which does the same thing.
Monday sees us at The Baths. Although we arrive early, all the mooring balls are taken and we anchor. Then its off to Spanish Town for our guests to do some shopping before going over to Marina Cay for the evening.
Tuesday is the last full day so Mike takes us to just off Salt Island so our guests can snorkel over the wreck of RMS Rhone. The visibility is excellent when we arrive and everyone can see the different parts of the wreck.
We spend the evening on Cooper Island for dinner, courtesy of our guests. The re-modelling of the bar and restaurant areas have been completed since we were last here two years ago and it looks absolutely fab. The setting has always been a favourite of mine. Not so good is the fact that you now have to walk along the beach to get to the restaurant (there used to be a path) which means that you end up taking your sandy feet back to the boat.
On the final day we back to Tortola although kids are out on the water before breakfast – they never stop! It’s great to see that there’s not an electronic device in evidence with these two! Unfortunately, hoping for a great last day’s sail, instead we return to Road Town under a heavy tropical downpour. Bryan stands and rinses off in the rain, Mike takes the helm but the rest of us scuttle inside and put the air conditioning on. After a quick exploration of the shops in Road Town, our guests depart after lunch and Mike and I take our first afternoon nap. Well, that’s not strictly true. I did manage some afternoon cabin time a few during the week!
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