Carribean Sailing diary

Big rain storm dumps a lot. While Peter + Ron go to grocery, John + I do dishes. 9:45 Write this up. 10:07 Peter + Ron return with eggs, etc. I start to try putting my mask + new snorkle together + John sees me + suggest snorkeling now that the sun is out. So we go to dinghy to the coral reef. Big schools of blue fish again. Brain coral. Take photos with underwater camera. Mike didn't go due to upset stomach. After return, put on more sunscreen. Talk. Take photos of the bay + land. Noon: Ron + Peter are making eggs. Lunch.

Very mixed squalls + sun so far today, unlike yesterday which was mostly sunny.

12:30 Prepare to leave Cane Garden Bay

1:15 Arrive at Green Cay + Sand Spit near Little Jost Van Dyck. Take dinghy to the spit. Snorkle a bit + explore. Back at sailboat, have beers. 2:45 Depart, and stop at Little Harbor, but its windy + ugly, so go to Great Harbor (of Jost Van Dyck). 3:45 Set two anchors. Take 3 of Mike's AC & C's 4:10 Cocktails + fun chit chat. Take 3 more AC & C's. Nice sunset, and just afterward we head in to shore. Walk on beach road to explore. Buy 2 CD's + tank top. "Dread Fox" rum drink at Foxy's. Mahi Mahi for dinner + chocolate cheesecake for dessert (around 8pm) while the one man band plays ok, but not very well. Back to boat. 9:15 To bed.

Lots of intense dreams, perhaps due to the AC & C's.

Recognize my need + my ability to adapt to different periods of my life: engineer, finance, homemaker, social philanthropist, and research philanthropist. What do I envision having to adapt to next?

FRIDAY 7am Good chat with Mike about his need to be respected, not just liked. Play with Mike. Rest 7:45 Get up. Breakfast. Chat about racism. Wash dishes. Help raise anchor #2. 9:30 Write this up. 9:45 Depart Big Harbor of Jost Van Dyck. Peter drops winch handle overboard. See 4-masted WindStar Cruise ship. 11am Soper's Hole Marina for water, groceries, + ice.

11:45 Leave Soper's Hole: west end of Tortola. Use camera even though LCD is all white after only 3 photos. Sail around part of St. John, which is a US Virgin Island. I get to steer part of the way. Roast beef sandwich. Kind of a long sail, and slow at end.

When I was sailing between the south side of Tortolla + St John, the wind was strong, and Mike was saying you never get wind like that on Puget Sound unless you're in a storm. There's not much of anyplace to sail in the 48 states that both windy + warm.

2:15 Tie up at Lamshure Bay on St. John. Snorkel. Biggest fear is swimming a long distance through unknown water currents toward area of interest. Hooking up with Ron was encouraging

3:15 Drinks + a Joy shower. 3:45 Scrabble with Mike, Peter, and Garrett. Peter does very well and I come in second.

A couple from another boat invites us to a dinghy party, so we take our drinks and some crackers + cheese, and meet four other dinghys in the bay. They were all North east coasters who left on Nov 3, and sailed down the east coast. Some went via Bermuda. I think I'd get nervous being unable to see land.

Back at the boat, have cigarettes with Garret while Mike + John make salad and veggies, and Ron grills the burgers.

After dinner there wasn't anything to do but sit with Mike under the mast + look at the stars, so I was wishing I hadn't drank so much