Spending Christmas at home was exactly what I’d hoped it would be. Seeing family and friends, lots of good food, some time to relax, and reminding myself what cold weather and jeans and a jacket feel like. Anika came down from Holland and hanging out with her was a special treat. All too soon my…
Time for a break
After my reasonably successful kite surfing endeavors, it is time to head back to Grenada. On Thursday morning I get JACE ready, make one more quick run ashore for another block of ice (how I have been keeping some base level of refrigeration), and then it is time to weigh anchor. By now I have…
Kite Surfing
Kite Surfing is one of those things I have been wanting to try for a long time. I see a lot of it in the San Francisco Bay Area, on the bay or out on the coast when I bike there. It looks so fun! But the local water is just way too cold for…
Four days with Matt
I have a fast and mostly uneventful downwind sail from Bequia to Carriacou’s Tyrrel bay with an overnight and customs clearance at Union Island. “Mostly” because I manage to fall asleep while on autopilot and wake up from the shouts of a closely passing catamaran. From the looks of it I didn’t honor their right…
Chilling in Bequia
My first night in Bequia is quite uncomfortable. The spot I chose to anchor, turns out to be exposed to a swell rolling in from the open sea. Unfortunately, the wind is perpendicular to the swell, so the latter hits us squarely from the side, making JACE roll fairly wildly side to side. At first…
JACE in her element
I had planned to stay here in Canouan for one day and take a walk to the windward side of this narrow island. But the anchorage is not great, the wind wrapping around the headland and almost making it a lee shore. I still put the dinghy in the water, grab my stuff and motor…
Thanksgiving in the Tobago Cays
With a day delay (see last post) I head out of Union Island’s Clifton Harbor. After an eventful night with multiple downpours and me attending hatch duty, it is dark clouds and boisterous this morning with 20kn winds and only over the last hour the sun has come out and the wind lessened a bit….
Exploring Carriacou
Not to worry – I am alive and well. Been slowly getting used to cruising life and not feeling like writing. So let me catch you up: I arrived in Carriacou’s Tyrrel Bay on Tuesday just before sunset. I wake up to a cloudy and windy morning. No matter; I had already decided to stay…
The journey has begun
As promised the weather has turned and is sunny, at least for now. So no more excuses, skipper, it is time to head out. I get up early, do a quick 500m swim around a few of the boats, do abbreviated breakfast (you all know what by “normal” breakfast looks like!) and grab the dinghy…
First sail
I did it! Albeit with a little help. My friend Aaron had mercy on me and gave me company. And he really enjoyed it. After working so hard on JACE all summer, he certainly earned it. In the morning I finish a few loose ends while waiting for Tevin to finally replace the fridge thermostat….