Bermuda

The passage to Bermuda took 8 days and was mixed as regards the weather. The first two days were good sailing in sunny weather, with the occasional squall passing over. The wind gradually decreased once we reached the Tropic of Cancer and we motored for the next 5 days. We used all but our emergency reserves of diesel getting through the Horse Latitudes. There was still no wind. The Atlantic Ocean was glassy, reflecting the stars, and our wake was a phosphorescent trail. Almost as soon as the emergency reserves of diesel went into the tank, the wind came back. We heard the forecast and the small craft warning 60 miles away from Bermuda. In the end we had a tiny bit of genoa flying as we slowed down so that we would pass through the extensive reefs surrounding Bermuda in the light. The sea was soon whipped up into an uncomfortable state, which I called rough and Jeremy said was moderate. It was much colder too. Naked sailing had been replaced with woolly hats, socks, at least two layers of clothes and a jacket.

North Atlantic sunset

One advantage of calm seas was being able to take a dip in the ocean. This attracted the sea birds. As many as 7 boobies sat and watched this peculiar human behaviour! The AIS showed us 9 vessels over the duration of the passage. Three of them were going to pass within a mile of us. One was a yacht, the other two were ships. We called them on the VHF radio. Two altered course and the other kept to his course and passed just a mile in front of our bows. It seemed so close in the dark! Jeremy saw the tail of a whale disappearing below the surface ahead and there were a few tropic birds. That was all, except for fiery sunsets, beautiful dawns and amazing displays of stars.

Flat calm sea in the horse latitudes

So, what went wrong? First to go down was Navtex, our weather receiver. Jeremy took it to bits and found the circuits inside had corroded. We searched through our cruising guide and found the SSB frequency for the US Goastguard. We picked up their weather transmissions, but often missed our sea area, as they broadcast so many. Next, one of our three batteries overheated. I was very hot and sweaty in my bunk above the battery compartment one night. No wonder – I was cooking. Jeremy moved me to his bunk while he set up a fan to keep the batteries cool. He was able to isolate the offending battery and switch it off. Then, the heads started leaking. Water of unknown origin (would you want to taste it?) leaked out from under the pedestal. Fortunately, only a little water was leaking but it was going to be another job for later. Last, but not least, Jeremy noticed the stern fibre glass was flexing as Hydrovane steered the boat. We had put larger plates on the bolts on the inside some time ago. Now we would need a larger wooden backing plate to strengthen the stern. Yet another job for the harbour. Oh, the joys of sailing!

The Customs dock, Ordnance Island, St Georges

We arrived at the Customs dock in St Georges Harbour, Bermuda at 7.30am our time on 23^rd May. We soon learned that Bermuda was one hour ahead, due to daylight saving time. As Customs opened at 8.00am, this suited us fine. A very friendly, football fan officer told Jeremy the good news that Sunderland had survived relegation, once he learned of Jeremy’s home town. We filled in the forms, paid 35USD each and we could stay for 90 days, although we’ll probably only stay for a week. 

The anchorage at St Georges

St Georges is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, like the Taj Mahal. Once anchored, we slept for 2 hours then went ashore to Tourist Information. The plywood was sourced straight away from a carpenter’s shop just up the road. No charge. The battery took a little longer. Today was Friday and it was a holiday weekend, with many businesses closing until Tuesday. We met many helpful people, but it was clear that we would have to go to the capital, Hamilton, to find the battery we wanted. The next day we caught the bus and 50 minutes later we were looking for chandleries. After much frustration, we bought a battery we could top up, which isn’t exactly what we want but it will have to do. It cost 210USD. We had a look around Hamilton, which is very like any Western city, and just had to go into Marks and Spencers! We took a taxi back to St Georges, collecting the battery on the way. This cost 40USD. Bermuda is proving expensive for us.

Bermuda Day procession

Jeremy has worked hard doing the jobs. The leak in the heads has been fixed with a new jubilee clip on a hose. A new wooden backing plate has been shaped and fitted. The new battery has been wired in. A lubrication oil and filters change has been done and the diesel fuel filters, with the pipes checked for rust particles. I’ve fed the mechanic and written blogs. Navtex is beyond repair.

Colourful costumes on Bermuda Day

We went to Hamilton again on holiday Monday and watched the parade to celebrate the Queen’s Birthday and Bermuda Day. Bermuda is British Overseas Territory with strong links to the USA. The Bermudan dollar is equal to the USA dollar and just about everything is imported from America. It’s a lovely place, steeped in history with much of its heritage preserved. We wanted to stay longer but a weather window opened up on Tuesday, which we would have been fools to miss.

This costume is so heavy it needs wheels

We rushed round like headless chickens on Tuesday doing laundry, shopping, checking emails and preparing Sal Darago for her next voyage. We cleared out on Wednesday 28^th May leaving Bermuda at 2.00pm for anything from 18-25 days at sea. Our next landfall should be Horta on the island of Faial in the Azores.

Dancing in the street

British Virgin Islands

Christopher Columbus, Sir Francis Drake and other privateers and pirates must have had the same view of these islands as we had. Columbus, seeing so many islands, named them after St Ursula and the 11,000 virgins slaughtered by the Hun. The others could hardly believe their luck in finding so many sheltered bays and caves in which to stash their booty. Sal Darago entered Salt Island Sound, crossed the Sir Francis Drake Channel and anchored in Road Harbour, Tortola on 1^st May.

Emily had posted 3 asthma inhalers on 11^th April. They had not arrived at the Post Office. Jeremy went up the mast in the bumpy harbour and found two broken wires at the base of the masthead tricolour. It was no easy task to reconnect the wires while standing on canvas ladders 42 feet up from the deck, needing to hold on but also needing 2 hands to do the job. His legs were like jelly when he finally descended, job done.

Kathy has a bath in the dinghy with rain water

 Blessed rain, as they say here, fell the next day. We collected 6 gallons. Jeremy measured the lazy jacks. These are strings slung from the mast to several places along the boom forming a cradle to collect the mainsail when it is lowered. Our old ones had gone rotten due to the effects of sun and salt water. We had a wet dinghy ride across Road Harbour to Golden Hind Chandlery, where we bought lengths of 3-ply line needed for the new lazy jacks. There was much splicing practice back at Sal Darago and then horror at finding a mistake in the measurements and joy that the new lazy jacks fitted – just!

Jeremy complete with waterproof torch prepares to enter a cave

We planned 3 days away from Tortola to visit some of the other islands. There was a fabulous, hidden anchorage called The Bight, on Norman Island. To our dismay it was filled with moorings that cost 30USD per night, leaving little space to anchor. Robert Louis Stephenson based “Treasure Island” on Norman Island, after hearing all the tales of pirate hideouts and hidden treasure from his sailor uncle. We found a place to anchor in Soldier Bay on the north side.

Under water at the Indians

The National Parks Authority had put down daytime moorings at many snorkelling and diving sites. The cost for a week was 50USD (or 150USD for a year) which entitled you to spend up to 90 minutes on any of their moorings. The next morning, quite early, we picked up a mooring at the Indians, almost vertical rocks that rise up from the seabed. The snorkelling was fabulous – lots of reef fish and a variety of colourful, soft corals. Soon afterwards, we picked up a mooring at Kelly’s Cove on Norman Island. We took a waterproof torch and snorkelled into 2 caves. One was so deep it was pitch black at the end. It was quite scary. I couldn’t see the fish. What was that touching my leg? There was an amazing cavern at the end with a high ceiling – a perfect hiding place for treasure.

Back on SD, we motored round Norman Island in calm conditions and anchored in Money Bay on the south side. There was no-one there except a lone, large bonefish, which I named Norman.

Calm anchorage at Key Cay

The next day we left Norman Island and snorkelled in calmish seas at Carrot Bay and Shark Point on Peter Island. We anchored in Key Bay for the night, south of Key Cay. Swell came in overnight and it was rolly by morning. We went ashore looking for pirate treasure amongst old, twisted trees, some with as many as 10 trunks, on a strip of land between the bay and a dry salt pond or mangrove swamp. We had thunder and lightning at night – all very dramatic. Jeremy was up at midnight collecting rain water. He filled our tanks.

Tete Anglais at Norman Island

We returned to Tortola on 8^th May. We were supposed to be leaving for Bermuda today. There were still no meds for me at the Post Office. So, we sailed off for a few more days. En route to Virgin Gorda we picked up an NPA mooring off Ginger Island and snorkelled in Alice in Wonderland. The name conjures up something more exciting than it was, but it was still an interesting place to be, close to cliffs, in clear water with lots of coral fans waving beneath us. Next stop was Fallen Jerusalem, an amazing island of giant boulders of the sort we saw at Belitung, Indonesia. 

We snorkelled around, between and, in Jeremy’s case, under the boulders, even landing on a secret beach where the surf filled our swimming costumes with sand. It was sticky sand too! Quite late in the afternoon, we picked up another NPA mooring at The Baths on Virgin Gourda. Most of the tour boats had gone. Dinghies are not allowed to stay on the beach so Jeremy took me ashore, put the dinghy on a mooring and swam ashore. We walked to Devil’s Bay through giant boulders, sometimes finding ourselves in vast caves, sometimes squeezing along narrow passages and sometimes clambering over the huge boulders assisted by wooden steps or ropes. It was fascinating. We managed to get lost twice (in spite of signs and markers) gratefully arriving at the deserted and beautiful Devil’s Bay. It was almost dark when we anchored at St Thomas Bay off Spanish Town and rain was threatening.

Night approaches as we enter the fabulous Baths' formation

The cooking gas ran out that night just as the rain began and supper was half cooked. Jeremy changed the bottle. We stayed on board the following day. It rained all day. More water was collected and the day spent cleaning and doing jobs. The next day we went ashore for supplies at Spanish Town, weighed anchor on our return and motored a few miles to Savannah Bay, where we snorkelled the edge of a reef. It would have been secluded but there was a beach resort nearby. Thankfully, being the end of the season, it was quiet.

Duck or grouse?

On our way back to Tortola, we stopped off at The Baths and snorkelled from Devil’s Bay to The Baths. It was superb snorkelling, the underwater world mirroring the walk we’d done a few days earlier. There was no parcel for me at the Post Office back in Road Town. We went to the hospital and were directed to a pharmacy. They had budesonide inhalers combined with other ingredients under the brand name, Symbicort. I would have to take twice as many doses but it was the best I could do. We had to leave the next day.

We had a pre-birthday meal for me on 13^th May, cleared Customs and Immigration, had our gas bottle filled and topped up on fresh fruit, veg and meat. The next day we motored to Savannah Bay for one night and left the British Virgin Islands on 15^th May for an 8 day passage north to Bermuda.

Anguilla

 It felt good to be on British territory again. The only port of entry is Road Bay, Sandy Ground. Everyone was friendly, including Customs and Immigration. Having read that it cost 100EC dollars a day to stay overnight in the other anchorage at Crocus Bay and 15US dollars a day for daytime mooring at the outer islands, we decided to stay in Road Bay, where there was no charge. There were plenty of beach bars and restaurants. We sampled Ripples, Roy’s and Johno’s – all good. In addition, public toilets and showers were provided and you could help yourself to non-drinking water. The only drawback was the supermarket had closed and it was a two and a half mile walk to The Valley, the main town on Anguilla. A local guest house sold us a loaf of bread. We chose it, but it turned out to be a fruit loaf, which tasted just like hot cross buns – lovely on its own, not so good with ham and cheese.

Road Bay, Anguilla.

The next day we walked to The Village. There was little shade, the sun was hot and the traffic was surprisingly heavy but we were saving the taxi cost of 14USD each way. We were directed to the lovely, air conditioned library, where we were given a map of the island. Lakes World Supermarket is well stocked with everything and soon we were facing the return trip with heavy rucksacks to carry. With only half a mile to go, we were grateful when a BMW driver stopped to give us a lift.

Sandy Ground, sea to R and Salt Lagoon to L.

As you know, we like hiking so the following day we set off for the highest point, just 230 feet above Road Bay. Don’t laugh! The sun rose higher in the clear, blue sky and once again shade was hard to find. A local man called Maxwell, chatted to us and took us into one of his houses that he lets out. The view on his 40ft wide balcony straight out over the Atlantic Ocean was stunning. There had to be a short cut down to Road Bay and after a few failed attempts barred by prickly shrubs, Jeremy found a path which we later learned was used by locals to lead their horses down to the beach.

The view from Maxwell's house.

There are no public buses on Anguilla, so we hired a car for the day. Maurice is a taxi driver who also hires out cars, so we used him. We paid 35USD for the car and 20USD for a local licence. Actually, we paid in Eastern Caribbean dollars as this was the last country that we were visiting that used this currency. Our little Nissan had only one fault: the air conditioning was not working. Maurice had driven off in his taxi before we realised. Off we went with the windows open to the west end of the island. Here there are plenty of top end resorts with apartments right on the beach. Next stop was the beautiful Shoal Bay East, which we nearly did not see as there was a 5USD parking charge. We found another route down and walked on the pristine, white sand which fringed the turquoise water.

Shoal Bay East, Anguilla.

After we’d done an unscheduled circumnavigation of the cement works, we were close to the east end of Anguilla, where we found an undeveloped bay called Junk’s Hole. What a gorgeous place – a few coconut palms waving in the breeze, about eight other people, white sand, blue sea and Nat’s Beach Bar, where we had lunch. Our day ended with another visit to the supermarket to stock up with heavy stuff.

We spent our last day having lunch in Johno’s at Sandy Ground with four Britsh people from a yacht called “Low Profile”. 

Jeremy tries to move the front wheel off his foot.

The 90 mile overnight sail to Tortola in the British Virgin Islands was good. Our AIS was working well but our tricolour navigation light on the top of the mast was not working. Fortunately, we have an all round white light, which meant the ships and yachts could see us. Guess who’s going up the mast to repair the tricolour?

Nat's bar at Junk's Hole, Anguilla. It was a nice lunch too.

St Martin/Sint Maarten

We knew the weather was going to change by the end of the week, so we cleared out of Saba on Thursday morning, 17^thApril. The wind was already gusting from 5-25 knots on the mooring at 7.00am, so we put a reef in the mainsail and left. It was 32 miles to Marigot Bay, St Martin, but we knew we would be in the lee of the island for the last 10 miles. The first squall hit us about half an hour after we’d left. Heavy rain belted down and visibility reduced to half a mile or less. The waves began to build and soon they were breaking over Sal Darago and drenching the cockpit. After a short while, the squall passed and weak sunshine tried to break through the grey clouds. Whew! We breathed sighs of relief and thought the worst was over. We should have known better. Within an hour the sky darkened again and Jeremy put a second reef in the mainsail. Once again, steep, breaking waves swept over us and Jeremy noticed that our dorade air vent on the roof was facing right into the waves. This means that sea water can pour down through the saloon ceiling and drench everything below. He went forward and capped the vent hole.

The view from Fort Louis over Marigot Bay and beyond

Only 6 hours after leaving Saba, we motored into the beautiful, turquoise shelter of Marigot Bay on the French side of St Martin. (The island is half French and half Dutch. Both sides have their own currency: euros for the French and Netherland guilders for the Dutch, although both sides accept US dollars. There are also several languages spoken including English.) I felt exhausted and shell shocked, but we were still in one piece and Sal Darago had taken the battering without damage. After clearing in, obtaining maps from Tourist Information and buying a few provisions, we could relax and sleep.

Jeremy claiming Fort Louis for Britain

The next day was Good Friday. Many places were closed so we had a planning and making lists day. The wind continued to be strong and heavy showers kept passing over all through the Eater weekend. On Saturday, we caught a bus to the Dutch side, compared prices at Budget Marine and Island Water World and bought a Standard Horizon VHF radio with AIS. For the non-sailor reading this, AIS stands for Automatic Identification System. All big ships have to have transmitters and receivers fitted, which give their position and course. Our AIS is a receiver and it picks up the signals from ships and other vessels giving us their name, course and closest point of approach. If a ship is going to pass too close, we can call it by name on the VHF radio. Hopefully, we can avoid any future close encounters. We decided to buy the equipment here as this island is duty free. We also bought a pair of waterproof binoculars, which have been on our list for ages.

How many cruise ships?

Jeremy spent Easter Sunday fitting the VHF radio with AIS and I checked all our tinned and dried food items before making a provisioning list. We walked up to Fort Louis just above the bay on Easter Monday. The next day we took our laundry to Shrimpys, a great facility for cruisers located in the French canal, just before the bridge into Simpson Bay lagoon. Here, I spent most of the morning catching up with email and posting the latest blog, while Jeremy made several trips filling up with diesel at the fuel station opposite and water at Shrimpys. We spent the afternoon in the supermarket.

Rent a brolly at Phillipsburg

It was time to have a look round St Martin/Sint Maarten, so we did our own island tour on the bus (well, three buses actually, total cost for the day – $12US). The traffic is heavy on both sides of the island. The Dutch capital, Phillipsburg, was packed to overflowing with tourists. SIX cruise ships were in the port, disgorging a minimum of 10,000 visitors. Avoiding the diamond shops and expensive restaurants, we eventually found three places we wanted to visit: the small, but informative museum, the Courthouse and the restored Methodist church. Our bus broke down on the way home; it boiled over on a hill. Fortunately, we were able to catch another one but this one nearly ran out of fuel and we had to wait on the bus while the driver filled up at a garage. We find travelling this way more interesting than “doing” the islands in air conditioned taxis and a lot cheaper!

Found a church at last

On a calm Friday morning, we motored the 15 miles to Road Bay, Anguilla, another beautiful, but flat island with stunning blue bays where turtles pop their heads up and lobsters lodge in coral crevices. 

Sunset at Road Bay, Anguilla