Back on the broomstick

We finally cut the umbilical chord on March 9th ( would have been Mums 90th birthday), and inched our way out of TOBY , with a little help from our friends. True to form, Meriva ground to a halt as Tristan avoided the ferry. We were stuck aground. Keith was brilliant and nudged, badgered and like us probably cursed her out of the mud and into the channel. 

We still made the bridge and pushed ahead of everyone before anything else could go amiss. The brilliance of Marigot Bay took your breath away......this was what we had signed up for. It was so good to be floating again.

Marigot Bay

Marigot bay with Cranky in the background

Celebratory cigar! Followed by another .........

We had intended to go in for a drink with everyone but the outboard wouldn't start, it was blowing strong and a long way to row. Help was on hand and thanks to Chris, Fynn and Oscar in their rescue dinghy we made it in to spend our last night in Time Out Boat Yard with the good friends we have made. 

I think a combination of Rose wine, strong winds, lumpy seas, Tristan cursing  the outboard,  and the fact it had been nearly 10 months ashore....I felt sea sick and we hadn't gone anywhere.

One scopoderm patch and I felt fantastic....ready to face our new adventure, jump on the broomstick and sail away.  The next day we went around to Simpson Bay to see our friends, Linda and Andy for a night, then left.....direction, South!

Wind guru forcast a steady 20 knots and 2 metre seas from the east......slightly under estimated. We had nearly 3 metres, very short wave period, winds easterly with a bit of south in. It was baptism of fire for our first sail. Everything went fine, a few pumps on the bilge but nothing to worry about. Looks like Tristan's hard work has paid off. 

We approached the gap between St Kitts and Statia....the seas dropped, wind eased and it was one of the best sails we have had in the Caribbean. 

We anchored off Basseterre tired but smiling. Checked in, stocked with fresh food and decided to hide for a few days and enjoy. 

We anchored off White House Bay........but were declined entry to the beach bar dock as it was for clients only. We wanted a drink but were told to land the dinghy on the reef lined beach by a jobs worth security guard. So, we eschewed that drink...

We were told they had put a dingy dock for people to use in the marina.

The new marina 

Meriva at anchor

Thank god we didn't dinghy round.....it's a building site with nothing there but concrete pontoons for very large yachts. We did walk over to look at the plans for the salt pond and were rewarded by seeing monkeys! 

 

Green vervet monkeys

We went over to sand bank bay. It was deserted, covered in Sargassum weed with a couple of private clubs off the beach. 

Sargassum 

Tristan pointed out the sewage discharge point..I'm getting him trained. It's on a windward beach!

We left St Kitts and headed over to Nevis, another brilliant sail  and have spent a few days chillin off Pinneys Beach. Quiet anchorage apart from at night!   At 3.15 am the Friday night music stopped.  I'd spent an hour in the cockpit, unable to switch off from listening to reggae, enjoying the fish leaping and the waves lapping around the boat.The stars were bright and at last I saw the southern cross. I always look for the three stars that make up the belt of orion and think of my girls, but Tristan had talked about th southern cross, visible  in Australia.  It was rising just above the horizon.....so I spent time thinking about Amy in Melbourne. 

The red beach umbrellas look inviting!

Nevis in the background.

 

This island is so relaxing.....no hustle and bustle, laid back and friendly, very friendly, the folk here are lovely! We ventured ashore paid our mooring fees and took a ride up to the botanical gardens and hugged a few trees, not many though as they had spikes on the trunks!  It was peaceful and deserted!  We ate in the Thai restaurant and had a stroll down to the road back into Charlestown Harbour, the capital of Nevis.  

We have relaxed after a hectic few months and we are enjoying being on holiday again. It's not easy to do nothing, takes practice.