We met some really nice people at the Blue Haven Marina. Yesterday we got fuel and tied up to the island-dock facing the entrance to the harbor. We were looking forward to an easy exit from the marina. Next time, we’ll move the boat to the end of the dock so that 120′ yachts can’t Read More
Category: BVI (British Virgin Islands) to Florida 2019
We picked up Wind Therapy from the Moorings base in the BVI in November 2019, and sailed her home to Florida.
After two weeks of decommissioning, surveys, repairs and a sea trial in the BVI, we were ready to go. Slipping off the lines was surreal. Since we put our first boat, Ru-ach, into the Moorings Charter Program in 2014, we’d been vacationing in the BVI twice a year to sail. We love the BVI. The sailing is great, the weather is predictable, and it is truly a paradise.
We always anchored in Deadman’s Cove at Peter Island on the last night of our charters. We would wake up early and sail across the Sir Francis Drake channel back to the base to drop off the boat and fly home. And in the middle of every sail back, we always asked, “Do we really have to go home?” Then one of us would respond, “Some day the answer will be ‘no'”. And that day came in November 2019.
We slipped the lines and sailed directly to Jost Van Dyke to have dinner with Randy and Lennie from Happy Together. Then we made our way across the USVI, into Puerto Rico, and up through The Bahamas to Florida.
We spent five weeks on that trip, and it was great. We hope you enjoy the journey.
Land Ho!
I can’t believe we actually did it! We sailed for 70 hours from San Juan, PR to the Turks and Caicos Islands. Last night sucked. The waves were terribly confused. I have no idea how large they were. I think maybe 287 feet. (Don’t worry, Mom. I’m exaggerating.) Things finally started calming down around 1:00am, Read More
Three Nights at Sea – Part 3
Day 3 – So we made up the saloon bed last night. We changed the shift schedule around. I was on from 2am to 5am. The moon set around 4:15am and the stars lit up like fireworks. No light pollution. Star gazing really helped the time fly by. Jeff came up at 5:00 to relieve Read More
Three Nights at Sea – Part 2
Day 2 – I survived! 24 hours at sea and I didn’t lose my mind. It was strange, really. After the whole fish thing, I just sort of sat there staring at the ocean. It’s really impressive. So beautiful and powerful at the same time. I didn’t sleep very well, and for no good reason. Read More
Three Nights at Sea – Part 1
I’ve been fretting over this part of the trip since I knew it was necessary. What the hell am I going to do cooped up on a boat for three days at sea? If I try to read, I’m afraid I’ll get seasick. I can do yoga before it gets too hot. That’ll kill an Read More
San Juan – Here We Come Again
We’re so proud of ourselves. Not to be cocky or anything, but we made it to Old San Juan without anyone getting injured and without seriously damaging the boat. That’s a big deal for us. We’ve been extra cautious, checking the weather, checking paper charts against the Raymarine charts and the Navionics charts, and always Read More
Bee Stings in Exotic Places
Still no wind. Boo. I have to keep reminding myself that engines on a sail boat are good for more than just docking, anchoring and picking up mooring balls. They’re great for maneuvering through tight reefs into a beautiful anchorage for the night. Such is Culebrita, a little island off the east coast of Puerto Read More
What Dreams May Come
This is the stuff dreams are made of. You buy a boat, put it in a charter program, learn how to sail it, learn how to fix it, retire, pull the boat out of charter, get everything cleaned, obtain insurance (that was a pain in the ass), and leave the dock. That’s the hardest part, Read More
Today Is a Good Day for a Good Day
Today was a great day. We started the morning preparing to go on our final sea trial with Geoff Williams, our surveyor, and Morgan Persaud, our favorite Moorings Captain. There was just one little problem, our batteries were dead. I guess that’s what happens when boats just sit around not being used for a while. Read More
So That’s What She Looks Like Underneath
We arrived in the BVI on November 3 to have a week-long sail with my sister, her husband and some of their friends. It was such a great week. We had an opportunity to take them to some of our favorite spots one more time before we sail Wind Therapy home to Florida. Now we’re Read More