April 4, 2012 West Caicos

Wednesday April 4, 2012

Yesterday, around 4:00 pm we dropped anchor at West Cacaos , ate dinner and tried to get some sleep since the plan was to leave at midnight and head for Mayaguana.  I guess about 9:00 I heard Fred stirring in the Salon and quietly asked, are you still awake?  “Ummm Hummm” he replied.  “Me too, I cannot fall asleep but I know it is too early to leave because we could not enter Mayaguana in the dark because of all the coral reefs and heads.”  He got up, grabbed his leftover salad from dinner and I heated up some leftover stew.  He wasn’t that hungry, and really neither was I but I knew I had to get something in my stomach or else I may get sick.  I studied the chart and went back to the V-Berth to rest and Fred said, lets go.  Off we went, in the dark of the night with nothing but the light colored cliffs glowing in the moonlight and a few vessels anchored just East of us.  The seas were rolling and the wind was blowing, perhaps enough to sail all night.  About an hour into the trip, I was up there freezing.  I had put my sweats and heavy sweatshirt on and still was cold so I said I was going below to warm up.  I madse him some coffee made sure he was all set and laid down, cnd just could not get warm.  This was the first time I hd experienced cold since we left...this cold anyway.  I lay there in the salon still could not sleep and finally warmed up.  I have not idea what time it was but Fred came down and said he was cold.  I suggested a heavier sweatshirt but he said that was the only one he brought.  So I did what and Admiral would do for their crew...gave him my sweat pants to put on so he would be warmer up there.  (They are too big for me anyway)  I fell asleep until daybreak, just as the sun was rising over the distant horizon.  I threw on another pot of coffee and welcomed the warm rays as we sat in the cockpit.  Later, he sent me to the bow for Coral head watch.  This is the only job I have that makes me extreamly nervous, putting that responsibility on me so Casa Mare’ would hit one.  We were heading East, and the sun was glaring on the water ahead of me.  I couldn’t see a thing but stood watch anyway, saying a prayer, checking in with God and making sure he was watching over us.  By 9:00 we dropped anchor and she was snubbed nice and tight.  Fred turned the motor off and said good night.  I put things away, had a glass of OJ and wanted to journal a bit before I too tried to get some sleep.  The hatches are tapped shut so we only have a slight breeze coming through the ports.  I think Fred is too tired to care and I think a rest is due for me also.  I have lost track of the days, last I remember was Monday morning….I think we are getting too old for this overnight travel.  Fred agrees!  We have no idea how long we will be here, the “Q”uarantine flag is up and we will check into immigrations later on in the day.  I am grateful to have made it here, and that part is behind us.  Time to rest up and enjoy!

Slept until 5:00.  Time for dinner so I made chicken salad.  Fred is still sleeping, I am going to let him sleep.  I had forgotten what it was like to try to sleep in a rolling boat because Luperon harbor has no sea swells.  I actually got rocked to sleep!  Felt good.  It is still cold out there.