February 8-9, 2012 Turks and Caicos

Wednesday February 8, - Thursday February 9th, 2012

By 8:30 last night we were asleep.  About 10:00 am we were awake.  Guess we were really tired.   Even Stasia is lying down on her back with all 4 paws straight up in the air.  She worked them hard last night too.  Steve from s/v “Chaunteeler”  hailed Fred about 3:00 and said there is a window, that he was leaving then.  Knowing what we just went through and that we had another overnighter in front of us, the so called “window” could be a good thing.  We had plenty of rest, 12 hours last night and 3 hours this afternoon.  We decided to run for it.  Anchor pulled, Fred steered her towards Provo and I quickly made a double recipe of chicken salad so we would at least have something decent to eat later on.  By sundown the weather was great.  We just started from the northern end and we perhaps should have waited until we got to the southern end to flee because this called for a lot of tacking.  I can say this leg was a lot better that the previous leg.  It just took so darn long.  Almost 24 hours.  It should have taken a little more than half that time.  We came into the South Side Marina, fueled up, topped off the water and hosed the salt off the decks.  I don’t even have the energy to put the v-berth back together.  There is a group at the clubhouse for a cookout but I am too darn tired to go.  Internet is free but we can’t pick anything up unless we go to the clubhouse.  Now they are talking about going to West Caicos and cutting straight for the DR the next day.  I finally asked Fred what our goal was.  The last thing I remember was super bowl at the clubhouse and now we are here.  I can’t believe it is Thursday.  We discussed the two stays, here or the DR and since everything is so expensive here, nothing is walkable distance from this marina, it’s mainly a place to stop over.  Fuel was almost $200.00.  Water is cheap, .15 a gallon.  They make you pay $50.00 to come into the Turks and Caicos and another $50.00 to leave, but if you stay more than 7 days you pay $300.00.  The slip is $50.00 a night.  I heard people talking and they are saying they are sorry they went grocery shopping.  I am thinking we can get by with what we have.  They have enough of our money.  Mercy!  What happened to the laid back simple life?  I haven’t even made it off the boat yet.  Guess this is the place the rich and famous come.  We decided to leave tomorrow about noon.  Fred says it would be nice to make Luperon our home port while down here and go from there.  This part of the trip is a first for both of us.  But I can say, we are half way to Puerto Rico now.  Dave From Liberty was telling Fred about the window so we will probably be traveling with them.  I guess there are lots of cruisers going to the DR Saturday.  I sure hope this forecast is accurate because they really missed the last one.  It nearly tore the boat apart.  I am tired.