January 31, 2012 Rum Cay

Tuesday January 31, 2012

I am so happy the sun came up and last night is over.  It was a rough one.  Nothing I couldn’t handle although I have had better sleeping nights on this boat more times than I could probably count.  I am not sure why it is me who hears the anchor letting out more chain or the halyards clanking against the mast or anything else making a complete symphony of Casa Mare’s moonlight music but it is not especially the kind of music that would put me to sleep.  I can take the rocking and rolling though, as long as I am wearing a sea sick patch.  I think this is the kind of movement that creates seasickness.  Nevertheless, I am now up and having my first cup of coffee calling last night a good night only because I did fall asleep from time to time and because it’s over.  As the coffee was perking my first duty was to try to silence that halyard and I did.  One more string instrument, silenced.   Some of the boats have already left, hopefully their destination has the wind behind them.  Our next trip will call for an overnight sail.  That will be a new one for me, heading for Mayaguana, an overnight sail, Provo, Sand Cay, another overnight then to Luperon.  We are not sure where we need to check into DR customs yet but that’s the plan anyway.  I don’t think one of our plans has been followed exactly.  In a sail boat, the winds can keep a boat in port for as ling as 2 week or more.  We are not in any kind of rush and if one had to be marooned or stranded somewhere, these islands are the place to be.  Sailboats like to be sailed, not anchored, that’s a known fact.  This morning Casa Mare’ is restless, bucking herself to cut the lines loose...I can hear it in her music but she will just have to wait.  I am slowly learning her language and what she is trying to say.

By 1:00 pm the anchor was up and we moved closer to the marina, hoping to get somewhat of a protection from the wind and surge.  The winds have been about 28 mph, nearly halfway to gale winds.  Fred found a good spot on the Explorer charts and confirmed it with the GPS on Casa Mare’.  On went the life harness and I stood at the bow looking for coral reefs between where we lifted anchor and Fred’s sweet spot.  It did make a bit of a difference.  We are still rolling some but nothing like the short distance from which we just left.  He doesn’t want to go to the marina, although it is $1.00 a foot, there is also no one around.  They don’t even answer their radio when people call in.   It is strongly recommended to call in for guidance through all the coral reefs if one is lucky enough to hail one.  We already know what it feels like to hit one with the dink, I believe we could do some damage to the boat if we weren’t paying attention or even if we were.  I don’t care for that reef watch myself.  This spot also gets us closer to the marina where we can pick up internet if in the clubhouse without getting soaked along the way, I think.

Looks like we are not leaving until at least Sunday unless something changes.  Chris Parker (The weather guru) says Sunday is the best day to go to Mayaguana, otherwise we would need to stop at a tiny island between.  If we left Sunday morning, we would most likely  get to Mayaguana sometime late Monday afternoon.  26 hours og straight sailing!  Another first for me.  I’ll take the day watch, Fred can have the night watch!  That’s how it is done when one wants to go somewhere far, far away.  There are some islands we could hit but Fred has his own agenda and so far his own agenda has been quite spectacular.  So...tomorrow is not washday as I had expected.  I want to wait until the day before we leave to get all that done.  So, we are here for another 4 more full days along with the other boats waiting for the window.  I’m sure we will have a great 4 day adventure.

Fred’s ear is much better and my leg is still healing.  I think I will walk around and get local recipes from the sweet little ladies who reside here.  They have to be easy because there is no food here.

Most of their shelves have plenty of Macaroni, pigeon peas, rice and their frozen department consists of a big chest freezer, not much bigger than the one I have at home.  What ever is in there is for sale but you have to dig to find it.  I will never complain about standing on my head to find something in my chest freezer again.  Simple life, simple worries!  I still think Hurricane Irene stripped most of their hope.  No one does much of anything here.  It seems they just exist.  My heart goes out to them.