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Thursday, February 20, 2014

Karen, Shirley, Nick & Ben

Have arrived in St Thomas for a one day quicky visit and a peek at Ocean Wings.  They are aboard Allure of the Seas and are docking in St Thomas.

We are anchored in Brewers bay. So, they are just a dinghy ride away and Gord is off to get them.

Welcome aboard











Crazy BiGGGGG dock lines





 

Saturday, February 15, 2014

Happy Valentines Day

How can there be a better place to spend Valentines than a warm tropical beach, a great band and wonderful friends.
Happy Valentines everyone back home

Crazy décor- cannons, skulls, drums and torches at Iggies in Bolongo Bay


Rockin' Band





 Lovebirds -Dennie and LaDonna from Beagle Knot

Lovebirds- Carl and Leslie from Frolic

 


Lovebirds- Sue and Gord

 

Don't tell me!  Stewed again?

 

Tuesday, February 11, 2014

Welcome back Judy Feb 2- 1114

 

 

 

 

 


 
We have really missed our fun times with Carl and Judy since Carls passing a couple seasons ago, so, we are delighted that Judy is joining us to renew old acquaintances and revisit some of her favorite Caribbean haunts.
We anchored in Lindburg bay to make it quick and easy to meet  her plane, but soon abandoned that bay in favour of Brewers which was not rockin us right out of bed. We chilled and enjoyed the beach.


Judys arrival at the airport
 

 

 
 

 
 


Superbowl was a fun night at Honeymoon Bay, with 2 big screen TVs, plenty of cold beer and tropical breezes.  A bunch of our friends headed over there and grabbed an up front table for the show. We had an afternoon swim, then settled in for the game. Everything was perfect till all the power on the island went out.  I guess WAPA ( water and power Authority) can only support a limited number of TVs at any given time.  But everyone, even the local beach bars have generators, so we were back in business in short order.



Judy & Gord


Carl, Leslie, Judy, Gord and Sparky

 

We decided to spend one more night in Brewers Bay so we could do a beach BBQ with Carl and Leslie, on Frolic, Denis and LaDonna on Beagle Knot and a new couple: Alan and Felicity on Voila, they were sitting in the bay replacing all the hoses on their boat after picking up a hitch hiking family of rats during a brief visit to the dock. Rats just love to eat holes in plumbing , hoses and electrical wires, which can be quite disastrous aboard a boat as it is kind of critical to keep the water on the outside of the hull.
We had a great pot luck BBQ and bonfire on the beach.


Sue and Judy serenading everyone 

well fed beach revellers
 

 





Its time to head out toward some of those favorite party haunts, so we head for Francis Bay, where we run into Tom and Meg on Alpha Crucis and Tim and Pam on Venture II.
Theres always lots to see heading up the channel, from kids out doing a race, schooners with all the sails flying to magnificent rainbows, that Brandyn constantly sends me.















Then there's the silly antics on the back of the boat, as Judy and I dress up in the Bambi and Darlene wigs. Gord seems to have taken a particular shine to Bambi.









Now were off to Jost Van Dyke to check into the BVIs and party at the Soggy Dollar and Foxys
The Soggy Dollar Bar is beach party central with boats ranging from sailboats, to catamarans to Mega Yachts all anchoring within 10 feet of shore to hang out on the beach, watch the bikinis and drink painkillers.

Soggy Dollar

Sun, Sand and Dinghys

Bikini Inspector

Boat Parade

At the Soggy Dollar Bar


drinking Painkillers



Beach beauty










Then heading to Foxys beach BBQ for dinner, dancing and definitely more of those painkillers.


Dinner at Foxys

Dancing at Foxys

Beer swilling Limbo dancer!!!!!

 


 


Now, as if there has not been enough partying, were heading next to The Bight at Norman Island, which is home to the famous Willie Ts.

First, A little snorkelling is in order at the Indians- some of the very best snorkelling around.



The Indians- outside Norman Island BVI





Going snorkelling at the Indians

  
Underwater at the Indians

AT WILLIE Ts
Willie Ts is a party barge, anchored in the Bight. It can only be reached by boat or dinghy and the party starts in the afternoon and goes to the wee hours, getting wilder and wilder, with naked bodies of all ages, sizes and shapes jumping off the 2nd story into the bay.
Just crazy vacationers having a really good time.
Willie Ts


contemplation

the leap

the crack


One, two ,three Jump 


the Ski shot



the dinghy Hop

why the dinghy hop is necessary


not too shy


party hardy

Bikini inspector heaven

Krull dance




After surviving all the partying, sailing back to St Thomas should be a piece of cake, but it was more like we were in the mixmaster. With huge sideways swells bouncing us from side to side. Just when we were ready to head into Cruz Bay to check back into the USA, the mixmaster took a holiday.
Stirred up gunk in the fuel was more that the engine wanted to deal with, so it quit. We aborted that stop and under sail, with no power headed into St Thomas to drop the anchor in Brewers Bay where there is lots of room to maneuver in shallow ,sandy waters.

Judy was worried about checking in and catching her plane all the same day, so, we dropped anchor and made a mad dinghy dash the couple of miles into vessel check-in in Charlotte Amalie harbour. On the way past Lindberg Bay, a floating rope attached to some lobster pots, stopped us cold.  We hauled it as high as possible and cut the lines. Someones crab traps to lie forever in the deep at the entrance to Lindberg Bay. Which truthfully, a harbour entrance is the most ridiculous and dangerous place to put out traps, much less ones with hundreds of feet of floating ,trailing rope. I think they deserved to lose them.
Needless to say, we missed check-in by a mere 10 minutes.
When we arrived back at the boat, Tom and Meg on Alpha Crucis had dropped anchor and Happy Hour with Carl and Leslie and Ladonna was in full swing. The rum was flowing and I honestly dont remember the balance of that evening.
The morning brought sunshine and farewells to Judy. We hit the check-in without incident and got her to the airport early. Gord waved the Canadian Flag from the back of our boat, as her plane soared into the sky.

Bye Judy

It was great fun Judy!!  well miss you and hope you'll come again next season.

It wasn't long before Captain Krull was doing what he does so well.....Chilling out!

Aftermath

Sailboat owners Gord and Sue aboard their 55' Whitby Ketch "Ocean Wings" share their adventures and travels as they start their retirement, living their dream of seeing the world from oceanside.
Ocean Wings is a recent purchase and our first foray into the Sailing Lifestyle. We're excited and a little scared. Join us in our adventure.