As I’m writing this its 50° rain and wind from the NW at 20 mph…pretty nasty for the Texas Gulf Coast. I’m beat so you will have to excuse grammar and spelling but I wanted to finish before my old memory starts to fail.
Our mostly aging crew consists of; a bar owner, retired banker, contractor, collage instructor, ice machine salesman, and an assistant controller of a large refinery services company (sounds a little like a Toby Keith song don’t it?)
These old sea dogs have slowed a little but still enjoy “barking through the fence”!
Thursday November 19th, 2009 – IAH/SJU Continental did a nice job and right on time but too many Platinum’s on board I missed my upgrade by one.
On to the Best Western to await Kelly’s Sprite flight at 11:30 pm. The flight was delayed; glad we didn’t stay off the airport we would have had a bunch of cab fares and no sleep at all.
All in all Sprite did a good job and Kelly’s 2A seat became a “big front seat” both ways…the booking showed the smaller Air Bus with only 6 big seats; we paid for a regular seat.
Best Western SJU was basic but works if you get in late and leave early…the restaurant is not the best…correction its bad! We hit the rack about 1:30 am.
Friday – SJU/EIS on Cape Air (Note: get to TSA early; it was the worst!) Cape Air did a great job; the view of the ilons from the small plane made if a fun ride…we will fly them again.
Our land based friends picked us up in one of Jerry’s Montero’s and we were off to Voyage at Soper’s Hole.
We eye balled Freedom but couldn’t get aboard until 5pm; what a beauty (more later on this amazing cat in a boat report). Tim and I unloaded the bags and left the girls to shopping and lunch at Pusser’s.
Off to Bobby’s in Road Town to meet Beverly Noel our cook and now a new friend and a great crew member. Beverly flipped open her note pad and we completed shopping for 8 people for 8 days on about 2 hours! (If you have more than 6 on board a cook makes your life a lot easier).I had previously ordered online, drinks, wine, paper, snacks, etc from RiteWay and TICO. Beverly arranged for both delivery and an additional discount.
Back at the boat the girls were just finishing lunch; so the first round of “boat drinks” started at Pusser’s Landing.
About 5pm Bev and the Bobby’s order arrived followed in short order by TICO and RiteWay. Bev stowed all the orders; food, booze, paper, everything and tossed all the trash in less than an hour…I’m liking this new crew member more and more!
The rest of the crew trickled in by ferry and plane for the first night sleep aboard.
Saturday – Kimo’s checkout was fast and professional; he used Freedom to brief two other 500 crews in addition to Ronnie and me. We had a small problem with one shore power cable which Raene fixed promptly and we were on our way.
On to CCB where we rendezvoused with Tim and Jill (shore based at Long Bay). We met Manpot, Island Jim and their lovely wives at Myett’s. Good drinks and conversation got the first happy hour off to a great start.
Back to the boat where Bev had prepared all the sides to go with some excellent fillets (Sterling Silver Prime) Tim brought from Phoenix…steak, wine & good friends all moored on a great boat in CCB. I would say that’s a pretty good way to start a sailing vacation!
Sunday – I awake to the smell of coffee and bacon frying…doesn’t get any better than that!
Then off to Kingfish Banks for a few hours fishing. We start to get a feel for Freedom as we made a few passes over the banks. Most of our time has been in the Moorings 50 mono hulls; this big cat is a different breed.
We landed several Bonito; not our favorite but we said if we don’t catch fish we don’t eat.
Picked up a ball at Diamond Point, did a little swimming and kayaking then enjoyed a sunset happy hour. Beverly cooked up the catch of the day; both the fish and presentation were very good.
Monday – Woke up to another great breakfast, I guess a summation on the meals would be in order; Beverly was with us for one week…Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner (except one night for Lobster) all were from very good to excellent! I highly recommend a cook aboard if you have 6 or more people.
Off to the Bubbly Pool…my first time and we loved it! (Note: follow the beach to an arrow pointing to the path to the big rock steps half way up the rock take the left path not the right).
We stopped for drinks and a little shopping at Foxy’s Taboo then back to the boat for lunch. (Note: the staff at Taboo was less than friendly)
Quick sail back to CCB to pick up water; more on the water tanks (small) in the boat report. Starting to love this cat; walks side ways just like an old Navy LCM Landing Craft; put it on the dock like we knew what we were doing.
Off to pick up one of the new balls at Great Harbor; thank you very much Paul.
Most on board hadn’t been to White Bay; a fun and sun afternoon was topped off with drinks at Foxy’s before dinner…a few made it back to Foxy’s after dinner but not the captain; I may have had one to many Painkillers at the Soggy Dollar.
Beverly prepared an excellent coconut shrimp for dinner.
Tuesday – underway for Anegada and back over the Kingfish Banks again caught Bonito all the way and threw’m back.
The wind was 18 knots +/- right on the nose and two of the crew were getting sick so we finished the last two hours motor sailing to shorten the suffering of the afflicted.
We spotted the red and green buoys and motored right in…thanks to Walker’s chart.
I was stunned by the number of boats in Anegada; all the balls were full and 20 +/- were on the hook! We eased in behind the mooring field and dropped a lunch hook. Beverly had another great meal prepared and kept watch for an opening on the mooring balls. (I was comfortable with our hook but Voyage asked me to sign an Anegada waiver that included a requirement to pick up a ball).
Bev spotted a boat leaving so we hopped too and grabbed the ball.
Most jumped ship on the dinghy and or the Kayak; Bev, Kelly and I stayed on board and watched the Sun Sail Anegada Flotilla arrive from North Sound; I don’t like to be critical but I can’t believe some of the people they turn loose with these boats! Beverly knew both the Sun Sail lady captain and Hostess who stopped by for a chat and shared even more horror stories.
Wednesday – Lay day in Anegada; Kelly and I headed over to Cow Wreck where we met Walker (Note: at home we live about 3 miles apart). What a great place; we will be back.
Alex was a very engaging bartender and it seems he was also the lead singer that night at Anegada Reef Hotel.
The lobster dinner at Anegada Reef Hotel was good and so was the band…this was the captains first lay day and I put it to good (er…bad) use; we danced the night away including a floor show where Ronnie and I channeled Jake and Elwood of Blues Brothers fame. Photo evidence exists but no video, thank god!
Thursday (Thanksgiving) – the crew is feeling a little rough but managed to get under way for Leverick Bay.
This was the best sailing day so far; on a broad reach doing 9+ knots…Bam! Two big Dolphin fish hit at the same time; what a rush and an even bigger rush we managed to get both in the boat!
I know guys, you want all the 411 on the Dolphin catch and I will get back to your pm’s this weekend. My old hand held GPS (18 years) crapped out this trip but I laid it out on the chart; we were close to 18° 35’ N 64° 23’W (if its wrong I’m tired). I think they travel in schools and we got lucky and busted one.
Tim and Jill caught up with us again at Leverick and joined us for Thanksgiving and the Island tour.
Nick stopped by and we availed ourselves of his great hospitality. We had hoped to meet Mdolye9999 but the Thanksgiving preparations and the general poor condition of the crew after overdoing the night before we just ran out of time (you just can’t seem to get it all in). Sorry Mike, hope you had a great sail to Anegada.
We said goodbye to Bev on the 3 pm North Sound ferry after she had helped Ranee all day with the Thanksgiving TerDucHen dinner.
Ranee absolutely out did her self; how she got that great meal out of one small boat oven is nothing short of magic!
This year we had a lot to be thankful for as was expressed all around this Thanksgiving table.
Friday – Bev arranged with her friend J D to pick us up in his bus for an island tour including a stop at the Mine Shaft and lunch at the Mad Dog + a few hours at the Baths (Note: 25 years ago those big rocks were much easier to climb over and around: I wonder why?).
J D stopped at the market in Spanish Town to pick up a few items for Ranee’s Maui Maui dinner.
Ranee out did herself again; the Maui was excellent! (This East Texas girl catches, fillets and cooks’um Ronnie is a very luck guy!)
Four of the crew made the Jumbies Party the rest were beat…sorry Nick I owe you a cold one.
Saturday – Up and out fairly early to the Bight…no wind had to motor sail the whole way. Caught a few more Bonito along the way; the reality of this being our last night was starting to set in. (Note: the big cat makes a much better motor boat than a big mono)
Wanted to stop at the Indians but all the balls were taken with one boat waiting.
Picked up a ball and off to the caves for some snorkeling after two days of light winds we had great visibility.
We celebrated Ronnie and Ranee’s third anniversary at Pirates Bight; these guys have great food…Chicken, Ribs and Lobster.
Sunday – Back to Soper’s and turn in Freedom…as expected the Voyage debriefing and check in was smooth and efficient.(note ran the generator all but two days and motored most of two days; the fuel cost: $240)
Sadly had to put Kelly on a taxi at 9:30; she was due back in Ft Myers to educate the youth of this great country!
Beverly met us at the dock with her lovely daughter and her significant other Mike for goodbyes all around…what a wonderful lady. She’s studying for her captain’s license; maybe when I’m too old she can take me around the ilons.
Dick, Sue, Mike and Peggy were off to Long Bay; Ronnie, Ranee and I went cheap and checked in at Rhymer’s…its ok for one night; $76.05 for a single looked pretty good after 10 days of spewing out money (1/2 the clothes and twice the cash!!!). The bed and shower were ok and the AC was cold; it worked for me.
I know I’m getting old but I experienced sticker shock at every turn this trip. (A liter bottle of water with lunch at Pusser’s Leverick was $10!!!)
Ronnie and Ranee are staying for three days and rented a car; I took them to Bananakeet for sunset drinks and Ronnie booked a table for the following night. Bananakeet has absolutely the best Pimm’s Cup!
Down the hill to Palm’s Delight but they were closed for a community meeting; we cruised on back to Cruzin for dinner. Service was a little slow but a wonderful meal; nice and cool under the trees; had a few cold ones while we waited for pizza, shrimp rotis and shrimp pasta…all were excellent!
Monday November 30th 2009 – Happy Birthday to me (my 64th) a fitting end to a “Lovely Cruise”.
Up early for a swim and breakfast at Rhymer’s then back to the room and read for an hour or so; all in all a very nice quite morning.
Lunch with Ronnie and Ranee; introduced them to the great sandwiches at Internet Café before they dropped me at the airport.
Cape Air back to SJU was interesting; looks like they had 13 people to go on the 2pm so they sent two planes 7 on one and 6 on the other, I liked that. Turns out I had Mathew for a pilot both ways (I have a private ticket but haven’t been current for years…this guy was smooth!)
On to Houston on Continental (again missed the upgrade) but had the exit isle seat both ways. Customs and TSA were no problem this time; I guess you have to be there at 3pm on a Monday?
Dropped my bags in the living room about 10 pm a very tired but happy sailor!
Indulge me a personal reflection:
I fished and dived the Florida Keys for the first time in 1969 and moved to Andros Island Bahamas in 1972 as a Civilian Ocean Operator on the Navy’s AUTEC Project. What a great world we live in that allows this old country boy from Missouri to still be enjoying the ilons 40 years later.
I hope to post pics this weekend
MM
