Day 4 started with a light breakfast aboard of cereal, fruit, juice and coffee. We were determined to get away as early as possible, and arranged for a 9am departure time.

Captain Jay climbed aboard and we quickly slipped our dock lines and headed for the middle of Charlotte Amalie harbor for a quick sail-check. We pulled up the main, unfurled the jib and soon we were sailing. Did a couple of tacks and a chicken gybe, and headed back to CYOA. They sent out a small yellow dingy to pick up Captain Jay, he stepped off and the little ship was ours! This is one of my favorite times of the charter. The boat is ours, and the world is our oyster! It's hard to describe the feeling!

It's a mixture of this <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/pirate.gif" alt="" />, this <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Banana.gif" alt="" />, this <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/usflag.gif" alt="" />, this <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Cheers.gif" alt="" />, and this <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/dance.gif" alt="" /> !!!

We slipped behind Hassel Island, down West Gregerie Channel and into the Caribbean Sea. Then my second most favorite time of the charter happened: we turned off the engines and we were sailing! The warmth of the morning sun on your face, the smell of the salty air, the caress of balmy island breezes, the quiet whisper of the boat slipping through the water... it's just impossible to describe it adequately! Pure joy.


St. Thomas in the rear-view mirror with our two ladies at the helm.



We made a course south of Culebra with both sails on the starboard side, and when the proper bearing allowed we chicken-gybed around and set sail for just north of Culebrita, our destination for the night.

Half way across we called customs (877)-529-6840 to check in, but with Canadians aboard they were a little more finicky than usual, and asked us to call them when we arrived in Culebrita, which we did at about 2:30pm. Unfortunately, we got no cell service in Bayo Turtugas, and had to slip our mooring and head back out to get a signal. After a little phone-tag with 1-3 bars they tired of the game and told us to go into Dewey, which was exactly what I was trying to avoid. They also said they might want to board us. Canadians seem to have developed quite an evil reputation in the SVI. <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/jester.gif" alt="" /> <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/duh.gif" alt="" /> I knew they would never bother to board us, but we had to play the game.

So we motored down the inside channel, slipped into Ensenada Honda, dropped a lunch hook at 3:50pm off Dewey (I didn't even back down on it) and we called them, determined to get out of dodge that afternoon and back to Culebrita.

Finally we had a good cell-signal and we soon had read all the names and addresses and passport numbers off. The office then said they'd call the local customs office at the Culebra airport and see if they wanted to board us. I looked at my watch - 4:05pm. I'm thinking that there's no way that customs is gonna leave the airport to do a boat check so close to O-beer-thirty. Five minutes later I get the call back "No boat-check will be necessary." Ha! Called that.

So we quickly weighed anchor, reversed our course, motored back up the inside channel and picked up a mooring off Culebrita at 5pm on the dot.

Ahhhhh. Time for a well-earned green bullet! (Heineken) <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Cheers.gif" alt="" />

Here's a picture of CYOA's sister catamarans "Glad in It" and "Big Papa Lulu" in Bayo Tortugas, Culebrita.




We were soon grilling burgers and dogs on the stern rail. One of my favorite ways to cook on a boat. Big Papa has the grill connected directly to the LP Gas bottle system so it couldn't be easier!