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Just receive this email from Traci at STT Cargo- thought i'd post it here in case someone could lend a hand in getting the message to the yacht. Thanks

-Ok, Jade, here is the strange story.

I work with the yacht carriers. I had a yacht carrier, Donaugracht, headed into St. Thomas today. They passed a vessel called Midnight. Midnight had lost their dinghy.

Well - believe it or not, Donaugracht was able to recover the dinghy that SY Midnight lost. They have hoisted it onto their deck. Donaugracht will come to the Crown Bay Ship Terminal tomorrow evening.

I need to get in contact with SY Midnight. I believe they are at the mouth of the marina there in Spanish Town.

Can you call on the VHF and relay my contact information to them . . . or take them a copy of this email?

We need to be able to get their dinghy back to them.

Please have them email me or call me: 340 690-9349.

I have left a voice mail on their phone, but when I called their number, it went straight to voice mail. I am not sure they are checking this European phone number.

I would appreciate any assistance you can offer in getting into contact with them.

I have contacted the US Coast Guard about this, but they are concerned they will create an event (man overboard or search/rescue) if they try to initiate contact. Coast Guard has asked that I do my best to reach Midnight. Hopefully, you are able to connect the final link in getting their dinghy back to them.

I appreciate any assistance you can offer.

If SY Midnight is at Virgin Gorda Yacht Harbor area, perhaps you could contact the Fuel Dock and Slip rental and mooring rental office there inside VG Yacht Harbor. If Midnight was planning on going ashore, they would have to go inside and pay for a slip in order to go ashore, perhaps to taxi to the baths , or get provisions, or go out to dinner, or up to the top of the baths. Seem like there is a good chance that the Dock Master Office might have a record of Midnight on a mooring or at slip, or getting fuel and water.
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Just FYI to others out there , bare boating, we secure the dink painter to a cleat with a proper cleat hitch, and then a bowline to bite back up of the painter and with the line secured
to the stern pulpit.
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Two quick sea tales of Dinks that tried to escape situations , that we witnessed.


* # 1.. Catalina Island dink that got away; Erica and I were moored at Cat Harbor/ A very nice couple on another boat, dinked over to talk story . We had been sitting in the cockpit of our vessel, and the wife says to us all, I AM NOT SO GOOD AT KNOT TYING THE DINGHY

We all look aft and sure enough the incoming tide has the dink floating rapidly away way. The hubby says , " I was on the swim team in college "
, He sits down his beer, and dives off the stern of our boat, and quickly reaches the dink , starts the outboard and returns his dink to our boat.

* Lesson: Have someone knowledgeable in seaman ship and knot tying secure the dink, and same for dock lines .
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* # 2....The wayward BVI ghost dinghy : ' We were under sail, just Erica and I, on the Jeanneau 36i , sailing from from Anegada to Marina Cay. About a 1/2 to 3/4 mile east off Marina Cay, we spot a drifting dinghy, No person visible. We approach, to make sure that no person was possibly impaired or lying in the dink. And to see if there was a name, or a dink number that would denote the vesse , l or charter company, We would lower sail, pick up the dink and tow it into marina cay, and try to get it back to the ownerr or bare boat company,

I also had a visual on a sailing vessel, under sail, making good speed headed away from us toward Virgin Gorda. Maybe a mile away and sailing well and fast. . I noted that vessel was not towing a dink. Betcha, that this loose dink was theirs. Well, all of a sudden they come about are are speeding, all head full, , motor and sail to get back to retrieve that dink.

I could imagine them thinking that our boat was crewed by Dinghy Pirates and were going to abscond with their dink. We just waved to them, and continued on into Marina Cay. All worked out well. They were fortunate that someone on board noticed that the dink was missing while it was still in sight of their crew or passengers.

Again, to prevent us losing the dink, we double check to make certain that the dingy painter is double secured with proper cleat hitch, and backed up with a bowline secured loop to the stern pulpit.

Just FYI, to protect us, other bare boaters or boat owners to avoid having to purchase a new dink and outboard ., . .Not to mention, having a beast of time getting ashore for the rest of their sailing vacation.

Hope that Midnight will soon be reunited with their dingy .. Fingers crossed and positive thoughts.

That's precisely the arrangement that we use. Great minds think alike!

Dan