February cruise of Lio Kai

We just got back aboard our boat after a very smooth trip. I'll post some updates here for those who are planning to come to pass on what I find out on current conditions and procedures.

We flew SEA-CTL-STT and took an Island Birds charter to EIS. It's a pricy way to go for two people, but very very convenient.
Since we were the only arrivals at the airport, the process was super fast. We had all our paperwork, the nasal swab was still unnecessarily deep, but it's over in a few seconds and there was no bleeding :-)

Unlike in December, when the fitting of the smart watches took quite a while, this time we were just given two waterproof pouches with a little tracker that we are keeping plugged in to the boat. No bracelet at all.

The Moorings base is still very quiet. All our provisions are on board and we ordered dinner from the restaurant. So far so good!

Headed from SEA-MIA-SJU-EIS leaving Wednesday night. Maybe we will see you.

Dash Away 514PC

We should be flying the Coug Flag!

We finally got our Q clearance around 5pm... email stated that "you can expect your results within 24 hours". Waited around pretty much all day until towards the end MrEZgoin did not live up to his (self-ironic) moniker, causing a lot of friction on board.

We motored from Norman to Cooper Island this morning, excited to have lunch reservations in an hour. Salt Island Passage had the roughest seas I've seen in the SFD today, but then we usually don't come this time of year.

Its going to be rough all week, plenty of wind for the sails

We had lunch at CIBC yesterday... they have been open only two days and have reduced (and spaced out) their seating, but were well attended. Nice to be back there... such a great view from the restaurant and from the boat. Never very well protected, but the reward is a panoramic view of the channel.

This has been a great place to paddleboard. The way the wind wraps around both ends of Manchioneel bay creates kind of a wind "half pipe". As you approach Quart-a-Nancy and Cistern rock, the headwind increases, but in between the wind is pretty light and you can even exploit the swirl by varying the distance from shore. I did two laps of the bay.

Today will be another day of motoring upwind to Leverick, hopefully for Valentine's day dinner in the main restaurant. Oddly, we have never eaten in the main restaurant though we have been to LB dozens of times. After that, we should have some nice sailing opportunities.

Several jet skis buzzing around Leverick today. Not a positive development :-(

Jet skis??!! I thought the queen had forbidden them!

There have long (several years at least) been a small fleet of jet skis at the Leverick watersports center. My understanding is that these were for strictly controlled and speed limited guided outings.

The activity today was more like what you sadly get in a lot of other places... either the rules have changed or possibly someone was going rogue.

Had a nice dinner at Leverick Bay. Still very quiet, there was probably only one other party arriving during our early seating. Earlier in the day we detoured through Long Bay just to check it out (we almost always have made a stop at the Dogs on previous trips). I was looking to see what the moorings were behind Mountain Point when what looked like a water taxi was coming in from port. They hailed us on the VHF to let us know we were welcome to take the ball - they had another submerged mooring for dive boats. It was a nice gesture, though we were only checking out the area. We ran into them later at the dock at Leverick. The plan is for Anegada tomorrow weather permitting.

Seeing a lot of other folks in Q with similar frustrating delays in their day 4 test on FB.

Great sailing this morning out of North Sound to Anegada... hit well over 9 kts with two reefs in the main about 80 degrees off the wind. Steady 20s gusting close to 30 - we made great time and arrived before 10 am.

I tried to set up a downwind paddleboard shuttle, but Kelly wanted me to meet him at Potter's dinghy dock and I didn't want to claw my way there from the mooring field, probably would have been exhausted by the time I made it there and the afternoon wind may have been a bit much anyway. Mostly just relaxed on board instead.

The wind calmed down a lot by evening and we had a wonderful lobster dinner at Wonky Dog. 3 boats in the mooring field and a beautiful sunset - we both couldn't believe our good fortune to be here.

On to JVD tomorrow.

We had a very relaxing sail Anegada to JVD today on a lazy broad reach.

We sighted a whale (presumably humpback) much in the same area as last January... approaching Sandy Cay. We saw it surface ahead and we must have pretty much passed over it as it dove as we saw it surface again in our wake. I had the video out and was hoping for a better look but it was more of a glimpse.

We took a mooring in front of Soggy Dollar and were once again the only boat in White Bay. We joined some people we know on a Sunsail boat at the bar for a while.
In the afternoon we headed back to Great Harbor for the night and had dinner aboard. Tomorrow we will try to make an appointment at the JVD clinic for our return covid test on Thursday.

We had a somewhat squally day in Great Harbor. Went to the health center this morning to make an appointment for tomorrow morning's exit covid test.
I had a few drinks at Foxy's... I was the only customer there and I can sense that they are very much ready for things to pick up again.

I also had a personal learning experience... yesterday we picked up a BB to conserve cash and I got a text from a guy I know on another boat that a "scammer" was trying to collect mooring fees from people on Boaty Balls. I believed it and when a guy showed up asking to see my receipt I sent him away with harsh language that I very much came to regret.

Turns out that it was a legit attempt to verify that moorings had been paid. In better times they just don't bother with it, since squatters would probably be outed by later arriving legitimate reservation holders.

I was grateful that I still got a chance to apologize for my rude behavior, but certainly learned a lesson in credulity and civility that I hope I won't soon forget.

There is no shortage of people scamming Boatyballs here in CGB. It's disappointing to me that bareboaters are willing to steal $30 from a local barely scrapping by while they sit on their $8,000 charter boat.

^That is reprehensible... especially when it's the same people talking about how they are supporting the BVI with their visit.

We had our covid test at the JVD health center early this morning, very easy compared to last time where we had to return to the base, taxi to Peebles and wait quite a while. Hopefully we will get this result sometime tomorrow.

To find the health center, take the dinghy to the public dock, walk left and turn right just before the little bridge. After you pass the elementary school on your right the health center building is next on your right.

They were unable to process our credit card, but fortunately we had cash ($160 for the two of us).

Having received transit permission yesterday, we motored from Great Harbor back to Norman Island - one of the more unpleasant stretches I've done in the BVI since we had 25-30 kt. headwind and steep 4-5 foot seas. Fortunately cats don't really pound, but it was pretty wearying all the same, speed down to 3.5 kt. at times. Didn't really have a choice though... tomorrows weather looks no different and Saturday we will be returning to the base.

Current North Swell

https://www.ndbc.noaa.gov/show_plot...uom=E&time_diff=0&time_label=GMT

Hmmm, windguru doesn't show it at all.

DDM also issued an advisory this morning for 7 to 13 ft seas.

Neither does windy

NOAA is forecasting 4' NE swell. I'm currently anchored in Magens Bay on north shore of St Thomas. There is a very very slight surge that started this PM but still negligible.

Well we are back at the dock. We didn't get our departure test results until this mornings (and after calling), but should be all set now for the return.
Wind finally calmed down today and we went snorkeling at the Indians several times over the last few days and really enjoyed it. We will look back at when we were the only boat there when we're circling waiting for someone to vacate their mooring.

One consequence of the reduced staffing at the base is that they no longer offer to dock your boat. Also, with so few boats out, the docks are packed with boats rafted up and the fairway between piers barely passable.

On the plus side, I've gotten more confident in maneuvering in tight quarters and docking the boat, but it does add a bit of stress to the end of the trip. I'm considering it a positive overall.