Wednesday 8 January 2014

Friends and Yo Ho Ho

Over the NYE and afterwards we stayed Trellis Bay oh boy, in we came and saw that yes there are lots of  buoys but very close together. 
Its was a circus watching people charging for the buoys, quite scary when you see them dragging dinghies behind with the lines let way out. The whole place isn't quite up to the description we had read, just a small supermarket not well stocked a bar which is part of a hotel. An arty type shop, an "internet bar/cafe" a windsurfer place and the ferry dock. This is the place where they have full moon parties with stilt dancers and fire balls (no idea) but to be honest we guess it will be pretty rowdy later and thats why all these boats are here. So far we have seen about 8 boats ground themselves on the beach.
The night was spoilt somewhat by a squall and the noise died down when most of the dinghy's went back to their boats.
We met a couple Tony and Jill on another yacht, Nychea from Guernsey who we invited on board for drinks and tapas.
Would you believe that around 9:30 in the dark a yacht was weaving its way in between the moored boats, he only had a stern light and an anchor light on, so so dangerous we didn't hear any crunch so we don't think he hit anything. 
The wind was still quite strong out there beyond the reef its pretty much like the M1 in between the islands and you have to keep your whits about you with all this charter stuff dashing between the islands I'm sure most are "learner drivers"

The following day we headed out into "the M1" across to Cooper Island and picked up a mooring ball. A visit ashore found happy hour with some reasonably  priced cocktails. 

View from the bar at Cooper Island resort

We managed to catch up with some folks that we met in Cartagena had been in touch on the SSB radio and via their blog and the internet. So the following day we met up for the first time since they left Cartagena in 2011 and have been cruising this side of the "pond" since. Andrew and Clare have a yacht named Eye Candy, we met up and had lunch on Agua Therapy and drinks afterwards for happy hour ashore. Its great to hear their experiences and I must say Clare gave me inspiration and lots of advice, and made me realise we have way too much "stuff" which either is buried in a locker somewhere that must go. I now have decided to have a "clear-out" of lots of things that haven't been used, some things we bought with us from Spain and never been used.   

Cocktails with Andrew and Clare from Eye Candy
After a very rolly night we decided to cross once again to Peter Island and Eye Candy had beaten us to it they had set off much earlier than us.
Andrew took us ashore kindly showed us some of the island and walked to Dead mans Bay, its a very nice resort with palm fringed beaches and a spa to boot.  We all took our cosies so we could swim but Andrew was the only one that managed a dip, the weather decided that it would provide the place with a little more water for us and the vegetation it is very green never mind we are waterproof.




Would have been much nicer if it was sunny
Inside reception in the resort




Afterwards aboard Eye Candy Clare made a lovely dinner and we had a few drinks together, Andrew "The SSB Guru" spent ages helping Don with advice for the SSB radio so the "snap crackle and pop" is not quite so bad, a possible solution maybe in the future, oh no more expense and Don yet again in a hole.


Its said that Black Beard marooned 15 men on the cay with just a bottle of rum some tried to swim but didn't make it so thats where they died. Hence the rhyme came from Dead Mans Bay Peter Island

"15 men on the dead mans chest
 yo ho ho and a bottle of rum
drink and the devil had done for the rest
yo ho ho and a bottle of rum"

There are so many stories from the days of Pirates and obviously some are true when the treasure chest of "Pieces of eight" were discovered in a cave on Peter Island 160 years after being buried in 1750.

Road Town:
On our travels yet again, back to Road Town, Village Cay marina for us and Eye Candy in the anchorage close by.
The rigging guy turned up the day after he promised and just looked at the rigging, Andrew our friend wasn't too sure what he said was right so Don and Andrew chewed the cud over various options. Clare and myself had a little walk into town and bought a few "bits"
Later all of us walked into town tried to visit the museum but for some reason it was closed, this was our third attempt oh well one day.
Here are a few pics of the local tourist trap shops with souvenirs, we restrained ourselves but did watch a few folks from the cruise ships shopping.

Local shops
Both a Pirate and a Rasta monkey

The tourist traps close to the cruise docks
Don and Andrew are measuring and hopefully finding solutions for the rigging, I will post the end result next time we have the internet.

Tomorrow we are planning to leave for the US virgins to buy some extra time here to go to Virgin Gorda, we are expecting a package, our long awaited chaps for the dinghy. Note: Chaps are covers made to protect the tops and sides from wear and tear.

Ok we are off again.
BFN
Don and Glenys Agua Therapy

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