Although it rolled a bit at night, it wasn’t particularly bad. But this morning it has gotten quite uncomfortable aboard and it’s a wild ride. I can’t even type this text right now because I need to use one hand to hold on to the boat. Otherwise I’d fall off the seat here at the computer. I can’t go inside the lagoon because it is full, and need to stay here to pick up my fuel pump later on. But I’m really learning to dislike this particular anchorage. All anchorages are rolly on occasion, but this one is always rolly – even when it shouldn’t be.
Morning
I have 2 video calls to make, then I will try to escape ashore for a bit and pick up my fuel pump at the airport and get some breakfast. Perhaps the winds will get stronger and push Zanshin to an angle that doesn’t exacerbate the rolling wave action.
Work has been no fun at all and I can tell that I’m in a crabby mood again. I’d shake my fist at the waves and damn them if it would do any good.
Noon
I had to leave the boat and pick up the fuel pump. The warehouse is next to the terminal building at the Princess Juliana Airport. From the dinghy dock at SMYC I took a bus and was dropped off right in front of the warehouse for US$1. When I found the entrance door, a security guard redirected me to a nearby tent with chairs, that’s the waiting area. 7 people in front of me and there’s no line. The approved method is to ask “who is last in line?” and remember your turn after that person. It took 40 minutes before my turn, and then only 5 more minutes to get my package and take another $1 bus back to the dinghy dock.
I’m back aboard now, but the rolling is still giving me a wild ride. Enough to make the job of installing the new pump and adjusting the timing an absolute chore; so I’m going to return to the virtual office for a bit and wait for better conditions later. I don’t want to get seasick at anchor!
14:30
I’ve capitulated and am going inside the lagoon on the 15:00 bridge. I took the dinghy inside again, and armed with the depth-sounder I found a spot which would work. I’m close to the channel but at the moment I just don’t care anymore.
I entered in the middle of the group of boats and think my bowthruster is broken, it made odd noises. My last short burst sounded really strange and I ran below to see if there was a leak inside. There’s a recent story about a broken bowthruster on a newer Jeanneau causing a sinking in the Baltic. No water, but I turned off the bowthruster and will have to inspect it later.
At 15:20 I was anchored and suddenly my life looked a lot better. No creaking, no rolling, no holding on to things to avoid falling down. I celebrated with a nice cold Presidente Beer and that killed my motivation to install the fuel pump. I’m just going to sit in the cockpit and enjoy the sensation of stillness and calm. The wild ride at anchor is, for the moment, a thing of the past.
Evening
Mark dinghied past and we decided to head ashore to the Soggy Dollar to celebrate my successful anchoring maneuver.
He departed after a while and I joined a fellow sailor for dinner at Bombay Bites across the road. I’d heard good things about it and was not disappointed. It did taste very authentic, albeit with tourist-level spicing. The papadam and naan were just right and I had a mutton Korma.
