Saturday, January 8, 2011
I got going early in the morning, thanks to some big boat passing at speed and having the wake slam into the aft section of the boat. I tried to reach the internet, but it was quite slow and all I really wanted to do was wait until 10am in order to go ashore; I had 2 tasks – one to give away my old charcoal BBQ (via Jeremy at the Trellis Kitchen) as I use the propane powered one now. I had it as a “backup” system but realized a couple of days ago that in order to have it function as a backup I’d need charcoal and starter fluid aboard as well. It has now found a new home in Cane Garden Bay and will hopefully see some good use. The second reason I wanted to go ashore was to visit Aragorn’s Studio and finally buy the artwork that I’d been planning on installing on my bulkhead for 3 years. I did get the diving pelican (the price is rather steep, but it is unique handmade art) and will try to mount it this evening. After doing my shopping ashore I motor sailed to Spanish Town and cleared out the BVI with destination St. Martin. I plan on leaving tonight at around 1am and take about 14 hours for the crossing – hopefully I can sail or motor sail it if the wind shifts a little from its current SE direction. It is now almost 19:00 and I’ve decided to postpone departure by 24 hours. Primarily this is due to my forgetting to put the dinghy on the deck before sunset, but I’ll equivocate and state that this delay is because customs and immigration on the French side is closed on Sunday and I wouldn’t be allowed ashore anyway. The weather will be a bit worse, but still acceptable for this time of year. I went to Saba Rock for dinner and talk; there was a group of college kids from Tufts (9 of them on a catamaran) that were having a blast and we talked for a while at the bar until they opted to hit the Bitter End bar and I headed back to the boat. I decided to watch a movie from the 400 or so I had received and started on the “A”s, watching a science fiction flick called Aeon Flux.