Faith's Virgin Island Charter

[Captain Smollett]

Here's the SPOT update as of 1306 on 8 May.  

[Captain Smollett]

Update as of 0803 10 May:

[Tim]

Thanks for posting this Captain Smollett, there is some free wifi in North Sound, perhaps we will hear from them if they go up there.

[Tim]

Spot update; Friday May 11  11:43 AM
L&L 18.31709   -64.61584

[Tim]

Update #22 
L&L  18.34291  -64.79205

[Tim]

This is interesting, I just checked again, and  they are in the same anchorage and there is one less "Spot" message from earlier today.  :o I hope they didn't sink!!!

[Tim]

Oh good they didn't sink, rather they went to the US Virgins

[CapnK]

Oh good they didn't sink, rather they went to the US Virgins

Craig told me that, years ago in his former life as a serving member of the US Armed Forces, he'd been on a US Navy ship anchored in that bay. He was amazed at the idyllic beauty of the place, and wondered what it would be like in different circumstances. So he promised himself that sometime in "The Future", he'd come back - on a vessel that wasn't carrying hundreds of other servicefolk, and with more time to explore and enjoy...

Looks like he made it. :)

[Tim]

Can't wait to hear the trip report, a grog for sharing that CapnK

[s/v Faith]

The worst time to try to log a journey is at the half way point.. but that is exactly where I am.

Not everything has happened yet, but the events of the first half have already started to blur.

After trying for hours to get a connection here, I seem to have a very slow one here this am.

I am anchored at Francis Bay, on St. John in the USVI.  We have been underway for 10 days now, and have made a slow half round of Tortola where we stated out (Road Town).




Flying down was something of a fiasco as I failed to actually LOOK at the tickets I had purchased.  The route to 'Beef Island' on Tortola was from Puerto Rico... not so bad but it went through St. Thomas first.  We flew from Pensacola to Miami, then to St. Thomas where we had to go through the TSA screening / customs & immigration AGAIN.  I know that I seem to have a 'thing' with US border payroll, but really... getting screened because I fly in from Miami seems a little excessive.

The good folks at Conch Charters had the boat ready for us when we got there.  It is a Jenneau 43 DS that was built in 2002 and has been in the Charter fleet with Conch and with Sunsail before that.



The Sailor who takes care of their boats is a guy named Ross, he does an amazing job.  Everything on the boat works.  I have not been particularly impressed with the roller furling main, but that is not the fault of the charter company.

Wing and Wing;



We sailed out on the 6th, we were missing 3 bags lost in transit.  No problem, Tortola has an anchorage at the airport.

Trellis Bay at sunset;



Trellis Bay describes it's self as an 'Artisans colony' and they are located about 2 minutes from the airport.  I think any place that would desire to be civilized should adopt this arrangement.



Waiting at the marina for bags was significantly less cool then waiting on the mooring at Trellis bay.

We just missed the 'Super moon' party on the beach.

 They have a series of iron sculptures that they set ablaze every month when the moon is full.



I really like the idea of a monthly party for the full moon.  Aargons Studio makes ceramics, t-shirts and other crafts as well as hosting the party
every month.

Once we recovered the wayward bags, we sailed out to

[Captain Smollett]

Once we recovered the wayward bags, we sailed out to

Oh man, it's like the season cliffhanger on a TV show....


;D ;D

(Hope all's well, that you did not get cut off cuz lappy died or something...)

[Captain Smollett]

Update 16 May, 2012, 1437:

[Tim]

Once we recovered the wayward bags, we sailed out to

Oh man, it's like the season cliffhanger on a TV show....


;D ;D

(Hope all's well, that you did not get cut off cuz lappy died or something...)

After my experiences with Wifi down there, we are lucky we got anything from Faith

[Frank]

hope they didn't sail off the edge of the earth  ???

[Captain Smollett]

This is interesting, I just checked again, and  they are in the same anchorage and there is one less "Spot" message from earlier today.  :o I hope they didn't sink!!!

I've noticed that the SPOT 'flags' disappear after so many days.  Thats the reason Craig wanted us to capture the images.

Also, I'm saving all the update emails to give him all the lat-lons when he gets back so he can reproduce the whole enchilada.

It's a shame, really...SPOT is pretty cool.  Not sure what they are saving by dropping your data points - a few text characters in a database?

[Jim_ME]

I've noticed that the SPOT 'flags' disappear after so many days.  Thats the reason Craig wanted us to capture the images.

It's like when Hansel & Gretel left the trail of bread crumbs behind them in the forest to use them to find their way back home...

Seems like they should have a default period of time for these spot flags that is much longer, and maybe allowing those who want to have them expire sooner to control that setting to do so (say if you want to protect your location privacy, or are engaged in pirate activities, etc...) .  ;)

When I first saw the thread subject I thought... Wow that seems like a long way to bring [S/V] Faith just to charter her out...  ;D

Fair winds on the rest of your adventure, crew of Faith and guests.
Looking forward to a full report [with lots of photos], too.

[s/v Faith]

Thanks Jim,

  While I have been very good to s/v Leto, I will say that I am probably in the minority.  Most charter boats are tortured mercilessly..... I could not imagine Faith ever being subjected to such a thing.

[s/v Faith]

Laying to a National Park Mooring here in Watermelon bay, on St. John.

I think that the last 5 days have been spent on St. John now, and it has been well worth the investment of time.

Lots of wildlife (this was taken at Waterlemon Bay);



In addition to sailing, I love to hike.  St. John is described as a 'hikers Virgin Island'.  Yesterday I was anchored at Coral Bay, and hiked over the ridge to where I could see this anchorage...   This evening I hiked back over the ridge and bought the t-shirt there that my dad wanted.  ;D

[Tim]

Latest;



http://sailfar.net/gallery/displayimage.php?pid=1704&fullsize=1

[s/v Faith]

I know... I know.  I am not a great job with the updates.... I will go back and fill in the blanks later.

Laying to a moorning at Sophers Hole (West end, Tortula).  Going to top up on fuel and water and head to Jost Van Dyke.   Used up the water this am with showers for all and some bucket laundry in anticipation of getting filled up.

Yes, we did spend a long time on St. John.  It is labeled as the 'most hiker friendly Virgin Island', and I really enjoyed my nightly walks.

Great trails (although most much more steep);


Lots to see;


A hermit crab on the trail (they were everwhere);



Another one;


Had a bit of trouble clearing back into the BVI's from the USVI... more on that later.

I am taking lots of pictures, but with limited bandwidth it is tough to get them up loaded...

The US national park service overseas much of the land in the USVI.  Here is their headquarters in Cruze Bay, on St. John.  The have a great dingy dock with heads and trash disposal there.  We actually moored around the corner at Caneel bay, but the dingy ride was not too long.



US Customs and Border Patrol.  There is an initial shock at actually being able to pull in to their dock to clear in (unlike other US customs buildings on the water where their dock seems to be reserved only for.... some other use)  ::)   The pleasure of using their dock quickly  wears off however once you step inside.. and find it is the same good ole customs you  are used to..... nuf said.



The anchorage outside of the inner harbor in Cruz bay, as seen from the ridge above;