I was out front pulling sand spurs today at Manjack. I saw them sailing in for miles. They dropped the jib once in the cove, then rounded up, dropped the hook, backwinded the main to set the anchor. Within just a few short minutes the main cover was on, a fair sized sun shade was in place and a wind scoop was fitted to the front hatch. No yelling, no drama...like a well oiled machine! I felt like standing up and applauding. Was truly nice to watch.
On the other end are the charter boats....but that's another, albeit funnier story :D :D
It is a beautiful thing to watch.
Cruising on Faith, I think it was the month of December (maybe November?) I spent without starting the motor until I sailed into Hopetown and came up about 6' short of a mooring... So much more graceful to just luff up and drop the hook. With the Manson, I could rely on the backing down I got just falling back to set... Of course, I always dove the anchor so that helped... Why on earth would a person not get into the beautiful water in the Abacos...
Good luck with those sand spurs Frank! :)
I was down a few weeks back and got em BEFORE they went to seed!! Hoping for a better arrival this next tour. Nothing to do with this thread....how are you? Operation??
Many years ago I was anchored well up in Sopers Hole in the BVIs feeling pretty good about getting a nice snug spot and enjoying my sundowner when I noticed a wooden double-ender under sail working his way up through all the anchored and moored boats, and it was tight! Finally ghosted up to the head of the harbor and dropped the hook ahead of all of us, probably into the same hole he always dropped his anchor in. Turned out his boat had no engine, so he went everywhere under sail. You see that a bit down in the Caribbean where the wind is usually blowing. Seems like today if some sailor's engine dies he calls Sea Tow--I thought that's what the sails were for?