We were still in West End for some delightful weather, spending time with Denise and Byron on South of Reality.
From West End, we went on to Jonesville to hide from the norther that was upon us. Taking in the infamous Sunday BBQ at Hole in the Wall, we ate as much lobster and beef filet as we could hold. We have been to Hole in the Wall so many times that they are beginning to think we are locals.
On Tuesday, February 2, we had a very unfortunate, and scary, experience in Jonesville. Bob and Byron went out to scuba dive, and tied up our dinghy to a dive mooring buoy about a quarter mile from shore. After being down a while, they heard a motorboat go over head, and then go back the other way. They thought another boat was coming to tie up to the dive buoy, too. When they surfaced, they discovered our dinghy was gone! They decided they either had to hang on to the mooring (a flimsy bleach bottle), or swim to shore. Fortunately, the wind and current was heading toward shore, so they swam for a dock; they figured it took 45 minutes to get back. If the dinghy had come loose from the buoy, the boat would have drifted to shore. It was nowhere in sight. It was stolen. The guys went to see Don and Yvonne who have a house on the shore, and Don put a call out on VHF radio. Within a few minutes, Mango Creek Lodge, about 6 miles east, came back and said that our dinghy had been brought to them by a passing fishing boat who found it out two miles out to sea.
Bob hailed a local speedboat to give him a hand, first to try to find the dinghy, and then to take him to Mango Creek. When he got to the dinghy, he found that the thieves had tried to take the gasoline cans but they were locked with a cable to the motor. His Maui Jim sunglasses had been stolen, along with 300' of anchor line. (Bob later discovered the keys were bent, so they tried to take whatever they could.) We are grateful that Bob and Byron made it to shore safely (had the current and wind been different, this could have been a very different outcome!). Thankfully we have our dinghy back with the motor still attached.
We got out of there first thing the next morning, and went back to French Harbour with 25 other boats at anchor. There is safety in numbers, right?!
Bob has been working hard on boat repairs - generator still is not working properly and our macerator isn't pumping as it should. Bob also replaced the fresh water pump. Never a dull moment!
Larry arrived on Saturday, February 6. And with him yet another front. He got in one snorkel before the rains and wind hit. Sunday was a pretty lazy day for one crew member, while the others worked on the boat.
After a few days of hunkering down and doing some boat repairs, grocery shopping, and a lot of reading, we had good conditions to head to Port Royal and visit our friends at Mango Creek. Larry and Maggie had to check their phones for a signal as we entered the harbor; always an issue for Maggie while traveling!
We had spent many weeks here last year, enjoying Terry and Patrice, the owners; Dahlia, the cook; and Patience, the talking parrot. How sad to hear that a snake had entered the cage and killed the birds, We were heartbroken.
This is a beautiful place! We snorkeled, Larry went on a dive, we went through the mango canal to north side of island.
Spray, Bob's long-time friend from Connecticut, was in the harbor, too. During happy hour at the Lodge, someone called out that there was a moray eel under the deck, which was only a few inches above the water. Maggie grabbed her camera and got a few shots.
With Pat's arrival during another norther, we decided to go to Parrot Tree Marina for a couple of nights. We were glad we did - the boat was heeled over at the dock with the 40 kt wind gusts. The is pool is absolutely gorgeous. It was a fast-moving front, so we only spent two nights there.
Larry and Maggie had their own adventure on Saturday morning. They got a cab to the grocery store; Hector, the driver, speaks little English; we speak pequeno Espanol. But .. we knew enough words to communicate and laugh all along the way. We even figured out how to request that he pick Pat up at the airport for her 2:00p arrival. It was a lot of fun!
The weather prediction was pretty bleak for mid-week, so we took off for West End, the "happening" place on the island. We got there in time for Pat and Larry to snorkel, relax, and then get to shore for sunset, drinks and dinner at Eagle Ray with Byron and Denise. Larry had fun trying his underwater camera, too. We found a great dive facility - Atlantic Divers in Half Moon Bay. They opened just a couple months ago, have all new equipment, and take out small groups - $30pp. It's a deal! Pat and Larry dove Butcher's Bank and said it was awesome. Pat was happy to be alive! Let's drink to that!
We could stay here for just a night, with strong northwest winds predicted. So ... back to Jonesville! Pat and Larry got to experience Hole in the Wall for drinks, and then go through the mango canal.
We went to BJ's in Oak Ridge to dock the dinghy and walk to the grocery stores, and then stopped in for drinks while waiting out the pouring rain. We watched BJ's parrot take a bath during the downpour.
Later that night was a potluck dinner onboard South of Reality. This was a farewell gathering, since Byron and Denise are heading north.
With a slight break in the weather, we picked up the anchor and went back to French Harbour. At a cruiser's happy hour, one cruiser gave us the award for moving around more than any other boat - 6 ports in 9 days. We wanted to show our guests the diversity of this island. Too bad the weather didn't cooperate.
We had great meals (thanks to Lorenzo's fabulous cooking), lots of baked goods (Maggie's treats), and they got in lots of reading. Larry had three dives; Pat had two; they snorkeled a few times; and rented a car to see more of the island. It was a good two weeks! If only the sun had come out more!
Rosie may be getting tired of the boat; looks like she was ready to be packed in Larry's bag to return to Connecticut.
The weather calmed just after they left, of course! Beautiful sunshine, calm days for a while.
We are now sitting out another front in French Harbour on a mooring. It hit Wednesday night (they always seem to come in the middle of the night) with up to 52 knot winds and constant gusts from 30 to 40 knots, The boat in front of us dragged anchor and started towards us. Bob quickly called them and sounded the alarm. The next hour was constant excitement as they tried to raise their two anchors by hand and kept getting dangerously close to SeaTryst. Thankfully they did eventually get the anchors up and motor over to the marina for the night, They say the weather is unusual this year; we have had one front after another, sometimes 3 in a week. Considering how much snow the East Coast is getting we think we are very lucky.
We still have time to do more in the Bay Islands, and hope to see some new places soon. In the meantime, Bob has boat projects (the generator is a constant frustration). Just when we think it is fixed, another problem appears. We get so used to our creature comforts that without them life becomes more of a challenge, How did they manage before electricity? Maggie has internet on the boat to do her Peter Block work; and Rosie is getting plenty of rest. Life is good!