Monday February 17, 2014

Monday February 17

We were up early as we were going to be picking up Marcy at the airport until she sent an email saying that she was stranded in Boston and would not be joining us until the following day.  Knowing what it is like to leave the cold behind while anxious to welcome the warmth, we felt bad for her.  We later walked into town for a few errands and were back to the marina for lunch.

After lunch went strolled into Pusser's Pub again for a "Painkiller"

Sunday February 16, 2014

Sunday February 16

After brunch I walked into town knowing that most shops and businesses would be closed.  As I walked around I noticed an artist painting in his small waterside studio.  I walked in and he put the brush down so I sat in the chair by the door. We chatted for up to an hour.  I bought a small painting titled "Happy Hour".

Happy Hour

I spent the rest of the afternoon sitting out on my balcony overlooking the marina.

Drinks and dinner to follow.

A Room with a View

Saturday February 15, 2014

8:00 breakfast before slipping the mooring line and headed back to the Moorings base to drop off the boat.  Neil was waiting for us at the dock with our Navigation Certificates and log book entries. We graduated.  Yeah!

It was time to unload the boat so it could be cleaned and readied for the next guests.


As we waited patiently for our hotel rooms to be ready we met Renee who had moved to the nearby Island of St Thomas from mainland USA in December with her husband,  Throughout her career she worked in hotel management and now works as a private chef for charter companies,  Her husband Scott also works for the charter companies as a private captain.  They were waiting to meet their clients for the week.  They joined us for lunch at Charlie's at a table directly beside the Paw Paw Wight.  We were entertained as the staff prepared the boat and the new guests boarded,

Customer Service Desk, the Moorings

We walked into town and went to the famous Pussers Pub.  Pussers make a rum on the island.  

Pussers Pub

Later for dinner Renee and Scott joined us.  We called it a night.

Friday February 14, 2014

Friday February 14

8:00 Exam.  

We dropped Neil off in the busy Road Island Marina and headed 187 M to Peter Island.  After a week a structure we both just wanted to relax. We picked up a mooring ball and enjoyed a couple of cold beers while we sat out on the aft deck.  

Thursday February 13, 2013

Thursday February 13

With our hand bearing compasses we were off to Ghana Island were we anchored for lunch and had a lesson on the influence of currents on your course and how to make adjustments. 

After lunch we headed to Jost Van Dyke"s Great Bay.  All the mooring balls were taken so we went to Little Harbour.  With no available balls there we went to Diamond Bay for the night.  But before supper we had a 3 hour lesson on tides, tide tables, and currents.  My interest was starting to drift after being in the sun and wind all day.  Finally it was time for happy hour, supper and then bed.

Skipper Eric at the helm

Wednesday February12, 2014

Wednesday February 12

Today's lesson continued on compass bearings.  After morning classes we were given a coordinate.  Our job was to find the coordinate by plotting a course using a hand bearing compass, no GPS, we did.  From that point we motored 30 degrees M for 30 minutes and marked our DR (Dead Reckoning) to later determine our EP (Estimated Position) once considerations are made for current direction and strength.  We then proceeded to Trellis Bay. 

We picked a mooring and went back to class focusing on lights and flags.  

Tuesday February 11, 2014

Tuesday February 11

Breakfast at 8:00 followed by a lesson on site bearings.  

As we were doing some chart exercises, Neil notified us that one of the 'so so' super yachts and a large sail boat had crossed anchors. They were tangled and drifting towards our mooring,  We quickly moved to a vacant mooring ball and went back to our map work.

Glad it wasn't us

Our assignment was to locate a shoal near Carrot Rock.  With 3 established points from our desired destination, we set sail.  After finding the spot it was realized that the shoal was no longer there.  Part of the lesson was not only to find a point with a compass but sometimes what was considered a fixed landmark on a map may not be there.  We arrived at the right spot.  

Following we picked up a mooring ball at Great Harbour and carried on with a lesson on lights and buoys.