Getting ready for shore excursion, some botanical gardens. After a lovely pancake breakfast ala Christine, complete with mini chocolate chips.

Pulled out the captain card today. Wind was in a good direction, waves were a mere 2 meters (6 feet for rest of yall) and yeah we could have run a motor or two, yeah we could have made water along the way.. but damnit its a sailboat so it was my day and we sailed it.

We could have made the 20 miles in 2 hrs and were on track to do so, but as we arrived St Vincent we could see some rain a closing in. So I headed up and slowed the boat down to 5 or 6 knots. The drizzle started, but it wasn’t a down pour. Took the opportunity to re-learn yet another lesson. Loosen the damn lazy jacks before setting the sail. We had set the main, it was at 1 reef, but shortly into the bouncy ride, I heard across the boat that the blue thing just fell. I guess that is a non sailors term for the sailbag just dropped on the solar panels. Doh. Well been needing to go up the mast to check on the steaming light that wasn’t working anyway. So during the drizzle, used a spin halyard to jury rig the bag so that when we did drop the sail, it would go in the bag and wouldn’t be a big mess to contend with later. That took long enough that the rain stopped and we could then cook it back up to 10 knots over ground and head to our destination.

We dropped the sails with about a mile to go, and let the boys drive while we put away the lines. Cole was a bit aggressive with the steering while Cameron who couldn’t see over the instruments was right on the money playing like a video game.

We know this place, have been here a few times before. The current and winds here are fluky, but so much nicer than the blue lagoon about a mile east of here. We always grab a ball, becasue you never know if the wind or the current will be the stronger and would have to set 2 anchors just to be sure.

Arrived shortly after noon, we amimed for one ball but the boat boy wanted us on a different one near the private club, so we went there instead. Dingy’d the girls ashore for some shopping and a water/beer run. That was supposed to take 2 hrs, they also arranged new years dinner and taxi ride to the botanical park, and I was slacking and didn’t see them when they got back to thte dock.

I had rigged a small rope swing off the dingy davits for the boys to play on. They took to it like the fish that they are. While they were pre-occupied with that, I rigged the boom off the port side now, we had a real show. Even the local boat boys were applauding and smiling as they went by.

Grilled pork jerk pork chops and some island green beans and corn fer dinner. And the obligatory garlic bread before it goes bad.

Having a cold beer watching the boat swing and sway where ever it wants to, have fenders tied at the stern in case we swing the wrong direction into the cat behind us, or wait is it in front now? We passed that one on the way here, initially tought it was coming at us, so I tried to go winward of it, ubt 45 mins later we were still on a collision path, so tried to duck it, but there was an island in the way, again another 45 mins later and it appearant finally that we were going the same direction, we were just going faster than they were. They have a really raked mast, so the were not flying a jib to weather, we have a bout a 4inch rake, they have a 5 foot rake. What that means is, our mast is almost vertical and theres leans way bak and carries a different sail plan when going into the wind than we do.

The private resort wouldn’t let us on today, seems a cruise ship was in town or something so it was said that ‘maybe’ tomorrow you can come. All that and the place was empty. That is where we have dinner reservations for tomorrow. Course they are at 7:30 and normally the boats ligths are out by 8pm, err well before sailors midnight.

Getting ready for the new year, happy near year all, and may your near years resolutions bring you good fortunes and happiness.