Day Two

The calm before the storm: RachelR off Saba Bay

We ended up in a slightly different location for the night- Saba Bay- which turned out to be ok, despite a 45 knot 2 hour long storm that swept through at 2am. We had prepared for rain, so when it went rain and wind we were ready.

Before the storm we had some visitors arrive. Big visitors filled with Jimmy Barnes playing folk intent on a good, loud time:




Mercifully, they left before dark...

Rachel was laughing the whole way through the storm. I was less impressed as I knew if we dragged our anchor, we'd be on a lee shore before you could say "Geez I hope we're insured".

Morning brought with it calm weather and blue skies again. We tootled off downwind towards Whirehaven Beach. It was just lovely there. The sand IS aswhite as promised and as fine as talc. Lotsa tourists on big Yachts goofing off and maiing it feel crowded.

We left and sailed down the inlet. I crammed on ever square inch of sail and we fair smoked (for this under sailed vessel) 110 degrees and flat water. We had lunch on Whitehaven South and then went through the much feared channel on a slack tide with no ill effects. We anchored at Turtle bay, had an intersting snorkle and steak n chips for dinner.

..a quick note.
Every day we have to report in twice (known as a "sked")- 8am and 4pm. The 8am is for our plans for the day and 4pm to confirm we made it to our intended location. How hard can that be?

Apparently, if you are on any one of about 30 yachts from 5-6 different companies- it's very tough. They call in late, too early, or not at all (as was the case for two yachts from the same hire company we are using- both were moored next to us...). Either way, it's compulsive listening, especially when the "crew of hilarity" on "Bloody Mary" call in. It seems they are on a cursed ship- cursed to have them aboard. Their bestest moment so far was when they reported that they had "no steering" and were headed for trouble. They couldn't get their emergency tiller out of the bag (Rachel and I were crying laughing at this one, and were tempted to offer sugestions "Bloody Mary- Have you heard of velcro?"). Eventually, the steering problem "resolved itself". The poor buggers back at the yacht hire were determined to have their moment and rub it in:
Yacht Hire: "Was the steering lock on?"
Bloody Mary: "Unsure, unsure... it's fixed, thanks for your time, Bloody Mary OUT!"
YH: "So it was the steering lock"
BM: "..."
YH: "Just keep an eye on it, that steering lock can catch you out..."

We were loving this. This wasn't the end of the problems for BM sadly (luckily for us) and everything- from the toilet to the dinghy went bung. There was one common thread- the crew.

We started making up scenarios for problems they might be having:
BM: "The cockpit appears to be full of water and has expanded quite a bit..."
YH: "What is your location...?"
BM: "In a swimming pool on Hamilton Island..."

BM: "There is a grinding noise coming from the hull"
YH: "Can you confirm your location?"
BM: "Not exactly, we have run aground on a reef if that helps...?"

BM: "We seem to be going round in circles..."
YH: "Who's your current skipper"
BM: "I'll check..... OH SHIT MAN, OVERBOARD!"

..and so on.

It goes without saying, we've not missed a sked, nor tuned up late/not at all to an intended destination. I can thank the bride for that.