25-2-2022 : a passage to BVI

As of 1730 hrs today we have begun our last long Caribbean passage, from Antigua to the British Virgin Islands. It's a journey of about 180Nm so this means at least one overnight but probably two. 
The wind forecast is for relatively light wind and wave and a mostly downwind passage. 
We have stowed the dingy on deck (deflated) as towing it all this way is just asking to lose it at sea. 
In theory, to check in at BVI we need covid tests but they have to be 48hours old (or less) and our passage time makes this a bit tricky. Instead we are planning to get tested at Road Town ferry terminal when we arrive before doing a customs clearance. Fingers crossed.

This is one of the many cruise liners that passed us in the night. It's the Seven Seas Navigato.  When. One goes by they are so we'll lot up it's like a city arriving. 
We made 6.5 knots all night which is great but the liners all do about twice that so they almost always come up from behind on shopping routes like this one. 

The next day...

So far the passage has gone well. It's now 7am on the 26th and the sun is up. I didn't get a lot of sleep on this first night, it's just too noisy and takes a bit of acclimatisation but I expect to sleep better tonight.
Currently sailing due west after running North west for most of the night. This is to avoit the Island of St Bart's and stay in the Caribbean channel. 

We will have to gybe again sometime and run north for a while but the wind is due to shift later as it slackens and then we will maybe try the parachute again. In the meantime it's toast and marmalade for breakfast.
Evening.
We had a long hot day at sea with the winds too light for the parachute unfortunately. We still made an easy 5 knoylts for most of the day but are expecting the wind to fall off overnight.  
Rose and Alfie watched some startrek and did a bit of reading but lack of shade in the cockpit kept them in the saloon for most of the morning. 
No whales and no dolphin either alas. 
By the end of the 26th it was obvious that we were going to be very slow overnight which was just wl as well done we do not want to arrive at an unfamiliar port in the dark. 
by 4.45am we were down to about 1.5 knots bit on course to arrive about 9am. We had a very leisurely sail up into the Road town Harbour and picked up a moreinf before having a late breakfast and going to customs to check in. 
Check-in was quite slow, we had covid tests and then the usual mass of forms to fill out although the sailclear app was handy for the boat details and avoided us having to hand fill out three of the forms.
Time for a good night's sleep and then off to explore.

Comments

  1. Unknown28 March 2022 at 10:33

    Glad to see you are continuing to make good progress and the adventure continues to go well. Amazing photos - thank you for sharing.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Stelios13 May 2022 at 10:53

    I read you and I travel with you, have good seas!

    ReplyDelete

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