A Little Catch-up to our recent goings-on

While recently visiting White Bay on Jost Van Dyke, we ran across (not literally) some friends of ours...Gary and Dale Miller on their charter catamaran, "Sognare." What a fun and thoughtful couple they are...they've even been known to provide food for begging boatpeople! Anyway, if you feel that a charter is in your future, we HIGHLY recommend them for a wonderful vacation. At our last meeting, we understand they do captain-only charters now. If you are interested in finding out more, go to their website:

http://sailsognare.com/



The fun place to be when on vacation
(if you're not with us)

We're the tall folks with Gary and Dale...
notice the trampoline on the front of their boat.
I think that would be a great place to practice your
swan dives.

What does New Year's Eve in Leverick Bay have that a person might be interested in?

Well, first there's a beach full of really happy people...and Michael "Beans" and his Happy Arrrrrr Show. How about dancing in the sand or a conch blowing contest? And did I mention a lot of bar wenches moving through the crowded tables offering Happy ARRR drinks and beach food. Lastly, you get to see the International Hand Clappers Assoc. and the "Shakers". We had soooo much fun...there were jokes, fun and music! Ohh...and the two tipsy ladies falling off their dinghy and trying to get back in said dingy while trying to make landfall. Does it get any better than this?



I noticed that Karen always seems to be my right-hand lady.

Pam and Karen having waayy too much fun!

Here's an interesting scenario: you take your brand-spankin' new $500,000 catamaran out for your first trip on your own...and you want to really "open her up"...Well you might think that I meant adding a little speed but...unfortunately, crossing a reef that you didn't notice while doing something like 8 knots can do more than just make the wind blow back in your hair.... 

On the port side, you'll notice there's no rudder or sterndrive...
and, how about the funny looking hull shape where the keel
used to be...

Oh yeah....there's no rudder, sterndrive and keel on the other side, either...



Starboard side has that chain-saw design...about 2.5 feet
of boat is missing if you count the lost keel.

The port side hull matches the starboard side!

Closeup of the starboard side, with parts and pieces hanging down...

Standing in the area that was hull now lets you peer into one of the cabins
and companionway areas. Imagine standing up inside the boat looking down
 here and seeing reef fish and coral...

 

I'm not sure how the boat (or what used to be called a boat) was retrieved from the top of the reef or how it was transported back to the marina. I hear that it is available as a salvage for something like $25,000, but no purchasers, yet. It would be well worth the $$, considering all of the new gear, rigging, dinghy/outboard and other stuff. I thought they should remove all of the stuff that is salvageable, then haul it somewhere and sink it in about 40' of water and make a dive site out of it, but was told that it wouldn't sink properly...evidently, there's not enough "heavy" stuff in the boat to keep it in one location on the bottom, especially during storms.

 

I have to say that this must've been a horrible experience for the owner, and I pray that we never have to go through this ourselves.  So sad!

One of our favorite places to go for inexpensive food and good company is the restaurant on Frenchman's Cay, near Soper's Hole, BVI. Between 5 and 6pm every night, they offer $2 beef or fish tacos...basically, all you can eat, as long as you buy the drinks to go along with them. I think they lose money on Toddy and me...we can really put away the tacos. Nope, they don't do takeout for the tacos, either. Our favorite part of going there is to join Sue and Toddy and Phil Oliver and have a great time.

 

We always have a great time with Sue and Toddy...always!
Phil???
Phil???
Phil's not here...
Ok...so there's a lot of you that can't relate to my humorous
vintage SNL reference.
 

And, last but not least...

Here's our big expenditure for the 2012-2013 season....
a new dodger for the boat!
(The dodger is the tan-colored canvas and the metal framework)

 

The dodger will help keep the wind, waves, rain and sun out of the cockpit. There's even side panels that attach to the dodger, that help keep the spray from coming in when under sail...whenever we do that kind of thing.