Independence has been having a great time, Christmas and New Years weeks were very busy ones for us, really great people and hefty Christmas winds for some wonderful sailing. The winter storms that caused such havoc up north just sent us some big seas, the surfers were happy, and a week of 25 to 35 knot breezes, our 22 ton ketch just ate it up and we had some super days.
Christmas in the Virgin Islands is pretty wonderful, our white is white sandy beaches and white caps on the ocean, the green is swaying palm trees and the red is from vibrant hibiscus blossoms, if you live here long enough it gets chilly enough for long sleeved t shirts and a cotton blanket on the bed at night. Guava berry is the beverage of choice, very potent, and St.Croix is the place to be for a local Christmas festival. New Years Eve, or as we say here, Old Years Night, is all about Jost Van Dyke in the BVI. The whole island, permanent population of about 200, turns out and thousands of people come by ferry, runabout, sailboat, megayacht and probably canoe to jump up and ring in the New Year. My son Paul was there to represent the Stoeken clan, the rest of us were in bed by ten so we could be up and ready to do our first day sail of 2009.
We have been noticing that the jib does not want to roll up or unroll with its usual enthusiasm. Because it still worked we ignored it as long as possible but on Thursday it rolled up very noisily and reluctantly and spat out a couple of small bolts, one landed on the deck and one went overboard. Ketches are wonderful, they have two masts and many sail combinations. We left the jib alone and broke out the staysail, it is our storm sail and is much smaller then the jib but it balances the back sail, our mizzen, and luckily for us there was enough wind to push us along, slowly but in the right direction. Our guests, Chris and Lisa, were very patient and understanding and didn't seem to mind relaxing on the bow for an extra half hour as we made our way back to Red Hook.
We sent out calls to the local riggers and good friend Davis, better known these days as Barefoot Davis musician extraordinaire, came out to check the ailing roller furler. Miracles do happen and he rousted out Skip the rigger who just happened to have a rebuilt drum exactly like our broken one. Next morning we met on Independence and I goferred and Davis replaced the drum, 2 hours later we were back in business. Wow, it works just great and life is much easier for Ray the mate these days, I guess those bearings had been causing problems for a while!
All is well again, looks like we will have a few days off this week so I will have some time to get to the varnish and polish a little stainless. It always cracks me up, when we don't have a charter everyone says "Oh, I see you aren't working today, Pat", so please, come on down and go sailing with us so I can go to "work" instead of lollygagging around with a varnish brush and sandpaper!
Here's to a happy and healthy 2009!
