We left Red Hook setting off again for Cruz Bay to clear out of the USVI. After the stormy night the wind had settled again into the Easterly Trades. Jon hoisted mizzen first then opened up the roller furled Genoa, whilst I steered and Jethro was secured in his car seat on the taff rail. Once we were in clear water I rounded up head to wind whilst Jon hoisted the mainsail. With our quaint rig and no winches that involved sweating and tailing the throat and peak halyards then taking up the slack under a belaying pin. He was used to this system from his father’s gaff- rigged Norfolk Broads Cruiser. It was a close reach across to Cruz Bay.
Jon was peering up at the rigging intently.
“Oh no, no,” he said shaking his head. “The top mast is bending. It must be rotten.”
We had not pulled the masts during the re-fit. We immediately lowered the mainsail and furled the Genoa, then motored on towards Cruz Bay and dropped anchor in Great Harbour and back again to the Customs house on stilts. We concluded we would have to return to Nanny Cay to fix the top mast or replace it. But in the meantime it would be safe enough to sail just under mizzen and the self-tacking jib Jon had devised, as the head of that jib was fixed to the mainmast itself and not the top mast like the genoa.
With this reduced rig we motor-sailed round to Caneel Bay to anchor off the luxurious Rockefeller hotel. We rowed ashore and read a notice saying all visiting yachts must check in for ‘orientation’. This proved to be a sheet of A4 with a map on one side showing where we were permitted to roam and a list of rules on the reverse. Apparently this was one of the most exclusive hotels in the world.
The Rockefeller Resort
We settled ourselves down on three reclining beach chairs with our feet virtually in the sea. Jon and I read our books whilst Jethro splashed in the water with his Kodak toy boat. It was tiresome that we had to think about repairs again so soon, but that must not spoil our enjoyment of each wonderful day. We wandered through the single story hotel and looked at the sugar plantation ruins . At cocktail time there we had pineapple daiquiris in the patio bar. Jethro ate all the fruit and sipped a lemonade. We went back on board Camelot for a salad supper – the best of all worlds.
The following year we recognised a figure jogging along this beach in front of the Rockefeller Resort as Jimmy Carter, who had just been replaced by President Ronald Reagan.
Motoring along the north coast of St John the next day, we spotted Bill and Warren sailing past on Blue Shamrock and gave them a wave. This bay was called Turtle Bay. To Jethro’s delight we saw leatherback turtles.
“Daddy can I swim with them,?”
“ Let’s drop anchor first then we’ll see.”
Sure enough after anchoring we all went swimming and we did see two very close up. Years later we realised that ET looked just like a turtle.
Sea Sickness… or?
Our final USVI anchorage on this trip was in Francis Bay less than a mile from the West End of Tortola. Yet another beautiful and peaceful haven, we spotted eagle rays gliding just under the surface. Next morning I was sea sick again even though the storms had now passed, the bilges much cleaner and the motor sailing at low revs very gentle.
Suspecting it was not sea sickness after all I did some calculations and realised that I had not been keeping track… was Camelot going to have a new crew member? It was best keep the possible news to myself for a little while. I had no idea how Jon would react. We had only just got underway, now we had more work to do and this would complicate life even further.
When our passports were stamped at the West End Customs and Immigration office at West End we were good to stay for another thirty days. We lowered the stars and stripes courtesy flag from the rigging and hoisted the red ensign. We anchored near Endeavour and rowed across to have supper with Mack and Mo.
