2019 Caribbean Cruises


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Course ASA103-104 Virgin Islands Coastal Cruise
Date March 8 - 16, 2019
Vessel S/V Grateful Dad - Island Packet 460
Students: Deb & Kim Abell, Christopher Smoot, Andrea & Perry Thorsvik
Captain Steve Runals

Arrival Day, Friday 8 March 2019: 
An earlier planning meeting by webinar allowed the crew to meet, identify cruising options, discuss thoughts on meals and share concerns and expectations.  Kim and Deb had cruised on S/V Grateful Dad several years ago with their parents giving them a good idea of what to expect on the boat and the area around Red Hook.  They arrived by early afternoon and along with the Captain made an initial provisioning run.  By 1830 hours, with all crew aboard and gear stowed, we head to dinner to discuss our cruising plan, review the weather for the next several days and continue getting to know each other.  It’s been a long day so an early bedtime is welcomed. 

Day 1Red Hook to Caneel Bay: 
After a review of boat systems below and on deck, a review of the Federal Minimum Safety Requirements and coastal navigation basics we are ready for the adventure to begin.  Our plan today is to the get familiar with the boat under power and sail and anchor in Rendezvous Bay for the night. We exit the busy Red Hook Harbour and enter beautiful Pillsbury Sound where we spend the next few hours practicing MOB under power and getting familiar with sail controls and the proper preparation and execution of sailing maneuvers on this large cruising boat.  The waves and swells indicate that our planned anchorage for the night might be too rolly so we decide to pick up a mooring in Caneel Bay.  It’s crowded but we find one of the last functional moorings and settle in for our first night away from the dock.  A quick swim and snorkel for some, a dingy ride to pay the mooring fee, dinner under a clear night’s sky, a review of the day’s events and some knot tying close out this full day.       

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Day 2Caneel Bay to Francis Bay: 
Each student crew will rotate through assigned duties as skipper, navigator, engineer, bosun, and safety officer.  Chris starts off as skipper, Perry as navigator, Andrea as engineer, Kim as bosun, and Deb as safety officer.  Perry lays out a course that takes back into Pillsbury Sound for more training under sail, back to a mooring in Caneel Bay for dingy ride into Cruz Bay for lunch and then through the Windward Cut and on to Francis Bay for the night. The wind is still fresh from the east so we have great sailing tacking around the Brothers, avoiding danger areas off Stevens Cay and avoiding an interesting variety of sail and power boats out for the day.  

Shortly before noon we head back to Caneel Bay, pick up a mooring and dingy into the Cruz Bay for lunch.  While a large part of the town has recovered from storm damage, many places are still closed but the warm, sunny weather has brought out a large number of ferry and cruise ship passengers; the town is crowded.  As we finish lunch, Kim’s family friend who lives on the island joins us for quick introductions before we head back to the boat.  Once aboard, we clear the mooring field and tack our way through the Windward Cut.  Crew coordination and timing are essential as we work our way through this narrow passage.  It’s great fun sailing in these gusty wind conditions but all are glad once we clear Carval Rock and work our way into Francis Bay.  Now time for study, a swim and showers before we have dinner and enjoy another night under a clear night sky, enjoying the incredible view and discussing the day’s events.  

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Day 3—Francis Bay and Back to Red Hook L
Andrea, our navigator for the day has plotted a course that takes us initially north into the area between Jost Van Dyke and Great Thatch Island to practice MOB under sail, then through the Thatch Island Cut, past Sopers Hole, into the Sir Francis Drake Channel, around the east end of St John and to a mooring near Salt Pond Bay.  A good opportunity for lots of sailing and navigation challenges.  She has also plotted a danger bearing to keep us off Eagle Shoals, a danger area at the southern end of St John, by taking a bearing off the predominate landmark of Ram Head.  This will make for a full day.  After pre-operational checks, we clear the moorings, round Whistling Cay and practice several MOB under sail techniques before working our east toward Sopers Hole.  Along the way the crew takes several two bearing fixes to track our progress.  We short tack thru the Thatch Island Cut and enter the Sir Francis Drake Channel with well-executed crew work.  

We have rotated helmsmen along the way and now with Deb on the helm, we experience a short, but intense squall that brings winds over 38 knots and driving rain.  Deb does great, keeping the boat under control as we use the traveler to help her steer through the wind and seas.  Clearing skies gets us to the eastern end of St John where we rig a preventer to secure the boom to prepare for a broad reach toward Ram Head.  The crew quickly understands the value of securing the boom on this point of sail in the still rolly seas leftover from the squall.   Repeated sightings on Ram Head keeps us well clear of Eagle Shoals.  After rounding this key landmark, we secure sails and prepare to pick up a mooring in Lameshur Bay under engine power.  Shortly after starting the engine it becomes clear that the sound of the exhaust is not right.  A quick look over the stern confirms no exhaust water flow and Perry, on the helm, shuts down the engine.  A quick check of the raw water intake and filter identifies the probable source of the problem to be the raw water pump and its impeller, a task we are not able perform easily with the tools aboard.  We hoist sail and head back toward Red Hook and cell reception to contact Skip at Island Yachts for further guidance.  Once in contact, we agree on a plan to sail back to Red Hook where he will meet us and get us back into a slip to repair the water pump.  All works as planned.  We enter the crowded Red Hook harbor under staysail alone, Skip arrives in his dingy and we very neatly return to our slip with just a little burst of main engine power to fine tune and slow our approach; a great training opportunity.  The repair will have to wait till tomorrow.  All take advantage of a shore shower and use the time here for final study in preparation for taking their first ASA tests tomorrow while the engine is repaired.  It’s nice being ashore but all miss being out on the water. 

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Day 4—Red Hook to Culebra: 
After an early breakfast Kim, Deb, Chris, and Perry take the ASA 103 test and Andrea the ASA 101.  All pass with flying colors reflecting well on their study and hands on experience.   Kim, navigator for the day has laid out a course that takes us thru the Current Hole by Great St James Island, south along St Thomas to the entrance channel into Culebra.  It will be a 25 nm run on a broad reach that will give all a chance to sail in the open waters between St Thomas and Culebra.  It will also give the crew a chance to get very familiar with Sail Rock, a prominent landmark along the way.  A slowly dying wind gets us the majority of the way to our final waypoint but all too soon we have to motor sail to make it thru the reefs guarding the entrance to a beautiful anchorage in Essenada Honda and the town of Dewey with enough daylight to spot the reefs.  Coming to Culebra from St Thomas requires us to clear in with Customs and Border Patrol (CBP). This turns into a lengthy process because the agent in Culebra has had an emergency and we cannot get final clearance until tomorrow morning.  Thankfully it does not prevent us from going ashore for some cool refreshment at the Dingy Dock Restaurant followed by an excellent dinner at Mamacita’s.  Culebra, like all the islands in this area, was badly damaged by hurricanes two years ago, but while recovery is still underway, the hard work to bring things back to operational condition is evident everywhere.         

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Day 5—Another Day in Paradise:  
We are finally cleared into Culebra by mid-morning with apologies from the CBP officer for the delay.  Deb, navigator for the day, has laid out a plan for us to sail in the local area circumnavigating Cayo de Luis Rena Island while fine tuning sailing handling skills and practicing MOB.   Deb gets us safely out of Ensenada Honda and the reefs that lie along its eastern shore.  It’s a beautiful day but very little wind.  The still rolly seas and light winds make for slow going so we decide to head to our anchorage for the night, carefully transiting the reefs in Bajos Grampus and into the Canal Del Sur.  A short trip up the Canal takes us to the entrance of the beautiful anchorage of Bahiia de Almodovar.  It’s a surreal location behind a reef but facing directly east into the light but cooling wind.  The boat sits rock steady as we pick up a mooring and secure the boat.  All take the time for some swimming and most for snorkeling before dinner and study.  We spend a quiet night under a star filled sky enjoying the beauty of the area and timing navigation lights on Culebrita and Canal Del Sur.  All agree this is a slice of paradise. 

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Day 6—Culebra to Buck Island: 
Today we return to St Thomas.  Chris lays out a course that will take us back across the open waters of Virgin Passage, past the ever changing shape of Sail Rock, along the south side of St Thomas to a mooring at Buck Island.  The winds are moderate at 10 – 15 knots from the ENE so we tack our way to the east.  Along the way we review ASA 104 subjects and rotate helmsman so all have a chance for long periods on the helm and rotate taking two bearing fixes to practice navigation skills.  With each new fix, we update are ETA.  By mid-afternoon we are abeam of the airport and watch the steady flow of arriving planes.  It’s hard to believe we too were arriving not too long ago and will too soon be departing.  The winds continue to drop so off Water Island we motor sail to Buck Island, arriving after the last of the charter boats has departed.  We have the anchorage to ourselves.  A quiet night watching a beautiful sunset, cruise ships departing Charlotte Amalie Harbour while enjoying a great dinner onboard.   

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Day 7—Buck Island to Rendezvous Bay: 
Perry works out a course that will take us past the Dogs at the end of Little St James Island and into an anchorage in Rendezvous Bay.  Working our way east will provide another day to practice tacking/jibing and time for all at the helm.  Once past the Dogs we practice several MOB under sail maneuvers that underscore the need to stay securely on board while underway.   Our crew has gotten proficient at picking up moorings, and today we have another opportunity to refine their anchoring skills.  Once secure, we take in the view; beautiful homes surround this picture perfect anchorage.  Some show the signs of hurricane damage and we hear the sound of renovation work going on around us.  After lunch and final study time, Andrea takes her ASA 103 test and the rest of the crew their ASA104 test.  The crew’s hard work and study again pays off with all passing their tests with flying colors.  Now time to relax, a dingy ride into the beach and exploring ashore for the Captain, Kim, Chris and Andrea followed by just enjoying the time on the boat.  Our final dinner aboard provides time for some knot tying and an opportunity to review the events of the last 7 days.                 

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Day 8-- Rendezvous Bay to Red Hook Bay: 
We rise early, have breakfast of hot oatmeal and coffee and weigh anchor for our return to Red Hook.  It seems a little anti climatic with a working motor.  Our goal is to arrive at the fuel dock just before it opens at 0800.  Our timing is good but we find it has been open since 0700 and already busy.  A short wait gets us to the dock and refueled before Skip meets us and maneuvers the boat back into its slip.  Now time to clean the boat, pack and prepare to reenter our busy worlds back home.  Over lunch ashore, we review the trip.  All agree that their expectations were met and exceeded.  All look forward to applying their new found or refined sailing skills during the upcoming sailing season.  It’s been a great trip with a great crew.  

Well done, shipmates. Your captain thanks you--with best wishes for your cruising life ahead.  

Captain Steve Runals 
Maryland School of Sailing and Seamanship 
On board S/V
Grateful Dad  
Red Hook, USVI; Mar, 2019 

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