Thursday, February 9, 2012

Parrtyyy Harrtyyy Haaarrrgh!





Above: White Bay and our trusty Dinghy with Mike and Dan

So today is day seven.... I almost hate to
say it just cuz saying it is admitting our Caribbean Adventure is almost over :( Well i guess if i dont leave then i cant come back... so ill just try to enjoy it while it lasts... So anywho, we awoke this morn to find that Rich and i were assigned the joy of making breaky break, (breakfast). We took our duty quite seriously and Ill venture to say we made the most delicious eggs ever consumed above water! We scrambled them with saute'd mushrooms, onions, ham, and finished it with a some nice melted Parmesan on top. They were quite delightful i must say! After eating we made the ship ready for sea, closing hatches and the head through-hull fittings. Then at the order of admiral Mike, Russ and i hopped in the dinghy, and hand-pulled the chain of the stern anchor up, and on board. We went foot by foot, pulling the dinghy along by virtue of pulling up the chain until we arrived just above where the anchor lay, buried in the sand beneath about 7 feet of clear blue water. I next commenced pulling the anchor up and over the sponson of the dinghy, and heaving it on board. (and feeling quite manly in the process i might add...lol)

After pulling up the bow anchor with the windlass, we motored out of White Bay and headed east toward the Thatch Island Cut, (the small passage of water tweenst Tortola and Great Thatch Island). And just after we hoisted sail guess what we saw?!?!?!? Dolphins!!!! a whole herd of em!!! lol i guess "school" would be more correct. This was quite a treat, as i have never seen bottle nose dolphins in the wild. We turned off the Navigation instruments (the depth sounder can irritate their sensitive hearing) and watched as they breached and played while swimming past us. Really cool :D

Capn Sharon handily guided us through the "Cut" and we steered a course south and east to the Caves of Norman Island. We had a nice wind and made it there around noon. Upon arriving we ate lunch and everyone set out to experience the caves. Mike said that the first cave was deep enough that we could paddle the dinghy into it really far. Sounded like an adventure so i was all for it! So Sharon, Susan, Rich and i piled in and paddled our way inside. It was really dark as you got farther in, and super exciting, like Indiana Jones!!! Check out the pic! After getting to where the cave dead ended (uhhhh kinda scary choice of words.... D: we turned it around ( quite the tight squeeze) and headed back out. We then met up with Mike and group snorkeled around the point. Mike then headed back to the boat, so Rich and i performed a sweet amphibious landing, in the last (3rd) cave. This last cave actually opened up and led from the water filled entry filled with schools of fishes, and ran right out onto the beach! Twas to good to pass up so Rich and i took off our fins and climed up through the cave and out onto the beach. You can see the opening back to the cave in the pic of me on the beach.


We then headed back to the boat and motored around the point into the bight on Norman Island. We set anchor near its eastern shore, and then Russ, Shannon and I set out to explore the island. After some gift shopping and hiking up to an awesome view point (my profile pic) we headed back aboard to clean up for dinner ashore.

Of all the dinners ashore, this was our most pleasent and memorable. We all really enjoyed our meals, i had the vegetarian Roti with mango chutney, many others got the local snapper, ummmm :P This restaurant had a quartet of local musicians performing and we all danced a bit to the good vibes. As we were just about to leave the lead singer called me up on stage and, me, not wanting to leave her hangin, went up to join her. She started to seranade "No One" by Alecia Keys so i commenced getting jiggy with it! I danced along with her lyrics and tried using the Jamaican roots to do my Caribbean forefathers proud lol...

Sue was kind enough to get it all on camera, check out the pics :) We all had a good laugh and by the end she gave me a big hug for being a good sport... You know me, there is no i in Da Gabesta.... at least i think there isnt...
















And a few more