Week 3 The Dinghy Poker Run and Anegada Lobsta Regatta

Tuesday, June 29th, 2010. Breakfast is at 8:30am. It is part of the day’s activities and it is a deal. $50 per person for breakfast, the poker hand and dinner that night with entertainment. Breakfast is a buffet with eggs, bacon, sausage, biscuits, and croissants. It is very good. We then head back to Cattitude to start filling water balloons for the race. This poker run is more than a dinghy race and card game. It is a HUGE water fight. Everyone has water guns, water cannons, water balloons, buckets, bailers, etc. It is also in pirate attire. Cindy, Gene, Ginny, and Bruce walk back up for the starting picture (we missed it) while we bring the dinghy up. Everyone gets in their dinghy and the gun goes off. We are supposed to head to the “Sand Box” on Prickly Pear Island for our first card, but the water fight has begun. Tons and tons of water flying. Dirk from Catatonic is running around in his center console 40hp dinghy and almost swamps us with his wake. We stop to bail, and bail, and bail. We start filling the water guns and cannons from all the water in the boat. It is hysterical. We are laughing and have a blast. We finally arrive at the Sand Box, buy beers and get our first cards. I get a 9 of clubs. Paul gets 6 of spades. We empty the dinghy of the rest of the water and head to Saba Rock for the next card and most of the group order lunch. We are soaked again and Dirk is now shooting ice water from a cooler filled with ice. Oh SH%T that IS COLD! AT Saba Rock I pick a 10 of Diamonds. OK and 9 and a 10…not bad. Gene has 2 Queens. The rest of the group has pretty crummy cards. We have a beer on the upper deck while everyone is eating. We decided that we are still full from breakfast and will opt to get the “supposedly best French fries in the Islands” later at Virgin Queen. Next is off to the Bitter End for our next cards. I get another 10. Cool. No one else gets much in the way of good cards. We see Dirk buy another bag of ice and put it in his cooler. Son of a gun! I then distract Dirk while Paul goes over to his boat and dumps the ice out of the cooler into his boat. Paul does not get seen and we head out to Fat Virgin for French Fries and Mudslides. Still the water fights continue. We are permanently WET! We are the first to arrive and immediately put in our order for 4 baskets of FF. We watch the antics of the arriving boats who are still water fighting. It does not end. The fries are good and we have mudslides and beers to wash them down. I pick another 9. WOW. 2 9’s and 2 10’s. A really good hand! 2 pair! After picking our cards we have the long haul back to Leverick Bay. Of course, there is still more water flying. A boat with a Heineken flag is moving quickly to our starboard rear. Everyone LOAD! We are just ready to shoot and they hold up beers and yell “FREE BEERS”. Hold your fire. They really are giving out free Heinekens. Cold beers to drink on our way back. Nice! We get back to Cattitude and clean up all the stuff and head up to the pool to jump in. LuSea is glad to see us as we left her with Dirks’ mother as babysitter. We get our last cards. I go to pick my card from Monica’s hand and there are two cards together. I try to take the bottom one and Monica thinks that I saw the card. She pulls the hand back and reshuffles. I take my last card and it is another 10. Yippers! A full house: three 10’s and two 9’s. They have a large board that they are stapling the cards on and it looks like I may be the winner. Later another winning hand comes in with two Queens and three 5’s. Nick thinks that that is the winning hand because of the Queens, but everyone is telling me that my 3 10’s take the 3 5’s of that hand. Nick is still not sure and says he will "Google it" before announcing the winner. I am pretty sure it is me, and we go back to the boat to get cleaned up for the awards and dinner. Awards announced…. I AM THE WINNER! I win a magnificent “Atocha” replica coin made from pure silver from the sunken vessel the “Atocha” that sunk in the 1600’s. The coin is surrounded by a pure gold bezel with skull and cross bones at the top. It has a fine silver chain and is just gorgeous. I also receive 2 bottles of Laurent-Perrier Champagne. NICE! Everyone is in awe of the necklace. Dinner is great and afterwards they have Fire Dancers as the entertainment. Fun night. We say goodbye to our dinghy crew as they are not going to Anegada but off on their own. We head back to the boat and when I get back, I check out the price of the necklace and champagne. About $550 US for the necklace and about 75 pounds for each bottle of champagne. Nice prize! Do NOT ask me how I drew that hand, but thank you Monica for pulling those cards back and making me take a different card. Tomorrow is another day…off to bed.
See this link for more pictures of the Dinghy Poker Run.....see how many times you can find us.  http://www.digiproofs.com/ecom/g.pl

Wednesday, June 30th 2010 Off to the Anegada Lobsta Regatta. We are the committee boat along with another powercat. The plan in made as to the starting order and we head out first to become the starting point. We record each boat as they cross the start line. After the last boat has crossed, we head out to beat them to the finish area so that we become the Finish Line. 1.5 hrs. Though it is really really windy, the seas are not bad and it is a very nice trip. We arrive at the designated area and radio our GPS location to the race boats. The finish line will be the bow of our boat. The other power cat which was to be taking pictures has engine issues, so they arrived after the race had been won. As each boat came in we recorded their time and I took their picture. All arrived with the exception of the monohull named appropriately “Long OverDo”.

We put into the bay and anchor with the rest of the group. We finally get to use our kayak. Putting it in was not really hard. We kayak around to each boat to find out what the plan is and to find out how we decide who the winner was. We are not sure if the handicaps change things, but we are told it is the shortest times from start to finish.

We are told that the plan is for dinner at Potter’s with the menu of buffet or lobster dinner. The lobster is priced about right, but $35 for a buffet is ridiculous. We kayak into shore and go the Potters to order 1 full lobster (for me) and a buffet dinner for Paul. We then just hang out on the boat until dinnertime. Ashore for dinner we announce the winners and have a really nice meal. (though definitely expensive) Most people are annoyed with the prices and one group was not aware that you had to preorder the lobsters and were told that they could not get them. They were PISSED. They should have known better, it is not their first time to the islands and all boaters know that you have to order your dinners by 4pm to actually get what you want. They left and went back to their boat.

Thursday, July 1st, 2010 Today is an organized trip to Potters new place on the ‘”beach” side of the island near Flash of Beauty. At 11am we all head to the island buses. LuSea comes with us this time and we are brought to the beach. They have extended the road somewhat, but we still have a very bumpy ride for a distance. The new place is nice, but not completed and nothing special. We came out under a palatal and head into the water. We are supposed to have lunch here, but after the cost of last night’s dinner we decide to bring PB&J and some cold beers. A good decision as it was the same food as last night only for $20 a plate this time. We walk the beach, chat with friends, take pictures and by 4pm the bus comes back for us. We go for a swim when we get back and LuSea rides in her Little Mermaid float. We shower off and have late cocktails on the aft deck and watch the sunset. Dinner and bed.

Friday, July 2nd, 2010 we are the last to leave Anegada. We head to White Bay, Jost at around 10am. It is a rolly ride with the waves on our port aft quarter. We hope when we get in deeper water it will smooth out some. By the time we are finally passing Tortola is does smooth out. We see Blue Moon on our starboard and pass them to arrive in White Bay before them. All the other boats have already arrived. We spend our day between Seddy’s "One Love" (having Raquel’s perfect Bushwhacker’s) and the Soggy Dollar having their painkillers. We put 6 painkillers on their prepaid board for Glenn Ashmore a fellow TTOLer who made our wifi set up. It works great and for the cost of 6 painkillers plus parts it was a deal. We are picking up about 10 to 20 wifi stations with this system. We always seem to find one that is not encrypted and are able to log on. This will allow us to get rid of our AT & T wifi aircard.

Saturday – July 3rd, 2010 – Today is install the new inverter. So all power has been turned off and Paul is working hard. He starts around 9am and is done by 2 but the battery charger won’t work. Seddy snorkels out to us around 12noon, to see how Paul is making out, but then gets roped into helping him check as to why the battery charger won’t work and to finally pull the new one out and put back our old inverter/charger. And, I was so excited to have an inverter that had a pure size wave so that I didn’t need to start the battery charger each and every time I needed to use the Micro or Toaster Oven. Oh well, now to do battle with Xantrex to get it replaced. We won’t do that until after our charter next week. So, as there is nothing more we can do with the inverter, we do as any good boaters in White Bay would do and go back to One Love for more Bushwackers. I am also on to give Raquel’s doggie “Teddy” a haircut. A good trade…..haircut for Bushwackers. Paul helps me clip Teddy (who is not really happy about the “day at the spa”. But together we get the dirty deed done. Teddy looks much cooler with his new “do”. We swim and laze around for the rest of the afternoon.

Sunday – July 4th, 2010 – Today is back to Compass Point so that we can get the boat cleaned up and get some provisions for the charter start on Tuesday. We call Kenny and he says that we can dock at the end of the T-dock instead of going into our slip. It is cooler there and easier for the charterers to board. We pull in stern to the mangroves and after getting the lines set discover that our power cord will not reach. Start over, turn around, bow to the mangroves and reset the lines, fenders, and power cord. We are not there very long and the sky opens up. Yuck. It is hot and wet…like living in a rainforest. During the storm, Kenny calls to tell us that the boat that is permanently docked where we are would like to come in. Crap…we have to move again, but after the storm. Around 5pm we pull out and into our actual dock space. We spend the rest of the day cleaning and after dinner, Paul calls to see how his father is as Ashley got a facebook message from her cousin saying that he was in the hospital. He calls his mom as we don’t know what hospital he is in and finally gets the number. His mother is having memory issues. Paul speaks with his dad and he really doesn’t sound well. After getting off the phone we decide that Paul will fly to Florida after the charter finishes and I buy him a plane ticket on Spirit Air to Ft. Lauderdale where he will rent a car and drive to Cape Coral.

Monday – July 5th, 2010 – Today is clean the boat and get groceries. Paul washed the outside as I clean all the cabins and put away the stuff we will not need and make the beds. By 4pm we decide to take the dinghy to Independent Boat yard and walk to Food Center. There we buy fresh fruits, vegetables, and a few additional stapes. We fill two coolers and have one other bag. Paul puts the larger one on his shoulder and we carry the smaller one between us and I carry the lone bag. We get back to the dock and dink back over to Cattitude, but on the way we see Capt. Jim and his wife Joyce from the charter boat “Blue Moon” on their dock and stop to say hi and bye as they are leaving for the summer and going back to NC until hurricane season is over. We then head back to Cattitude and I make the last of the salads that I will need for the charter tomorrow.

Don't ask as to why I can't get this picture to turn, but no matter what I do it flips on it's side.  Go figure

Week 2

Tuesday June 22

Resorted grocery cabinets

Paul installed windlass and we put markers in the new anchor chain

Kiwi came to measure for bookshelf in our stateroom

Kenny came to inquire about me fixing the marina’s QkBks

VERYVERY HOT & MUGGY -almost unbearable

Wednesday June 23, 2010

We continue to unpack and I have a meeting with the marina General Manager and the Owner. It is agreed that I will do some more QkBks work for them when we are back in the marina on July 15th. Hey, it pays the dockage bills. As the owner is driving me back to our boat, he asks what Paul did for a living and when I say Union Electrician his eyes light up. Ooops, Paul may have work also. (Hey what is good for the gander, is good for the goose). When I come back to the boat Paul is ready to install the new anchor chain. We move it by hand from the dock to the compartment. It is sooo nice and clean. What a pleasure after the old rusty chain. I doubt that we will ever get all the rust marks off the deck from the old chain. The windlass works great!

Thursday June 24th, 2010 Today I re-sort all the food cabinets and put away the last of the provisions. We are finally unpacked! Yippee!. It takes a good part of the day and Paul installs our hurricane lines at the dock. We must have them installed, even though we are going out cruising. They want us to be prepared if something starts brewing. We get a call on Paul’s cell phone and someone is interested in buying our old 2500 watt inverter. He comes to see it and writes me a check. We still have to uninstall it and install the new one, so it is decided that when we get it out, we will deliver it to him in Tortola and he will trade his check for “cold hard cash”. This works out great for us as we really don’t want to be carrying the second inverter around until we got a buyer. Now we just have to unload the cooler and charcoal grille that we have and we will be very happy. This is our last night at the dock. We can’t wait to get out of here. Unfortunately for me, it is the last night of A/C until we are at Leverick Bay and on their docks. We also install the radome cable, the wifi cables and antenna and the wires for the spreader lights. The radar works! The wifi works, but I can’t seem to get onto a free wifi signal. Well, maybe in the BVI.

Friday June 25th, 2010 We are officially cruising. We leave the dock early morning and head straight to Christmas Cove at St. James Island. It is one of the nicest anchorages and very close to our marina. We still have to scrub the bottom, polish the bimini frame, put up the life jacket bag and wash the boat. The weather has started to turn crummy again. This rain just doesn’t stop. It doesn’t bother Paul who is under the boat using our “Hooka” diving system. It is an air compressor with a very fine filter hooked up to one or two 100’ air hoses with dive regulators attached. It is like diving with tanks, but you don’t have to refill tanks and it runs off our A/C power. Paul is under the boat for about 3 hours cleaning and when he comes up he looks like crap. It is very hard work and cleaning the props is the worst part. He takes a rest in the salon while I make lunch. We finish cleaning the bimini and I polish the stainless frame where the lifejackets will hang. There is too much rust to do the whole thing at one shot. Paul finishes under the boat. Takes about another hour and a half, but hopefully he won’t have to do it again for a couple of months. Cocktails, dinner and bed. Our usual routine.

Sat. June 26th, 2010. Up early again and today is boat washing day. Luckily it is still cloudy with intermittent rain. The rain actually helps by keeping the softscrub wet. It takes all day, but we have it done by about 6pm. The sun finally comes out and there is a really nice dry north wind. It is so pleasant out after an entire week of rain. We have cocktails and watch the sunset. Dinner and bed. Tomorrow we head over to the BVI for the start of the TTOL Regatta.

Sun. June 27th, 2010. At 11am we head for Soper’s Hole, West End, Tortola. It is a nice cruise and we pick up a mooring ball at about 12:30pm. I try to call the BVI Vet to meet us to clear in LuSea, but I just get the recording. We head in to Customs & Immigration to “clear in”. We tell them that we have LuSea (they actually remember us from the last time). We clear no problem other than it is Sunday so all the fees are tripled for Overtime. $31. to get into the silly country. Now LuSea on the other hand, is a problem. They can’t get a hold of the BVI Vet either. We tell them that the last time we came, the Vet said to just leave the papers and the money in an envelope and that that would be fine. They say”NO”, we can only do that if the Vet tells them that that is OK. Grrrrrrrr. We wait and wait, finally they get someone on the phone who says that someone else will come down to clear her in. We ask “how long” and no one has any idea. So we decide to go to the Market to get a few items and take our handheld VHF radio along so that they can call us when the VET arrives. We get back from the Market and put everything away. Still no call. I tell Paul to get the dog, her travel bag, and that we are going to C&I with her. We get to the office and I plop her in her bag on the counter and say that we have been waiting for 1.5 hours now and really need to clear her in so that we can get to our next stop yet today. After another couple of phone calls, they tell us to leave the paperwork and the money in an envelope and to have a nice day.l (WAIT, didn’t I say that 2 hours ago?) Off we head with LuSea “legal”.

We head over to the Bight at Norman Island. There we meet up with the other TTOL regatta boats. Blue Moon, Catatonic, Utopia, Long Over Do, Galeaux, & Southern Composure. We hop into our dinghy with LuSea and start making the round to say high to all our friends. While we are visiting boats the most incredible thing happens. A dolphin appears in the Bight and is swimming around the kids in the water. He is having as much fun as the people in the water and those watching. He does a couple of jumps, swims on his back and is just swimming in and under all the kids. WOW! It is so cool He stays and plays for almost 30 minutes. Nothing on this trip will top that. We head in for dinner (in pirate garb) at 7pm. It is a very nice buffet and we stay until about 10:30 talking and just relaxing.

Monday June 28th We cruise to Virgin Gorda and Leverick Bay. On the way it pours and then clears. Even LuSea had her rain gear on.  We go through the “cut” and get a slip at Leverick Bay Marina for the next 2 nights. A/C again, YES! After everyone arrives we all head up to the pool to cool off and have a few drinks. LuSea joins us and we just wet her down. But, we enjoy the freshwater pool. Cindy and Gene with their guests Ginny and Bruce come to the dock to see us. They are in our dinghy tomorrow for the poker run.

We later have dinner aboard and Jeff from Blue Moon comes over to bring me his dolphin pics. 10pm off to bed. Tomorrow is the Leverick Bay Dinghy Poker Run.