Passage from Riviere Sens, Guadeloupe to Rupert Bay, Dominica With Pic

Bootlegger of Mann
Frank Newton
Thu 15 May 2008 21:30
15 May 2008

Position: 15:35N 61:29W Weather: Fine Wind: SE 15kts

Crew: Frank Newton (Solo)

07.45 Departed Riviere Sens for Portsmouth, Dominica, Course steered 169
degrees T. DTG: 29 nm Initially good sail with SOG of 6.5 to 7kts but as
wind dropped to 5 kts forced to revert to donkey.

12.30 Now just six nm from destination. Passed nothing on the way down.
Looking to anchor off south end of Rupert Bay near Cocanut Beach Hotel
which, according to Doyle's comes highly recommended. Course change to 149
degrees T.

13.00 15:33.177N 61:27.85W Anchored south end of Bay near to Cocanut Beach
Hotel and FWE following recce of Bay. Distance done 30nm. Engine run
time: 4 hrs; Gen. run time: 3 hrs. Very hot.

14.30 After putting tender in water went ashore to find Cocanut Beach
Hotel derelict - so much for Doyles recommendation.

15.30 Moved boat further up Bay towards another hotel recommended by Doyle.

19.00 After sundowners watching a magnificent sun set on a calm placid sea
went ashore to get dinner. As I was about to beach tender a very large
wave came out of the darkness rolling in on what was a flat sea, probably
generated by a passing large vessel. I had no time to turn the tender into
it before it lifted the dinghy and flipped it over with me trapped
beneath. The dinghy and I were violantly thrown onto the rock and shale of
the steeply rising beach with much force, then the undertow pulled both
dinghy and myself back into deep water with me still trapped beneath. I
managed to get myself out from under and, grabbing the tender with one
hand I struck out for the shore with the other. Another large wave came in
throwing dinghy and I back on the beach. I held on tightly to the dinghy
as the sea tried to pull it back, managing to quickly tie the painter onto
a small tree trunk near the waters edge. I heard a voice asking was I
alright? I turned to see a young man who turned out to be an American
medical student. I felt blood running down my face and legs from cuts and
abrasions. I had lost my glasses, my phone, my Tilley hat, my Crocs and a
large waterproof torch I had aboard the tender. The only other thing lost
was my pride. I returned to Bootlegger after recovering the oars and after
the waters had calmed and cleaned and patched myself up. It could have
been worse.

It turned out the 'hotel' to which I had been headed for dinner was no
longer a hotel but part of an American Vetinary College which accounted
for the student on the beach. Past time Doyle's was updated.

Picture below: Bootlegger at anchor off the 'Coconut Beach Hotel', Rupert
Bay, Dominica











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