Shake down to North Sound- Virgin Gorda
Pelekan
Tom & Jos Hollway
Sat 5 Dec 2015 16:02
At last - a minimally different Lat and Long.
So indeed on Thursday we left Nanny Cay and headed up to North Sound, motoring. The engine purred happily - BUT Tom noticed the pressure was increased on the racor unit. Anyway we made it here, arriving in this near idyllic place in late afternoon. Prickly Pear island is on our left, Saba Rock straight ahead, Biras Creek on our right and Mosquito Island behind. The only minor disadvantage of anchoring here is that there is always quite a stiff breeze. At the moment it is blowing quite hard so the stiff breeze is more like an iron rod.
The dinghy engine had been serviced in Nanny Cay but, because of the difficulty testing it in the marina, it's first test was when we lowered it into the water yesterday and Tom fired it up. It sprang into life, sounded magnificent, then refused to turn off at all with the stop button! This could only be achieved by cutting off the fuel supply. Much bad language and several tools later the problem was solved and it was possible to dinghy to shore.
Examination of the fuel in the reservoir of the racor revealed a large amount of crud. ( So much for a boat unit of fuel polishing). On the basis of this Tom decided we must have A LOT of spare racor filters before heading east ( the marina store had none on Thursday), so we are going back to Nanny Cay on Monday morning, picking up 4 more which have now been located and will boost our supplies to a total of 5, and will head out soon after- weather permitting. As the winds are still strong no extra time has really been lost but I must remember to fly direct to Antigua in the future and stay in the lovely Admirals Inn whilst Tom gets the boat seaworthy.
In the meantime we are enjoying North Sound, watching the mad windsurfers with parachutes zipping around on the reef trying to avoid what, for the likes of me, would be certain death. The beer in the Saba Rock hotel is very fine ...............
Not holding my breath but hoping desperately that the next entry will be from Antigua.
Love from
The First Mate and long suffering Captain
Ps Nothing Christmassy here. I'm going to start wearing the attractive flashing Christmas pudding brooch that I bought at Heathrow as soon as we arrive in Antigua.
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