Latest news from Out of India June 4th 06
Out Of India
Birgitte and Ray Charmak
Mon 5 Jun 2006 18:54
Please create a new e-mail when replying and do not just hit "reply" as
this can cause compression problems as we are on satellite communication.
Howdy!
We have finally arrived in the States! We did the Bahamas without too many
problems. This was the stretch my Captain has been worrying the most about.
Very shallow reef infested waters and at times very tricky navigation. We
are grateful to Peter and Eileen of Max Groody II who led us way all the
way to Fort Lauderdale. We have hit a few sandbanks (Ray has really got the
knack of this one and bow thrusts us out), seen loads of fat nurse sharks
and experienced a very stormy night and day on May 17th. Fortunately we knew
it was coming and were well sheltered in Alan Cay. After one boat breaking
loose and hitting Max Groody II in the early morning, (first time in their 9
years around the world sailing) Peter helped Ray putting down a secondary
stern anchor. Not a pleasant job in the choppy water and strong winds up to
45 knots, but rather that than worrying about drifting.The storm gave me the
opportunity to start emptying the freezer of chicken and lamb from Europe
thinking the US Customs would give us a hard time over. So I was cooking
away: coq au vin, chicken curry, cooked plain chicken, leg of lamb etc,
which in the end was a waste of time, the Customs didn't even ask us about
what we had on the boat, so much for my "panic" cooking! When the winds
calmed down, we did a bit of exploring in our dingy. In Alan Cay there is
one beach which houses a iguana colony. Fascinating walking around these
pre-historic ugly looking creatures feeding them with vegetables. Most have
been at least 50 of them running around checking us out. Fat things they
were, being constantly fed by the yahcties.
Continued sailing on May 19th heading for Bobby Cay. This stretch was the
most shallow bit and fortunately the waters were calm with good visibility.
Very, very happy that Max Groody II were around. Just outside Nassau our
starter button failed and after some nerve wrecking moments Ray got his head
into the wiring system and somehow managed to start it and we could breath
again. At the very desolated anchorage, Peter and Eileen came over, Peter
being a super star handy man saw this as a challenge. The starter button was
by now completely dead and we were slightly concerned that being a Friday,
we would have to
stick around until Monday before we could get any help from Nassau to sort
it out. After a few hours Peter in the end managed to over run the starter
button and made it work, what a relief!
Left the following morning and motored 40 miles to Cockroach beach, an easy
day. Enjoyed a long swim to the beach, now both of us are swimming with
flippers and
Ray equipped with knife..... just in case..... Had lovely relaxing afternoon
with drinks on Max Groody II and an early evening. Next leg to Fort
Lauderdale, approx 150 miles. Me being a little bit paranoid after the
starter button incident and listening to the VHF about a drifting metal pipe
and some whale around (could easily see us drifting around in the life
raft), repacked the grab bag (a big water proof bag filled with survival
stuff in worst case scenarios) and filled up the system with loads of water
and porridge. Anyway, we had no complications. Arrived safely in Fort
Lauderdale May 22nd but decided soon to leave. Too big and busy port for our
liking. Refuelled and split up with Max Groody II and headed for Palm Beach.
Had a very chilled evening there with plenty to drink celebrating our
arrival to the States while admiring all the fancy houses along the
anchorage. Very civilized. Checked in with customs the following morning a
very smooth operations without any trick questions. Left same evening after
a long nice walk and headed for Cocoa Beach and Tony and Sara, a 100 miles
sail. Arriving noon May 24th.
How lovely to see them again! They picked us up at the marina and brought us
back to their stunningly beautiful place overlooking the beach. I was
thrilled by the prospect of
a few days on land in complete luxury and being able to just be girly girly
without worrying about banging my head against anything and staying in a
cool environment. We had a super time! They are the fantastic host and
hostess and we totally chilled. After very nice lunch at the beach, Ray
and I had spotted their big TV and suggested King Kong and a quiet night in
on their extremely comfy sofas.
Great! The only thing though, the film rather got me in a stage, so many
effects and awful monsters that my heart was still beating when in bed.
Over to shopping! And did we shop! Sara is a pro and knows of any deals to
be
made. We shopped and had lunch and shopped again. Well back home, quite
knackered, we popped the pink champagne and toasted to their happiness and
their 3rd anniversary. Then out to lovely French restaurant in Cocoa village
for further celebrations. Great evening, only shame, waitress managed to
spill red wine all over Tony's white jacket, bought for the occasion....
After a great walk and run on the beach and chilling by the pool it was time
for us to depart. Charleston waiting. Left Friday early afternoon and sailed
in one hit to Charleston, arriving on Sunday May 27th. We are getting better
and better on night sailing and I am finally managing to get into a sleeping
pattern.
I just love Charleston, so much beauty my eyes are
about to pop out. And Ray loves it too. He thinks it is the most beautiful
city in the States. It has changed a lot since I was here last 17 yrs ago,
but only to the better. It has become a very cosmopolitan and chic city
with so much beautiful architecture and gardens that it is a true joy
walking around. What differs Charleston from other cities is that whole of
Charleston is old and beautiful, not only a tiny part. You can walk around
for hours and go uh ah ah, and look at that, and look at this.... it is
stunning! Charleston suffered economically up to the 60's and could not
afford knocking down old building to build new. So hence the result, mostly
old architecture, and new builds now have to build to blend in with the old.
A great result.
As we mentioned in our last diary entry, we met Scott and Hugh in
St John who invited us to stay as long as we liked in their place. And what
a place! They have the sweetest and most charming house in Wentworth street,
decorated to perfection with stunning porch and back garden! Ray and I are
in heaven. We have been indulging
ourselves in fantastic restaurants, drinking superb wines and thoroughly
enjoyed ourselves for a week now. As an extra plus, The Spoletto festival
started last week. It is musical/cultural festival lasting 3 weeks with
both out door and indoor concerts in the nicest venues. We just missed
the Norwegian jazz artist Solveig Slettahjel who was one of the main
attractions.
On last Sunday the day we arrived, after a lovely lunch,
Scott and Hugh took us to Folly island just outside Charleston, and to a
fish chack by the river, true Forrest Gump environment, and we had a
fantastic time in the sun drinking beer listing to live jazz before going
out to dinner in the evening. And so it has been every day since. Sleep,
walk, eat, wine, shop, walk, eat, sleep, wine, walk, eat and sleep etc etc.
From not really enjoying shopping, I have probably been inside every shop in
town, I think Ray is slightly worried this pattern is here to stay....
We went to Columbia yesterday and stocked up with wine at Jean-Pierre's
place (96 bottles are now waiting to be stored away on the boat) before
another great lunch. Then a stop at Middleton Place, an old plantation just
north of Charleston, drinks and snacks with neighbours before another
concert in the College gardens .. A hard life.
Out of India is currently resting in the marina just down the road, very
handy. She is being
seen to tomorrow by technician to sort out starting problems. We plan to
leave on Tuesday June 6th heading for Cape Fear. It has just been lovely to
be here and to have made two such great friends who have made us feel so
extremely welcome!
We are on schedule, we plan to return to England a little earlier than
originally planned, around 20th of June.
Love to you all,
R&B
Some new pics on our website: http://blog.mailasail.com/randb/blog/