Cruz Bay USVI - clearing in...18:19.847N,064:48.012W
AJAYA'S CRUISE
Phil & Nikki Hoskins
Sun 3 May 2009 23:44
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Watching Sopers Hole recede into the distance for
the umpteenth time we prepared to reef, island & rock hop our way round
the north coast of St Johns to clear in at Cruz Bay. It didn't look
too taxing from the description in the pilot book. As the plethora of
charter craft diminished with the miles we turned into the Bay. There was
nowhere to anchor which explained why there were a couple of boats swinging
about outside the harbour in the unbearable chop from the fast local ferry
boats. The anchor held on the second try. We launched the dinghy yet
again, not easy in the lumpy sea, for yet another marathon dinghy
journey. The majority of dinghy rides here, especially in UK
waters designed craft, are long affairs resulting in wet bottoms, tops
& glasses - we are seriously contemplating buying a different RIB for next
season. For now salt encrusted shorts & wet shopping are the
norm. So, Skipper goes ashore with paperwork in waterproof back pack only
to radio back to say that they needed to see both of us. Wet dinghy
ride over reef back to boat, don salty shorts, wet dinghy ride back to
jetty leaving Ajaya bouncing about in the wash. Disembarking we heard that
the beach bar was holding a crab race which slightly helped ease the sense of
humour failure!
The officials were charming & very helpful. The
whole process was over reasonably quickly. We were read the riot act about
making sure that no fresh food waste from food purchased anywhere other than in
the USVIs was to leave the boat. This was to be held on board & taken
to the incineration plant for which a charge would be made. In fact most
places in the BVIs charged to take your rubbish away, up to $4 in some
anchorages. Luckily we'd dumped our last lot of gash before
crossing. However, the more we queried the Immigration Officer about
our intended length of stay in the USA it slowly dawned that we may not have
seen the last of Sopers Hole! The six months starts now, sometime between
now & the end of that period we have to make a "meaningful departure"
(followed hopefully by a "meaningful return"!) in order to extend our stay to
satisfy the insurance company..........and the saga continues.
Duly cleared in we sought out a
supermarket, bought a few bits, got back in dinghy, crab race had just
begun, wet ride back to boat, stow wet shopping, haul up dinghy, remove salty
shorts & up anchor! Phew, now time to roost somewhere peaceful for the
night. Hmmm - Caneel Bay slightly to the north looked favourite. After a slave
uprising in the 18th century the sugar plantation owners who were not massacred
retreated to the mansion here, now apparently a high class resort! Not for
us this time, there was no lee and the few boats on moorings were rolling
incessantly. So we headed south back past Cruz Bay to Great Cruz Bay. Nope
- full of local moorings. Next a bay called Chocolate Hole by now it was
getting late & everywhere looks ominous as the light fades. It was also full
of local boats & a building site ashore. On we went to Rendezvous Bay,
headed for the nearest bit of lee & anchored next to the only other
boat there. The wind eventually dropped, turtles swam by & the stars
came out.
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