As we reflect on our inaugural year aboard our sailing Catamaran India, many thoughts, lessons, reflections, and memories flood forth. We would like to share some of these with our friends and family who read this blog in the hopes that it might satisfy the curiosity and interest that we so appreciate from you. We will try to address the many questions we have been asked this year.
Let's start with the good, the bad, and the ugly in terms of the places we have visited in 2019 on S/V india. Remember, this is our humble opinion based on our unique experience on a sailboat and it is not our intention to offend anyone or disparage any of the places we have been.
We both agree that the little Dutch Island of Bonaire off the coast of Venezuela was our favorite this year. Apart from the spectacular and effortless SCUBA diving, it had everything else we deem necessary for a top holiday destination. It was clean, well organized, beautiful, friendly, quaint, accessible by dingy, and affordable. It has great restaurants, outstanding grocery stores, easy car/scooter rental, nice bars, and great weather. In short, Bonaire has ticked every box for us and we highly recommend it for a great getaway.
Second runner up is Tobago and ironically for the exact opposite reasons except for the fact that it was an extremely friendly place and also had great weather. Although we discovered a few great restaurants, one would not go to Tobago for the cuisine. There is not much available in terms of grocery or shopping either. But if you want a glimpse of how the unspoiled Caribbean once looked and felt and enjoy hiking, diving and swimming or walking along the beach, Tobago is a great destination.
Honorable mention must be made for the enchanting French Islands of Martinique and Guadeloupe. We just loved it there. Both have beautiful anchorages, fabulous bars and restaurants, superior grocery stores, shopping, beaches...they have everything and have preserved many historical sites. There are museums, plantations, churches as well as hiking, waterfalls and diving in abundance. You will never be bored here.
One more mention, and honestly, the entire Caribbean is just so damn pretty, we are just being super specific in our needs, the Exumas were spectacular! A long chain of islands in the middle of the Bahamas, each island unique in character and beauty, and the crystal clear water was simply breathtaking, we wish we had more time to spend there and would return in a heartbeat!
Those were the places where we found ourselves the happiest so lets move on to our least favorite. The island that disappointed us the most was St. Lucia. Not because it wasn't beautiful. St. Lucia is magnificent in its geographical and physical beauty and Marigot Bay in particular is magical. Rodney Bay was also very nice and has really grown. There is plenty of shopping and good restaurants also. But....unfortunately, we were treated with obvious indifference in many places, if not downright rudeness. It seems they are severely on the take with tourists. It's a real pity because until this year, it was my favorite and I have recommended it many times to friends. I hope they get it together soon and I think they are working on it, as we read in the Forums. They have so much unfulfilled potential.
When it comes to ugly, I just want to express how heartbreaking it was to visit the Hurricane damaged islands of the British Virgin Islands and St. Martin/St. Maarten. Those islands are where I spent most of my twenty years in the Caribbean and they will always have my heart. Construction is going on everywhere and already some beautiful spots have reemerged. These islands are unrivaled, in my opinion. They were the first to be developed and they know what they are doing in terms of producing excellent vacation experiences in every way. I sometimes wish they had maintained some of the old Caribbean charm from my memories with a little less commercialization but they have been the most popular destinations for years. BVI's are a sailing paradise and SXM is incomparable in the number of beautiful beaches and top-notch cuisine. They have the experience and expertise and will be back on top in no time if not already.
The question we are asked the most is what was our scariest moment on india. Having pushed her to the limits with respect to sailing with full sails in brisk winds in the protected waters of the Bahamas, we were fairly convinced that she was not going to flip over that easily. The terrible beating we took traversing the southern coast of Puerto Rico taught us the most about what our india could take in severe seas and wind and what her tacking capabilities are. It wasn't so much a scary experience but it was truly uncomfortable for days. In both cases, the experience led to increased confidence in our vessel and ourselves.
It is never good to hear anything crash or bang on the boat because that means something has broken. When we broke the block for our lazy jacks in a squall outside of Martinique, it was pretty intense and plenty exciting but we handled it well as a team and it was a good lesson for us but the Tropical storm that surprised us at anchor in Charlottesville, Tobago was a little scary. We weren't comfortable in our holding at anchor next to a rock cliff and were shamefully unprepared. I take full responsibility for that one. David pointed out the storm the night before on the weather map but I was too complacently comfortable being in Tobago and thinking it would pass further to the north. Fortunately, we were able to pick up the anchor without too much of a fight, and ride out the storm for a few hours but in 40 to 50 knots of wind. I have some experience in this and my emergency response kicked in well, but we don't want to lose our india like that. So, yep, there were some alarming moments there. Plus, we broke the engine mounts which turned out to be a good thing rather than breaking them inevitably out in the Pacific somewhere where parts are hard to find.
David will add that it was quite hair-raising for him on our first night of passage out of the Exumas when he was braced up forward, repairing the roller furling system for the Genoa as the sun was setting in some fairly rough seas. He did a great job in the crashing waves as one might as well get immersed, so to speak, right away! And speaking of new experiences, the very first time we tried to sail india from Fort Lauderdale to West Palm Beach was a colossal comedy of errors. We tried to raise our giant mainsail three times before we succeeded in getting it stuck at the top of the mast due to a 2:1 spinning halyard that always perplexed me. We spent the ensuing hours stuck under full sail contemplating what it would take to get it back down. After a few more minor mishaps we arrived to the harbor mostly in tact and safely anchored for the first time only to be awakened abruptly at 5am when a local dive boat drug his anchor and smashed into us! Quite the first day for us, I must say!
These scary moments occurred mostly because we had no familiarity with the operation of our vessel and the equipment but that has all changed. A little fear is a good thing. It pushes one to recognize limits and have a respect for the elements. I would like to hope that we won't have any more mishaps on india, but it is almost guaranteed. It is part of the great challenge of sailing the high seas and we accepted that going into the deal and prepare accordingly.
This leads me to the next questions concerning night passages to which our response is that mostly our night sails are the best part. Generally speaking, the winds and seas will quiet down, especially in the wee hours. If we are sailing on a calm dark night the bioluminescence in the water is delightful to watch as it dances in the waves and the wake of the stern. At night, all sea traffic is mysterious, and deciphering the lights and relative motion of the distant ships can occupy hours. Our automatic identification system gives us all the information we will ever need to identify the type, size and tonnage of other vessels, their home ports, destinations and closest point of approach to us and what time that will occur. Similarly equipped vessels will know the same information about us. We have real time navigation to check regularly and the accuracy is amazing with ample backup should any of that fail. The old school RADAR is the go to for any doubts, so we are as well equipped on the water now on private vessels as most of the commercial vessels I have operated. We can also hail other boats if we need to in an emergency and most other navigators are happy to chat for a moment. And then there are the magnificent millions of stars and planets of the limitless universe to peruse and contemplate and we have a great app for identification and description of those too!
Being a catamaran, our india is a fairly stable platform at sea. We never venture anywhere on deck at night alone. Our fly bridge at the top of our world is very comfortable and offers amazing 360 degree panoramic views. Now that we have upgraded our cushions and installed an enclosure to our Bimini, it is even more comfortable and weather friendly. The stairwell leading down to the aft cockpit and galley is subtly lit with little blue lights and sturdy hand holds along the way, making a strong cup of tea more accessible. Music and podcasts are a good companion sometimes but the sounds of nature and the rhythmic creaking and groaning of the boat are usually enough to set thoughts in motion. I have always said that I do my best thinking at sea on watch. The feeling of smallness in the vast natural everything is infinitely humbling. David and I have set the same watch since our first overnight sail, he takes the first four darkest hours leading into the night schedule and I take the next four coming into the dawn. We share the remaining sixteen hours rotating our rest and time together as needed until or unless some event occurs requiring both our attentions. We adhere to strict rules regarding emergencies, safety, required equipment and management of sails and that has worked very well for us so far although our imminent long passage to the Marquesas will require a different watch.
The other questions frequently asked are what we do all day and how can we spend so much time together? There is never a shortage of stuff to do on the boat. We each have projects on our list of things we want to do and there is always something that needs to be done for the boat to varying degrees of urgency. This gives us a sense of purpose daily unless we have an agenda or decide to take a day off. Those are the days we really enjoy and are the purpose of our travel to actually explore exotic places uniquely accessible by boat. We are generally helpful to each other but let's face it, we are both extreme alpha personalities who have been doing things without much interference for, well, all of our lives, so, this is where we clash the most. We are still learning not to micromanage each other and criticize productively and respectfully but ultimately we do our best work independently on small projects, using our talents to the best advantage. When it comes to operating our vessel, we have fallen into a best tactic situation on method after much experimentation and investigation, otherwise the sailing and maneuvering of our vessel is the best part. We love trimming the sails for great speeds and performance and the challenge of navigating new locations. The rest of the time is spent foraging for interesting foods and cooking meals which becomes much more of a preoccupation and experimental endeavor while cruising than on land.
As for spending all our time together? For us, it isn't more difficult on the boat than on land at all. Thankfully, the boat is big enough to separate ourselves with space or escape on a paddle board or go for a swim. There is a dingy to use as well. But David and I are used to spending every day together and have never spent more than twelve hours apart in over three years. We became accustomed to our constant proximity in India, the subcontinent, for six months which led us to believe we could set forth on this adventure. Besides, we still consider ourselves newlyweds!
The best decision we made this year was to postpone our Panama Canal transit. The boat has been upgraded to a readiness that would not have been possible in the early part of last year and so has her crew. The shakedown in the Caribbean was both enjoyable and invaluable. We are looking forward to year 2020 and all the wonders the next leg on our voyage will bring. Let the adventure continue!
Let's start with the good, the bad, and the ugly in terms of the places we have visited in 2019 on S/V india. Remember, this is our humble opinion based on our unique experience on a sailboat and it is not our intention to offend anyone or disparage any of the places we have been.
We both agree that the little Dutch Island of Bonaire off the coast of Venezuela was our favorite this year. Apart from the spectacular and effortless SCUBA diving, it had everything else we deem necessary for a top holiday destination. It was clean, well organized, beautiful, friendly, quaint, accessible by dingy, and affordable. It has great restaurants, outstanding grocery stores, easy car/scooter rental, nice bars, and great weather. In short, Bonaire has ticked every box for us and we highly recommend it for a great getaway.
Second runner up is Tobago and ironically for the exact opposite reasons except for the fact that it was an extremely friendly place and also had great weather. Although we discovered a few great restaurants, one would not go to Tobago for the cuisine. There is not much available in terms of grocery or shopping either. But if you want a glimpse of how the unspoiled Caribbean once looked and felt and enjoy hiking, diving and swimming or walking along the beach, Tobago is a great destination.
Honorable mention must be made for the enchanting French Islands of Martinique and Guadeloupe. We just loved it there. Both have beautiful anchorages, fabulous bars and restaurants, superior grocery stores, shopping, beaches...they have everything and have preserved many historical sites. There are museums, plantations, churches as well as hiking, waterfalls and diving in abundance. You will never be bored here.
One more mention, and honestly, the entire Caribbean is just so damn pretty, we are just being super specific in our needs, the Exumas were spectacular! A long chain of islands in the middle of the Bahamas, each island unique in character and beauty, and the crystal clear water was simply breathtaking, we wish we had more time to spend there and would return in a heartbeat!
Those were the places where we found ourselves the happiest so lets move on to our least favorite. The island that disappointed us the most was St. Lucia. Not because it wasn't beautiful. St. Lucia is magnificent in its geographical and physical beauty and Marigot Bay in particular is magical. Rodney Bay was also very nice and has really grown. There is plenty of shopping and good restaurants also. But....unfortunately, we were treated with obvious indifference in many places, if not downright rudeness. It seems they are severely on the take with tourists. It's a real pity because until this year, it was my favorite and I have recommended it many times to friends. I hope they get it together soon and I think they are working on it, as we read in the Forums. They have so much unfulfilled potential.
When it comes to ugly, I just want to express how heartbreaking it was to visit the Hurricane damaged islands of the British Virgin Islands and St. Martin/St. Maarten. Those islands are where I spent most of my twenty years in the Caribbean and they will always have my heart. Construction is going on everywhere and already some beautiful spots have reemerged. These islands are unrivaled, in my opinion. They were the first to be developed and they know what they are doing in terms of producing excellent vacation experiences in every way. I sometimes wish they had maintained some of the old Caribbean charm from my memories with a little less commercialization but they have been the most popular destinations for years. BVI's are a sailing paradise and SXM is incomparable in the number of beautiful beaches and top-notch cuisine. They have the experience and expertise and will be back on top in no time if not already.
The question we are asked the most is what was our scariest moment on india. Having pushed her to the limits with respect to sailing with full sails in brisk winds in the protected waters of the Bahamas, we were fairly convinced that she was not going to flip over that easily. The terrible beating we took traversing the southern coast of Puerto Rico taught us the most about what our india could take in severe seas and wind and what her tacking capabilities are. It wasn't so much a scary experience but it was truly uncomfortable for days. In both cases, the experience led to increased confidence in our vessel and ourselves.
It is never good to hear anything crash or bang on the boat because that means something has broken. When we broke the block for our lazy jacks in a squall outside of Martinique, it was pretty intense and plenty exciting but we handled it well as a team and it was a good lesson for us but the Tropical storm that surprised us at anchor in Charlottesville, Tobago was a little scary. We weren't comfortable in our holding at anchor next to a rock cliff and were shamefully unprepared. I take full responsibility for that one. David pointed out the storm the night before on the weather map but I was too complacently comfortable being in Tobago and thinking it would pass further to the north. Fortunately, we were able to pick up the anchor without too much of a fight, and ride out the storm for a few hours but in 40 to 50 knots of wind. I have some experience in this and my emergency response kicked in well, but we don't want to lose our india like that. So, yep, there were some alarming moments there. Plus, we broke the engine mounts which turned out to be a good thing rather than breaking them inevitably out in the Pacific somewhere where parts are hard to find.
David will add that it was quite hair-raising for him on our first night of passage out of the Exumas when he was braced up forward, repairing the roller furling system for the Genoa as the sun was setting in some fairly rough seas. He did a great job in the crashing waves as one might as well get immersed, so to speak, right away! And speaking of new experiences, the very first time we tried to sail india from Fort Lauderdale to West Palm Beach was a colossal comedy of errors. We tried to raise our giant mainsail three times before we succeeded in getting it stuck at the top of the mast due to a 2:1 spinning halyard that always perplexed me. We spent the ensuing hours stuck under full sail contemplating what it would take to get it back down. After a few more minor mishaps we arrived to the harbor mostly in tact and safely anchored for the first time only to be awakened abruptly at 5am when a local dive boat drug his anchor and smashed into us! Quite the first day for us, I must say!
These scary moments occurred mostly because we had no familiarity with the operation of our vessel and the equipment but that has all changed. A little fear is a good thing. It pushes one to recognize limits and have a respect for the elements. I would like to hope that we won't have any more mishaps on india, but it is almost guaranteed. It is part of the great challenge of sailing the high seas and we accepted that going into the deal and prepare accordingly.
This leads me to the next questions concerning night passages to which our response is that mostly our night sails are the best part. Generally speaking, the winds and seas will quiet down, especially in the wee hours. If we are sailing on a calm dark night the bioluminescence in the water is delightful to watch as it dances in the waves and the wake of the stern. At night, all sea traffic is mysterious, and deciphering the lights and relative motion of the distant ships can occupy hours. Our automatic identification system gives us all the information we will ever need to identify the type, size and tonnage of other vessels, their home ports, destinations and closest point of approach to us and what time that will occur. Similarly equipped vessels will know the same information about us. We have real time navigation to check regularly and the accuracy is amazing with ample backup should any of that fail. The old school RADAR is the go to for any doubts, so we are as well equipped on the water now on private vessels as most of the commercial vessels I have operated. We can also hail other boats if we need to in an emergency and most other navigators are happy to chat for a moment. And then there are the magnificent millions of stars and planets of the limitless universe to peruse and contemplate and we have a great app for identification and description of those too!
Being a catamaran, our india is a fairly stable platform at sea. We never venture anywhere on deck at night alone. Our fly bridge at the top of our world is very comfortable and offers amazing 360 degree panoramic views. Now that we have upgraded our cushions and installed an enclosure to our Bimini, it is even more comfortable and weather friendly. The stairwell leading down to the aft cockpit and galley is subtly lit with little blue lights and sturdy hand holds along the way, making a strong cup of tea more accessible. Music and podcasts are a good companion sometimes but the sounds of nature and the rhythmic creaking and groaning of the boat are usually enough to set thoughts in motion. I have always said that I do my best thinking at sea on watch. The feeling of smallness in the vast natural everything is infinitely humbling. David and I have set the same watch since our first overnight sail, he takes the first four darkest hours leading into the night schedule and I take the next four coming into the dawn. We share the remaining sixteen hours rotating our rest and time together as needed until or unless some event occurs requiring both our attentions. We adhere to strict rules regarding emergencies, safety, required equipment and management of sails and that has worked very well for us so far although our imminent long passage to the Marquesas will require a different watch.
The other questions frequently asked are what we do all day and how can we spend so much time together? There is never a shortage of stuff to do on the boat. We each have projects on our list of things we want to do and there is always something that needs to be done for the boat to varying degrees of urgency. This gives us a sense of purpose daily unless we have an agenda or decide to take a day off. Those are the days we really enjoy and are the purpose of our travel to actually explore exotic places uniquely accessible by boat. We are generally helpful to each other but let's face it, we are both extreme alpha personalities who have been doing things without much interference for, well, all of our lives, so, this is where we clash the most. We are still learning not to micromanage each other and criticize productively and respectfully but ultimately we do our best work independently on small projects, using our talents to the best advantage. When it comes to operating our vessel, we have fallen into a best tactic situation on method after much experimentation and investigation, otherwise the sailing and maneuvering of our vessel is the best part. We love trimming the sails for great speeds and performance and the challenge of navigating new locations. The rest of the time is spent foraging for interesting foods and cooking meals which becomes much more of a preoccupation and experimental endeavor while cruising than on land.
As for spending all our time together? For us, it isn't more difficult on the boat than on land at all. Thankfully, the boat is big enough to separate ourselves with space or escape on a paddle board or go for a swim. There is a dingy to use as well. But David and I are used to spending every day together and have never spent more than twelve hours apart in over three years. We became accustomed to our constant proximity in India, the subcontinent, for six months which led us to believe we could set forth on this adventure. Besides, we still consider ourselves newlyweds!
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| Elektra II (soon to be named india) during the survey in December 2018. |
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| David looking a little nervous taking her through the lift bridges in Fort Lauderdale on our first day of ownership January 10, 2019. |
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| First time up the mast, but only to the spreaders! |
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| Henceforth, she will be called....india. |
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| First fish caught on india! |
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| No Name Cay and residents, Abacos! We understand that the pigs survived Hurricane Dorian! |
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| Tranquil Treasure Cay, Abacos |
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| Hope Town |
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| Firefly Resort from South Carolina to the Abacos |
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| Highborn Cay, Exumas |
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| Staniel Cay, Exumas |
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| Tuk-Tuk in DR |
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| Historical Dominican Republic |
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| Blue Lagoon Resort, Turks and Caicos |
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| Marina in Blue Lagoon, TCI |
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| Foxy's at Jost Van Dyke, BVI |
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| Brimstone Fort, St. Kitts |
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| Island Road in St. Kitts |
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| Typical island home from days gone by |
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| Scenic St. Kitts also deserves honorable mention. |
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| St. Pierre, Martinique |
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| Fort de France, Martinique |
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| Indian River, Dominica |
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| Dominica |
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| Fort Rodney, St. Lucia |
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| Petit Piton, St. Lucia |
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| Our anchor spot in Charlottesville, Tobago |
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| Cool Runnings ran all day long back and forth to Bucco Reef, Tobago |
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| Windward side of Grenada |
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| Curacao |
The best decision we made this year was to postpone our Panama Canal transit. The boat has been upgraded to a readiness that would not have been possible in the early part of last year and so has her crew. The shakedown in the Caribbean was both enjoyable and invaluable. We are looking forward to year 2020 and all the wonders the next leg on our voyage will bring. Let the adventure continue!
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| Recent picture of india as she looks now. Grenada |
The only word I know to express my feelings for your first year on the water is AMAZING! With my very, very little experience of leaving the country, once on a cruise ship and a few times to Tijuana with Jennifer, I had no idea about all the areas you have visited. Now as you start your second year of your trip, I wish you smooth and safe sailing. I love reading your blogs and seeing all the beautiful pictures. I really look forward to your updates!! Xoxo
ReplyDeleteDammit, I deleted myself AGAIN. Didn't realize until today that I'd done so. Suffice it to say, I love and admire and appreciate your blog and all the wonderful and exciting things you share with us along the way. Sorry for my VERY CHALLENGED ELECTRONIC SKILLS. What you guys are doing is so great and I look forward to each and every experience you share with us (except the scary stuff. lol) Good karma for the next part of this journey to my two favorite sailors. xoxoxo
ReplyDelete