Well, we are two weeks later than we expected to be, but tomorrow we depart St. Lucia. We will move northward more quickly than we anticipated, weather permitting. We still would like to be in St. Thomas by January 10th at the latest.
We're not sure where we will be for Christmas Day or New Year's Day, so it will be a surprise to us as much as anyone...
Today we're working on readying the boat for our next trek northward, and saying goodbye to our many friends here.
Last night (Tuesday) we went to Chateau Mygo for our last Sushi a'la Michael for about six months. Had a great time dancing! Tonight we will simply attend happy hour at Doolittle's across the bay, and bid adieu to David, the owner, and our friends Nick and Bev Dyer.
Not sure when we can update the blog again, but stay tuned...
Wednesday, December 16, 2009
Thursday, December 3, 2009
ARC Flotilla Day - November 22, 2009
BACKGROUND on ARC - Atlantic Rally for Cruisers
This annual transatlantic rally starting each November in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, has now become the most popular way to cross the Atlantic. The largest transocean sailing event in the world, every year the ARC brings together over 200 yachts from all over the world. The Caribbean destination is Rodney Bay in St.Lucia, one of the most beautiful islands in the Lesser Antilles. The 2700 nautical mile passage on the NE tradewind route takes on average between 14 and 21 days.
Conceived as a friendly race for cruising yachts to make the Atlantic crossing both safer and more enjoyable, participating yachts must carry a range of safety equipment including a liferaft, EPIRB and VHF radio. Daily radio nets contribute further to the safety of participants. The presence of experienced sailors is another incentive for those with little offshore experience.
The ARC has a special flavour, which successfully combines racers with cruisers, old with young, and provides entertainment for all. A wide ranging programme of entertainment takes place both before the start and after the finish. The ARC enjoys the support of the Tourist Authority of Gran Canaria, the Port Authority of Las Palmas, Rol Nautic and the St.Lucia Board of Tourism.
KEY DETAILS
We invited a few friends along for the day aboard KINGDOM. Troy (dockmaster at Marigot Bay Marina), Imbert (master mechanic and craftsman) and his wife Marianne, Dominick (General Manager of the Hotel at Marigot Bay) and Dominick's parents, Bettina and Hans, who happened to be visiting from their home in Germany.
Dominick provided a lovely selection of breakfast pastries, rolls, and fresh orange juice for our brunch underway.
A view of the fleet, assembling in Castries Harbor - I think we counted a total of about 30 boats
The sailboats are all milling around in the harbour under sail - we stayed well out of their way
Imbert and Marianne observing the gathering of the fleet in Castries harbour
Bettina - Dominick's Mom - a lovely lady!
The Flotilla, leaving Castries Harbour
The Heiniken crew toasts KINGDOM
Imbert and Marianne brunching on the flybridge
Dockmaster Troy - believe it or not, his wife is terrified of the sea - we tried to get her to come along!
Hans (Dominick's Dad) relaxes on the Aft Deck lounge
The flotilla makes its way northward to Rodney Bay
It was Imbert's Sunday off work, after all...
Troy, don't you dare!
The square-rigged UNICORN was one of the boats used for filming Pirates of the Caribbean movies)
One of the Royal Clipper line of Cruise ships - anchored in Rodney Bay
Bowsprit of the Clipper - these things are massive, and are actually working sailing ships
Imbert - still napping
Troy and Dominick on thee flybridge
News media at the awards event in Rodney Bay Marina
Rear view of Emcee Danielle on the right - Event coordinator for the St. Lucia Yacht Club
Bettina and Hans (Dominick's parents) at the Rodney Bay Marina
All in all, it was a fun day for all of us!
This annual transatlantic rally starting each November in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, has now become the most popular way to cross the Atlantic. The largest transocean sailing event in the world, every year the ARC brings together over 200 yachts from all over the world. The Caribbean destination is Rodney Bay in St.Lucia, one of the most beautiful islands in the Lesser Antilles. The 2700 nautical mile passage on the NE tradewind route takes on average between 14 and 21 days.
Conceived as a friendly race for cruising yachts to make the Atlantic crossing both safer and more enjoyable, participating yachts must carry a range of safety equipment including a liferaft, EPIRB and VHF radio. Daily radio nets contribute further to the safety of participants. The presence of experienced sailors is another incentive for those with little offshore experience.
The ARC has a special flavour, which successfully combines racers with cruisers, old with young, and provides entertainment for all. A wide ranging programme of entertainment takes place both before the start and after the finish. The ARC enjoys the support of the Tourist Authority of Gran Canaria, the Port Authority of Las Palmas, Rol Nautic and the St.Lucia Board of Tourism.
KEY DETAILS
- The ARC departs from Las Palmas de Gran Canaria and crosses to Rodney Bay, St.Lucia on 22 November, 2009
- The ARC is open to cruising monohulls with a minimum length of 8.23-25.91m (27 to 85ft) and cruising catamarans from 8.23 - 18.29m (27 to 60 ft) LOA. Yachts outside these sizes may be permitted to join in the Open Division.
- The competitive side of the event will be catered for by the Racing Division, rated under the IRC Handicap System, run under the auspices of the Royal Ocean Racing Club.
- The World Cruising handicap is used to calculate results in the cruising classes, in which motoring is permitted.
- A full programme of social activities, safety seminars and demonstrations will be organised by World Cruising Club in Las Palmas prior to the start, and after the finish in St.Lucia.
- Confirmed entrants receive regular newsletters about the ARC, containing useful information about planning an Atlantic crossing, updates on entries and safety tips.
We invited a few friends along for the day aboard KINGDOM. Troy (dockmaster at Marigot Bay Marina), Imbert (master mechanic and craftsman) and his wife Marianne, Dominick (General Manager of the Hotel at Marigot Bay) and Dominick's parents, Bettina and Hans, who happened to be visiting from their home in Germany.
Dominick provided a lovely selection of breakfast pastries, rolls, and fresh orange juice for our brunch underway.
A view of the fleet, assembling in Castries Harbor - I think we counted a total of about 30 boats
The sailboats are all milling around in the harbour under sail - we stayed well out of their way
Imbert and Marianne observing the gathering of the fleet in Castries harbour
Bettina - Dominick's Mom - a lovely lady!
The Flotilla, leaving Castries Harbour
The Heiniken crew toasts KINGDOM
Imbert and Marianne brunching on the flybridge
Dockmaster Troy - believe it or not, his wife is terrified of the sea - we tried to get her to come along!
Hans (Dominick's Dad) relaxes on the Aft Deck lounge
The flotilla makes its way northward to Rodney Bay
It was Imbert's Sunday off work, after all...
Troy, don't you dare!
The square-rigged UNICORN was one of the boats used for filming Pirates of the Caribbean movies)
One of the Royal Clipper line of Cruise ships - anchored in Rodney Bay
Bowsprit of the Clipper - these things are massive, and are actually working sailing ships
Imbert - still napping
Troy and Dominick on thee flybridge
News media at the awards event in Rodney Bay Marina
Rear view of Emcee Danielle on the right - Event coordinator for the St. Lucia Yacht Club
Bettina and Hans (Dominick's parents) at the Rodney Bay Marina
All in all, it was a fun day for all of us!
Halloween 2009
The owner of Doolittle's Restaurant and Bar hosted a Halloween Party this year. The event was held as a fund-raiser for a St. Lucia children's charity. Attendees purchased raffle tickets during the dinner hour, and a drawing was held afterwards. There was even a best-costume competition (won by a very shapely young woman in a Cat-Woman outfit). Kathy's "flapper" costume was a real contender, too! The evening was rounded off by a fireworks display, followed by dancing until midnight.
This is not a commonly celebrated holiday in St. Lucia, and the typical decorations are not readily available. So Kathy Walker, Lisa Meuche, and Susan brought all sorts of things back from their various trips to the USA. They then volunteered to help decorate the restaurant for this event. As it turned out, nearly all of the decorations, and most of the labor was donated by our three cruiser-ladies. They worked hard through the day, then returned to their respective boats to clean up, don their costumes, and then partied all evening.
These pictures are courtesy of David and Lisa Meuche - who for some odd reason chose not to include pics of themselves in costume! David was dressed as a "Nudist on Strike" - you can use your own imagination to picture his outfit.
Our local British friend Susie came up with a very original costume idea. She was "A Cereal Killer", with small cereal boxes stapled to a T-shirt, with plastic knives impaled in the boxes.
Here we see Bonnie the Flapper, and Clyde (complete with Tommy Gun) - aka Kenny and Kathy Walker
This would be one of the monster sailors from the movie Pirates of the Caribbean
Mr. and Mrs. Monster
Doolittle's Restaurant and Bar
Mrs. Monster, dancing the "Monster Mash"
Mr. and Mrs. Monster in disguise
This is not a commonly celebrated holiday in St. Lucia, and the typical decorations are not readily available. So Kathy Walker, Lisa Meuche, and Susan brought all sorts of things back from their various trips to the USA. They then volunteered to help decorate the restaurant for this event. As it turned out, nearly all of the decorations, and most of the labor was donated by our three cruiser-ladies. They worked hard through the day, then returned to their respective boats to clean up, don their costumes, and then partied all evening.
These pictures are courtesy of David and Lisa Meuche - who for some odd reason chose not to include pics of themselves in costume! David was dressed as a "Nudist on Strike" - you can use your own imagination to picture his outfit.
Our local British friend Susie came up with a very original costume idea. She was "A Cereal Killer", with small cereal boxes stapled to a T-shirt, with plastic knives impaled in the boxes.
Here we see Bonnie the Flapper, and Clyde (complete with Tommy Gun) - aka Kenny and Kathy Walker
This would be one of the monster sailors from the movie Pirates of the Caribbean
Mr. and Mrs. Monster
Doolittle's Restaurant and Bar
Mrs. Monster, dancing the "Monster Mash"
Mr. and Mrs. Monster in disguise
Wednesday, December 2, 2009
KINGDOM at anchor between the PITONS
While our friends Jan and Doug West were visiting, we took a short trip down to the Pitons, where we anchored overnight. While there, Jan and I took the opportunity to take some pictures of KINGDOM in this spectacular setting.
Thank You Jan!
Thank You Jan!
Tuesday, December 1, 2009
Zip Line Day for Jan and Doug West
Jan and Doug took an excursion up into St. Lucia's high country to experience zip-lining through the rain forest canopy. They left early in the morning, and returned to the boat mid-afternoon, tired but exhilarated.
Susan is grinning ear to ear - she's thinking, "I know what you're in for today!"
(I don't care what anybody says, my darlin' Susan looks great first thing in the morning!)
The gondola ride up into the mountain tops is worth the price all by itself. Notice the cool helmets and hair nets they make you wear. Safety gear - you wouldn't want your hair to get tangled in the zip line - it would snatch ya bald-headed!
No, we're not in Kansas anymore... It's a jungle out there!
Jan says, "Does my hair look all right?" Here she is hooked up on the zipline, and raring to go!
Doug says, "Don't tell my buddies I wore this damn hair net!"
Look closely - you can see Doug on the zipline above the forest floor
Doug and Jan - That is not a rock formation - it is the foot and roots of a giant tree!
On the way back, the driver dropped Jan and Doug at Marigot Village above the bay, so they could shop, have a cold beer, and enjoy the view. Lots of people like to purchase the handmade baskets the Lucians make while you watch. Any size, and in a variety of styles.
Yes, I AM the Basket Man!
View of Marigot Bay from Marigot Village. Our boat is down there somewhere.
Well of course I can make you a hat like mine!
Doug and Basket Man bonding...
Susan is grinning ear to ear - she's thinking, "I know what you're in for today!"
(I don't care what anybody says, my darlin' Susan looks great first thing in the morning!)
The gondola ride up into the mountain tops is worth the price all by itself. Notice the cool helmets and hair nets they make you wear. Safety gear - you wouldn't want your hair to get tangled in the zip line - it would snatch ya bald-headed!
No, we're not in Kansas anymore... It's a jungle out there!
Jan says, "Does my hair look all right?" Here she is hooked up on the zipline, and raring to go!
Doug says, "Don't tell my buddies I wore this damn hair net!"
Look closely - you can see Doug on the zipline above the forest floor
Doug and Jan - That is not a rock formation - it is the foot and roots of a giant tree!
On the way back, the driver dropped Jan and Doug at Marigot Village above the bay, so they could shop, have a cold beer, and enjoy the view. Lots of people like to purchase the handmade baskets the Lucians make while you watch. Any size, and in a variety of styles.
Yes, I AM the Basket Man!
View of Marigot Bay from Marigot Village. Our boat is down there somewhere.
Well of course I can make you a hat like mine!
Doug and Basket Man bonding...
Doug and Jan West Visit St. Lucia and KINGDOM
Our dear friends Jan and Doug West came with Susan when she returned to St. Lucia October 3rd. It was really fun to have them aboard. We spent time at the hotel pool, made a trip to the Pitons for snorkeling, up to Rodney Bay for a bit of beach time, and of course played Bananas on the aft deck. We had sundowners at Chateau Mygo, and a dinner at Doolittle's Restaurant. Doug and Jan also took a day to go Zip-Lining in the rainforest, but that will be in a separate blog entry.
Doug looks like he has done this before (driving dinghy)
Splashing in the Hotel Pool
Doolittle's Restaurant entrance
Typical St. Lucian village by the sea - South of Marigot Bay
Kiss Me! I'm really a Prince!
The Admiral - heading out of the bay
The Captain - at the flybridge helm - talking to the Admiral on the headset
Doug securing the dinghy for towing
The Admiral at the helm
Doesn't Doug look relaxed?
Approaching the Pitons - one of the most recognizable landmarks in the Caribbean
Molly taking a break
Doug and Walt cooling off! The water was perfect for snorkeling - crystal-clear
The dock at Jalousie Resort - right between the Pitons
It's cocktail time on the foredeck - At anchor beetween the Pitons
Sunset Scenes
Did you see the Green Flash???
Doug looks like he has done this before (driving dinghy)
Splashing in the Hotel Pool
Doolittle's Restaurant entrance
Typical St. Lucian village by the sea - South of Marigot Bay
Kiss Me! I'm really a Prince!
The Admiral - heading out of the bay
The Captain - at the flybridge helm - talking to the Admiral on the headset
Doug securing the dinghy for towing
The Admiral at the helm
Doesn't Doug look relaxed?
Approaching the Pitons - one of the most recognizable landmarks in the Caribbean
Molly taking a break
Doug and Walt cooling off! The water was perfect for snorkeling - crystal-clear
The dock at Jalousie Resort - right between the Pitons
It's cocktail time on the foredeck - At anchor beetween the Pitons
Sunset Scenes
Did you see the Green Flash???
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