Florida to Rhode Island, then Massachusetts

Hello One and All

Our time in Putnam, Connecticut with our grandchildren was such a joy. We stayed with our son-in-laws parents, where our daughter and and son-in-law are living until they settle into jobs. Tim and Marcia were wonderful hosts.  A GREAT BIG THANKYOU to you both.  As they both work we were needed to mind the Munchkins. Summer in Connecticut is beautiful.  We did outings, and when home Tim and Marcia have set up a wonderful back yard.  It is a real children's playground.
Then it came time to fly back to Florida and pick up SHAMAL and keep heading north.  We had been called back to Grandparent duties once again at the beginning of August, so decided it would be best to sail directly up to Rhode Island, and do the site seeing on the return trip.
Our return flight took us through Detroit then on to Orlando where once again Ed and Aubrey came to our assistance, picking us up from the airport and driving us back to their home on the waterways in New Smyrna Beach. Aubrey took us out shopping to stock up as we were sailing straight through, a trip of about a week.
So Tuesday 21st July sees us saying farewell to Ed and Aubrey and heading off to the fuel dock.  This will be another long leg and we don’t anticipate stopping.  We hope to head out to sea and pick up the Gulf Current which should give us a good push along.

Florida – U.S.A.

Hello again.

We were on a pole mooring in Turtle Cove Marina, Providenciales – Caicos, which we had gone in bow to, and only just squeezed in. With the help of a Danish yachtsman we were able to back out with only an inch or so to spare. We followed a mono out through Sellar’s Cut – the opening in the reef, and hoist the sails once more.  Another glorious day with winds from the east at 16kts., some whitecaps and a following sea of 1.5mts.  The evenings are cooler with no moon.  Day 2 and we are able to hoist the MPS and give it another airing.  We are able to fly it until just before midnight when the winds strengthen, so down it came as it is only for winds up to 17kts.

Puerto Rico and onto the Turks & Caicos

Hello Again

We were able to clear out from Sint Maarten the afternoon before leaving for Puerto Rico. This meant we were underway just on day-break.  With sails up we clear the island and change tack to get onto the correct heading.  Oh “B” the mainsheet traveller has jammed up.  This will be interesting.  We need this to move the main sail from the port to starboard tack and back !!!  Something in the workings of it has failed !!  After about five minutes Alec manages to get it to work, but with difficulty. It will need an overhaul very soon.  Another job to add to the tech list which is now growing longer by the day it seems.

We have a lovely sail with eastly winds giving us a good push from the aft quarter.  The seas are between 1-2 mts but this is something SHAMAL handles with ease and it is a comfortable ride.  During the night we pass the British and US Virgin Islands out to our STBD side some 28nm away.  We have an almost full moon which makes for a lovely night passage.  The main and jib are still holding together, but, Alec is still adding a patch here and there to keep them together.  Not long to go now before they will be replaced – just on a 1,000nm till we reach Stuart in Florida where the job will be done !!!!!!  We also have the rod out again fishing, but all we are catching is the golden seaweed.  This is becoming very frustrating.

We are now hearing the US Coast Guard on the radio.  I suppose as Puerto Rico falls under US jurisdiction, they will become a familiar voice on the radio from now on. Puerto Rico sits in the northern Caribbean and came under US possession in 1898.  Puerto Ricans have been US citizens since 1917. The Spanish name means ‘rich port’, that, we are not totally convinced about !!!