Ahhhhhhh White Bay

Last night several little squalls blew through. It went from complete calm to 20 knots of wind ripping through the harbor. The wind bursts only lasted a couple of minutes and then it was calm again. A few had rain and we had to close the hatches. By morning the clouds had cleared and it was going to be a beautiful day. We headed up a little river to go to a local market called Kenny’s. We needed propane and non-stick fry pans, but had no luck at the market. They directed ‘5 minutes walk’ up the road to the hardware. 20 minutes later we are at the hardware, but struck out again. On the way back, David calls and is on his way to fix the relay. He ends up needing to bring out an electrician to wire things up, but the electrician knew what he was doing, and in no time both engines are starting and running fine. 

With the repairs once again behind us we drop the ball a little after noon  and head out through the Thatch Island Cut. Winds are up near 20 knots and with just the headsail we zip along at 7 knots towards Jost  Van Dyke. We had thought about going to Cane Garden Bay, the the swells are still running and Jost will be better protected. The kids are ready for a beach (we all are, and the best one is at White Bay. We remember it as being very tight, with only a few balls and not much room to anchor between the shore and the reef, so we are going to try that first, and then head to Great Harbor if there is no room. We’re in luck, there are a couple of open balls on the east side of the channel.  Not our best effort, as our chosen ball doesn’t have a pennant and we have to back up to the other one. The wind are current are against each other and it tosses the boat a bit. The reef is only about 20 feet behind us and the waves are breaking over it. Every 4 or 5th wave comes over the reef and the boat is rocking pretty good. As soon as we get tied up a boat further in towards shore leaves, and even though its only a hundred or so yards in, its clearly a lot calmer. So we quickly untie and move up. This proves to be a good choice. We are sitting here calmly, watching the sloop that got our old ball rock and roll all over the place. Its good to be us.

White Bay is the post card Caribbean paradise. White sand and water an amazing shade of blue. Its a couple hundreds yards to the beach, Tracy and Noah snorkel in, and Delaina and I follow in the Kayak. On this end of the bay is Ivan’s Stress Free Bar, and tucked in behind it is a little campground with several tents set up. (Dave and Shelly – you could be here!)  We swam back out to the boat where the kids swim and dive for another couple of hours. Dinner is Snapper on the grill (which turns out amazing) eaten on the cockpit with the light of St. Thomas directly behind us. After dinner its back out on the tramps to watch the stars. There’s less light pollution here and the stars are the brightest yet. Still no shooting stars.