Shake down cruise – Northbound from St Davids

So all stocked up, adult and nourishment and time to make a plan. As all good plans have a beginning, we timed it perfectly. St. Davids has customs and immigration on site on Tuesday and Thursday, so now we can check out at 8am. Freezer is holding, Freon comes by to check – all the provisions are still frozen – so lets get this show on the road.

As we are on the dock, its just a short walk up there .. only they aren’t supposed to arrive till 8am. So lots of other things to do as well like put the jib up. No biggie as the wind has cooperated and the sun isn’t up yet – easy task today except the pre-feeder got stuck and had to futz with it to get it out.

Last rinse of the boat with fresh water, and its now 9am, time to clear out.. or is it. Super friendly customs officer and one couple ahead of me, small talk – thank him for his service and happy holiday banter. Now the immigration officer had car trouble, and would be in shortly – so leave passports and head back to the boat to tinker by way of the boat parts store, needed some MEK for priming the glue I to fix the gas strut in the freezer. My christmas present, there was a 2 oz bottle that was left over that someone else didn’t need so a Christmas freebee. Thanked the lady for getting us the battery the day before, even if we haven’t used it, its on board .. just in case.

Thew down on some omelettes and noticed Immigration drive up, so headed up that direction, beating the couple ahead of me to the punch and go stamped out. All clear to go with a destination of Guadeloupe.

Another boat on the finger pier, “Privateer” was just pulling out too, they were on the downwind side and just released the lines and headed on out. We were being blown on to the dock, so time to pull the ole 2 engine routine. Released all the lines except for the starboard bow line and put the starboard engine in reverse and port in slow forward… should pull against the line and swing the boat off the dock. Well I guess the wind was a bit stronger as we just sat there. Felt perplexed, but then little more gas (er Diesel) and the movement started nice and slowly.. Christine added a second bow fender just to protect the bow. We started to spin then the dock handler flipped us off the cleat horns, okay, more throttle and and both in reverse we backed out at a 45 degrees missing the cat behind us. Off to adventure.

Engines in slow forward into the surge down the channel and we both stowed the fenders and lines that were keeping us reminded that we were tied to something, Privateer 1/2 mile ahead of us. We get all battened down, no sails raised yet as we were not sure which direction around the island we were gonna go.. Privateer went right.. hmm.. what do they know that we don’t .. if we go left, its shorter but lots bigger winds and waves directly from the Atlantic ocean, or go right and be sheltered by the island of Grenada. The being sheltered you also have to go more east into the wind.

Left was our choice, first day out big waves .. we went raised sail to double reef point, then 1/2 jib – and ran up the Atlantic side, heading to Saline Island and going to use the ‘yellow flag’ and just stay on board. Rocky boat ride, but moved along quite well, made good time for leaving at 10:30am, decided to push on an call the first day done at Chatham Bay and yellow flag here.

On the AIS system as we got close we could see ‘Privateer’ way to the west of us, the big monohull had gone the other way around the island and was heading to the same spot as we were, we ended up beating them there by about an hour as they tacked in, and of course we were charging batteries (read – engines running) .. but all is good.

Our friend Secki came out to meet us and welcomed us to the bay as usual, offered us dinner and Christine said I caved, but I do like dinner with them. Turns out Privateer was also at dinner so we sat at the same table, 60+ footer with 20+ pumps on board to run all the sails. Captain, Peter and 2 guest crew members, Makin and Johan who were v-bloggers RanSailing YouTubers – super nice folks .. great dinner and conversation about state of union island, Vanessa and how we all love their beach bar.

The dock is usable, so you don’t have to drag the dingy up on shore or across the coral that lines the beach there.  As usual the Chatham winds kept us cool providing a very restful night.

Great first day.

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