Tuesday, January 02, 2007

Charlotte Amalie, St. Thomas
18.20.257N
64.55.694W


In spite of our 6:30 am attempt to leave Culebrita with the calmer seas, we had to collect the stern anchor. If you remember the last time we threw out a stern anchor, it took 4 dinghies to help dislodge the sucker. This time it was just us.


Once again, it wasn’t going to come out easily. When Dale told me that he was going to dig it out manually, I suggested dropping the mooring ball and using the windless to hoist it up . . . But no, he figured it was buried too deep and took a small hatchet (I don’t know, it’s just what he grabbed) and spent the next hour and a half diving down, digging, then coming up to get air. By the time he started to really show his exhaustion, he swam back to the boat to tell me that every time he dug the rope out, he’d come up for air and the wave action would bury it again. Then he got the bright idea that if we dropped the mooring ball, we’d could use the big boat to hold what he dug out from being buried again. Surprisingly enough, once I dropped the mooring ball and started to pull up on the anchor line, the anchor popped right out. He might be smarter than the average bear but he’s just as stubborn at times.


Two hours after MTNest left, we were able to follow them over to St. Thomas. The seas that we suspected would calm during the night did so while they crossed but were beginning to build again as we made our way across. Still, it wasn’t a bad crossing just a little more boisterous heading directly into it.


We met up with Mike, Terri and the girls for lunch at the Green House, a local restaurant then broke off to do our separate shopping. Dale and I headed back to Liberty Jewelers (my favorite) and the crew of MTNest headed to their favorite jeweler. I picked up a couple of pair of earrings and then turned our attention to searching out an underwater camera. Mona, at Liberty, told us of a place to check and sure enough, after doing a little comparison shopping, we ended up where she had directed us and got a good deal. I can’t wait to try it out.


We met on MTNest for appetizers later in the evening then called it a day. We were all exhausted; particularly Yogi.

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