Tag Archives: Crown Bay Marina

US Virgin Islands — Jan 5 – 13, 2014

There are a few places in the Caribbean that are so comfortable, so pleasant and so familiar, that returning to them feels like returning “home”.   One of them is Francis Bay, St. John, USVI, where we settled in among friendly neighbors that must feel the same way, since they are so often there when we are:  Hunter and Devi (Arctic Tern), Lee and Sharon (Allegro), Bill and Coleen (Dolce Vita), and Tom and Lesley (Farhaven).  Also in the mooring field when we arrived, and hosting a sundowner that very evening, were Morgan and Lindsey (Nirvana).

The sheltered bay provided a welcome break from the raging winds we have so often experienced this winter, and the surroundings provided great opportunities for swimming and hiking.

We also engaged in some major projects.  The depth sounder had been acting flaky, and an installation of a new transducer before we left Trinidad had not solved the problem.  Nor did swapping the depth instrument in the pilot house — the one into which the transducer is plugged — with the seldom-used instrument in the master stateroom.   That left what?  The Sea-talk.  So we disengaged that and ran the depth instrument in stand-alone mode, getting its power directly from the boat via a spare sea-talk plug that Hunter graciously provided.  That apparently removed the problem.  What remains now is for me to attempt to re-integrate, one at a time, the components of the original Sea-talk network in order to find the bad boy.   Why re-integrate?  Because the stand-alone configuration gives me no depth or wind indications on the flybridge, and no wind indication in the pilot house.  (I am indifferent to lack of depth indication in the master stateroom.)

The other major project was the installation of AIS on Tusen Takk II.   (A word of explanation for the benefit of land-lubbers:  AIS means Automatic Identification System.  Active systems send and receive signals; passive systems receive only.  The signals sent contain such information as the name of the vessel, the speed, the direction of travel, the coordinates, and so forth.  The receiving instrument uses that information and similar information from the receiving vessel to calculate the closest approach and the time of that closest encounter. All of this information is then displayed on a computer running navigation software, or on a chart plotter.)  At the sundowner on Nirvana a number of captains sang the praises of AIS, recounting how during night passages the unit had kept them informed of the path and intentions of the large ships that ply the seas, and had made it possible to hail an approaching ship on VHF by name, ensuring that they would answer.  When I admitted that we had no such unit, Bill (Dolce Vita) urged me to come over the next day and see his installation. As he conducted the demonstration in his cockpit, he remarked that he had another unit installed down on his nav station below, and that his new unit had replaced the old and the old had not been used for a couple of years.   He offered to give it to me, and suggested that I bring my computer over to his boat to see if it would work.  I did, and it did.

So then we had the problem of installing the system on Tusen Takk II.  The AIS unit functions as a MUX, receiving info from the vessel’s GPS at one speed through a serial connector, combining that info with the info received on a VHF (or AIS) antenna (from other, transmitting boats), and sending the info back through the same serial connector (but at a different speed) to the computer running the navigational software.   Without Bill, I would have been at a loss.   With his help, after several attempts, we succeeded in tapping into the correct GPS output and getting the unit working!   Fantastic!

(For those who are curious, the AIS I installed is a passive unit, and the computer in question is my backup navigation device, running Nobeltech 8.something on an old Dell that just keeps on ticking and running Windows XP (gakk).  When/if I upgrade I will simply need a serial-to-USB converter to get the info to the new computer running the new nav software – which will definitely NOT be Nobeltech, given their policies concerning upgrades and additions to their charts, and will definitely NOT be a Dell, given that it is not a Mac.)

Our stay in Francis was not all work.  Our neighbors got out nearly every day, either snorkeling or hiking or both.  Our projects got only somewhat in the way; we joined the crew in an expedition to explore the now-defunct Maho Resort on one day, and on another the crew took multiple dinghies to Cinnamon Bay and explored the nearby ruins and then took the more challenging path up the mountain to Centerline Road, where we turned around and came back down.

On Jan. 13 we moved over to St. Thomas and took a slip at Crown Bay Marina, where we a)  equalized the batteries, b) provisioned, c) hired a taxi to help us get our new carpets at Tropical Shipping, and d) readied ourselves and the boat for the arrival of friends from Savannah:  Beth Logan and Steve Ellis.

About the carpeting.  We sought the advice of the folks at Kadey-Krogen, and learned that a number of KK-ers had used Jennifer Highlander (carpetgirl@att.net) who works at or near Stuart, FL.   We contacted her and she agreed to help out.   We sent her patterns that we carefully cut to size on craft  paper.  We sought her advice on carpet style and color, having also sent her swaths of material from our sofa cushions and window treatments.   She ordered the carpet material, cut them to size, attached borders, and sent them and appropriate carpet padding (also cut to size) to Miami, where they were placed on a Tropical Shipping vessel and sent to St. Thomas, USVI.   We carpeted the entire boat (except the engine room 🙂  ) and are extremely pleased with the results.   Our careful creation of the patterns and Jennifer’s careful work have resulted in carpets that fit each spot perfectly.

About our Savannah guests:  tune in to the next edition of “Chuck and Barb go cruising”.

 

 

USVI – Chuck’s Mom and Sis visit, Mar 12-19, 2013

Mom (94) and sister Zona (mumble) were the latest guests to join us on Tusen Takk II.  We “received” them on Mar 12 at Crown Bay Marina, where we reasoned it would be easiest to get Mom on board.  Next day, we engaged a taxi for a “tour” of St. Thomas.  Charlotte Amalie was packed to the overflowing with passengers from the scheduled seven (!) cruise ships in the vicinity.  Turned out a fair percentage of them were also on tours, and that on such days a “tour” consists of a drive up to several vantage points above the city, including the incredibly crowded Mountain Top, home of the “world famous” banana daiquiri.   In order to get to the balcony overlooking Magen Bay to the north, one must pass through a gargantuan store filled with schlock.  But the view from the balcony, when one could finally elbow one’s way to the rail, was indeed impressive.  And Zack, our driver, originally from Palestine, was gracious and solicitous of Mom.

The waves hitting our slip, and the diesel fumes blowing our way from the nearby Tropical Shipping dock persuaded us to leave Crown Bay on Mar 14, or “pi” day.  We hoped to stop at Christmas Cove, but when there was no room at the inn proceeded to Francis Bay.  There, Barb and Zona did some swimming, but the water was murky and Zona decided she wasn’t a snorkeler, if that is a word.  Left-over rollers from the NW made the mooring field moderately uncomfortable, so we moved the next day to Leinster Bay, where, tucked deeply in to Waterlemon Bay, we spent two lovely days.   Zona and I went ashore and walked up to Annaberg, where we obtained the obligatory picture of guest-in-front-of-windmill.

On Mar 17 we moved to Great Lameshur, where the quiet waters and beckoning dock finally convinced Mom that she could get ashore.  Pleasant walk to VIERS and the Tektite museum.  See the photos below of the re-entry of Mom to the dinghy at the conclusion of the short excursion.

On Mar 18 we moved back to Charlotte Amalie, where we hosted temporarily-batching Hunter (Arctic Tern) to dinner and cards.

Speaking of cards, Mom suffers from macular degeneration, but with her boundless will and optimistic spirit continues to play Free Cell and Spider on the computer, and Progressive Rummy at the card table.  When we weren’t playing cards with Mom, Barb and Zona and I did a lot of reading.  It was a very relaxing visit, and both Barb and I feel grateful for having had the time with Mom and Zona.

Early morning on Mar 19, we all boarded the dinghy – Mom now more confident that she could manage the entry and exit – and traversed the short distance to the dinghy dock at Yacht Haven.  No sooner had we gotten underway than we were hit by a downpour which lasted just long enough to thoroughly drench us all.  Maybe we should have a) waited five minutes or b) covered the luggage with plastic before departing.

PS:  When we returned to the boat, we had breakfast and then schlepped ten tons of laundry in to shore.  Barb finally got a picture of Jerry, the pleasant man who insists on folding sheets for customers.  Gratis.

 

United States Virgin Islands — Feb 5-12, 2013

On the afternoon of the Feb 4 we moved from Salt Pond back to Great Lameshur.  There we hatched the plan of hiking out to the Cabritte Horn Point the next morning.  To do that, the Terns and the Takks took the dinghy in to the dock and walked east along the road until we were at the top of the first steep hill.  There we left the road and entered the Tektite Trail, which climbs southeasterly until reaching the ridge top and then zig-zags south along the ridgeline.  Eventually, the trail forks with the right branch heading west down to Bee Hive Cove while the left branch continues along the ridge on the Cabritte Horn Point Trail to the Point.  There are some spectacular views along this trail.  When we reached the Point, Barb commandeered my camera and took some portraits.  That evening, Barb stayed back at the boat while the Terns and I did a night dive on Tektite Reef.  On the dive we saw a lobster out in the open, which surprisingly made it  more difficult to snare, since it would not sit still.  Each time a snare would touch its tail, it would zoom off, but then stop in the open.  Again and again.  Our actions reminded me of my childhood, when I was assigned the task of catching a rooster for slaughter.

Finally, Hunter caught it with his snare.  Quick as a wink, the lobster was deposited tail first into the Tern’s lobster bag.  I immediately resumed my journey back toward the boat.  When I looked back, Hunter and Devi were again “chasing a rooster”.  Another lobster?  Nope, when I rejoined them I could see that the bag was empty!  (Learned later that the Tern’s bag has a velcro bottom, and that the bottom was not closed!  So the lobster went into one end of the bag and out the other.)  After many more minutes of futile pursuit, the lobster backed into a small hole and Hunter, frustrated with his lack of success with the snare, grabbed the “rooster” with his gloved hands!  This time, it was put into my bag, which has only one exit/entrance.   It was late when we returned to our vessels, so we decided to suspend the bag in the water until morning.

Next morning, a big surprise.  When the lobster was removed from the bag, the “rooster” was seen to be a “hen”!   Oops!  (We set the female free so she could go off and deposit the eggs that graced her underside.)

On Feb 6 the Takks and the Terns moved over to Hurricane Hole, where we snorkeled along the mangroves.  Since mooring overnight is not permitted there, we then moved to Round Bay where we anchored for the night.

Next day, we moved back to Francis Bay, where we got our scuba tanks refilled and made plans to dive Johnson Reef.  Early in the afternoon of Feb 8, despite the high waves washing over the reef, the Takks set out in our dinghy and the Terns in theirs.  As we approached the reef, our dinghy sputtered and stopped, clearly overheated.  Since we were so close to our destination, we decided to dive anyway before returning to Francis.  The Terns towed us into position and we had an uneventful dive, punctuated by the discovery of a lobster so well ensconced that it could not be snared.

Feb 9, we both moved over to Charlotte Amalie.  Devi was turning 60, so we all went ashore and walked up to the restaurant “Room With a View” for a celebratory dinner.

Anticipating the arrival of grandchildren Kristen and Abigail on Tuesday, and needing access to shore in order to complete provisioning, we took a slip at Crown Bay Marina on Feb 10.  Early on the morning of Feb 11, Hunter gave me a tow over to the Yamaha Dealer at Substation.  I spent the day rebuilding two leaky raw water pumps:  one for the genset and one for the John Deere propulsion engine.  Late that afternoon we walked over to the dealership and retrieved our oh-so-vital and ever-so-beloved dinghy, which vehicle now purrs and cools nicely after an acid bath for its sinuses.  (Dinghy engines almost never get flushed with fresh water if they are owned by full-time cruisers that almost never visit docks.)

On Feb 12 I replaced the non-functioning horns on the flybridge while Barb went to the airport to gather up Danielle’s daughters Krissy (18) and Abber-dabber (9).  I was just finishing the installation when we had a surprise visit.  Roberto and Maria Rosa stopped in to say “hi”.  Passengers on a nearby cruise ship, they had been surprised to look out and see a Krogen.  They recognized the shape immediately, since they are themselves owners of a 2010 Kadey-Krogen 48 named “Gratitude”.  One can read about their experiences as relatively new owners by going to www.kadeykrogen.com/newsletters and clicking on “Winter 2013”.  See page 6.  Faithful readers of this blog may also be interested in the contents of page 16, where the winners of Krogen’s Seventh Annual Photo Contest are announced.

But I have digressed.   Our granddaughters are indeed with us.  To learn about their visit, the gentle reader must tune in to the next exciting episode of “Chuck and Barb go cruising”.