Tag Archives: Tektite Reef

Virgin Islands, Jan 17 – Feb 2, 2013

On Jan 19 we left Charlotte Amalie and traversed over to Salt Pond, St. John, where we snorkeled, harvested some lambi (conch; later prepared by Devi and served to the appreciative crews of Tusen Takk II, Awakening, and Arctic Tern) and attended Sunday brunch at Concordia Resort.  On Jan 21, back over to Great Lameshur where we dove Tektite Reef and I caught a lobster.  Next day, back over to Francis Bay to refill our scuba tanks and dive Johnson Reef and Whistling Cay, where I again caught a lobster.  Our stay included a Friday evening, so of course we hiked up the stairs to Maho Bay Resort where most of us (Liahona and guests, Nirvana and guest, Persephone and guest, Arctic Tern and Tusen Takk II) ordered their world-famous prime rib.  We also attended several sundowners on Nirvana. On one such the moonrise was spectacular; Morgan’s guest (Lindsey, on Nirvana) let me use her camera to catch the moment and later emailed the pictures.  Thanks, Lindsey!

Our water maker ceased production yet again.  Hunter (Arctic Tern) and I removed it from TT2’s Holy Place and disassembled the beast up in the cockpit.  We managed to break an elbow, but were told that a repair facility was available at Nanny Cay, BVI.  Three trips: the first to pick up the wrong seals, the second to get the correct seals, and the third to deal with the broken elbow, which required retapping the threads.  Since we were already in the shop for the retapping, I let the tech put the ETD back together while I watched and was gratified to see that he didn’t do anything that I would not have done.  Back at the boat, the ETD was installed back into its frame and the whole unit reinstalled back into the Holy Place.  Yippee!  It worked (and is working)!  Not only working, but working at the advertised full capacity of the unit!

While in the BVIs, we spent a night at The Bight on Norman Cay, where we snorkeled the caves, and two nights at Cane Garden Bay, where we had never been before.  Nice quiet little bay, with a number of beach bars/restaurants, and a very old and small rum factory whose entire annual production is consumed on the island of Tortola.

Then, on Jan 31, back to Cruz Bay to check back in to the USA and to get our mail and then double back to Francis Bay, where we got an email from Arctic Tern suggesting that we get together for a dive on Tektite Reef.   So next day we swung around the island to Great Lameshur, where we had a very nice dive.   Saw lots of fish and each couple snagged a lobster, some of which Barb turned into two delicious pizzas.   On Feb 2 we moved over to Salt Pond, where we hiked out to Ram Head and then harvested five conch, some of which Devi turned into delicious curried lambi.

For more news of more hikes, tune in to the next exciting episode of “Barb and Chuck go cruising”.