Monthly Archives: November 2012

  On Friday morning, we bid farewell to our Caribbean 1500 friends and our attractive anchorage in Francis Bay.  Since the BVI Customs and Immigration office charges higher fees and operates on restricted hours during the weekend, we are bound … Continue reading →

On Wednesday morning, we retrace our steps from Caneel Bay to Cruz Bay, but this time by dinghy.  At 9:30 AM, there is plenty of space at the public dinghy dock near the NPS Visitor Center.  Our mission is to … Continue reading →

  The sunrise in Soper’s Hole is spectacular this morning.  Our first task of the day is a short dinghy ride to the Customs and Immigration office to clear out of BVI before entering the U.S. Virgin Islands later today.  While … Continue reading →

  After a few days of adjustment to life ashore in Tortola, my land legs are back and I am functioning in a manner that is close to my norm.  Post-landfall activities are the perfect antidote to land sickness.  Caribbean … Continue reading →

In darkness, Cutter Loose crosses 18 degrees, 28 minutes north, the official finish line of the Caribbean 1500.  The time is 1:45 AM.  Street lights on the hills of Tortola are visible now.  From here, we creep along slowly, threading … Continue reading →

At this stage of the voyage, we should be experiencing the prevailing easterly trade winds that provide a comfortable beam reach into Tortola.  But there are no trade winds today.  Instead, the wind is out of the south.  Cutter Loose … Continue reading →

Wind from the NE at 30 knots make for another rolly day at sea.  Cutter Loose is double reefed and pounding through the waves and swell at 8 knots for most of the day. We are making rapid progress towards … Continue reading →

During the early hours of the morning, the wind shifts to the NNE at 18 knots.  Cutter Loose is scampering along to the barn on a beam reach at 7 knots.  Clear skies give way to light showers at 1 … Continue reading →

At 1 AM, the distance to Tortola as the crow flies is 600 miles.  The wind this morning is from the NNW at 20 knots which pushes Cutter Loose along on a broad reach at a comfortable speed of 5 … Continue reading →

Brisk southwesterly winds place Cutter Loose on a spirited, rhumb line beam reach to our destination in Tortola. Despite the deep reefs in the mainsail and genoa, this is a bouncy ride with an abundance of sea water spraying the … Continue reading →