We have been motoring for nearly 24 hours in light headwinds. Looks like we may not be able to lay our course sailing for the rest of the passage. In an optimistic moment we rigged the Code Zero (our biggest headsail) yesterday just to have it ready in case sailing conditions improve (and to…

We arrived at Great Harbor, Jost Van Dyke at around midnight dropping the hook well outside the mooring field before moonrise in pitch blackness (18d26.36’N, 64d45.08’W, 50 ft). We had been there before many times and so knew the area well (the GPS chart plotter, RADAR and previous tracks also helped quite a bit).…

We had a nice family reuinion afloat with Kurt’s brother, nephew and the rest of the crew on their chartered 56 ft motor yacht. We hit many of the usual haunts here in the BVI but with it being early in the season many restaurants and bars were closed (opening next week). Tropical storm Rafael…

Last night the center of tropical storm Rafael passed 20 miles to the east of us (heading north to Bermuda). Most of the wind and rain was on the eastern side (40 kn) and we only saw 5-15 kn all night. The wind has backed from E yesterday to NW last night to W…

With the safe passing of T.S. Rafael to the east of us, Kurt’s brother Peter and his crew on their chartered motor yacht were finally allowed to leave their charter base marina and with only one day left on their charter took a trip to Deadman Bay on Peter Island. After a morning spent aboard…

With no tropical storms forecast between the BVI and Aruba, we decided to make a run for the lower latitudes and get out of the Hurricane zone. A ‘huka’ dive on Interlude’s bottom reveiled no surprises, only a few dings and wraps from Maine’s maddening lobster pots. The ‘captain’ fired up our new dive…

Motoring a few hours last night got us through some squally shifty rainy areas but on the whole it has been a pleasant sail in 10 to 20 knot East winds with slight to now moderate seas. We are under full main and Genoa on a beam reach doing 8 to 10 knots. No…

With another squally night forecast and no reason to hurry into port for a night arrival, we shortened sail to stays’l and reefed main. With this combination we are still making a respectable 7 to 8 kn and can easily weather 25 to 35 kn squalls. The downpours have been spectacular though, keeping Interlude…

We took our time getting into port, slowing down to arrive at dawn. On final approach we turned on our new LED spreader and cockpit lights to gybe the reefed mainsail and were soon spotted and hailed by the Aruba Coast Guard. They came along side and asked us to talk on the radio…