Back to Tortola for Repairs


March 9 – Village Cay Marina, Wickham’s Cay, Tortola

We sailed through our first squall yesterday. It rolled in from the North East, as everything does at the moment, like a wall of fog in a Fauvist’s dream. The islands around us disappeared into it and for a while our target, a huge cruise ship at 5 degrees, also vanished. I was on the helm. With this weather to bow, stern and starboard, it almost felt like we were out at sea far from any land.

“Maintain your heading,” the skipper said.

Thank you compass, I thought. Even though you and the GPS never seem to agree.

Then the pouring rain stopped, the islands re-appeared and the sun came out. We got through it fine. It would be nice to have a dodger though. The drenched-through water rat feeling may have been slightly reduced.

We’re at Village Cay Marina for a few days, in downtown Road Town. We’re here to do a few repairs, sort out the new main sail, and pick up the crate from Tropical Shipping. Tropical has been a very cost effective way to get our stuff down here. Let’s just hope everything is intact when we unpack.