Friday, November 16, 2012

Day 3 - BOSS Sailing School Trip - 10/15/2012

Today, after my first night sleeping on a boat, we got up really early, ate breakfast, and then starting reviewing ASA 103 information for several hours.  We then took a break and snorkeled for an hour or so around a small reef that was close to the boat.  I saw a moray eel, 4 sea snakes (they were a little creepy as they watched you swim over them just a few feet up), some baby lobsters too small to take, and lots of colorful tropical fish.  The water was very clear and warm, and the break from studying was very nice.  We then cleaned up, which means that you take a bath on the back of the boat using saltwater, and then rinsing off with a fresh water hose.  I am used to this, because at the lake in the summer we do the same off of the dock.  The next time I will bring a different bar of soap, as my dial soap didn't suds up much.  We then ate a quick lunch, pulled up the anchor, and headed out of the harbor.  Today's agenda was to head offshore and practice tacking and jibing, and getting the feel of the boat.  We headed out and for the next four hours we sailed and each of us took turns piloting the boat, and trimming sails.  The weather was very nice with about 10 to 15 kts of wind.  The cat was very different in tacking, as on a mono hull, it naturally falls over to the other side, and heels over.  On the cat, you had to keep up the speed, cut over and hold it to maybe a beam reach, allowing the jib to come over and gather speed, and then you can put the cat back on a close reach.  Once you get used to the slowness of the tack, it wasn't too bad.  The problem was when you tried to bring it back to a close reach too fast, and it would stall out.  We also were not able to hold it closer than about 45 degrees into the wind without slowing down.  The mono hulls have an advantage in this area.  We also trolled a fishing line during our activities today, and managed to catch a small Mai Mai.  Unfortunately, I was too busy to remember to take a picture of it, before we filleted it.  It was a beautiful green color, and it was ashamed to kill it, but the thought of fresh fish overcame the desire to let it go.  At the end of the day, we traveled back to Bequia to anchor. 
Nancy (Tony's wife) was also training with three students on a mono hull (Andato), anchored close to us, and we invited them over for a 'sunsetter'.  The cat is very nice for entertaining, with plenty of room for all of us. 


Sunsetter with the group (Nancy was taking the picture)

Carib - local beer of the islands

After the 'sunsetter', the Andato crew headed back to their boat for dinner, and we cooked spaghetti and opened a bottle of red wine that I picked up at the Duty Free at the Barbados airport.  It was a nice end of the day!  Tomorrow we plan on sailing over to Tobago Cay.  It is a protected aquatic park with lots of sea life and especially turtles.  

Andato in the sunset (our view from Inordinate)

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