OOOPS! Catastrophy aboard 'PIANO' Friday 12th May

Monday 14th May

 Left Cooper Island for Virgin Gorda. All sail and fair winds we made good time. Just a few high lights in passing.  First three islands called the Dogs ( West, Great and George) On George Dog there is a smaller islet called Cockroach Isle which we did not stop at—even though there are no cockroaches living there!  Next came Fallen Jerusalem named because it looks like a bombed city.  This due to the many boulders strewn around.  These are oversized volcanic boulders which were scattered around like rubble during volcanic activity in the past but each weighing hundreds of tonnes.  Finally we reach Virgin Gorda (the Fat Virgin) and pick up a red ball for lunch.  While I prepared it Malcolm snorkelled.  We then sailed to Spanish Town and stayed overnight in St Thomas Bay so that we could replenish the salad stuff, which seems to disappear by magic.  We had lunch the following day at the Barth & Turtle which had free wi-fi. The Pizza was great but the wi-fi was down.  Malcolm walked to the ruins of an old Copper Mine and did a hiking trail through some of those large boulders.  We sailed past Savannah Bay, Little Dix Bay and into Gorda Sound, Leverick Bay where we picked up a ball for the night.  It rained most of the time and the wind was strong so I made use of the water by doing 2 loads of washing and also made a fruit cake while the generator was on.  We took on some free water and ice at Leverick Marina (it’s included in the fee for the mooring ball) then moved to anchor nearer Prickly Bay ready for sailing off. Strong winds from the SE and more rain gave us another day here.—but hey the water is a good colour blue and there are turtles around so I’m not complaining! 

Tuesday to Thursday shopping and preparation for upwind sailing to Anguilla the first stop on our way South to Trinidad for the Hurricane Season.

Not such an early start as we would have hoped since the New offices were being opened when Malcolm went ashore to check out.  Instead of 20 minutes he was 2 hours at a civic ceremony with the President of the BVIs and politicians etc.  AND he got his picture taken for the newspaper as he was the first person to be checked out !  so a quick lunch and off we go, brilliant sailing and I saw the sand Island with 2 fake palm trees in azure water just off Neckar Island!  Now read on for the excitement and trauma which followed.....

Well you will be the first to hear of the great accident we had with 'Piano' yesterday.  There we were happily sailing along being photographed by a girl in a rib. Imagine the scene 20-25knot winds quite a bit of swell and her boat was almost flying as she tried to keep up with us.  So here we are coming up for the next tack (change of direction)  and I notice a yellow buoy and say "are you going to tack on top of it ????"  The answer being NO Malcolm then tries to ignore the photographer (who would also be underneath us ) and we do the tack.....the photographer sees the rocks (which the yellow buoy is marking) and scidaddles....

Here's a picture taken last year of the rudder.

  Meanwhile we end up with the line from the buoy jammed around our rudder (and it is soo strong so it doesn't break) so  we become anchored to it  with the added complication that it no longer moves, -so no steering........  OK now the waves are slamming the back of the boat and the cockpit is awash.  It is really uncomfortable.  We secure the buoy to our bow in case we come free and drift towards the rocks.  Then  we get the sails down and try using the bowthruster to turn us . No joy eeek OK we call the coastguard for help this takes a further 20 minutes for all the red tape but we feel happy that help will come.  

Then a motorboat comes out from 'Bitter End Yacht Club' together with a diver. They offer to have a look and see if they can help us.  We say YES PLEASE!  Shaun the diver kits up and jumps in to have a look and Samson holds off to wait.  Soon Shaun is up and tells us the rope is wedged just where the rudder hinges.  He asks for a rope to tie us to the mooring then gets to work cutting us free ..  As soon as we are free we come round head to wind and the slamming of the waves is more gentle, he then spends half an hour removing the jammed rope.  Meanwhile the coastguard has arranged for someone to come out from Neckar Island (Richard Bransons place) so we tell him we are free but still no steering.  After alot of work the rope is free and we manage to get the wheel to turn.  This is enough to get us to a marina where we can see what the damage is.  We motor to the Bitter end Yacht Club and take a buoy for the night. Pay the Government $500 to replace the yellow buoy and ask how much for the assistance given by Shaun and Samson.  NO CHARGE they say but if you want to tip them feel free.
Here are the TREMENDOUSLY helpful guys  'PIANO' and crew say THANK-YOU VERY MUCH XXX

Shaun & Samson, The Bitter End Yacht Club.

We are now back at Spanish Harbour Marina where Malcolm has checked the steering ( with the dive gear on) and can find nothing visibly wrong.  It is more difficult to turn the wheel to port but not so bad. so we are going to set off again tomorrow morning Sunday and see how we get on. Hopefully more Pics on Picasa.