We’re Back!

They say the two best days in a sailor’s life is the day they buy a boat and the day they sell the boat.  I disagree as we are having a lot of fun in the in between. I will contest though that the two worst days in a sailor’s life is the day the boat is hauled and the day it is launched.  We are now launched with much to do to get to this point. 

Carl after luging luggage from airport

The Luggage we carried

After a wonderful visit with family and the holidays, we arrived in St. Thomas with all 200lbs. of luggage making the same flights.  Happy face!  We arrived late afternoon so stayed at the Hotel Carib, great and within walking distance of the airport.  Caught the 5:00 PM direct ferry to Virgin Gorda so arrived at 7:00pm., since we were on the hard right where the ferries park for the night they gave us a ride to the stern of FROLIC.  Everyone is great here.  Crawled on board and passed out.  Friday dawned bright and early as the ferry’s take off at 5:30 and they are not quiet!!

Stuff to sort and put away

Frolic waiting to go back to the water

 

Carl mixing the paint

Lelsie hard at work sanding the bottom

Carl painting the bottom

There was a long list of jobs to do before launching, including sanding and painting the bottom, so it took almost a week to get Frolic ready to go back in the water, I was optimistic with my 2 day prediction.

Leslie's Mermaid is now mounted

New starboard side electrical panels

 











While ashore we took the opportunity to do a little shore exploring and we found some great places we miss from the water. One place is the Copper Mine Shaft Restaurant. It sits on the top of a hill and has a spectacular view of the Frances Drake Passage and of the sunsets, as advertised. They also have the Mine Shaft drink which is a production to make, the secret ingredients come down to the bar in a bucket, tastee to drink and packs a wallop!

There was even surfing on a break at the channel entrance.

We also discovered that catamarans are multipurpose as well as multihull. In water they are a great way to sail in comfort, and on land they make a great car port!

A couple of other secrets we found are the Mermaid Bar which has good drinks and a wonderful buffet, but also sits out in the water with a great view of the northern part of the passage.

Carl "Chazzing" on a chase lounge

Leslie lounges on the beach couch

The other is the Coco Maya which is a beach bar next to the Mermaid. It is gorgeous with many beach couches and lounge beds and a gas fired fire pit. It serves good drinks and tapas as well as standard dinners and lunch.

The Coco Maya's gas fire pit at night

Carl opens a coconut with technology

Finally the day came to launch the boat, always a time of great stress and trepidation, and Frolic once again took to her native element. The seacocks held, the engines, after a bit of priming of the water pumps, started and shifted, and the instruments came alive. With a big sigh of relief we motored out of Spanish Town Harbor and headed to Leverick Bay for the beginning of a second year on the water.

Frolic hits the water