It’s been a crazy two weeks since my last post with so much to do to get Pandora  ready for the run to Antigua.  To say that it’s been busy, doesn’t begin to describe the frantic pace of trying to figure out what needs to be done and then finding a way to do it or pay for it and have someone else do it.   The whole “pay somebody to do it part” isn’t my favorite.

Originally I was planning to leave for Hampton VA this coming Tuesday to join the other boats in the Salty Dawg Rally fleet, as luck would have it, the weather doesn’t want to cooperate so I have to leave today, Friday evening to begin the run.  If I was to wait even one more day, I’d be slammed with strong southerlies by Monday afternoon and wouldn’t be able to make Hampton until later in the week, too late to make it for the festivities.

As I am on the board of the group, I have some meetings that I must attend and am also going to address the fleet, as Antigua Fleet Captain, about all that’s going to happen in Antigua when we get there in the middle of November.   So, one way or the other, I HAVE TO BE THERE.

Let me tell you that it’s VERY HARD to leave with just a few days warning, early, when you think that you have a week or longer to get everything done.  Besides, Pandora wasn’t even in the water until yesterday afternoon.

Here’s Pandora all ready to launch yesterday with her trusty little truck, mine actually, standing by to assist.  Big boat and travel lift.  Little truck. Yes?I’d love to write about all that has been done to make Pandora as safe and comfortable for our winter afloat and the voyage to Antigua but I just don’t have a spare minute before we leave this evening.  However, I do plan to outline, in nauseating detail, all of that when I get to Hampton so stay tuned.

So, for now all I can say is that it’s been quite a wild few weeks but Pandora’s in the water and I’ll soon be on my way south.

Oh yeah, if you are interested, I’ll have my transponder on as I make my way south to Hampton so just click here and follow my track.

As we prepare to leave Hampton with the 70 boats that are going to Antigua, I’ll also share fleet tracking information so you can see where Pandora is along with the rest of the “Dawgs” in the rally.

Ok, off to do more errands…. Whew!

On November 2nd more than 70 boats participating in the Salty Dawg Rally to the Caribbean will leave Hampton VA to begin their 1,500 mile voyage to Antigua in the eastern Caribbean.  After all of the damage wrought by hurricanes this season, it will be nice to visit an island that was spared any damage and to make the trip with so many friends.

While the nominal start date for the rally is November 2nd, each skipper will make their own decision on when to leave.    Once underway, we will communicate with each other several times a day via SSB long range radio.  Every boat will also be transmitting their location several times each day so that you can keep track of all the boats as they make their way to Antigua.  I’ll be posting this shared page as we get closer.

For me, staying in touch with others in the fleet is a special treat as I am one of those guys who can’t stand to be disconnected from others for more than a moment.  And, speaking of “connected”, you can track Pandora’s location all winter by clicking on “Where in the world is Pandora” on my home page.

When we learned that the BVIs, the traditional arrival point for the rally, was so devastated we had to find another spot to visit and as Brenda and as I had enjoyed Antigua last winter I put my hand up “Me! Me!, I’ll make arrangements for the fleet’s arrival in Antigua!”  What in &^%$ was I thinking ?   Oh well.  So, here I am, “the guy” who everyone will look to and say “So Bob, are you going to make it worth our while to sail that additional 90 miles, all the way to Antigua?”.   Yikes! The pressure is on but I can tell you with confidence that it’s going to be a wonderful time, and once we’re there the locals will wonder what happened and say in a loud voice and all together “Antigua is going to the Dawgs, totally!”.  Works for me…

There are a few groups that have really put out for us (me) in helping with planning.   In no particular order…

The Antigua Yacht Club in Falmouth Antigua, a wonderful, well protected harbor with loads of easy anchoring and great holding, has really rolled out the red carpet to make us feel welcomed and have invited us to many activities. It’s a very friendly club and they have even made their office manager Nesie available to be the “go to source” for our fleet in Antigua and she will answer any questions that our group might have. As an interesting anecdote, AYC is located near a megayacht marina owned by Carlo Falcone  a member of AYC, who has registered his yacht, Mariella in the rally.  As she’s home ported in Antigua, I don’t know if he’s planning to have her sail with us.  She’s a  classic Fife yacht from the 30s and in wonderful condition.  As the largest yacht registered in the rally, that would make her “queen of the Dawgs”.

This video of the race on day one in the Classic Yacht Regatta in Antigua last spring gives you a pretty good feel for what’s in store in Antigua on the water.   Who knows, perhaps I will be able to find my way on board Mariella.  She actually was the overall winner of the regatta in 2017.  That’s me, ever hopeful…Another group that has really put out is the Admiral’s Inn located in Nelson’s Dockyard, the traditional home of the British Navy in the day of Lord Nelson.  They will be hosting the “arrival dinner” for us by their infinity pool overlooking the dockyard.   It’s a wonderful spot to enjoy the sights. This is the view from where we will have our arrival dinner.  Across the harbor is their main facility and hotel.  Can you say “tropical paradise?  They have even arranged for us to get very attractive pricing for those who want to stay ashore and take a break from life afloat for a bit. Brenda and I visited the inn a number of times last winter.  The place looks wonderful after dark. The owners of the resort Astrid and her brother Paul have been tremendously helpful in helping me in putting together all the activities that we will enjoy when we arrive in Antigua.  I found this video that gives a very good feel for their beautiful place.The director of the National Park, that oversees the Nelson’s Dockyard, Ann Marie was also really helpful and is even giving each of boats a free night of dockage when we arrive.    She sent me this photo of the dockyard that as taken a few weeks ago. What would we do without drones?  This is what the dockyard looks like before everyone shows up for the season.However, it’s not vacant in “high season”.  This is how the dockyard looked when the Oyster World cruise visited a while back. And, I just learned that the dockyard hosts a blowout on New Year’s eve as well.  Brenda and I will totally be there.    We are looking forward to viewing fireworks in Antigua as we lounge on Pandora’s bow. I have to say that while it’s been a bit hectic putting together plans for everyone to enjoy their stay in Antigua. One of the best things about being on the font lines of planning for the rally is that I get to arrange the things that I want to do and being in Antigua is well, what I want to do.

Oh yeah, one more thing.  There’s still a few weeks until we depart for Antigua and it’s not to late to sign up.  I am confident that it will be the best $200 you even spent.  Besides, that’s only 1/5th of a boat dollar.  Such a deal!

For sure, it’s becoming clear that come mid November Antigua will be “going to the Dawgs”.  Totally, for sure!

It’s about two month’s until Pandora and other participants in the Salty Dawg Rally make landfall in Antigua, a 1,500 mile run from our departure point in Hampton VA.

Even since the rally board decided to change the destination from the BVIs that were so badly damaged by Irma, I have been hard at work, as the official “port captain” lucky me… contacting businesses in Antigua with the goal of making sure that the “Dawgs” feel at home in Antigua and will want to make the additional 95 miles and join us there in November.

Setting aside the wonderful island, Antigua also is at the top of what some say is the “beginning of the real Caribbean” with beautiful lush islands to the south that are close with each an easy day sail to the next.  That’s in contrast to the nearly 100 mile stretch from the BVIs to St Martin, directly into the wind.  From Antigua south it’s easy trade wind sailing.

Brenda and I just loved visiting there last year aboard Pandora for nearly a month and really got a great feel for all that Antigua has to offer.  We enjoyed our time there and look forward to returning this November.

One of the most important events of the rally is the arrival dinner and I am thrilled to have worked out plans with The Admiral’s Inn restaurant and pool facility in English Harbor to have a barbecue at their poolside restaurant Boom.  The price is right and of course, specials on drinks for us are planned.

I can’t think of a better spot to celebrate with friends after arriving from a 1,500 mile voyage.Boom has an infinity pool overlooking the main building of the Admiral’s Inn. With a beautiful infinity pool. The main buildings really comes alive at night with beautiful lighting.   And speaking of night, the Inn is extending special discounted rooms for crew and skippers who might want a little shore time after the long trip south. We also will enjoy the hospitality of the Antigua Yacht Club in Falmouth Harbor. I have been in touch with them and they will be hosting a “meet and greet” with local marine businesses that can help solve any problems that our members may have encountered on the trip south.

They even have a fleet of small boats and they have offered to host a regatta for the group.  Perhaps we can have Salty Dawg Challenge race in the harbor.  That would be fun. The view of all the “big boys” in the nearby marina makes for a wonderful sight at night.   This is a remarkable place indeed. We also expect to have a wine tasting at a very nice local wine market overlooking the harbor.  Brenda and I participated in a lovely evening last winter and I am sure that our fleet will enjoy it too.  It will be hosted by Cork and Basket.

I am very excited about what’s in store for the fleet as they arrive.  And, it’s going to be a great group with about 70 boats signed up to make the run to Antigua.

Yes, Antigua beckons and they really want us to visit.  I’m excited to catch up again with all the other Dawgs and to join them for one of those not-so-rare happy hours.  Did someone say “special prices on rum punch”?Perhaps best of all, it’s nice to know that we will be welcomed in Antigua, as it’s been pretty easy to find businesses that really want to have us visit.

Oh yeah.  Want to join us?  It’s not too late. Just follow this link to sign up now.  I promise, it will be the best $200 you ever spent.

See you in Antigua?  I hope so.

It’s only about 6 weeks until the Salty Dawg Rally departs from Hampton VA for Antigua and I am scrambling to get Pandora ready for the run.   Actually, Brenda and I are in MD babysitting for our granddaughter Tori as I write this.  So much for rushing along with Pandora.

And, this morning I set out to do a blog post and it’s now nearly 7pm and it’s still not done.  This is why.  “Grandpy!  Out of the way, I want to do a blog post too.”

Editor:  After Tori finished “typing” away the computer crashed and it took about 5 restarts until the wifi worked again.  Whew!
Anyway, adorable helpful Tori aside, there’s still lots to do and I’ll admit that I am getting a bit anxious about finishing up so that Pandora can make the trip without too much “adventure”. Of course, there’s not much I can do about what Mother Nature might have in store for us but at least I can work hard to make sure that Pandora’s systems are all in order.

As part of the “preparation” for this season, Brenda and I opted to have a new bimini made and a full enclosure to keep out the weather.  It’s not going to be of much use in the islands as we don’t need to be “sheltered” from the weather there, recent hurricanes not withstanding, but for the ten day trip south it will make a big difference in keeping the wind, water and spray out of the cockpit.

This is a big step for us as the desire for a nice enclosure on our boats in the past has always lost out to a more pressing item.  Fortunately, not this year so fingers crossed that something really “pressing” doesn’t come up between now and launch time.  Actually, that won’t matter as we are committed.  Happy for that.  I still hope that nothing else comes up, never the less.

The local canvas shop that we hired to do the work is well regarded and I’ll report on how it goes.  In the meantime, all I can show regarding progress is the plastic in place when he completed the templating for the panels.  I have always found that part of any canvas job to be quite a mystery.   The sections on the front of the bimini and over the dodger will be done in a hard plastic, not vinyl which will hold up much better.    There will also be what the canvas guy calls “smiles”, U shaped zippered openings on each side of the cockpit enclosure that will make it easy to get out on deck in a hurry. In the aft part of the enclosure, there will be three panels so we can close things up while the weather is nasty or cold, something that doesn’t happen much in the islands, actually.  There will also be a “smile” back there too for ventilation.  I do know how to do some basic canvas work but a job of this scope is way beyond me.    Remember the seat covers that I made for down below?  The ones to keep salt off when I am on passage? Projects like that are more my speed. This is the last piece, the cover for the ottoman.   The top is tan because I ran out of grey canvas in spite of ordering 9.5 yards of 60″ wide material.  Lots of settees, I guess.Meanwhile, we are in MD and will return home on Friday.  I can’t even begin to list all the little “issues” on Pandora that need attention like minor leaks and such but somehow I’ll just have to get them done.

In my spare time, HA!, I have also become the default “port captain” for the Salty Dawg Rally, now going to Antigua because their usual destination, the BVIs was trashed by Irma.    As a result, I have spent countless hours on the phone and on email for the last week or so, contacting folks there about the eventual arrival of perhaps as many as 80 boats in mid November.

Even while they dodge multiple hurricanes my contacts have been very supportive in helping me work out the details of dockage for boats, welcome dinners and checking in pets aboard, including, I am told, a parrot.   I wonder how a parrot does in a seaway with his/her cage swinging wildly.  I guess just fine as pirates have always kept parrots aboard, or that’s what I have been told, at least.

So when I get home on Thursday evening I can turn my attention back to getting Pandora ready for blue water.  Well, once I cut the lawn, I guess.

I am very much looking forward to making this rally the best it can be as I just love Antigua and can’t wait to make it a “favorite place” for the Dawgs too.  No, I didn’t take this shot but I am hopeful that this what Nelson’s Dockyard will look like when the fleet arrives in mid November.  Wish me luck.  One thing is for sure, in spite of the hurricane damage in the Lesser Antilles this year, Antigua was spared and they are “open for business” and I for one, want to bring some too them in November with a healthy fleet of Dawgs.

It’s been a long few weeks for those who were unfortunate enough to be in the path of Irma and before her Harvey as they blasted first through the Caribbean and then into the US, both Texas and Florida.   And, while much of our attention has been focused on the damage brought by these storms to the U.S. many who spend time in the Caribbean watched with horror as Irma devastated these island nations.

Perhaps the most remarkable fact about Irma, the most powerful hurricane to be recorded in the Atlantic since records have been kept, is how much damage she did in some areas and low little effect she had on other islands that were sometimes less than 50 miles away.

Most sailors that charter in the British Virgin Islands do so out of Road Town, Tortola, home of the areas largest charter fleets managed by The Moorings and Sunsail with literally thousands of boats in their fleet.  It was hard to go anywhere in the BVIs without seeing sometimes dozens of boats with their distinctive graphics.   This was what a single dock of their boats looked like in their home marina last January when I visited. Unfortunately, the British Virgin Islands were particularly hard hit by Irma with nearly every building destroyed or badly damaged.  And, as so many from the U.S. have vacationed there or chartered boats from this once mighty charter fleet out of Tortola, they could certainly relate to this “before and after” in a very personal way.   These two photos of the Moorings and Sunsail fleets have been widely circulated.   I understand that his first photo of the fleet preparing for a hurricane was actually taken several years ago. This is how the same spot looked a day after Irma passed.I ran into someone that works for one of the major insurers at the marina where Pandora’s hauled now and he told me that up until recently that hurricane preparations for the charter fleet included securing the boats to a 450,000 lb chain strung along the harbor floor.   Reportedly, there was a recent change to “sand screw” moorings and that one after the other, pulled out of the sand.   I guess sometimes relying on great mass to hold things in place is the only way to go.  Of course, all of this is second hand but this is what I was told.  Never the less, a lot of folks lost boats.

I’ve heard that these two companies, the largest in the islands, have lost virtually their entire fleets of boats and those who have booked charters early in the season are being directed to their operations in Marsh Harbor, Bahamas.  A friend of mine told me yesterday that someone he knows had just put a brand new boat into charter this spring in Tortola and that it’s now totaled.  It’s certainly going to be some time before they are able to clean up the mess, bring in new boats and put things back to normal.

When I arrived in Tortola last January we cleared in at West End, Soper’s Hole. It’s a small harbor that had a wonderful little waterfront area, including a Pusser’s Rum store and restaurant.   This is the spot where I enjoyed spending time at last winter. And Pusser’s restaurant and store was a dominant feature on shore. Here’s a shot, just past Pussers and what it looks like now.    There isn’t a leaf on anything up on the hill A view of the charming waterfront and shops, before. This is what the hill looked like before Irma with Pandora in the foreground. Many opt to leave their boats in the BVIs for the summer and although marinas there use huge concrete blocks to secure the boats firmly to the ground, this is the sort of scene that greeted owners after Irma in nearly every marina.  Another island that was hit hard by Irma was St Martin, an island that Brenda and I loved visiting last winter.  The French side was particularly charming.  This was the market that we enjoyed spending time at. This is the view from the top of the hill now. And, the cemetery downtown. This mall in town, before and after.  We walked in most of the stores while we visited. And a view from there to the downtown market in the background. We spent time in a little seaside village Grand Cass just up the coast.  We loved the beautiful umbrellas lining the beach. And the charming streets lined with little French restaurants. We had a wonderful Valentine’s dinner at this spot. Here’s that same street now. Total devastation. Irma was a massive storm.  This satellite shot shows how big Irma was as she carved a path of destruction on her way to the U.S.  It’s hard to imagine the massive force a storm like this brings.
And these waves were captured at a point that wasn’t even the height of the storm before the winds kicked in. It’s sobering to see so many loose so much and I am hopeful that these islands can get back on their feet soon and return as the tourist and sailing Meccas that they have been for generations.

Amazingly, while many islands suffered enormous damage others were spared including Antigua, where Brenda and I spent a lot of time last season.  We are looking forward to visiting there again in November with the SDSA rally which will make landfall there instead of the hurricane stricken BVIs.  If you’ve been tempted to visit Antigua yourself, click here to learn more about the 2017 Salty Dawg Rally to the Caribbean.

Meanwhile, the Salty Dawg Board has set up a fund to benefit the BVIs in particular and with your help they will recover soon.  Want to learn more?

It’s going to be a long time until these islands are brought back to the beautiful places that the once were but if history is any guide, it won’t take as long as you’d think.  These are resilient people and with help they will recover.