August 22, 2014
17 43.891 S 177 07.485 E
http://maps.google.com/?z=7&t=k&q=loc:17%2027.500S%20177%2002.545E
Posting by Barb:
We left early and headed for the famous Musket Cove Marina. It was a beautiful, calm day. We decided to motor away from the reef and head to open water for a safer, easier motor sail without the constant worry of reefs and rocks. The wind slowly started to pick up and as it got windier and wetter in the cockpit, Allison and Mike decided to head down below. Well the winds continued to increase to 35 knots on the nose so we had to tack to our destination. Denny and I had to don our rain gear and triple reef the main. The reefing resulted in us tearing our main again! Allison was curled in the salon and Mike was doing air time in the v-berth, unable to get out of there. Neither of them could understand how we were still able to move around the in the boat (call it old age and experience). Denny shut off auto pilot, fired up our brand new engine and navigated us through the reef pass with a ship wreck looming next to the opening to remind us not to make any mistakes. We had a pod of dolphins swimming around the boat as we saw white water crashing on the reefs. The dolphins seemed to be there to offer comfort and distraction. I wasn’t worried as it was a large pass and we have a reliable brand new engine and Denny at the helm. Once we passed the reef the swell was smaller but the wind still howled. We knew we couldn’t make it to Musket Cove so we managed to anchor off Castaway Island, just in time as the sun was setting and the wind was settling down. It may not have been a pleasant sailing experience but it was an experience. I think Mike and Ally got a new appreciation for what sailing is about and it is not all fair winds!!
Castaway Resort turned out to be a great anchorage spot. We went for the lunch buffet and went back for seconds, thirds, fourths…. It had a great salad bar, BBQ meat, pastas and a variety of meat casseroles and desserts including cheesecakes. So we ate and ate and then relaxed by the beautiful pool. Even Denny had a little snooze by the pool!
