Glady's Journal of the Sailing Trip with Wayne and Sue DeWitt

Soper Hole, Tortola

Some sample conversations:

Both Larry and Wayne had a GPS, and they spent a lot of time studying their gadgets. While on the boat that day:

Typical breakfasts and lunches... on the boat, al fresco. (When Glady was a kid, she thought that meant in the nude.) We wore bathing suits, but ate above in the cockpit, not below.

Breakfast routine: Wayne turns on the engine, water pump and the propane. Glady makes coffee. Glady, Sue and Wayne eat cereal they brought in suitcases. Glady makes Larry a "Larry Breakfast" from a packet of Zatarain's red beans and rice or something similar.

Lunch: Same each day, ham sandwiches with cheese and tomato, potato chips and a beer. One day for a treat Glady grilled the sandwiches (burned some... )

Wednesday, April 21 - Cooper Island

Sailed on to Cooper Island.

Moored in Manchioneel Bay. Leaving Larry on the boat, Sue and Glady went to snorkel at Cistern Point. It looked close enough to swim from the boat, but the water was choppy, so Wayne took us in the dinghy. Snorkeling was disappointing... too cloudy to see the fish and the current was stirring up sand.

Then a problem - the ladies couldn't get back into the dinghy! We decided to swim for shore ( a little closer than back to the boat.) Other problem - Glady had forgotten her flippers, and fighting that strong current gave both of us a strenuous 45 minute physical workout. Wayne remained close by in the dinghy, obviously worried about us both. Once on shore, getting into the rubber dinghy, Glady's wet feet slipped on the slick rubber surface, and she landed with full weight on a metal brad made to tie a rope... right on her tailbone, which she informed them is called your coccyx. Glady said, "And you thought only men had a coccyx." Back on the boat had our nightly cocktail hour (al fresco) of Bahama Mamas or some other rum drinks. Glady was sitting on ice for the injury. Played Trivial Pursuit, and Glady & Larry were ahead this time, but never again.

Dinghyed in to eat at Cooper Island Beach Club. Sue said, "Omigod! I just saw a SHARK!" She saw a fin... turned out to be dolphin. The only one we saw. Glady had Conch Creole, Larry Chicken Roti.

Crew jobs: Sue or Wayne swab out the cockpit each morning. Wayne starts the engine, water pump and the propane for the stove. Larry handles the sheets to put up or take down the main sail & jib. Sue mostly handles the helm. Glady pulls in the dinghy rope when mooring. Named Glady the "pusser" (meaning purser), the crewman who distributed the rum.

The Dinghy