Turks and Caicos and traveling at night

We had two long passages requiring us to be underway for some or all of the night and we are getting more comfortable moving at night. We have been traveling in company with Bay Pelican and I’m finding my electronics very helpful at night. An ARPA feature on my radar allows me to lock on to a target and see his speed, direction he is steering and our Closest Point of Approach (CPA). This was helpful as we were leaving Mayaguana and Marty lost his GPS as he was negotiating his escape from the coral reefs in pitch blackness. Since I had already followed the GPS breadcrumb trail out into safe and deep water, I was able to watch his movement and see which way he was steering. I jumped in a couple of times to provide some directional guidance and I’m sure it was appreciated.

Another electronic toy is my Class B Automatic Identification System (AIS). This device lets all the big ships and other boats with AIS see my boats name, speed, current course and other data. It also allows me to see the same data for all the cargo and cruise ships that are required by law to have AIS. When I see a large boat coming too near me, I can call them by name and confirm how we are going avoid each other. They are much more likely to answer me since I am very specifically calling them. I am quick to give way to these behemoths that travel at much higher speeds regardless of who has the “right of way”. I will say something like

“ I am the trawler off your Port bow at 3.42 miles and we will cross within 1 mile at our current courses and speeds. I will alter my course 20 degrees to starboard to pass behind you. Please acknowledge. Over”.

We are finding Provo to be enjoyable although quite desolate. We anchored in Sapodilla Bay for a few nights and when the wind shifted and made this spot rolly, we moved into Cooper Jack Marina. I use the term Marina very loosely. Apparently, a group of investors spent about $30 Million and dredged out a deep basin with a narrow entrance channel. They lined it with concrete bulkhead and then ran out of money. Here we tied up for free and enjoyed completely calm conditions where Emily could hop off the boat and run around. A nearby functional marina invited us and the 5 boats that shared Cooper Jack over to share a barbeque with them. We brought our own meats and a dish to share and they provided grills, plates, ice, utensils, tables and chairs and even ice cream for desert. Since the marina was almost a mile away, we were a little concerned about the return dingy ride at night. Not to worry as they came over and picked up the 10 of us in their pick-up truck. Kim and Emily rode in the cab, as Dad and 7 other cruisers sat on bags of mulch in the open bed of the truck. Rushing over the potholed roads at breakneck speeds, I had to smile that I never had envisioned this mode of travel for this 51 year old body! It all worked out fine and everyone had a great time. One of the locals had just caught several black fin tuna and he shared the best sushi we had ever had with the entire group. The only thing that could have made it more enjoyable would have been some kids for Emily to play with. She stood her own as several of the cruisers befriended her, but she was ready to leave when the flat bed limousine brought us back to our home.

We took advantage of the calm spot as Kim did some varnish work and I replaced a banged up prop on the dingy with a spare I had brought along. Both projects went well and we will be moving to South Caicos tomorrow to clear out of this island and to stage our departure to the Dominican Republic.

Tom