Ensenada Honda (Vieques)

Photos:
1. Pirate Mountain in the morning (west coast of Vieques)
2. Crazy lady in a storm.
3. Fun and encouraging sign from the east coast of Vieques.

We left Esperanza yesterday and fought the wind and waves (again!) down the south coast of Vieques to Ensenada Honda. This is a huge bay in the formerly restricted area of the island. It is now owned by the US Fish and Wildlife Service. There are absolutely no buildings and we didn’t see anyone except one small fishing boat all day. It is well sheltered from the wind and we are in an absolutely calm anchorage. It is quite beautiful. The overall weather pattern has stirred up the water so the snorkeling is not too great but the fishing is good.
We have been checking our fuel and the weather and are going to move tomorrow to another bay a little closer to the east point of Vieques in preparation for making a run for either Culebra or St. Thomas on Monday. We’re going to try for St. Thomas but we’re prepared to end up in Culebra if the weather is still too rough. We briefly entertained the thought of flying our original Captain (Captain Neil) out to join us for the passage back but it’s looking like we’ll be ok. At the worst, we have plenty of fuel and we may just motor back across the 25 mile passage.

Knot Tying 102

Knot tying is REALLY important when one is a sailor. I think I shall write a letter to the head of the Girl Scouts and tell her to move the knot tying merit badge above the dutch oven merit badge. I AM handicapped as a result of their failure… but my cooking has been excellent.

Bowlines, Figure 8 knots, Cleat knots and the Clove hitches… These are used on daily basis aboard the ship. There is the dinghy line that has to attach to the sailboat several times a day (cleat knot). The mooring ball is also attached by the cleat knot as is the anchor line snubber. The fenders are connected by the clove hitch. The lines are stowed using another knot (some sort of loop knot).

I have mastered all of these knots EXCEPT the bowline. Jim can make this knot in his sleep. He told me a little story that is supposed to help one remember how to make this knot. It has something to do with a weasel coming up out of a hole, going around a tree and back into the hole then a miracle happens and we have a loop-knot! Viola. Errgg. That story really irks me. Darn that weasel.

Maybe my problem is the story. I have never been a fan of weasels. I wonder if I made up my own story if the knot would work better? How about a nice little bunny rabbit that comes up a hole, looks around, skips around a bush and goes back in his hole for a nap? Did someone say, “nap”? I am feeling sleepy….. Errgg. Somehow my bunny must have made a few too many loops around the tree, got dizzy and fell in the hole and this looks like a NOOSE! The Captain is looking worried.

Navigation 204

I have to say in all seriousness that the navigation has been flawless. Jim can read a map. Our investment in all of his hunting, fishing and flying lessons is finally paying off! He is able to take me everywhere that I want to go! Today, we navigated into a quiet, secluded anchorage where some of the soundings were only 2 feet below the keel in a meandering channel around rocks and reefs! We met a fellow in the Internet Café this morning and he gave Jim a few clues and with the map, viola – here we are!

On our way here we passed the “legendary” Blue Tang Beach and Red Beach of Vieques. I know that you are tired of hearing this, but the weather was terrible (10-12 foot waves) so I only got to see them using the binoculars. Errgg.

Snorkeling – The wind has put a damper on the snorkeling. The waters are churned up so that visibility is so poor. This gives me the creeps – swimming in waters where you can’t see your own hand. I bet that Boris (the barracuda) can see my hand just fine…

So – Jim is off fishing for the third time today (I went the first two times) and I decided to stay behind a read a bit.

The headlines of my magazines:

1. 18 steps to a happier diesel engine.
2. The right Genoa for you.
3. How to keep stuff on board dry
4. Step by step sail trim
5. Make downwind sailing easy and fool proof – Should have read that a few weeks ago…

I guess I can work on my knot tying but I AM alone and might hurt myself.

The fishing report: I finally managed to find some fish stupid enough to be caught. I had to go to a completely deserted bay in which the fish have apparently never seen a fisherman. I caught 3 tarpon (all about 45”). At least I THINK it was three different fish…it might have been only one galactically stupid and hungry fish. I hooked a bonefish this morning but was unable to land him. I can see why bonefishing is so addictive. It is all sight fishing in knee deep water where you see the fish and cast to them. The winds made fly fishing quite difficult but I saw a lot of fish. I lost one of my flies to a small sand shark.