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Dec 2010 |
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Christmas |
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Three days before
Christmas, we received a call from Harvey & Tracy, out on a charter on Pas
de Deux with an offer of a charter starting 27th December. The charterer had
been let down somehow so it was now all last minute. Could we take 5 people?
Quick decision was yes! This means we move out of our cabin and move in with
the freezer, washing machine and ice-maker somehow. But we will find a way
to make it work. After a great deal of mental
preparation and boat preparation for our possible first charter, the clients
could not get airline seats down here, so it cancelled. Still, it focused
our minds for 48 hours!
Simon was thinking of coming down from New York for
Christmas but couldn't make it. So we headed out to one of our hanging out
bays where the water is clear and we have turtles and pelicans for company
and had a quiet Christmas......CLEANING AND POLISHING THE BOAT!!! And
a few cocktails! But time to wind down a little. |
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Dec 2010 |
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Day Charters |
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While we wait for
our first week's charter to materialise, we have put together a package for
a Day Charter.
This will be way upmarket from the normal "Day Sail"
offerings and target private groups of up to 8. Leaving 8.30am, returning
4.30pm.
Champagne breakfast with gourmet Eggs Benedict. Lobster
and Filet Mignon with assorted salads, desserts and wind for lunch. Our
Island Dreams rum punch throughout the day, with beer and soft drinks, and
finally a Captain's Cocktail on the way home.
We are marketing this through high class resorts, villas
and the corporate market.
So, before we go somewhere to chill out for Christmas,
(Assuming no last minute charter materialises), we set up a new web site,
(number 3) and start working on Facebook and marketing flyers to resorts,
villas etc. |
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Nov/Dec
2010 |
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Back to BVI -
Official Entry! |
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While in St.
Thomas, we received our official Work Permit entry documents by ferry from
BVI. So medical tests were taken in St. Thomas, before returning to BVI.
Arrived BVI early Tuesday 30th November just in time to
report to the Immigration Clinic to have medical forms stamped. (They only
open Tuesday morning!). But not on this day! They decided to open at another
clinic, too far away for us to make it in time.
So the following Tuesday, we arrived, to find a queue of
40 already. 5 hours later we are told we need to take another medical test,
come back next week!
So, finally we are medically cleared on 14th December.
Then we had to bounce around between the Labour office, Immigration and
Social Security for three days, finally with all documents in hand by 17
December. |
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Nov 2010 |
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Solar Panels |
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At last we have
installed them. Been storing them on board since July but did not want to
put them on before the hurricane season was over. As
the roof slopes in every direction, we had great fun making sure that no
panel was bent and that their edges all lined up visually.
And they work well with a Smart controller. Four x 135W
panels, connected in series, producing around 80VDC at 7 amps into the
controller. The controller then converts this to 12 VDC and out pops some
really good amperage. We've seen up to 34 amps so far. Of course, it varies
tremendously as clouds pass by or the boat swings at anchor and the panels
get shade from the boom. As our average power use is around 20 amps, then on
a good day we are in positive amps for up to 5 hours.
So they just lie there, soaking up those rays. They're so
hot, they're cool! |
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Nov 2010 |
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Honeymoon Bay
with Astral Wind |
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The QM2 comes to visit |
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After the show, we
went off for a couple of days to chill out. Made the rounds of Virgin Gorda.
A little exploration, a recce for charter routes and a visit to the various
restaurants to see what they could offer our guests for their one meal
ashore during the week. After that, it was over to
St. Thomas to re-provision and install the solar panels. Our friends Charles
and Ruth on Leopard 38 "Astral Wind" buddy boated with us. Astral Wind has
also had a run of bad luck, so this was their maiden voyage on their new
engines.
Stayed in Honeymoon Bay, St. Thomas. Introduced Charles
and Ruth to Joe's Beach Bar and also joined the Water Island residents for
Thanksgiving Lunch on the beach. Everyone brought food and it was a
magnificent spread. We also brought along the crews from charter catamarans
Breanker and Vivo.
There are two cruise ship terminals in St. Thomas. The one
with the deeper water is in the old submarine base and is close to our
anchorage at Honeymoon Bay. So we get up close and personal with the world's
two largest cruise ships, Oasis of the Seas and Queen Mary 2. |
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