Luedke Vacation Blog

Monday morning we had a fine breakfast of some hot fresh cinnamon rolls.  Then we dropped the mooring ball and move to another ball closed to a reef.  Everyone then went snorkeling on this reef were we witnessed first hand a large selection of fish and coral.  Captain Rick found a sea urchin that didn’t have spines.  We each took turns holding it in our hands and feeling the little urchin sucking itself to our hands.

After getting all wrinkly and refreshed from our snorkel trip we dropped the mooring ball and motorsailed into the wind for several hours to Spanish Town. 

On the way we passed a recent shipwreck on some dangerous rocks which were right in the middle of the channel.  Captain Rick sailed real close so we could see how big the ship was under the water.

Ship Wreck

When we arrived at Spaish Town, we grabbed another mooring ball and settled down for lunch.  Captain Rick grilled hamburgers while Missy cooked bacon and prepared the fixings for a fine bacon cheese burger lunch.  I had blue cheese on mine.

After lunch, Captain Rick and Missy took our passports into Spanish Town, on the Island of Virgin Gorda. to clear customs while Marie and I enjoyed more alone time aboard the Catatonic.  During this time a man showed up on a sea kayak with a wet dog on the back.  He wanted to know if we had a compressor for the 8 scuba tanks that were lashed to the Catatonic’s side rail.

After clearing customs we motored a short distance to Fallen Jerusalem Island.  We broke out the Kittytonic and motored over to a tiny beach.  Here we played in the sand and watched the surf smash against some huge boulders.

 When we returned to the Catatonic, Captain Rick grilled some tasty, very thick, pork loin chops while Missy prepared mashed potatoes and sautéd spinach.   After dinner, Captain Rick put the fish light back out and we watched the fish show will having an evening of cocktails.  We also had a wonder show of the stars this evening.

Anchored off Fallen Jerusalem Island

January 10, 2010

Sunday morning Marie and I watched a fine sunrise over St Thomas while Missy made some yummy pancakes. There were two kinds of pancakes, apple walnut and banana! Then Captain Rick took Marie and I out in the Kittytonic, the Catatonic’s dingy tender, around Magen’s bay and then to a nude beach to learn how to snorkel.

This was really the first time Marie and I snorkeled together. Since we were so close to a beach we only saw small fish, but there were lots of them and they were a multitude of colors. We also saw a squid family, all in a tight formation. At one point they would look clear, then they would all change colors to match the sand and rocks below.

After swimming we raised the anchor and headed out. We motorsailed through a wicked rain squall back to Red Hook. Captain Rick stayed up on the fly bridge getting soaked while the rest of us stayed in the Main Salon. As soon as we got around St Thomas to the entrance to Red Hook the rain stopped and we all went up to the bridge.

At Red Hook we picked up Suzie’s husband Don, who fixed the Catatonic’s anchor winch. Don brought with him a couple fine St Thomas cigars that Suzie makes, one of which I soon smoked off the swim platform. Even though we could manually lower and raise the anchor, Captain Rick explained we needed more room when we did it manually and that we wouldn’t be able to enter any of the private coves we’re seeking. Also while in Red Hook, Missy and Marie went ashore for some fresh vegetables, so the trip back to Red Hook was worth it.

Sailing to Drunk Bay

Don fixed the winch quickly and we were off to Drunk Bay, on the Southern tip of St John. At Drunk Bay, Missy showed me how to grab a mooring ball. Then she made a delicious Caesar salad while Captain Rick grilled shrimp and chicken. Everyone had shrimp on their Caesar salad, accept for me since I’m allergic to shrimp. I enjoyed a very juicey marinated chicken breast on my salad.

After lunch we played in the water off the Catatonic. There a huge sea turtle came right up behind me and I was able to touch it. As soon as Marie and I completed our swim, we were drying off aboard the Catatonic when a huge Eagle Ray showed up off our stern. His massive wings would break the surface of the water as he swam for one lap around us, checking out the Catatonic. Next Captain Rick and Missy swam to the beach where they relaxed while Marie and I enjoyed some alone time.

As the sun went down, we put on the fish light for another underwater show of the circle of life, while Captain Rick grilled some fresh grouper, with wild rice and asparagus.

Sunset at Drunk Bay

January 9, 2010
Day 0 Slide Show
Today we left Woodbridge, Virginia for St Thomas.  Our driver picked us up promptly at 0530 for the first leg of the trip to Dulles International Airport.  We cleared security and took our first class seats aboard United flight 0963. 

Four hours later we were in St Thomas. 

Landing in St Thomas

 The St Thomas airport is a small town type airport that doesn’t have the fancy boarding walkways like new airports have.  You walk down a set of stairs and some ground crew members direct you to a covered sidewalk along side a building.  From there you walk all the way around the building right into the baggage claim area.  There we met Suzie, the woman who was going to take us to Red Hook Marina.

 While we waited for our checked luggage, Suzie told us all about St Thomas, she was super friendly.  She explained St Thomas the entire time she was with us–  from the airport, driving around to the other side of the island to meet the boat, and while waiting for the boat to pull-up to the dock where we were – she explained all the sights and particulars of St Thomas.  One cool thing I did learn was that Suzie made cigars, which later I found to be very good.

 We waited on a dock for a while, then I saw the S/Y Catatonic pulling up nearby to the fuel dock.  So we grabbed our bags and walked down past all the moored boats to the end of the dock.  There we met Missy and Rick, our First Mate and Captain for the week.  Captain Rick helped us aboard and took our bags down to our cabin.  Then while the Captain fueled and watered the boat Missy briefed us in the Catatonic’s Main Salon.  She explained the safety rules and some of the ecology guidelines of living on a green boat. Then she took us a tour of the boat and showed us how to run the shower and flush the toilet.

 Soon we were off, and Marie and I moved up to the bridge for the view of Red Hook harbor.  From Red Hook we sailed out to an Island called Hans Lollic.  We pulled into a tiny little cove, but found there was a problem with the anchor motor.  So rather then risk ending up on the reef we turned around and sailed to Magen’s Bay.  Captain Rick had more room to anchor there. 

 Magen’s Bay happens to be the location of one of the worlds top 10 beaches.  By the time we arrived it was getting dark, so Captain Rick fired up the grill while Missy prepared the meal.  Our first dinner on board the Catatonic was grilled some nice New York strip steaks and linguini alfreado,

 After dinner Captain Rick put out a fish light which attracted millions of tiny sea creatures.  As the night went on, larger and larger fish were attracted to the feeding frenzy.  Marie and I enjoyed this show which we would repeat every night.  The light attracts micro organisms and this attracts baby fish.  The baby fish attracts larger fish, and soon there are even bigger fish lurking in the shadows outside of the light that then rushing in to snatch a meal.