OMG - It's almost Valentine's Day already!

Starting with today and working backwards - i am sitting at a fabulous beach bar in Cruz Bay St. John called High Tides using their very slow internet to try to update my blog.  Ray (St. Ray) is doing the laundry.  It is one week today that my brother Jim departed and we sat in this very bar waiting for his ferry to take him back to the frozen tundra that is the US this year.  Every day we meet visitors here to the islands who have so many tales to tell of the horrible winter back home and it is so surreal to them that they are here in a tropical paradise.  I have to say it  is a little fun to exchange pictures with friends and family - but I always say we are doing this for the adventure and challenge of the lifestyle, not just to escape weather.  Believe it or not, we miss cozy days by the fireplace watching the snow fall - winter was always a good time to catch up on everything like reading, housework, sleep - Ok, stop gagging !!

Jim's visit was a lot of fun.  the winds were very high the whole time, which led us to chill out for a few days at each stop instead of fighting winds and waves - it was great right where we were!  After a few days on St. John visiting the Quiet Mon Pub (Irish Pub in the Caribbean), snorkeling in Caneel Bay and Hawknest Bay, chilling in Maho Bay watching fish jump and turtles swim, we finally sailed on to the BVI (it only takes an hour) for 4 days on Jost van Dyke - our favorite.  We left Jost with plans to sail east and eventually make it to Anegada but squalls and high winds put us in Cane Garden Bay, where we took a cab up the steep winding hill ( I closed my eyes) to a place called the Bannakeet Cafe - an awesome view and our favorite local singer Reuben Chinnery (brother of Ivan) was singing and playing guitar.  We hope to return this year.  On to Norman Island, great snorkeling at the caves, wonderful calm anchorage at Benures's Bay (we needed the quiet), then Great Harbor on Peter island.  Jim was mega-snorkeler and took some underwater pics we hope to get soon.  We ended the visit with 2 nights at Nanny Cay Marina ( the best darn bathrooms/shower facilities in the Caribbean) & watched the Super Bowl at Captain Mulligan's and Peg Leg's.  Not much of a game but most of the islander's were more concerned with winning money on their bets.  The last Super Bowl the three of watched together was here when Pittsburgh beat Arizona (2009).  So, we watched Jim's DVD of that game on the boat while on Peter Island - so much fun to watch and Bruce Springsteen's halftime was the best.

Speaking of DVD's, we have watched the first four season's of Modern Family and love it. Presently are watching 2nd season of Homeland - so good but scary, so to go to sleep we put in Boston Legal - the writing on that show in amazing.

I have listed my favorite blogs on this site but have to mention Windtraveler.net.  I am hooked and have read it from the beginning - Brittany is an amazing writer and photographer and wise beyond her years.  I also love The Lettered Cottage - it is a decorating blog but have just fallen in love with this couple, who at the present time are trying to adopt a baby from Haiti - I send good vibes their way every day.

Congrats to granddaughter Alyza on getting into the sorority of her choice - DG at Miami of Ohio.
Congrats to Art & Judy on new granddaughter.

OK, fish tacos have arrived - to get notice of updates sign into my blog - just don't expect them frequently!  keep warm and remember the daffodils will be up soon!

Beautiful Nanny Cay marina

View from Beach Bar waiting for Jim's ferry (Blue boat in background) from St. Thomas.  We have our dinghy at the dock you see there which is how we get him and his LARGE suitcase to the boat.

Jim getting first rays of sun

He arrived with 5 lbs. of raw almonds, plus cough drops, lifesavers, dry milk,   and new snorkel mask/camera  We supplied the beer.

The famous Quiet Mon Pub in Cruz bay, St. John

We left this picture of Jim with Ivan 4 years ago at Ivan's Stressfree Bar on Jost van Dyke.   Some obviously frustrated fans of opposing teams have defaced it - probably the Browns fans!

Strange sighting - some ducks wandering into the ocean for a dip on Jost van Dyke.  they live in a little pond back of a bar.

On Megerin

Steeler hats, Jetty tee shirt, Quiet Mon beer cozy

Had a great time at Skinny Legs on Coral Bay with a great band performing

Jim found a Steeler sign at Coral Bay

Picture from the front page of our home town newspaper in Pittsburgh while we were here in the  balmy weather.  I do feel guilty !

On the beach at Nanny Cay

At Capt. Mulligan's watching the Super Bowl.  It is essentially an open structure in a field near nanny Cay where they put up big screens for TV.  the day before it was packed for a Rugby game between England and France.

Jim forgot his shoes this day.  At Skinny Legs he lost one, so threw the other one in the trash can.  When he went ashore the next morning to buy a pair of flip flops both of his shoes were sitting on the wood steps.  ???

clear water from Maho beach, St. John

We went provisioning yesterday on St. Thomas - 3 cases of beer, lots of paper products - hope there's room for me.

Hello to 2014 cruising season

Had to show off the Ladies Christmas wine glasses - we know how to drink fashionably

January 1
  Wow, I cannot believe it is 2014 !  It seems like we were just celebrating Y2K.  It has been COLD - I mean Frigid -  in Pittsburgh.  Hard to believe we are heading to days of tenps in the 80's and lows in the mid 70's - I know I will probably be complaining about the heat. Hopefully the sunshine will get rid of the last of our bad head colds we got right after Christmas - so much illness going around it made the news!
  We spent New Year's Eve at the Hyatt at Pittsburgh airport to catch a 6:35 AM flight.  Tonight we will be staying at the Inn at Blackbeard's Castle in Charlotte Amalia, St. Thomas, which is the US Virgin Islands.  I think we are treating ourselves pretty good so far this new year.

January 2
Here we are at the most beautiful marina in the world - Nanny Cay.  So far the trip has been glitch-free, efficient, on-time, etc.  So un-island like - even customs and immigration was swift.  Now waiting for the boat to splash and get it into a slip.  since we haven't been boaters for seven months it is always more nerve-wracking than usual.  The winds are a little high today which is a big factor, and which also made for a pretty rough ferry trip here from St. Thomas.

View from our window Dec. 31sr.  Brrrr  Too bad I didn't think to raise the screen.

Even though the Steelers didn't make the play-offs this year their presence is everywhere - like the Charlotte, NC airport.  This is not the team plane either, but guess USAirways has the spirit.

Shortly before we left Pgh. I was grocery shopping & looking around realized what abundance we have here in the US.
Yesterday the store here sold out of bananas again.  And no point in talking about the cost of and condition of fresh produce after it has been shipped here, then left sitting on the dock awhile, slowly unloaded - ok, you get the picture.

Blogging can make me nuts!

It's early November in Pittsburgh, the gold, red, and orange leaves on the tress are absolutely beautiful.
But we are really starting to yearn for the boating life, so I thought I would go onto my blog and do some work.  I have never liked how BIG the picture of our spinnaker sail is on the home page - I don't know how that happened and have tried before to change it with no luck.  But recently,  my new Dr. went on my blog for the first time while I was there and when that picture came up he went "Whoa -big!"  Sooo,  today I decided to try again.  That was an hour ago!  I couldn't access it,  had to change my profile,  then needed a new password - maybe for a 12 year old it would have been a cinch, but for poor old me it was a frustrating challenge.  I have been following a few blogs these past months and so admire their skills and creativity.  Maybe I am not so much a blogger but rather a blogee?

Nov.22  Hmmm - not much luck increasing my skills.  I even checked out other sites like word press and sailblogs but they didn't look much different.  So, sorry, you will just have to deal with the BIG spinnaker.  I did manage to add a few gadgets - a "favorite blog list", but would really like to add a weather gadget that would show the weather wherever we are, and also a map that could show where we are.  so if anyone wants to send me advice on how to do that I would love it!

Meanwhile, I'll practice a little by posting some pictures from this past hurricane season spent in Pittsburgh.

We started off the summer by attending our first grandchild's graduation from Upper St. Clair High School.  We just can't believe it!  She is now at Miami of Ohio and has made the transition really well.

A trip to Chicago in July (but it was chilly!) to visit Megan.  These were taken at Millennium  Park downtown - a truly beautiful place to listen to a concert.  When you ever go to Chicago don't miss it.

We left Chicago and followed the Lake Michigan shoreline, stopping wherever we wanted in small, cute and quaint towns.  We then finished the trip on Mackinac Island and this is the picture of our historic Bed and Breakfast.

I forget the name of this arch on Mackinac but it is awesome

The front of the Grand Hotel which has the longest porch in America.  We were told every room is decorated differently.  Very beautiful grounds and interiors.  Site of the movie with Christopher Reeve "Somewhere in Time"

View of Lake Huron from the top of the Grand Hotel

The town is filled with magnificent Victorian houses and the flowers are amazing.

We were just amazed by the foliage around this entrance.  Summers are short and winters are harsh up here but it sure produces some gorgeous landscaping.

Mackinac can only be reached by ferries and there are no cars or other motorized vehicles (except of course on the golf course), so all transportation is walking, biking, or by horse.  Here is a delivery being made to a grocery store by horse drawn dray after it met the ferry to get the supplies.

The middle of town, which has no less than 17 fudge shops and also 17 bars.  The smell of the fudge mingles with the pungent horse manure in abundant supply on the streets.  There are workers constantly shoveling it into wagons and then rinsing off the streets.  There are about 800 horses on the island during the season.

We all got together at my brother's house on the Chesapeake Bay and Mom got to crabbing again one year after her open heart surgery.
 Jim's crab boat "Bluegill" was my Dad's on Seneca Lake in Ohio.  Jim has completely redone it, including all the fiberglass.

boating on the Chesapeake in Jim's other boat, a Pursuit called "Day Dream".  His last name is Day

Sunset on the Chesapeake

In October we were lucky to be included in a family trip to La Jolla, California.  Alyza was in college by this time so here are Jane,12, Charlotte,15, Mac, 17, and Gigi 10.

Hanging at the beach

the beautiful La Jolla shoreline

A beautiful fall day in Sewickley, PA.  Notice this is a cemetery !  We went there to see the Tuskagee  Airmen memorial.  They were all African-American aviators in World War 2 who flew 1600 missions.  100 of them were from Pittsburgh.  What a beautiful spot for this memorial.

                                           Finally  -  a blast from the past    Finally  -  a blast from the past

We have been going through boxes of stuff from the basement and found lots of old pictures.  This is Ray on our first sailing adventure on Houston Woods Lake in Ohio - just a little sunfish but I guess we caught the bug.

Mission Accomplished - 1180 miles from Brunswick, GA to Tortola, BVI

Well. they say you can't go home again, so we were a little worried about returning to the Virgin Islands - would we think it was as good as we remembered?  Would we be disappointed and regret leaving US and Bahama friends behind?   No worries - it is as wonderful as ever !!!   In fact , it looked even better to us.  After the flat landscape of the Bahamas, the green high hills with ridges and valleys are so pretty and change colors all day long.  The water is clear and best of all, deep, so that we don't have to worry all the time about going aground in shallow water.  Also, love hearing everyone talking in British accents around the marinas or the musical speech of the locals.  They also love to sing, even sometimes when checking you out at the grocery store.  We are so happy to be back.  We WILL miss so many people - so "Come on Down!"

We only spent 10 days here so will have lots to do next year when we get back.  We spent about 3 weeks in Puerto Rico, cruising the south coast then anchored in the harbor of Culebra, a Spanish Virgin Island 20 miles east of Puerto Rico.  The town of Dewey always reminds me of a dusty border town and it has not changed a bit. There are some fun restaurants, basic stores, and a ferry to Fajardo on the PR mainland that costs us senior citizens $1/person.  So for $4 roundtrip we went to PR,  rented a car for $25/day,  shopped and then went to the El Conquistador resort to meet Megan and Judd for lunch.  Easy-deasy.  Judd won a trip through his company and after their 4 days there they took the ferry over to Culebra and joined us for the sail to St. John and stayed a week.  Highlights were Ivan's and Soggy Dollar on Jost,  lobster dinner at Abe's on Jost,  great beach day at Sandy Cay, wonderful dinner at Caneel.  Megan and Judd especially loved the night time rain squalls
 1) Close ports and hatches
 2) Open them back up 5 minutes later so you can breath again
 3) Do this 2-4 times a night.  Welcome to cruising  in the Caribbean.

After they left to go back to Chicago we then had three days of intense boat work (cleaning, taking off jib sail, engine maintenance,etc.) , which we did while anchored at Maho Bay, St. John.  Next and last stop was Nanny Cay Marina on Tortola, BVI, where we had the boat hauled out for hurricane season.  Nanny Cay is our most favorite place and it is looking better than ever.  It felt like a homecoming, we ran into so many people we used to know.  Out on the beach we found Jose, who was my brother and our favorite bartender at Peg Legs, so right then and there he called my brother Jim to tell him we were together.

Ray with the island of Culebrita behind him.  It is about an hours sail from Culebra and a beautiful place to anchor while waiting for company to come.  It is uninhabited, therefore quiet beaches and trails.

We dinghy to the town of Dewey thru this canal dividing the island of Culebra.  The American Navy put this drawbridge in accommodate fishing boats but is never used now.   

Megan and Judd on Megerin

Megan found a perfect place to hang her feet!

The busy lawyer at work on Megerin.

The view from the upper deck of Caneel Bay on St. John, USVI.  We love this place.  Even though it is a resort, no problem to go there for drinks and delicious food.

Caneel Bay

Megan the dinghy captain

Ray in his favorite place to sneak a cigar - the swim platform

Ray talked Judd into playing dominoes

A drink called "The landscape" at the Peter Island Beach Bar

Girls drink.  Ray had Heineken (shocker) while Judd loves the "Painkillers"

Megerin at Maho Bay

While walking around the boat yard at Nanny Cay we saw this horrible sight.  A brand new 45 foot catamaran went on a reef off of Jost Van Dyke and ripped the whole bottom off.  Supposedly the captain went below to take a leak!  Now he has a leaky mess on his hands.  We couldn't believe  the wiring and hoses hanging out of it

Love this sign - the islanders keep it simple

Nanny Cay Marina

Steelers hat at Nanny Cay beach looks right at home

The crew at Gladys's restaurant on St. Thomas.  We used to go here a lot and when we walked in after four years they said "Welcome Back".  We were surprised they remembered us.

With Megan and Judd at Peter Island

  In conclusion - five things we can't live without on a boat
1  Beer
2  Wine
3  Ritz crackers &/or chocolate
4  Chart plotter
5  Head phones

Anyone care to tell us theirs?