Presidio Yacht Club 50th Anniversary Porthole Article

Team Sandpiper Update
By Tom & Amy Larson, USCG Retired

Origional Article with pics at http://www.presidioyachtclub.org/AnniversaryPH.pdf

Happy 50th PYC from St. John, US Virgin Islands! In the last 'Porthole' issue Sandpiper was blazing across the Atlantic 100 miles from making landfall in Barbados. Mid-Atlantic Sandpiper 'almost' lost her mast when the bolt holding the lower shrouds to the mast sheered in half and only stayed up due to a quick jury rig. We were very pleased to arrive in Barbados, our fist Caribbean landfall, where we found the locals to be really friendly and we found lots of great Caribbean Rum to drink. We also found a tiny boat yard that was able to pull Sandpiper’s mast off and we were able to make repairs and have the mast back on in two days. We enjoyed Barbados so much we ended up staying several weeks enjoying the local hospitality. Sandpiper then upped anchor and headed straight downwind for an overnight sail to Bequia Island that is part of the Grenadine Island chain. After clearing in and spending a few days watching all the charter boats coming in and out, we sailed thirty miles to the world famous Tobago Cays National Park where we spent time anchored off its five small deserted islands surrounded by coral reefs and clear turquoise waters. From Tobago Cays it was just a short motor across the channel to one of our favorite stops at Union Island. Union Island is a true Caribbean experience with very few tourists about and really friendly locals who were very willing to show us a good time. From Union was another short motor to the sleepy island of Carriacou, which is part of Grenada and is another island that most tourists do not visit, leaving the island to the locals and us. From there was a 30 mile sail down Grenada's windward side arriving to St. Davids Harbor where we took part in Grenada's annual Classic Yacht Regatta were we got the opportunity to sail aboard one boat that was built in 1939 and another in the 40's. I’m not sure we would ever want to own a classic wooden boat because one of the boats I was racing on sprung her bow planks and had to be hauled out of the water before she sank, but it was a real treat to sail aboard these old ladies. We spent time exploring Grenada's many bays and anchorages and then had Sandpiper hauled out to have her spruced up. Our last haul out had been in Thailand and Sandpiper’s waterline had taken a beating after crossing the Indian Ocean, Red Sea, Mediterranean and Atlantic. After 5 days Sandpiper had new bottom paint, new blue paint on her upper sides and several coats of wax on her gel coat making her look like new again. We cleared out of Grenada for an overnight sail to St. Lucia arriving under the world famous volcanic Pitons. We worked out way up St. Lucia's leeward coast to anchor in Rodney Bay were e spent several weeks. We met up with old Coast Guard shipmate and PYC dock mate Chris Allaire who was working his way across the Caribbean in an opposite direction from us. PYC 'Bartender Bob', you will be pleased to know your old dinghy that you sold us and we gave to Chris years ago as it was too big for us, is still in great shape out here in the Caribbean! We also were visited by Amy's mom and boyfriend who were staying ashore right off where we were anchored where we were allowed to crash their pool daily.From St. Lucia we made a perfect 300-mile passage with winds right off the beam at 10-15 knots of wind to St. Croix, US Virgin Islands. This was Sandpiper’s first American landfall in almost four years and it was sure nice being somewhere where everyone speaks English, US dollars come out of the ATMs, all prices are in US dollars, and there are US post offices. After a short visit to St. Croix we sailed thirty miles to where we are presently anchored in St. John US Virgins. a great stop. Most the island is part of the National Parks with many white sand beaches without a resort in site. With Amy's sister visiting us here we anchored off Cinnamon Bay, then sailed across to the British Virgin Islands just three miles away to legendary Foxy's on Jost Van Dyke, Soggy Dollar Bar and then Tortola before completing a circumnavigation of St John. We stayed in St. John while we decided if we should stay for the rapidly approaching hurricane season, or keep heading for continental United States. With us trying to decide our future in less than a week, we decided to stay and purchase a small turn-key charter business that has been in operation for the last 18 years. After a certain amount of frustration, we got a business loan figured out and we are now the happy owners of Sadie Sea, a tour boat here in St. John. It’s been four years on a 35ft sailboat sailing west around the world , covering over 28,000 nautical miles, visiting 30 countries and five continents, and we now are calling St. John “ home”. St. John grew on us quite quickly as it has a real sense of community. People are quite friendly and after just a short amount of time we have met most of the island. Come visit us and we will guide you around the waters surrounding St. John and we’ll show you why it is called the "Jewel of the Caribbean". Flights to the Caribbean are quite cheap right now so we expect to see you here soon!