Sunday, May 22, 2022
We are currently anchored off Great St. James Island in Christmas Cove. The island sits just southeast of St. Thomas and offers a comfortable anchorage.
Boy, have we been busy!! Becca's parents came for a week, which was followed by friends, Will & Jessica. It was a blast having family and friends in town. We've also been sailing between islands regularly trying to see as many locations as possible before we head south for hurricane season. We've checked out a few anchorages on St. Thomas and St. John, as well as sail over to the outlying islands of Water Island, Buck Island, and now Great St. James Island. It's been exactly as we imagined it - short, enjoyable, day sails to island hop from here to there. The water has been blue and clear. The sun has been shining. Few complaints from this crew!
Speaking of crew... you probably saw the postcard at the top of the email. Meet our new crew member, Bosun! We call him Bo, for short. He's named after a position in the crew that is responsible for the maintenance of the boat and its equipment... though we aren't too hopeful he'll actually be able to carry out his duties. He has, however, been an amazing addition to Vagari. He's a quick learner, already showing signs of being a good watch dog, LOVES the beach and sand, stays on trails while hiking, climbs up the stairs into the cockpit from below, jumps from the boat to the dinghy, and pretty much is willing to learn anything to fit in. As far as what breed he is, who knows?! A little bit of everything, we suspect. He does have some markings and behaviors of a Catahoula Leopard dog, so perhaps that's in his blood. Island pups like him are affectionately called Coconut Retrievers. Our Coconut Retriever is approximately 5 months old now and was a stray until about 3 months of age when he was brought to the Humane Society. He spent about a month there and joined our crew 3.5 weeks ago.
Many of you know that we are dog lovers and fostered 32 dogs in 15 months on our boat while in Texas. It was only a matter of time before we adopted, right?? With all the logistics of getting a dog into and out of countries as we travel, we waited a year from leaving Texas to be sure we wanted to make the commitment. We chatted with fellow sailors with dogs onboard and did plenty of research. We just couldn't deny that something was missing... and it was Bo! We adopted him from the Humane Society here in St. Thomas. They are completely overcrowded. If you're ever down here in the islands, consider joining up with a rescue group that transports dogs and cats back to the mainland. You don't have to adopt to save a life. They are always looking for someone to just be a flight companion - you check them onto the flight as your baggage. Typically, the rescue group takes care of the expense and logistics. They then become available for adoption on the mainland, where they have a much higher chance of finding a home.
We plan to stick around the USVI's for the next week or two, then make plans to sail south with a goal of Grenada. We may stop and check out another island along the way to break up the passage, but haven't fully decided yet.
We have another video uploaded for anyone interested.
Much love, Keith & Becca
Comments