June 9, 2013-Arrival In Bonaire

Kralendijk, Bonaire.

It took us three days to sail to Bonaire.

Three nice, downwind, easy sailing, days.

Almost boring.

But

Don't get us wrong, we loved it.

And on Sunday, June 9, 2013, we arrived in Bonaire and took a mooring ball in front of the town, Kralendijk. (it's Dutch).

This is a nice place. Very civilized. Quite the change to be in a peaceful little Dutch village after hearing the jungle drums of Dominica for a couple of weeks.

We have some adventuring to do here; we'll report back soon.

Meanwhile, click here for more Dominica images.

Fred & Judy, SV Wings, Bonaire

June 6, 2013-Leaving Dominca and the Antilles Islands

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Prince Rupert Bay (Portsmouth) Dominca.

We will weigh anchor at 12:00 today and set our course for Bonaire, in the ABC Islands (Aruba, Bonaire, Curacao), which will put Dominica the entire Antilles Islands behind us once and for all. It is not likely we will come this way again.

We have enjoyed our time in these lovely islands, and we recognize that there is much here in the eastern Caribbean that we did not see or do. Much more than we actually saw or did in fact. We hardly touched the place.

But we can't go everywhere.

This trip to the SW will take about three days, and for the first time since we arrived in Trinidad over a year ago we will be sailing downwind (if you trust the weatherman).

We'll check in after we arrive in Bonaire.

Meanwhile,

Here are more photos of Dominica

and Portsmouth

Fred & Judy, SV Wings, Dominca

June 1, 2013-Indian River Trip on Dominica

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Martin Carriere, River Guide

The island of Dominica is known for it's natural beauty. Forests, mountains, and rivers invite cruisers ashore to hike and explore. One trip we took was up the Indian River in one of the nature preserves with our guide, Martin Carriere. You cannot take your own dingy and no motors are allowed, but the guided trip didn't cost much and was really worth it.

Click here for photos of the Indian River trip.

Fred & Judy, SV Wings, Dominica

May 29, 2013-Sailing to Dominica

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Hurrying Towards Shelter.

On this day Wings departed Antigua bound for Dominica. After a stay in Dominica we'll go to Bonaire, then Columbia and eventually Panama and into the Pacific once again. Southward and westward...ever westward.

It has been an eventful four months in Antigua and we almost began to feel at home there, but it was time to move on. The Pacific has been calling to us.

We set sail from Jolly on a course of due south, intending to overnight to Dominica. With two reefs in the main and the small jib we were looking for an easy sail but instead of easy we got fast. The wind was in the twenties and we flew souther’d hitting mid eights by the B&G but those instruments have been optimistic lately; probably only the high sevens, but fast enough.

At dusk Montserrat was abeam to leeward, just a jagged outline against the setting sun.

By nightfall the wind was higher, the mid twenties, and the waves were big giving us a rolly and wet sail. Time after time throughout the night the bow sliced the tops off of waves and the resulting buckets of salt water blew back onto the dodger at 30 knots, then cascaded down the side decks and filled the cockpit where the lines and sheets sluiced around for a minute or two until the drains finally did their jobs. It was not the easy sail we’d wished for.

After Guadeloupe Island we turned upwind and, if anything, the ride got worse: more heel, more water. Something to be endured not enjoyed. Yet still we hit the high eights and low nines so at least we were getting there.

Dawn found us running through squalls and rain for the shelter of Dominica’s lee and we anchored at 08:00.

In sunshine.

The calm harbor was welcoming.

Click here for a few more photos.

Fred & Judy, SV Wings, Dominica