GOOD-BYE ST. KITTS, and Rich and Pat of s/v SoCal SoGood. Moody Blues was going to skip a couple of islands, mainly Guadeloupe who it is reported were having riots over the cost of food. We’re not looking for any trouble so we decided to cruise on down to Dominica. The weather forecast was good. 

Down with St. Kitt’s flag and up with the Q flag.

A bright sunset over the ocean always gives a cruiser the chance for the rare “Green Flash.”

Close to a full moon. But rememeber more weird stuff happens on a full moon than not on a full moon! So the wind stayed nearer to 20 mph, the seas were confused and it was a lumpy rock & rolling night. 

We came into Prince Rupert Bay, Portsmith, Dominica at mid-morning. I had not enjoyed the night’s crossing,  so I was a grump. Gene took off in the dinghy and did a one day check in/check out. I felt we needed to make “tracks” and wanted to keep moving east. 

Cabrits National Park and Fort Shirley in Prince Ruperty Bay where we anchored.

Leaving Prince Rupert Bay at first light we toured our way down the east side (leeward side) of Dominica.

As you can see Dominica is peaky and lush.

Exotic and peaceful. Nary a ripple on the sea.

Villages are built in the canyons of Dominca. I think this church is St. Tomas.

Ah, and once again we run into the famous Maltese Falcon aka Big Bird. Look how dead-calm the sea is.

What happened? We clear Scott’s Head (below photo) and all hell breaks loose. 30 mph winds?!!!! 5.9 knots over the top and 6.5 knots over the bottom-ocean floor. That depth of 4.4 feet means it’s so deep it can’t even register our depth. This was NOT FUN and not what it was predicted to be AGAIN!

“Gene turn around, I can’t take it.” 

Stay tuned, continued in the next posting.

(This post is dedicated to Frank Harrison Jensen, Captain of s/v Jubilation located in Turkey and about to make a major move. May the wind be on your beam and not on your nose brother!)