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Gromit's S.S. Scatterbrained Trip Report - Day 1
Gromit's S.S. Scatterbrained Trip Report - Day 1
Not So Legal Disclaimer: Let me remind everyone that you asked for it!
As with anything that comes from *A Fine Scatterbrained Productions this is simply my distorted and misaligned version of events.
In some rare cases the writer attempts to impart little nuggets of island knowledge and know-how; but most often it's whole lot of craziness and lies and it's up to you the reader to determine the reality from the fantasy (although admittedly the fantasy is always more fun!)
So without further ado and apologies in advance for my crappy picture taking, brutal honesty and the occasional pun I give you the adventures of Gromit, VickiH and ScubaGirl (along with our respective saints for husbands) and the wicked island adventures of the S.S. Scatterbrained a.k.a. Island Sister!
December 8, 2009
NO sleep the night before. NONE. Zero. Zip. I was like a five year old on Christmas. Finally gave up at 3:30 am and just got up and got dressed.
Our Delta flight out of Dulles was at 5:45 am (who knew they actually flew this early?)
This of course meant that we had to get up at 3:30 and leave around 4 am to ensure a timely arrival.
While on the tarmac I was texting Vicki and ScubaGirl already, indicating that I was praying to baby Jesus (note Talladega Nights reference here - no disrespect meant to grown up Jesus) to get a whole row to myself. Apparently Baby Jesus was up at 5 am as well ‘cause SCORE! WHOLE ROW TO MYSELF. Hubby got one too. Ok so it was a commuter flight and a whole row consisted of exactly 2 seats that are roughly ¾ the size of regular seats but whatever… SCORE!!
I seriously slept through the landing and it was only when the flight attendant came by to reclaim all the pillows that I finally woke up. I guess she figured that since I was drooling I wasn’t dead. Hubby was in the same sorry condition.
But off we went and headed to the Delta lounge for some breakfast and somewhat civilized layover time.
The texts began flying between us girls as they (ScubaGirl and Vicki with their respective hubbies) had landed in Charlotte and were trying to find each other.
Before long it was time to board our last leg to STT. The flight was PACKED but I just went to my happy place and watched a movie on my iPhone for the duration. I heart my iPhone. We also had a REALLY funny flight attendant who had the greatest comedy routine. She really got the whole flight in a good mood. Sadly that is the last decent thing I will have to say about Delta ever again (more on that later).
We arrived on schedule and met ScubaGirl at the free rum stand. We were so excited! Hugs were exchanged and we headed to baggage claim to await our bags.
Seriously… ours were the LAST BAGS ON THE BELT. The LAST BAGS. So… four hours later (OK, about 45 minutes later) Vicki and her hubby show up with the rental car and we are ready to go. So we all pile in the car and head to Frenchtown to meet the boat and Mr. Scubagirl.
I am ashamed to admit that I have spent very little time in Frenchtown. But let me just say that folks who live here really seem to care about their little piece of paradise. It’s got a flavor all its own and there are some pretty interesting little restaurants in the various nooks and crannies.
We unloaded our crap from the car and took it to the boat and got our first glance around inside Island Sister the Hunter 45’ monohull that was to be our home for a week.
<a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/AJ ... site"><img src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_4ypwZiy7vU8/SzI2W ... 1.JPG"></a>
<a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/sR ... site"><img src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_4ypwZiy7vU8/SzI2Y ... 2.JPG"></a>
<a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/o_ ... site"><img src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_4ypwZiy7vU8/SzI2M ... 3.JPG"></a>
<a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/9l ... site"><img src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_4ypwZiy7vU8/SzI2N ... 4.JPG"></a>
<a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/2g ... site"><img src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_4ypwZiy7vU8/SzI2Q ... 6.JPG"></a>
<a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/7f ... site"><img src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_4ypwZiy7vU8/SzI2R ... 7.JPG"></a>
<a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/US ... site"><img src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_4ypwZiy7vU8/SzI2V ... 0.JPG"></a>
<a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/HR ... site"><img src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_4ypwZiy7vU8/SzI2Z ... 3.JPG"></a>
Our Shower:
<a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/QP ... site"><img src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_4ypwZiy7vU8/SzI19 ... 5.JPG"></a>
Head:
<a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/Ze ... site"><img src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_4ypwZiy7vU8/SzI1_ ... 6.JPG"></a>
First impressions of CYOA and the Frenchtown Marina: CYOA is a top notch little team of folks who really care about what they do. Their facilities are clean and tidy and they take great care of their fleet.
MrsCaptainJay and Captain Jay are SUPER nice folks. After meeting the gang we grabbed a quick late lunch/snack at Frenchtown Deli (it’s never good to go grocery shopping on an empty stomach).
Again this is another great little spot. Great food, reasonable prices, comfy surroundings and a great espresso.
The marina is located right next to the Seaplane dock. It’s a small marina and in my mind quite lovely. Like I said, they obviously take good care of the place and I knew we were in good hands. The whole marina seemed like a world away from Charlotte Amalie, even though it is technically right next door.
I stopped into the CYOA office after lunch to pick up a t-shirt (“Same Shirt Different Day” – this is more true than you can imagine for a boat trip!) and some extra hat clips.
Note: One can never have too many hat clips if one is going to be on a boat for say, a week. In retrospect I could have given on of mine as a gift to Mr. Vicki but I am getting ahead of myself…..
After a great lunch and a meet and greet with the CYOA staff and promises of dinner plans that night with the Captain Jays , we left the men to get themselves organized while the ladies headed to the Pueblo to do some grocery shopping!
My two main contributions to this little adventure was purchasing and freezing the meat and bringing it down in the cooler (my first time doing this in 13 years) and a grocery shopping list (culled from the suggestions of our assembled crew).
I will say that when shopping for a group like this it is imperative to have a list or as Vicki says, “You’ll end up with 7different types of sausage, a jar of peanut butter and a bottle of rum.”
Evidently she and I share a common trait of being easily distracted by pretty, shiny things so some semblance of a plan on actual paper is extremely helpful in such circumstances.
An hour and a half, three full grocery carts and $445 later we were loading up the trunk of the car. The ladies at the Pueblo were asking, “Where’s the Party?”
And honestly if we were having one we would have invited the colorful characters of the Pueblo.
Let me just say that the Pueblo is a perfectly fine place to stock up for any vacation/expedition and the prices are excellent. The produce is also pretty fantastic. We got the largest, tastiest avocados I had ever seen there.
By the way.... Avocados are probably Vicki’s most favorite food in the WHOLE world. She loves them. She can eat her weight in avocados. In fact I think that everyone on the forum should send her their avocado related recipes.
OK – I’m kidding. She HATES avocados. It’s our little joke. She can tease me all she wants about my crunchy peanut butter and strawberry jam with bacon on an English muffin for breakfast all she wants but every time she does I’m sending an avocado related product her way….
In retrospect I was VERY glad that we had purchased our meat at home though and brought it down with us. It just made things easier overall and was one less thing to shop for. I bought a whole beef tenderloin from Costco and 12 chicken breasts. I marinated these before freezing.
I also bought ground beef and left half as is (for ScubaGirls famous taco salad) and made the other half into burgers (which I blended with pancetta and other seasonings for a pretty tasty burger I might add!)
I also brought down spices with us. All the girls decided in advance if they would be responsible for bringing something down as well. And this helped too.
Pueblo had almost everything we needed but what they didn’t have we headed to the Gourmet Galley to get at Crown Bay Marina, where we got a great look at the new Oasis of the Seas ship.
What a monster!! Locals were even driving in to get a close look and take pictures.
Vicki and I both agreed that our mutual idea of hell would be to be trapped on a ship with that many people. It’s gorgeous to look at and monstrous up close and certainly a modern marvel but just not my cup of tea.
The Gourmet Galley was also great and very well stocked. Prices were noticeably higher but we were only grabbing a few things to finish up our list.
The thing about being on a boat is this. You kind of have to have what you think you’ll need cause it’s kind of a pain in the ass to get something after you get going. Not impossible but certainly more inconvenient. So some forethought is key.
Once we had everything in the trunk we headed back to the boat to find a place to put it all. I swear the freezer and fridge on Island Sister must be made by the same person that made Mary Poppins’ purse cause an amazing amount of stuff can fit into what is seemingly a pretty small space.
<a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/Ec ... site"><img src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_4ypwZiy7vU8/SzI2D ... 8.JPG"></a>
<a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/J1 ... site"><img src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_4ypwZiy7vU8/SzI2E ... 9.JPG"></a>
The Girlz were like a well oiled machine putting stuff away and ScubaGirl introduced us to the glories of cubby holes that are stashed all about the interior cabin.
Once the cold groceries were stashed it was time to meet the Captain Jays for dinner at the Hook, Line and Sinker—a restaurant right at the Frenchtown Marina.
There was another large party there that night and the service was very slow, but it forced us to slow down and get onto island time.
Note: we had opted to pay a little extra to stay on the boat the night before our charter which is advisable. It gives you a chance to get provisioned and settled and used to the boat before you actually get moving.
After eating, we were just sitting around and Vicki and I started to get a bit ancy. So we headed to the boat to satisfy our OCD tendencies and to get unpacked.
I think Vicki and I were both in a bit of shock when we first saw our cabins and how much space we had to store clothes and shoes.
Thankfully we had heeded ScubaGirl’s warning not to bring too much stuff but still, what we brought already seemed like more than we had space for.
Vicki and I both laughed hysterically about the small shoebox we had to keep our clothes in. She was already laying down rules for her hubby about not touching anything once she got it all put away lest it come crashing down upon them!
I must have hit my head about 17 times in the first 45 minutes of trying to unpack until ScubaGirl gave me some sage advice: Slow Down.
Bottom line is you just can’t move too quickly on a boat. It’s not designed for that. There was enough room for one adult to stand in the aft cabins. The beds were large and very comfortable but if you wanted to change or put things away – this was a one butt cabin.
<a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/BL ... site"><img src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_4ypwZiy7vU8/SzI10 ... 0.JPG"></a>
<a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/Jn ... site"><img src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_4ypwZiy7vU8/SzI1u ... 6.JPG"></a>
But as with the groceries we magically found places for everything.
<a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/m9 ... site"><img src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_4ypwZiy7vU8/SzI1w ... 7.JPG"></a>
<a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/16 ... site"><img src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_4ypwZiy7vU8/SzI1x ... 8.JPG"></a>
<a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/OD ... site"><img src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_4ypwZiy7vU8/SzI1z ... 9.JPG"></a>
It was definitely a lot different than being in a villa, but then again we didn’t have any expectations. Even then it was a bit of a shock but we adapted pretty quickly. Hey Vicki and I can handle ANYTHING!
<a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/Zo ... site"><img src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_4ypwZiy7vU8/SzI13 ... 2.JPG"></a>
Vicki's Stuff:
<a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/-6 ... site"><img src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_4ypwZiy7vU8/SzI15 ... 3.JPG"></a>
After we tackled getting our stuff stashed, we finished putting away the dry goods and groceries. Again, we found a place for everything! YAY US!
<a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/mu ... site"><img src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_4ypwZiy7vU8/SzI2B ... 7.JPG"></a>
At this point I had been awake for nearly 36 hours straight and was pretty much on fumes. It was time for bed. But before I hit the sack, I wanted to go topside and get some fresh air.
The night was still and cool breezes wrapped around me. I could watch the hustle and bustle of Charlotte Amalie at night from the deck of the boat across the harbor. I was just happy to be still and taking in the warm Caribbean night.
I was soon joined by Mr. Gromit and Mr. ScubaGirl. We sat topside and chatted for a while about this and that and what we were hoping to learn about sailing.
Finally my eyelids felt like they weighed about a thousand pounds and I just couldn’t stay awake any longer. I HAD to go to bed.
As I settled into bed and opened the windows I could feel the breeze on my face and the gentle lapping of the water against the hull. The boat rocked gently and swayed and I drifted off into a blissfully deep sleep.
Lessons Learned on Day 1:
-Try to get some sleep before your trip.
-Don’t pack too much, but pack what you will need.
-Frenchtown is a little gem and worth a visit.
-The Pueblo has great selection and great prices and colorful characters that hold court out front. And it’s OK if they stare at you like you are a complete nutjob for hauling three grocery carts of food to your car.
-Bringing your own frozen meat is a good thing. Best if you utilize a collapsible cooler if you’re going to be on a boat.
-Slow down on the boat or you will kill yourself before you ever leave the dock. I already had my first bruise after only 15 minutes!
Tomorrow: And Aweigh We Go!!
As with anything that comes from *A Fine Scatterbrained Productions this is simply my distorted and misaligned version of events.
In some rare cases the writer attempts to impart little nuggets of island knowledge and know-how; but most often it's whole lot of craziness and lies and it's up to you the reader to determine the reality from the fantasy (although admittedly the fantasy is always more fun!)
So without further ado and apologies in advance for my crappy picture taking, brutal honesty and the occasional pun I give you the adventures of Gromit, VickiH and ScubaGirl (along with our respective saints for husbands) and the wicked island adventures of the S.S. Scatterbrained a.k.a. Island Sister!
December 8, 2009
NO sleep the night before. NONE. Zero. Zip. I was like a five year old on Christmas. Finally gave up at 3:30 am and just got up and got dressed.
Our Delta flight out of Dulles was at 5:45 am (who knew they actually flew this early?)
This of course meant that we had to get up at 3:30 and leave around 4 am to ensure a timely arrival.
While on the tarmac I was texting Vicki and ScubaGirl already, indicating that I was praying to baby Jesus (note Talladega Nights reference here - no disrespect meant to grown up Jesus) to get a whole row to myself. Apparently Baby Jesus was up at 5 am as well ‘cause SCORE! WHOLE ROW TO MYSELF. Hubby got one too. Ok so it was a commuter flight and a whole row consisted of exactly 2 seats that are roughly ¾ the size of regular seats but whatever… SCORE!!
I seriously slept through the landing and it was only when the flight attendant came by to reclaim all the pillows that I finally woke up. I guess she figured that since I was drooling I wasn’t dead. Hubby was in the same sorry condition.
But off we went and headed to the Delta lounge for some breakfast and somewhat civilized layover time.
The texts began flying between us girls as they (ScubaGirl and Vicki with their respective hubbies) had landed in Charlotte and were trying to find each other.
Before long it was time to board our last leg to STT. The flight was PACKED but I just went to my happy place and watched a movie on my iPhone for the duration. I heart my iPhone. We also had a REALLY funny flight attendant who had the greatest comedy routine. She really got the whole flight in a good mood. Sadly that is the last decent thing I will have to say about Delta ever again (more on that later).
We arrived on schedule and met ScubaGirl at the free rum stand. We were so excited! Hugs were exchanged and we headed to baggage claim to await our bags.
Seriously… ours were the LAST BAGS ON THE BELT. The LAST BAGS. So… four hours later (OK, about 45 minutes later) Vicki and her hubby show up with the rental car and we are ready to go. So we all pile in the car and head to Frenchtown to meet the boat and Mr. Scubagirl.
I am ashamed to admit that I have spent very little time in Frenchtown. But let me just say that folks who live here really seem to care about their little piece of paradise. It’s got a flavor all its own and there are some pretty interesting little restaurants in the various nooks and crannies.
We unloaded our crap from the car and took it to the boat and got our first glance around inside Island Sister the Hunter 45’ monohull that was to be our home for a week.
<a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/AJ ... site"><img src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_4ypwZiy7vU8/SzI2W ... 1.JPG"></a>
<a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/sR ... site"><img src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_4ypwZiy7vU8/SzI2Y ... 2.JPG"></a>
<a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/o_ ... site"><img src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_4ypwZiy7vU8/SzI2M ... 3.JPG"></a>
<a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/9l ... site"><img src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_4ypwZiy7vU8/SzI2N ... 4.JPG"></a>
<a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/2g ... site"><img src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_4ypwZiy7vU8/SzI2Q ... 6.JPG"></a>
<a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/7f ... site"><img src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_4ypwZiy7vU8/SzI2R ... 7.JPG"></a>
<a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/US ... site"><img src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_4ypwZiy7vU8/SzI2V ... 0.JPG"></a>
<a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/HR ... site"><img src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_4ypwZiy7vU8/SzI2Z ... 3.JPG"></a>
Our Shower:
<a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/QP ... site"><img src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_4ypwZiy7vU8/SzI19 ... 5.JPG"></a>
Head:
<a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/Ze ... site"><img src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_4ypwZiy7vU8/SzI1_ ... 6.JPG"></a>
First impressions of CYOA and the Frenchtown Marina: CYOA is a top notch little team of folks who really care about what they do. Their facilities are clean and tidy and they take great care of their fleet.
MrsCaptainJay and Captain Jay are SUPER nice folks. After meeting the gang we grabbed a quick late lunch/snack at Frenchtown Deli (it’s never good to go grocery shopping on an empty stomach).
Again this is another great little spot. Great food, reasonable prices, comfy surroundings and a great espresso.
The marina is located right next to the Seaplane dock. It’s a small marina and in my mind quite lovely. Like I said, they obviously take good care of the place and I knew we were in good hands. The whole marina seemed like a world away from Charlotte Amalie, even though it is technically right next door.
I stopped into the CYOA office after lunch to pick up a t-shirt (“Same Shirt Different Day” – this is more true than you can imagine for a boat trip!) and some extra hat clips.
Note: One can never have too many hat clips if one is going to be on a boat for say, a week. In retrospect I could have given on of mine as a gift to Mr. Vicki but I am getting ahead of myself…..
After a great lunch and a meet and greet with the CYOA staff and promises of dinner plans that night with the Captain Jays , we left the men to get themselves organized while the ladies headed to the Pueblo to do some grocery shopping!
My two main contributions to this little adventure was purchasing and freezing the meat and bringing it down in the cooler (my first time doing this in 13 years) and a grocery shopping list (culled from the suggestions of our assembled crew).
I will say that when shopping for a group like this it is imperative to have a list or as Vicki says, “You’ll end up with 7different types of sausage, a jar of peanut butter and a bottle of rum.”
Evidently she and I share a common trait of being easily distracted by pretty, shiny things so some semblance of a plan on actual paper is extremely helpful in such circumstances.
An hour and a half, three full grocery carts and $445 later we were loading up the trunk of the car. The ladies at the Pueblo were asking, “Where’s the Party?”
And honestly if we were having one we would have invited the colorful characters of the Pueblo.
Let me just say that the Pueblo is a perfectly fine place to stock up for any vacation/expedition and the prices are excellent. The produce is also pretty fantastic. We got the largest, tastiest avocados I had ever seen there.
By the way.... Avocados are probably Vicki’s most favorite food in the WHOLE world. She loves them. She can eat her weight in avocados. In fact I think that everyone on the forum should send her their avocado related recipes.
OK – I’m kidding. She HATES avocados. It’s our little joke. She can tease me all she wants about my crunchy peanut butter and strawberry jam with bacon on an English muffin for breakfast all she wants but every time she does I’m sending an avocado related product her way….
In retrospect I was VERY glad that we had purchased our meat at home though and brought it down with us. It just made things easier overall and was one less thing to shop for. I bought a whole beef tenderloin from Costco and 12 chicken breasts. I marinated these before freezing.
I also bought ground beef and left half as is (for ScubaGirls famous taco salad) and made the other half into burgers (which I blended with pancetta and other seasonings for a pretty tasty burger I might add!)
I also brought down spices with us. All the girls decided in advance if they would be responsible for bringing something down as well. And this helped too.
Pueblo had almost everything we needed but what they didn’t have we headed to the Gourmet Galley to get at Crown Bay Marina, where we got a great look at the new Oasis of the Seas ship.
What a monster!! Locals were even driving in to get a close look and take pictures.
Vicki and I both agreed that our mutual idea of hell would be to be trapped on a ship with that many people. It’s gorgeous to look at and monstrous up close and certainly a modern marvel but just not my cup of tea.
The Gourmet Galley was also great and very well stocked. Prices were noticeably higher but we were only grabbing a few things to finish up our list.
The thing about being on a boat is this. You kind of have to have what you think you’ll need cause it’s kind of a pain in the ass to get something after you get going. Not impossible but certainly more inconvenient. So some forethought is key.
Once we had everything in the trunk we headed back to the boat to find a place to put it all. I swear the freezer and fridge on Island Sister must be made by the same person that made Mary Poppins’ purse cause an amazing amount of stuff can fit into what is seemingly a pretty small space.
<a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/Ec ... site"><img src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_4ypwZiy7vU8/SzI2D ... 8.JPG"></a>
<a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/J1 ... site"><img src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_4ypwZiy7vU8/SzI2E ... 9.JPG"></a>
The Girlz were like a well oiled machine putting stuff away and ScubaGirl introduced us to the glories of cubby holes that are stashed all about the interior cabin.
Once the cold groceries were stashed it was time to meet the Captain Jays for dinner at the Hook, Line and Sinker—a restaurant right at the Frenchtown Marina.
There was another large party there that night and the service was very slow, but it forced us to slow down and get onto island time.
Note: we had opted to pay a little extra to stay on the boat the night before our charter which is advisable. It gives you a chance to get provisioned and settled and used to the boat before you actually get moving.
After eating, we were just sitting around and Vicki and I started to get a bit ancy. So we headed to the boat to satisfy our OCD tendencies and to get unpacked.
I think Vicki and I were both in a bit of shock when we first saw our cabins and how much space we had to store clothes and shoes.
Thankfully we had heeded ScubaGirl’s warning not to bring too much stuff but still, what we brought already seemed like more than we had space for.
Vicki and I both laughed hysterically about the small shoebox we had to keep our clothes in. She was already laying down rules for her hubby about not touching anything once she got it all put away lest it come crashing down upon them!
I must have hit my head about 17 times in the first 45 minutes of trying to unpack until ScubaGirl gave me some sage advice: Slow Down.
Bottom line is you just can’t move too quickly on a boat. It’s not designed for that. There was enough room for one adult to stand in the aft cabins. The beds were large and very comfortable but if you wanted to change or put things away – this was a one butt cabin.
<a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/BL ... site"><img src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_4ypwZiy7vU8/SzI10 ... 0.JPG"></a>
<a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/Jn ... site"><img src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_4ypwZiy7vU8/SzI1u ... 6.JPG"></a>
But as with the groceries we magically found places for everything.
<a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/m9 ... site"><img src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_4ypwZiy7vU8/SzI1w ... 7.JPG"></a>
<a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/16 ... site"><img src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_4ypwZiy7vU8/SzI1x ... 8.JPG"></a>
<a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/OD ... site"><img src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_4ypwZiy7vU8/SzI1z ... 9.JPG"></a>
It was definitely a lot different than being in a villa, but then again we didn’t have any expectations. Even then it was a bit of a shock but we adapted pretty quickly. Hey Vicki and I can handle ANYTHING!
<a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/Zo ... site"><img src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_4ypwZiy7vU8/SzI13 ... 2.JPG"></a>
Vicki's Stuff:
<a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/-6 ... site"><img src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_4ypwZiy7vU8/SzI15 ... 3.JPG"></a>
After we tackled getting our stuff stashed, we finished putting away the dry goods and groceries. Again, we found a place for everything! YAY US!
<a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/mu ... site"><img src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_4ypwZiy7vU8/SzI2B ... 7.JPG"></a>
At this point I had been awake for nearly 36 hours straight and was pretty much on fumes. It was time for bed. But before I hit the sack, I wanted to go topside and get some fresh air.
The night was still and cool breezes wrapped around me. I could watch the hustle and bustle of Charlotte Amalie at night from the deck of the boat across the harbor. I was just happy to be still and taking in the warm Caribbean night.
I was soon joined by Mr. Gromit and Mr. ScubaGirl. We sat topside and chatted for a while about this and that and what we were hoping to learn about sailing.
Finally my eyelids felt like they weighed about a thousand pounds and I just couldn’t stay awake any longer. I HAD to go to bed.
As I settled into bed and opened the windows I could feel the breeze on my face and the gentle lapping of the water against the hull. The boat rocked gently and swayed and I drifted off into a blissfully deep sleep.
Lessons Learned on Day 1:
-Try to get some sleep before your trip.
-Don’t pack too much, but pack what you will need.
-Frenchtown is a little gem and worth a visit.
-The Pueblo has great selection and great prices and colorful characters that hold court out front. And it’s OK if they stare at you like you are a complete nutjob for hauling three grocery carts of food to your car.
-Bringing your own frozen meat is a good thing. Best if you utilize a collapsible cooler if you’re going to be on a boat.
-Slow down on the boat or you will kill yourself before you ever leave the dock. I already had my first bruise after only 15 minutes!
Tomorrow: And Aweigh We Go!!
*Another fine scatterbrained production
Great Start Gromit
I've had a charter boat vacation on my bucket list for a couple of years now, but my wife is WAY not convinced. I can't show her any of your "inside" pictures because the lack of space will kill my plan before that egg hatches!
KT
I will say this -- the 49' Hunter lived a lot larger (I took a look after we got back). There was a lot more cabin room and room to stand up than the 45'.
Let me say this though, I am 5'10" and not a small girl. I am very claustrophobic. But I honestly did great on the trip and felt fine in the space. When you consider we had six people on this boat none of us really ever felt like we were on top of each other it really is amazing.
Also some folks prefer the Cats. They are a bit more stable and feel like they have more space. Although the bunk areas are designed a bit differently.
To be totally honest, it's amazing how there seems to be space for eveything on the boat -- surprisingly so.
My main challenges were keeping things dry and from smelling mildewy in the cabin.
Let me say this though, I am 5'10" and not a small girl. I am very claustrophobic. But I honestly did great on the trip and felt fine in the space. When you consider we had six people on this boat none of us really ever felt like we were on top of each other it really is amazing.
Also some folks prefer the Cats. They are a bit more stable and feel like they have more space. Although the bunk areas are designed a bit differently.
To be totally honest, it's amazing how there seems to be space for eveything on the boat -- surprisingly so.
My main challenges were keeping things dry and from smelling mildewy in the cabin.
*Another fine scatterbrained production
Nice start!
I'm glad you didnt flub the order of the words in this sentence:
"The Girlz were like a well oiled machine putting stuff away and ScubaGirl introduced us to the glories of cubby holes that are stashed all about the interior cabin."
I'm glad you didnt flub the order of the words in this sentence:
"The Girlz were like a well oiled machine putting stuff away and ScubaGirl introduced us to the glories of cubby holes that are stashed all about the interior cabin."
When we come to place where the sea and the sky collide
Throw me over the edge and let my spirit glide
Throw me over the edge and let my spirit glide
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designbyroe
- Posts: 1348
- Joined: Tue Feb 27, 2007 1:27 pm
- Location: Chilaxin on White Bay at least in my mind
Re: Gromit's S.S. Scatterbrained Trip Report - Day 1
Truer words were never spoken. Vicki must have been in line behind my husband at the Starfish 'cept with him its 7 different types of sausage, 16 tubs of ice cream and 7 bottles of rum.Gromit wrote: I will say that when shopping for a group like this it is imperative to have a list or as Vicki says, “You’ll end up with 7different types of sausage, a jar of peanut butter and a bottle of rum.”
On to part 2!