A year in review …

Time is an allusive measurement of sequential events defined by days/nights. A year is defined by accumulating those day counts as our Earth completes a full circle around our Sun. For most of us a year can be summarized by a few milestone memories or notable events. Outside of that short milestone summary, a year is simply a collection of redundant days doing the same thing – seeing the same familiar sights and faces over and over again. However, that recursive pattern can be totally eliminated if we choose to chase dreams and push our lives out of that comfort zone.

Such is the case with Queen’s Dream and her permanent crew (Tim & Leanne). A year ago today we stood on the forward deck of QD and formally christened her in Ft. Lauderdale. The successful Atlantic crossing in the months prior was a harbinger of the adventures that awaited. Stage #2 was ready to begin. Fast-forward a year, and the QD logbooks detail entries of 166 anchorages covering 3,546 nautical miles since Queen’s Dream left the docks in Florida. Stages #2 & #3 witnessed QD sailing all the way thru the Caribbean to Grenada and then slowly working the way back North again to the BVIs. The voyages were full of exploration and deep cultural emersion as QD’s bows moved from country to country, island to island. The year was certainly not a collection of redundant days. Most every day brought new experiences, new sights and new faces. Daily change was the norm. Exactly what Queen’s Dream was built to do. The plan is in full motion and has not disappointed.

What’s next? Stage #4 is currently underway. It has included many months in the BVIs. QD will explore a path back down to Grenada by July (hurricane season). She will rest there for a few months. The fall of 2024 will execute Stage #5 – crossing west across the south Caribbean. Planned visits include Bonaire, Curacao, Aruba, Columbia, San Blas Islands and conclude at the docks in Panama by December. That location will serve as the staging point for the Panama Canal Transit and Pacific Crossing in 2025. Another year of adventures, new countries, new sights, new cultures and new faces awaits. The dream that evolved into a plan is now full reality. Words or pictures cannot convey this experience of a lifetime.

*note from Tim – the live tracker, anchorage logs and crew lists have been kept current on this website. However, the blog entries went dormant last summer, as all attention shifted to daily postings of pictures and memories on our personal facebook pages. That is our permanent archive of this around-the-world trip. Perhaps I’ll reactivate the cadence of blog posts here to dump out various observations and thoughts on occasion as we continue.

default

Virgin Islands

The modern world is familiar with references to the Virgin Islands. Renowned worldwide as a popular travel destination for sailors, fishermen, sun worshippers, and other independent travelers. Considered a Carribean paradise for its climate, stunning waters, and easy day sailing between islands. The Virgin Islands is a group of about 90 small islands, islets, cays, and rocks in the West Indies. The islands fall into three political jurisdiction groupings; The US Virgin Islands (USVIs), The British Virgin Islands (BVIs), and the lesser-known Spanish Virgin Islands (SVIs). Christopher Columbus named the island group after Saint Ursula and the 11,000 Virgins.

Upon completion of the Thorny Path passages, Queen’s Dream savored the offerings of the Virgin Islands for 11 days. Her legacy crew had sailed these waters over the past decade and were remarkably familiar with the whole area. A unique opportunity arose to host 2 additional guest crew onboard QD for a week. The guest crew were “Virgins” to sailing and “Virgins” to the whole island area. Rediscovering and exploring the VIs with the new sailors would be rewarding and satisfying.

On May 25th, QD left her anchor from Esperanza, Vieques and made her way east to St. Thomas for 4 nights. Via countless visits to St. Thomas over the years, the crew had always marveled at the sailboats resting in Charlotte Amalie harbor. Now, the crew was elated to finally anchor their very own sailboat in CA Bay! Upon the arrival of the guest crew, QD made her way to anchor at Watermelon Bay at St. John’s. The following morning, QD cleared into the British Virgin Islands at Sopers Hole on Tortola. QD replanted her anchor every day over the next week throughout the BVIs. While touristy in nature, the popular BVI hotspots were indulged; Soggy Dollar at White Bay, Foxy’s at Great Harbour on Jost Van Dyke, the Baths at Virgin Gorda, the Beach Club at Cooper Island, Peter Island, isolated anchorage at Savannah Bay and concluded with attending the famous Full Moon Party at Trellis Bay. With the guest crew fully indoctrinated to sailing and the Virgin Islands, they departed in search of their land legs. On June 5th, QD left the Virgin Islands and set her course heading Southeast destined for more island explorations as she continues her routed path to eventually arrive in Grenada by July.

The Thorny Path

Sailing from Florida to the Virgin Islands is a dream for many, what’s not to love about a slow island hop down to the Caribbean? However, depending on the time of year, the wind will be your enemy. The trade winds in the Atlantic are a crucial factor in how you sail to the Caribbean. They start around 22°N to 25°N and blow 15 to 25 knots most days from an easterly direction. With the wind on your nose, it’s a long, uphill slog which can carry on for days. There are two routes from Florida to the Virgin Islands: The Thorny Path is a nearshore route, picked through the Bahamas and Turks and Caicos, then along the Dominican Republic and Puerto Rico to the Virgin Islands. Alternatively, “I-65” is an offshore route that takes you east to longitude 65°W to avoid the trade winds before turning south to sail across them instead of dead upwind.

Queen’s Dream left the docks in Ft. Lauderdale on April 25th. Her destination for Stage #2 would be Grenada by July. The route down through the Carribean would take her through the well-known Virgin Islands. But the route would not be the simple “I-65” offshore route to the VIs. Instead, her crew was destined to experience the challenges and sights of the Thorny Path. Daily weather planning dictated the timing and execution of 20 passages over the next 32 days. For much of the voyage, her sails were stowed, and her iron horses (diesel engines) were called to action. QD pushed forward into the easterly trade winds mile by mile, day by day, and anchorage to anchorage. She would reach the docks of St. Thomas, Virgin Islands on May 26th with 1,257 nautical miles logged for the successful Thorny Path voyage.

Those 32 days were rewarding and immersive. The start of the voyage would have QD crossing the legendary Gulf Stream to Bimini. Then, two full weeks thru the incredible waters and sights of the Bahamas. Her anchor dug into the sands of the Berry Islands, Rose Island near Nassau, the full Exuma island chain and the isolation of the outer islands. She exited the Bahamas on a 3-day sail to Turks & Caicos where she spent five relaxing days. Her next lengthy leg would be a 4-day sail across the northwest side of Dominican Republic to reach the southwest corner of Puerto Rico. For another week, QD would diligently work her way across the southern coast of PR encountering the variety of different anchorages the mountainous island had to offer. She spent her final day in PR on the island of Vieques. As her crew pulled into St. Thomas, the dull memories of the daily windward pushes were easily overpowered by the vivid memories of the places they had seen along the Thorny Path. With the thorns now behind them, the crew looks forward to leveraging the trade winds on the remaining journey South to Grenada.

 

Turks and Caicos

Long before Christopher Columbus ever set foot on the island of Grand Turk, Taino and Lucayan Indians inhabited the TCI island chain as the sole residents for over 700 years. Thier Arawak language named the islands – “Turks” is a reference to the indigenous Turk’s head cactus and “Caicos” is from the Lucayan term for “Caya hico” meaning string of islands. Throughout the early 1700s the French, Spanish and British each claimed possession of the islands before it became part of the Bahamas colony in 1766. When the Bahamas gained independence in 1973, the TCIs (Turk and Caicos Islands) received their own governor and now remain a British Overseas Territory. Today the TCIs are noted as an ultimate dive destination for snorkelers and scuba enthusiasts looking for clear ocean and thriving marine life.

On May 11th, Queen’s Dream arrived in the TCIs from a 2-day passage out of the Bahamas. The dense coral terrain of the Grace Bay area in Providenciales is evident on the navigation charts. As the crew studied the upcoming entry into the desired anchorage marina, the thoughts of battlefield troops carefully navigating a dense landmine field came to mind. Word was received that many of the navigation markers noted on the charts were no longer present or had shifted. With the increased risk of grounding the hulls on reefs, the QD crew requested a “pilot boat” from the marina to come out and guide them through the battlefield. The marina was quick to respond and playing the simple game of “follow the leader”, QD arrived safely at the docks at Turtle Cove Marina.

QD rested well for 4 days as the crew explored what the island had to offer and consumed the local culture and unique atmosphere. The beaches are magnificent in their purity, water clarity and evident sea life. A signature moment – sitting at a quaint beachfront restaurant (da Conch Shack) and observing a local in the water 20-30 yards out in the ocean going under water and quickly coming up to load a kayak full of fresh conch. When full, the kayak was pulled back upon the beach providing a wheelbarrow full of fresh conch that was wheeled into the door on the side. Seafood at its freshest!

On the 5th day, QD undertook a brutally challenging overnight passage to Grand Turk. Increased winds and a confused sea state shook her hulls as she pounded and crashed into the thundering waves throughout the night. Her resolve was firm, and her hulls fared well as they were built to do. By daybreak, the exhausted crew was relieved to be on anchor and relax for a final day in the TCIs. Grand Turk would serve as the staging point for the upcoming 4-day/3-night passage to Puerto Rico. QD bids farewell to the pristine TCSIs and continues her journey through the infamous “Thorny Path”.

The Road Less Traveled

In 1915, the famed poet Robert Frost published a poem that would forever be referenced as a symbolic metaphor of life choices. The entirety of “The Road Not Taken” is an extended metaphor in which the road “less traveled” symbolizes the path of nonconformity. The speaker, when trying to choose which road to take, looks for the road that seems less worn.

Queen’s Dream herself represents a “Road” choice. While her bows will visit common, well-known, and well-traveled water-roads, she was built to travel and explore far beyond the comfort zone of many sailors. She will carry her crew to isolated anchorages, rarely traveled routes, and distant shores. However, QD will not undertake these expeditions unescorted. Her permanent crew designed her as a union that shadows the ambitions inherit to their very own life ambitions. The perfectly paired crew and ship will take roads less traveled together. In her short life, QD and her crew have already taken paths not common for a sailboat. Regardless of size, origin, and crew experience, very few sailboats have crossed the monstrous Atlantic Ocean. Her current destined path (Stage #2) now takes her on a 3-month voyage very few sailors would ever pursue. This planned route will take her from Ft. Lauderdale to Grenada with ceaseless anchorages during the transit.

In the last 2 weeks, QD has progressed from Miami, down thru the Bahamas visiting and anchoring at many of the better-known islands. From Bimini to the Berry Islands, and down through the Exumas. Her 2-night stay in George Town, Exuma is the pinnacle of the cruiser’s world. With boat populations in the 100s of sailboats, most sailors never venture south beyond this last “easy” anchorage in the Bahamas. QD pulled anchor early in the morning on May 6th and left the crowded George Town waters in her rippling wakes. Her crew guided her to the uninhabited Conception Island. This protected marine area was the third island where Christopher Columbus landed in The Bahamas in 1492. The following day, QD journeyed to the remote outer island of Rum Cay (also a Columbus discovery). Unlike many of the anchorages in the proceeding weeks, she was all alone in the isolated island harbor. Her upcoming quests take her to the final planned anchorage in the Bahamas – Clarence Town. It will serve as a launch point for a multi-day sail to Turks and Caicos via the infamous “Thorny Path” route. Certainly, a road less traveled…

Pirate Republic to Thunderball

In the early 18th century, one small, salty, sun-splashed corner of the Bahamas was the epicenter of an organized crime wave that washed across the islands of the Caribbean and along America’s Atlantic coast. The Golden Age of Piracy lasted for thirty years from 1690 to 1720 and Nassau was at its heart. The era of piracy in the Bahamas began in 1696 when the privateer Henry Every brought his ship the Fancy loaded with loot from plundering Indian Empire trade ships into Nassau harbor. Henry Every bribed the Governor of The Bahamas Nicholas Trott with gold, silver and with the Fancy itself which was still loaded with 50 tons of elephant tusks and 100 barrels of gunpowder. This established Nassau as a base where pirates could operate safely, although various governors regularly made a show of suppressing piracy.

Queen’s Dream left her anchorage in the Berry Islands and bashed against rough sea states for a full day to arrive in historic “Pirate Territory”. Her bows came to rest as her anchor was set in the white sand bottom of Rose Island. The anchorage is a small island in the Bahamas that lies 3 miles east of Paradise Island – Nassau. With no pirate gold in sight, the crew ventured further south the following day towards the notable Exuma island chain. Like days of the year, the Exumas boasts 365 individual cays and islands. QD landed her anchor at Highbourne Cay for a night. Another full day’s sail brought her into the shallows of Staniel Cay. Her clear white sand berth was less than a hundred yards from the legendary “Thunderball Grotto” made famous by James Bond scenes in the 60’s. After many days without touching land, her crew journeyed to land where they engulfed the camaraderie of fellow sailors at the Staniel Cay Yacht Club. The QD crew has quickly become accustomed to the daily routines of moving QD southeast daily in her stage quest of reaching Grenada by July. However, the destination is secondary to the voyage experience along the way that is the root of the adventure.

Bimini to $29 Million

Bimini is the westernmost district of the Bahamas and comprises a chain of islands located about 50 miles due east of Miami. Bimini is the closest point in the Bahamas to the mainland United States. The island is laden with history – During the period of Prohibition in the United States, Bimini was a favorite haven and supply point for the rum-running trade. Some claim that the term “the real McCoy” was applied to the rum provided by William S. McCoy, who used Bimini to transport whiskey to America during the Prohibition. Another historical note – Juan Ponce de Leon referenced Bimini during his search for the Fountain of Youth. Although de León’s expedition brought him to Florida, the fountain was rumored to exist within the shallow pools of South Bimini. 

Following the Gulf Stream crossing, Queen’s Dream and her crew enjoyed the quaint island of Bimini for 2 days. No fountain of youth was discovered. QD departed the dock on April 28th and sailed a full day across the Great Bahama Bank to the Berry Islands. Her hulls came to rest in a protected inlet of Chub Cay. The following day, she moved 17 miles further into the Berrys to a secluded anchorage between Whale Cay and Little Whale Cay. During the anchorage research, it was revealed that Little Whale Cay is for sale. For the low price of only $29M, the 40-acre island can be purchased. The crew dug deep into the stores on board and determined there was a severe shortage of gold. The anchor was pulled the following morning and departed without making an offer for the property. Queen’s Dream left the Berry Islands behind and headed for the fabled Pirate haven of the Nassau area. Just perhaps, enough pirate treasure can be secured to buy an island!

Poseidon to Bimini

In Ancient Greek mythology, Poseidon is the god of the sea (his Roman equivalent is Neptune). For thousands of years, seafaring peoples believed he had full domain over the seas and was respectfully feared. The deep superstitions spawned the rituals of Christening newly named ships under ceremonies where homage was bestowed to the god(s) of the sea to request acceptance of the ship into the seas of the world. In the early rituals ship christenings of the Vikings were marked by the spilling of blood. In the Middle Ages, religious shrines were on the ship and a libation of wine was offered as the vessel hit the water as a substitute for the earlier blood sacrifice. The wine was poured over the deck to appease King Poseidon for good luck and safe voyages. These practices, varying in form as nations and cultures evolved through the centuries, have carried over to the present christening and launching ceremonies. The current traditions throughout the world regularly involve toasts, the breaking of champagne bottles, and frequent appeasement of Poseidon and/or Neptune. As a point of founded superstition, a reference is noted that the Titanic was never christened!

Queen’s Dream completed her transatlantic crossing on March 17th. For the next 5 weeks her final systems and upgrades were completed in Ft. Lauderdale. Her permanent crew arrived with a load of gear needed for the worldwide adventures. Likewise, her storage areas were loaded with months of provisions to fuel the crew as they embark upon the voyages that await. However, the voyages would not begin until a formal Christening ceremony was conducted. On April 22nd, a group of 20+ dignitaries gathered dockside at sunset for the formal Christening of QD. Speeches and toasts inducted her hulls following the traditional formalities. And yes, the finest Champagne was poured over her bows to appease Poseidon!

A few days later, QD was officially cleared out by US Customs with the intention of not returning to US waters for many years. Her lines were cast, and she pulled away from the dock with the eagerness of the permanent crew at her helm. A partial day passage south to Fisher Island at Miami positioned her logically for the respected crossing of the legendary Gulf Stream to Bimini. The crew relaxed as the sun set behind the Miami skyline and city lights reflected accross the calm waters of the bay. At midnight, her anchor was lifted, and a 10-hour passage ensued bringing her to rest dockside in Bimini, Bahamas. The crystal blue waters and tropical air validated her lengthy construction project. QD and her crew rested peacefully taking in the tranquil scene and island vibes. The Gulf Stream passage was calm and uneventful – Poseidon tipped his Trident towards QD and nodded his head with approval.

Mission Accomplished

46 days after Queen’s Dream left the port of La Rochelle, France she completed her transatlantic journey to Ft. Lauderdale. Her logs showed the maiden passage traversed 5,676 nautical miles. 8 days into her journey she made a planned, 3-day stop at the Portuguese archipelago island of Maderia where her engines were serviced, fuel topped off and final provisioning completed. The only other stop for QD was a short, 6-hour stop in St. John’s Virgin Islands where she again topped her fuel tank and used the entry port for the crew to clear US customs.

While not a fully finished vessel yet, QD performed exceptionally well with no major failures or quality concerns. Her diesel systems were tested well through several multi-day stretches of constant 24hr motoring due to light/no winds. Her bows navigated much further south than anticipated to reach the dependable trade winds that took her West and eventually up thru the middle region of the Carribean. Under sail, she diligently glided across the vast, isolated expanses of the Atlantic for weeks without sight of any other ship or signs of the modern world. As a final vindication of her sea worthiness, she easily withstood an 8-hour onslaught of steady 35-45 knot winds in the Old Bahama Channel. She proudly arrived dockside in Ft. Lauderdale the evening of March 17th. She was rewarded with several days of TLC cleaning and will now receive 4-5 weeks of additional commissioning work and the final installations of more state-of-the-art nautical systems.

Queen’s Dream was custom built under a vision of crossing oceans, visiting distant shores, and providing a self-sustaining, comfortable living platform to experience the various sights and cultures of the world. Her maiden voyage proved she will proudly perform the envisioned role and empower her crew to safely fulfill their exploratory quests. The second stage of her young life is anticipated to begin late April. QD will permanently leave US waters and explore many Caribbean islands/territories as she casually works her way south to Grenada by July. Her crew is excited to begin Stage #2 and the adventures they will encounter aboard her …

Chewbacca Yells

What’s that loud roaring noise? …… Following a short stop in St. John’s for customs clearance and loading fuel, Queen’s Dream continued her steady journey towards her Ft. Lauderdale destination. The navigated path took her north of St. Thomas as she exited the Virgin Islands. She followed a planned route that took her across the north banks of Puerto Rico, Dominican Republic, Hati and into the Old Bahamas Channel. The classic sailing route is a defined gap of deep water between the dangerously shallow waters of the Bahamas shelf and the coastline of Cuba to the South. While many miles wide, the heavily used channel is still considered narrow by nautical usage.

The detailed weather planning of the crew yielded the knowledge that steady, gale-force winds were predicted for the tight area – this was going to be challenging. QD pushed forward into the area riding slowly growing winds and favoring the close north side of the Bahama waters. As night fell and the light disappeared, the winds increased as predicted. In preparation for the potentially wild ride, the crew stored her main sail and double-reefed the jib to minimize the overall sail area. As the wind increased to high 30+ knots, the motion of the boat would snap sharply as the high winds would issue their attack on the side bows of QD. She stood her ground, and the autopilot would drive her rudders back to the set course heading. Repeat this scene over-and-over again many times per minute. QD fought diligently against the assault as the crew persisted their focus on the boat heading, speed, and wind angle. All while using their well-honed “Sea Legs” to maintain footing.

Sailors are accustomed to the sounds the wind makes as it whips through the standing rigging. Whistles, bells, and hums are all used to describe the sounds. However, there is one sound that is eerie and strange – as the winds increased to a steady 40-45 knots, a moan grew loader and loader. The sound of Chewbacca yelling was upon us. The classic Star Wars character was clearly present but out of sight. The continuous Chewbacca roar brought with it slashing waves of water across the back cockpit and over the bows. The boat would vibrate violently with every slam and boom! Chewbacca was really angered about something. With no place to duck or run, QD kept her course and powered through the onslaught. She was built to handle this type of weather and proved her design was true. The long minutes ticked by. The hours slowly accumulated and eventually the long-awaited daylight appeared as the winds finally subsided down to a manageable 20 knots. The crew again raised her main sail, shut down the engine power and began riding the winds for her last few hundred miles remaining in her maiden voyage. Chewbacca was tamed but is well respected.