Back in the summer of 1986, in the days of bigger house and smaller boat, we sailed our Catalina 27 from Houston to Port Isabelle (South Padre Island area) where we kept it as our floating condo for a year, traveling the 500 one way miles every chance we got; vacation weeks, long weekends, short weekends. We met a couple there that lived on their boat and cruised the islands whenever they got the chance. They were the first people we ever met who actually lived on their boat and, therefore, they quickly developed “hero” status with us and we became fast friends. The next summer when we had decided to sell the boat and the house in order to get a bigger boat and live on it, Doug and LuAnn gave us a wonderful sendoff with a grilled tuna dinner across the dock at their place. The next day when we sailed out of the marina for the brokerage docks back in Houston was the last time we saw them, although we’ve kept in touch over the years by infrequent mail.

While we were in the Virgin Islands, we became a “sponsoring vessel” by subscribing to David Jones’ Caribbean Weather Net based in Tortola. For $100 per year, we can check in with David Jones (the “Caribbean Weather Man”) via SSB radio to get weather information and forecasts for whatever area we happen to be in at the time. Since we’re well into hurricane season, trying to make our way south, we figured it was well worth it for the personal weather routing service.

Randy and Cheryl flew out of St. Thomas last Saturday morning. By noon we were heading back to Virgin Gorda where we would wait for weather to cross the Anegada Passage to St. Martin. We only made it to Peter Island due to the very strong easterly trade winds. The next day we made it on in to Virgin Gorda. I noticed that the alternator bracket that had broken and been welded together back in Apalachicola had broken again. Luckily, our friends Keith and Cindy on “Imua Kai”, who went to work for the shipyard on Virgin Gorda, were able to help me get it re-welded right away. Tuesday, we took the ferry over to Road Town, Tortola, to try to find, or have made, a new alternator bracket (the re-welded one would serve as a backup) and to meet David Jones and visit his Weather Center. We didn’t find a new bracket and the machine shop couldn’t make a new one right away, but we did visit the Weather Center, talked with David Jones and got a good weather window for St. Martin overnight.

We cleared out of the BVI, caught the last ferry back to Virgin Gorda, quickly got the boat ready to sail and had the anchor up by 1800, heading for St. Martin some 85 nautical miles away. David’s forecast of 15-20 knot easterlies and “bumpy” seas was right on. The sky was mostly clear and the full moon made for a delightful, although a little rough, crossing.

The next morning around 0730 and about 35 miles from St. Martin, the radio was calling our name.
“Ma’alahi Ma’alahi, Whisper.”
I glanced at Claudia and grabbed the mike.
“Whisper Whisper, Ma’alahi.”
“Ma’alahi, go to 6224.”
“Switching to 6224.”
“Ma’alahi, this is Whisper. Are you David and Claudia?”
“Are you LuAnn and Doug?”

Sure enough, Doug and LuAnn Grant, aboard their recently acquired schooner “Whisper”, had heard us talking to David Jones a couple of days before and thought it might be us. I guaranteed them that we are definitely the only “Ma’alahi” on the high seas. Interestingly, they’ve been at St. Croix, USVI; the only Virgin Island we didn’t visit. But, they’re heading south, too, and we’ll surely meet up with one another somewhere down the line. Can’t wait.

By the way, we made it to Saint Martin. We’re currently anchored at Marigot on the French side. We took a bus over to Philipsburg, Sint Maarten, on the Dutch side of the island today. We survived another passing tropical wave and its associated strong winds and heavy rain last night. The next few days promise settled weather and we’ll leave in the morning (Saturday) for St. Barts. From there we’ll overnight to Guadeloupe where we’ll finally be below 16 degrees latitude and be within the requirements of our insurance once again.

Still lovin’ it,

David and Claudia