We had very light winds all night which is quite a contrast to the normal howling in the rigging all night.  Maybe we are having a marked change in the weather and for the better at that.

“Methodical.”  That’s the word for Darl, according to Pat.  He has a method for everything in life.  Well, that’s the kind of guy you want around on a sailboat with engines to keep running and an $80,000 boat at stake.  You don’t have to question whether there is a method; there always is.  “Just put one wrap on that cleat; we won’t be here long.”  There is a certain way to tie the dinghy painter (rope) so that we are not in danger of losing it during the day- double-tied with a clove hitch on the cleat and two half-hitches over the rail.  But he may have gone just a little too far last night in bed when he said to Pat, “If you will move your head six inches to the left, you’ll get a better breeze coming down from the hatch.”

We left Trellis Bat at 8:15 sailing downwind to Cane Garden Bay and arrived about 11:00.

Sarah writes:
“Beautiful day of sailing past Sandy Cay along the back side of Tortola to Jost Van Dyke.  Stopped at Cane Garden Bay, went ashore for a little while.  Ate hamburger lunch at Paradise Bar.  Palm lined beach with 2 or 3 T-shirt shops.  Lots of pelicans diving for fish. They would perch on the dinghies and boats.  Bought a tropical print dress to wear to dinner tonight.  Sailed an hour and a half to Great Harbour, anchored for the night - went ashore.  This is my favorite place, I think.  150 residents on this island.  Boats are coming in fast now - Harbour is filling up.  Hope nobody’s anchor slips tonight.  We found Foxy’s pretty quickly over at one corner of the harbor.  This is an unbelievable set-up.  There is a gift shop with lots of clothes with Foxy’s label, T-shirts and silk.  There is a large open-air bar and a number of little open air pavilions with variety of seating - chairs, benches, etc.  There is a hammock strung between two trees in the shade.  There is a trampoline over in one corner.  Foxy is there visiting with people.  Pat bought a T-shirt which Foxy autographed.”

Sailing was slow, easy, downwind, even Sarah loved it.  No gritting her teeth.

Andy read his Clive Cussler book all day while sailing today.  For that I had mixed feelings.  It was a shame to keep your head in a book when sailing in paradise, but it was a miracle of the third order for him to be reading anything so I didn’t complain.

We went ashore and looked around, then had cheeseburgers at Paradise Club.  Will and Sarah swung on the tire swing at Stanleys.

Pelicans were swarming and diving in the water just out front.  About 50 of them.

One pelican was sitting on the dinghy next tours and he stayed there less than three feet away while Will and I got into the dinghy.

We left Cane Garden at 12:45 and arrived at Jost Van Dyke about 2:00.  We anchored out, setting two anchors for extra safety amid the 20 boats already anchored in the small harbor.

When we set the anchor, everyone was thinking about Monday night’s episode.  Pat remembered that I had not been comfortable with the anchor set off Prickly Pear Island and sure enough the anchor did not hold.  Well, we made sure we backed down hard with the motor to set the main anchor and also set the second anchor at 60 degrees from the first.  We wanted to make sure we were well-protected this time.  After everything was set Pat said, “Is Mickey happy with it?  If Mickey’s happy, then I’m happy.”

By 6:00 p.m., there were fifty boats crammed in.  Darl and I spent hours watching the boats come in and decide where and how to anchor.

We went ashore and found Foxy himself at Foxy’s.  Pat bought a T-shirt and had him sign it.  The bartender was entertaining some college girls with magic tricks.  Andy and I watched and were very impressed.

Darl and I hung the grill again and cooked chicken while Pat and Sarah prepared rice and corn for dinner, this time with using a half-box of matches and without having a roaring fire off the back of the boat.  Every meal on board has been delicious.

The Flying Cloud has followed us from North Sound and is anchoring with us again.  They have much bigger anchors and longer chain and always drop anchor in the deep water about 50 yards further out than any of the other boats.

There were lots of college kids on shore today.  Five boats rated together for the cocktail hour with college kids swarming on them.

Foxy’s is just a jumble of thatched roof picnic tables with thousands of business cards stapled to every exposed piece of wood.  There are lots of college pennants hanging from the rafters along with a lot of men’s and women’s underwear!

We walked about one-half block behind the customs office and found Christine’s Bakery.  We bought delicious raisin-bread for supper.

Tonight when we went to Foxy’s to check out the night-life, Sarah appeared in her island dress!  She looked beautiful strolling the beach in her Caribbean garb.  Best looking girl on the beach.   Well, Foxy’s is really an outdoor bar with a two-man reggae band playing.  So we got a couple of cokes and watched the funny people dance.  The water in the bay was completely calm and boats were swinging every which a way.  The powerboaters in front of us suggested that we let out some chain but we had already let it almost all out, and, besides, we were there first.

The moon has moved from about a quarter when we first arrived to almost full now.  It has been nice to have the night light.  We had no trouble going to and from Foxy’s in the dark with no light except the moon.

When we got back to the boat, we listened to Foxy’s tape that Sarah bought.  It features Foxy’s famous song about the island:

Jost Van Dyke Island
There lies an island across the ocean
A beautiful island beckoning to me
There lies an island Jost Van Dyke island
Across an ocean beckoning to me

Well, across the ocean there
I love that island so fair
She is the land of my birth
I will love her til I die
And then I will breathe a sigh
Jost Van Dyke I love you tenderly

Across the ocean there lies an island
A beautiful island beckoning to me
Across the ocean there lies an island
Jost Van Dyke island beckoning to me

I love that island you see
For she is so dear to me
Well unto her I’ll always be true
Well I’m going to say to you
She was so nice to my fathers too
And Jost Van Dyke you’ll be always paradise to me.

Across the ocean there lies an island
A beautiful island beckoning to me
Across the ocean there lies an island
Jost Van Dyke island She is home to me.

I really have no fears
For so good to be living here
Jost Van Dyke you are my mother to me.
I really think it’s fine
You give me so much of sunshine
Jost Van Dyke, you is paradise to me.

Across the ocean there lies an island
A beautiful island beckoning to me
Across the ocean there lies an island
Jost Van Dyke island paradise for me

I will not be alone
Jost Van Dyke will always be home
Well, what I’m telling to you
I cannot go as you
It’s home for my children too
Jost Van Dyke, we will always love you.

Across the ocean there lies an island
A beautiful island beckoning to me
Across the ocean there lies an island
Jost Van Dyke island paradise for me

End - Day Nine - Motherofallvacations Vacation