Text Author: John-Frederick Thye

A rough ride - this best describes our 380 nautical mile passage from Tortola, British Virgin Islands, to Bequia, Grenadines. The wind and waves allowed us to get little rest from handling the boat, and the thundering sound of the waves beating the hulls and fly bridge paid little respect to Flo's and my 4-hour sleep cycles. The wind and waves were coming from all sides, primarily from the East, but many Northerlies and Southerlies, too. Our course was due South-East.

The steep wave faces and high frequencies caused the Wildlife catamaran's hulls to cantilever beyond their tops and then drop 7 feet into the next valley, crashing into the following rising wave crest. The large waves, 10-feet in amplitude, often broke at the crest, white foam gushing into their valleys. The sea was rough enough to discourage us from cooking regularly, and if it wasn't for Kate, who is joining us for 2 weeks, I'm not sure if we'd eaten any warm food in this 53-hour leg.

Kate slept for the first 30 hours, adjusting to the motion of the boat, then to awake and spoil us with her cooking magic. After Kate put energy back into our tummies we arrived in Bequia on a beautiful afternoon under reefed main and jib. Our first mission was to visit Brother King and his Turtle Sanctuary, on which we will write a News Flash.

As I am writing this log a few days belated, I can tell you that Bequia is one of our favorite Caribbean Islands. It's happy people and colorful towns and market places found a special place in our hearts. Bequia, we will see you again in a few years!