Road Harbour Tortola

Checked out early from St Johns and had another good sail through Durloe Channel past Whistling Key and on through the Narrows to Tortola but I had to use the iron topsail for the last bit as the wind died in the lee of Tortola.
I poked my nose into Sopers Hole on the west end of Tortola but decided to press on to Road Harbour as it looked pretty crowded.

My speed over the ground varied a lot as there are strong currents flowing in the narrow channels betwn the different islands, I rockon that I had about 5 knots boat spped but the GPS was showing over 7 knots at times.

It was Sunday and I had heard that overtime would be charged but I was pleasently surprised to find that my total charges were $31 for 30 days. I was expecting it to be higher but either that $4 a day head tax only applies to charter boats or they rescinded it.

I was pleased to get in to Road Harbour and expected it to be quite sheltered but a large northerly swell has set up and it is finding its way in here and I am rolling like a pig in a barrel this evening. I will try a stern line to keep the nose into the swell but the wind is swirling around and I suspect it may not keep the bow where I want it to be.

As the swell is forecast to peak tomorrow and be around till the end of the week I will look for a protected anchorage tomorrow perhaps The Bight on Norman Island will do the trick.

My hero lost last night, I am glad I was too tired to stay up and go to the pub. Brett Favre and the Vikings lost to the New Orleans Saints. Ah well no fairytale ending to his career.

I did watch a bit of the other NFL game in the company of a young couple who work for a big charter operation and they said it has been a pretty quiet year and right enough the marina is full of charter boats that should be out sailing around with happy punters.



This shows the Moorings fleet in oad harbour and there are few empty berths. I guess less than 15% of their boats are out. Some are not even back in the water.



But this is good news for me as the anchorages should be less crowded and there will not be a rush for the "honey spots" like the Baths or the wreck of the Rhone.

Mind you I have to devise a method for picking up a mooring single handed as I am not allowed to anchor in some places.