After getting a decent night sleep in the V Berth of Dreamer, we were ready to get our holiday going. After I finished my entry to our journal, we talked about the course we were going to take for the day. And this is were my frustration began. All the terms and tasks I had forgotten from our training really made me crazy. Especially when Todd had them all locked up in a secure folder in his head. I wish I could do that. I sometimes wonder how I even graduated college!
After we decided our destination – Turtle Bay – we headed up to the Marina to explore the shops and waste some time before our spirits store opened at 10 (ahh, priorities). We stopped by the general store and that’s when we spotted the incredible news that Obama will be our next president. If no one knew we were Americans before, they sure did then! We were so excited and couldn’t believe that was front page on both Australian newspapers. We are certainly watched around the world. Luckily we aren’t embarrassing ourselves with this news!
We walked further down and looked into several other stores and also found an ice cream parlor that was open at 9 AM. Todd knew that this could be a place where he could call home – ice cream at 9 AM. Around that time, we saw a little girl with long blond hair sitting in one of the many golf carts at the marina. She reminded us a lot of Tay.
While at Trader Pete’s, my sugar daddy bought me a cool floppy hat for the boat. It is white and reminds me of Dad’s hat. We also got some AA batteries and an underwater camera for whenever (if ever) we decide to go snorkeling.
On our way back to the boat, we listened to channel 81 for the check in with Sunsail. They do a radio transmission at 8:45 AM and 4:45 PM to go through the weather as well as do a roll call with all the chartered boats. Wow they have a lot out there! We were listening on our 2-way radio and heard them go through their list. They noticed we were still in the dock so they passed us up. But Todd is our radio talker (DJ if you will) so we checked in with them later with our plans.
Before we headed out, we got a couple more coolers for ice, the ice itself (7 bags) and a little bit more adult bevs “for the road.” We loaded up the boat, got the inside of the boat ready for sail and washed off the deck (bird poop a plenty). Once we were all ready with sunscreen, hats, sunglasses, bathing suits, and GPS in place, we told the Sunsail folks that we were ready for them to get us out of the dock. Hey, what the hell? If we don’t have to, why risk a bump when they can do it for you?
Sure enough, they got us to the edge of the marina facing the great unknown. Our driver jumped off the back into a tender (dinghy) and drove away. How cool is that? I wonder, if I had that job, how many times I would end up in the water before I would master that transfer.
At that point we were off. We motored until we got through a tight canal that was lined with coral. Once we were in the open, we busted up the sails and had a crash course in sailing once again. I can’t say it was pretty or graceful. And I can’t say that there wasn’t frustration. But, we…ummm…sailed. For a very short period of time. Turtle Bay wasn’t far at all. I mean, not at all.
So, after going back and forth about what to do, we decided to anchor. Something we have never done. And there were plenty of other boats to bump into, plenty of people to watch us and plenty of reef to wash up on. I won’t go into my tantrum because I am embarrassed that it happened. However, after much frustration and drama, we were anchored in probably the most perfect spot in the whole bay.
Once we anchored and I got over my grump, we decided on our drink of choice – Todd an Australian beer and I had an Australian rum with Diet Coke. After a bit on the deck, we decided to hop into Timmy the Tender (yes, we named our tender) and explore a small beach close to where we anchored.
The tender ride was awesome. You could see the bottom as we moved into shallow water. We beached Timmy and explored our own personal deserted beach. We collected shells, took cheesy pictures and discovered plants and rocks we have never seen before. The trees were full of cockatoos and we saw other birds perched on rocks that we had never seen before. It was just amazing and so worth the frustration of our first time anchor. Todd picked our anchor spot and it was just amazing!
The three of us – Todd, Timmy and I – headed around a cove and checked out the vegetation. It was so fun tooling around and even more fun (and satisfying) to see our boat still anchored and not floating away. We moved around the bay to see why all the other boats were further in the bay for anchoring. Nothing looked quite as awesome as where we were. It is more protected from the wind further in but we never felt unprotected the entire night.
This bay is appropriately named! Along with the other awesome tropical life, we have spotted large turtles swimming and popping their heads up to take a breath! It is amazing! Their little bald heads popping up out of the water with their little mouths open. Sometimes you will see a fin come up out of the water. Todd actually saw some sort of bat ray or manta rays jump up out of the water! I missed it – but he said it was really cool! It’s just amazing and really has me thinking that I may snorkel after all. *Yikes*
Once we returned to the boat, we started dinner. Our first dinner cooked on the boat was spaghetti, salad and garlic bread. Other than some frustration with the stove, it turned out pretty good. And, since we didn’t have any lunch, we devoured it! We do have some spaghetti left that we may warm up for lunch or combine with some grilled chicken later this evening.
We both took on board showers last night and found that they were surprisingly satisfying. Little by little we are learning how to live on a boat. I am sure, by the time we have to leave, we will have it down!
The rest of the night was sitting in the cockpit, having drinks, Todd had a cigar, and looking at the stars. Other boats were definitely party crowds but we were so far out in our exclusive anchor, they didn’t phase us a bit. There was a dinner cruise ship that anchored on the other side of the bay from us. They headed out around 9 – those poor blokes! Our dinner cruise is so much better!
Todd fell asleep in the cockpit so we decided to head to bed – it was around 10 or 10:30. We have definitely melded right into the timing here. I haven’t felt any jet lag whatsoever. Sweetie, are you jet lagged? No, he says. So, we have acclimated well and haven’t wasted anytime under the lag!
So, up I was at 5 AM. Todd wasn’t far behind. We watched the sunrise over Turtle Bay and said good morning to our turtle friends that popped their heads out from time to time. Jerome made his way out of the backpack. Talk about jet lag – he missed a whole day! But he watched the sunrise and checked out the shells and coral that we found yesterday. He is ready to enjoy our journey now that he has had his day long sleep tucked away in the dark carry on.
Now on to the next awesome destination – today I am leaving my frustration checked at the door and taking on my sweetie’s mantra – “what could go wrong?”
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