Carriacou Regatta Festival 2007 - Caribbean Compass

SEPTEMBER 2007 CARIBBEAN COMPASS PAGE 36
—Continued from previous page
Additional confusion was created by the sight of
other buoys marking a secondary channel north
around Protestant Island, a direction we were not taking.
Seeing these flashing green and red buoys in a
featureless black harbour created a degree of uncertainty:
were they for our intended channel or the other
channel? Both Judy and I trusted our C-map more
than the confusion of flashing buoys. The situation
reminded me of “Blind Pilotage” exercises I did for my
watchkeeper’s certificate in the Canadian Navy when
all the bridge windows would be covered up and I had
to navigate on instruments only.
After Doug’s galley mishap, he donated burn
dressings which we presented to Nurse Pansy
François at Woburn, Grenada
As we worked our way cautiously around the last few
buoys towards the marina, we still could not see the
docks, or have any idea of how they were laid out. There
were no lights on the docks, just a black indistinct
shoreline which frightened me to even approach. I saw
a couple of sailboats anchored to my port, outside of the
entrance channel, and decided to go towards them and
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Full Service Marina Facility
LEAVE YOUR BOAT
IN OUR CARE THIS SUMMER
Our facility located in the heart of beautiful Virgin Gorda comprises
a 111-slip marina and a boatyard with 12 acres of dry storage space
offering insurance approved hurricane pits to secure your vessel
during hurricane season.
Onsite amenities and services include a bank/ATM, a supermarket,
chandlery, restaurant, bakery, clothing store, dive shop, phone and
fax facilities, free wireless internet access, fuel, water and ice,
laundry facilities, and an office of the BVI Tourist Board all in
a pristine and relaxing environment. BVI Customs and immigration
located within convenient walking distance.
Tel: 284 495-5500
284 495-5318
Web: www.vgmarina.biz
VHF Ch: 16
if possible anchor between them. I had no idea of the
depths outside of the channel markers, but thought if
they could anchor there, so could we, as we draw only
four and a half feet. I crept Veleda up to the starboard
quarter of the outermost anchored boat and dropped
the hook. By the time we settled to a secure anchor, our
stern was a few feet out into the channel, but what the
hell, we were secure in the ominously named Gallows
Bay at Christiansted (17°45.02N, 064°41.96W) after a
scary night-time entrance.
Next morning we dinghied in to the fuel dock and
informed the people at the marina chandlery of our
situation. They were most helpful, checking with the
emergency department of
the hospital and calling
Homeland Security at the
airport for us to be able to
check in to US territory.
We walked to the Customs
and Immigration office a
couple of hundred yards
down the harbour where
we met with a very cooperative
officer. He called
a cab for us from his
mobile phone to send
Doug and Judy to the
emergency clinic at the
hospital, and I remained
to do the check-in formalities,
after which he drove
me to the hospital.
I filled out an entry and a
departure form. The forms
were for a 48-hour period,
and if we were there longer
we would need to come
back for more paperwork. There was no charge for the
completion of these forms or any overtime incurred. I
was mildly surprised at this relatively simple efficient
entry formality, as I know airport security for the US
involves personal and baggage searches, and would not
have been surprised if he requested a search of Veleda.
The reasonableness and co-operation of the Homeland
Security officers was greatly appreciated.
At the hospital, we waited from 1100 to 1530 before
Doug was seen. The scald was inspected, cleaned and
re-dressed with Silvadene cream (basically the same
as the Flamazine we had used) and wrapped with
gauze bandages. We were told the burn was bad
Fax: 284 495-5706
284 495-5685
enough (deep second and possibly third degree) that
he should return to Canada for further treatment.
Doug flew out next afternoon. We were sad to see him
go, but further treatment was far more important than
his continuing with us.
This was the first serious injury we have had on
board during our nine years of cruising. We are aware
that any mis-step could result in a major accident
causing a broken limb, head injury, crushed fingers,
burns or scalds, or even a man overboard situation.
This incident has caused us to be that much more vigilant
— and I have made more instant coffee at sea
since Doug’s accident, rather than the more precarious
filtered coffee!
A Silver Lining
In Toronto Doug was well cared for as an outpatient,
and he was given a large batch of dressings to protect
the wound between debriding sessions while it was
healing. He had many dressings left over, and gave
them to us on our spring visit to Canada to donate to
a medical facility on our travels.
There is a large international cruising community in
the Hog Island anchorage near the village of Woburn
on the south coast of Grenada. In July, we donated the
dressings to the Woburn Medical Station, presenting
them to Nurse Pansy François, who then gave us a
tour of the facility. The medical station was re-commissioned
by the Basic Needs Trust Fund Programme
in February of this year after damage from Hurricane
Ivan which devastated Grenada in September 2004.
The rebuilding was funded by the Government of
Grenada, the Caribbean Development Bank and the
Canadian International Development Agency. However
the station is still short of some equipment and furnishings.
We returned later in the day to donate an
electric kettle, and a gas bottle with regulator and hose
for their cooker, which we had noted were needed.
Thanks also go to Deborah and John Gerber of Sea
Witch, long-time liveaboards located at Hog Island, for
the information about the needs of the station and for
transportation to and from the facility. We would
encourage more cruisers to donate to worthy causes in
communities in which they anchor or hunker down in
marinas, in addition to just buying groceries and supplies
as their contribution to the economy.
PS — We never did reach Cuba, as after leaving St.
Croix we had to divert to Kingston, Jamaica, due to
storms and to repair steering problems. We arrived at
Kingston without charts or pilot book, but at least this
time we entered in daylight.