Sunday 13th January 2013 Cockburn Grand Turk

I raised the anchor at 6am (still dark) to make use of the last of the outgoing tide, in good hopes of a favourable weather window, soon dispelled when no wind appeared, I raised the main and had the jib unfurled to catch what little there was, but was soon being forced North by the Gulf Stream heralded by a large sea turtle;

Large turtle, I thought it was a whales back

Ploughing to windward

 and coupled with that the cargo ships and tugs were getting ever closer the closest passing us at ½ mile! We managed to find enough wind to sail by midnight but had to restart the engine on Friday afternoon, only managing intermittent sailing until midnight on Tuesday 8^th after which we sailed until reaching Grand Turk this morning at 11am. So of the 10 days and 5hours of the journey we were under motor about 74 hours. 

The worst was that the winds were South East (our route) most of the time, forcing us to tack, which we did twice, adding about 240Nmto the trip; most of which was spent alone in our bit of water, with the odd freighter or cruise liner on the horizon, two flying fish landed on deck, too small to eat, and nothing was kind enough to attach itself to my fishing lines. Since we were head on to the swell most of the time, the constant drowning of the bow light connector finally flooded and tripped out, leaving no navigation lights, if I saw a ship I put on my anchor light, to have some lights showing, but no one contacted me.

Anchored off Cockburn Grand Turk

Nearing Grand Turk I tried to contact the harbourmaster at the South Base, with no luck, a local answered my call and went personally to the docks to arrange for someone to meet me for clearance, and directed me to the anchorage off the town dock at Cockburn, so having got the hook down in lovely clear water at 26°C (79°F) I inflated the dingy, had a quick wash and went ashore when no one had come by 4pm I returned to the boat and wrote this, I will get a taxi to South Base in the morning and see what happens.

Monday 14^th got a taxi to the docks to customs, who sent me to another building about 200 yards away, which turned out to be a large empty shed with a small office at its far end housing both customs and immigration for sailboats. Having cleared in a stamp could not be put in my passport as the officer was off on compassionate leave, so was advised to go to the airport (about a mile away on the road back to Cockburn) walking there I found the necessary person was not available and was given vague directions to ‘a pink building called 3 Degrees down the road’ about a mile and a half later I found it and without too much hassle got the necessary stamp; having by now walked nearly the whole way back to Cockburn I completed the  distance on foot, 

Pony havind a bath

Old Salt Pans

finding the town now crawling with tourists as two cruise liners had arrived. I located a cafe that offered wifi and returned to the boat, and as I was preparing to go for a swim, a police boat pulled alongside as I was flying my yellow practique flag, having explained I had just cleared, he had to come aboard to check and fill in the inevitable form and have a look around. After a pleasant swim I did some chores including an oil change, repairing a jib sheet pulley and sealing the bow light plug, and so to bed.